Daly Focus Blog
If God is good, why does He allow evil to exist?
Have your children ever asked you that question?
Have you ever asked your children that question? How do you think they’d answer?
How about these questions?
Where did the universe come from?
Do science and religion contradict each other?
Do all religions worship the same God?
How do we know God hears and answers prayer?
Author Natasha Crain didn’t know how to answer these and other important questions when her children asked.
When author Becky Baudouin’s girls were little, strangers would comment about how cute they were. Then they’d share a mommy platitude. Something like, “Enjoy every minute! It goes by fast!”
Becky knew what they meant, but she also thought to herself, “What about moments that are terrible and the only good thing about them is that they don’t last forever?”
Here’s another one: “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.” Out of balance, this one puts a lot of pressure on mom to act like she’s happy and together when she’s really not.
Have you had “The Talk” with your child? You know, the one about sex?
If not, why not? Maybe you feel nervous because you don’t know what to say.
I don’t blame you. The talk I had with one of my boys didn’t go quite as well as I’d hoped. I planned a weekend-long father/son getaway where I did my best to explain sex and sexuality in a way he’d understand.
Driving home, I asked him, “Any questions?”
“No.
As the president of Focus on the Family, a lot of people count on me to lead our organization into the future.
If you’re a parent, you know how heavy a responsibility like that can be. You, too, run a business – the family business – and your children are counting on you to lead them into the future.
From one executive to another, let me share with you one of my most important tips for success: you won’t accomplish anything alone.
Dad, don’t let your teenage daughter fool you.
She needs you.
I know her attitude may not always reflect that, but it’s true. She’s caught in a whirlwind of uncertainty, hormones, and confusing messages that skew her sense of identity and self-worth. On top of that, her social world is topsy-turvy, and she’s growing, changing, and feeling awkward. With you. With everybody.
Along the way, you’ll be tempted to disengage from her and keep her at arm’s length.
I’m a well-organized person. I like things neat and tidy. Generally, that quality leads to positive results in my life. But it can also lead to dashed expectations and conflict. Clutter around the house can really bother me, if I let it.
So can clutter in my schedule. My leadership team here at Focus on the Family helps me manage my time well, but my life is full, and I always have more to do than I have time to do it.
I refused to go to kindergarten.
On my first day, I dug in my heels and wouldn’t walk to school with my siblings. I told my mom no and meant it. I was so stubborn about it that she personally had to usher me down the block and into the building.
I didn’t want to go, but I’m glad I did because something magical happened that first morning.
Her name was Mrs. Smith. My kindergarten teacher.
Young people in America and Europe are leaving the Christian church at an unprecedented rate. Statistically, this generation is the least religious in history. Teenagers, in particular, are turning toward atheism at a rate double that of the general population.
Many struggle to believe claims made by the Bible. Or to reconcile faith in a loving God with evil and suffering in the world. Some cite bad experiences with a church or conflict with a Christian as their reason for doubt.
From the “strange but true” file comes this unusual story of selfish entitlement.
Twenty-seven-year-old Raphael Samuel filed a lawsuit against his parents because – get this – they didn’t seek his permission before giving birth to him. Because of that oversight, he said, his parents were obligated to pay his expenses for the rest of his life.
Talk about selfishness run amuck. Instead of feeling gratitude for everything his parents did to sacrifice and give him a good life, Raphael chose what has become a common attitude – entitlement.
Now that my boys are grown, I’m looking back at that part of life as a wonderful time. I really loved being a dad. Sure, there were challenging moments, but the rewards of parenting have always far outweighed the difficulties. In fact, a lot of our memories were joyous. Many were centered around laughter.
It’s important for families to keep a sense of humor and laugh with each other.
In that spirit, I have some fun stories for you to hear on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Parenting Struggles and What They Teach.”
Our guest, author Ken Swarner, is throwing his family under the bus … with their permission, of course.
Jim Daly is a husband, father and President of Focus on the Family and host of its National Radio Hall of Fame broadcast. His blog, Daly Focus, is full of timely commentary and wisdom designed to help you navigate and understand today’s culture. His latest book is Marriage Done Right.
