Daly Focus Blog
If God is good, why does He allow evil to exist?
Maybe your kids have asked you that to see how you answer. Have you ever asked your kids that question to see how they answer?
Or how about these?
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?
Natasha Crain didn’t know how to answer such important questions.
I know of a couple whose daughter disappeared from home in a fit of rebellion on her 18th birthday. Her parents were devastated. For years, they didn’t know if she was alive or dead.
Early on, her mother made a simple decision. Every night – all night – she would turn on the porch light. It was an unspoken message to her daughter: “You’re always welcome home.”
Many nights, tears streamed down that mother’s face as she locked the front door, switched on the light, and prayed for her daughter.
What does your ideal Christmas morning look like?
For many years, the Dalys began in the pre-dawn dark around 6:00 A.M. Jean and I would hear the scampering sound of little feet running down the hall towards our room. Bursting through the door, Trent and Troy would leap onto our bed, urging us to get up and come down to the tree and all the presents that seemed to have mysteriously appeared overnight.
Little did they know we had gotten to sleep only a few hours earlier, just after the bikes had been assembled, the last present was wrapped, and the stockings filled.
Masculinity is in crisis. Numerous studies show it. Boys are struggling to mature into competent young men, and men and fathers in general are often dismissed, or denigrated, in the culture.
Even when criticism is justified, the solution isn’t to tear down masculinity. It’s to teach boys how to harness manhood and to channel it properly.
That’s where you come in, Mom.
For every study that shows boys are in trouble, there’s another showing that boys grow into healthy, strong, and courageous young men when they have healthy and secure attachments with their mothers.
A couple of years ago, we shared Dr. Rosaria Butterfield’s dramatic conversion testimony. In the late ‘90s, she was professor of English and queer theory at Syracuse University in New York. She was living proudly as a lesbian and feminist and was an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ rights.
Her turn to faith came about from what she calls “radically ordinary hospitality.” That’s where you open your home and your life to neighbors, friends, and strangers and intentionally share your faith.
“For a good time, call HOME!”
That’s not a bumper sticker (although it could be). It’s actually Ted Cunningham’s way of encouraging men and women to invest in their marriage.
You get out of your relationship what you put into it. That means enjoying life and marriage is a decision – a choice you make – not something you achieve by passively sitting back and hoping will come your way.
Compatibility isn’t an accident. It’s something you create in your relationship by choosing to invest your time and resources.
Christmas is all about the baby Jesus. We celebrate the truth that “unto us a child is born, to us a Son is given” (Isaiah 9:6-7).
The Creator of the universe cloaked Himself in flesh and blood and submitted Himself to the care of human parents as a vulnerable, dependent child. It’s the ultimate expression of humility.
On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Unwrapping the Real Christmas,” British evangelist Canon J.John has a challenge for you this Christmas: as you celebrate the baby Jesus, allow your heart to consider the rest of His life as well.
Nick Stumbo grew up in a loving, Christian family, gave his life to the ministry as a 3rd generation pastor, and was married to the love of his life. From the outside, his life was perfect.
But Nick had a secret.
He learned at a young age that anything sexual should be hidden. Sex was exclusively for marriage, and anything outside of that was wrong – even talking about it.
So, when things of a sexual nature started infiltrating Nick’s life – like exposure to pornography at a friend’s house, the school bus, or sporting trips – he didn’t believe he could share it with anyone.
“Sitting in the darkness they saw a great light. The doors of Heaven were opened wide. How much more … does God love you?”
That’s the opening line to the joyful new Christmas single, “How Much More.”
Sung by the Georgia Youth Choir, the song is filled with Biblical imagery and hope-filled reminders of God’s immense love for us.
It seems every year, winter brings out those who can’t get enough of Christmas – and those who can’t wait for the music to stop playing.
For those of you who may not hold Christmas music in very high esteem, especially those songs that are overplayed, “How Much More” is a new track you just might enjoy.
Teaching character to children and motivating them to embrace change can be a challenge.
Dr. Kathy Koch says strengthening your relationship with your child is key to helping him or her to feel known and understood and to intentionally impart character qualities like resilience, humility, self-respect, respect for others, and self-control.
First, you model those qualities yourself. Then, you guide your children to interact with life in the same way. Communicating as a teacher, a coach, a cheerleader, and a referee, parents can address five core needs of a child:
Security – Who can I trust?Identity – Who am I?Belonging – Who wants me?Purpose – Why am I alive?Competence – What do I do well?
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.
