Daly Focus Blog
“I quit. I don’t want to be a mother anymore.”
Author Sarah Parshall Perry blurted that out one day in a moment of weakness while her husband was travelling for work and she was caring for three children with the stomach flu. She was exhausted after days with little sleep.
Her breaking point came as she was bathing her youngest child even though she hadn’t been able to shower herself. When she brushed against the shower curtain, and it collapsed on them both, she cried, “I quit.
You may have read “The Fox and the Crow” when you were a child. As you’ll recall, the famous story from “Aesop’s Fables” warns us to be wary of flattery.
Or, you may have read about Christian’s journey to the Celestial City in “Pilgrim’s Progress.” On the road to the Celestial City, Christian meets a giant named Despair. Just as Christian must overcome the giant, Despair is a reality many Christians face in their spiritual lives.
Regular readers of my blog will remember me mentioning my dear friend, the late Reverend H.B. London.
H.B. was Focus on the Family’s “Pastor to Pastors” for over 20 years, a devoted shepherd who understood the challenges of ministry because he served several churches for more than two decades.
Today is the one-year anniversary of H.B.’s promotion to Glory, and so I thought it would be appropriate to use this occasion to remember a good man – and encourage all of you to thank your pastor for the incalculable contribution they are making in your life and the lives of others.
By: Zachary Mettler
The Daily Citizen had the great privilege to interview three former Navy SEALS, two of whom are participating in a 1,000 mile long, 10 day bike ride to raise money for the VIP NeuroRehabilitation Center in San Diego, CA. The SEALS have formed an organization, Beyond the Teams, which seeks to, “fight for those who can’t fight for themselves by bringing awareness and financial resources to any disabled military personnel, veterans, handicapped children, and others.”
For Beyond the Teams’ first project, five former SEALS will bike down the east coast from Virginia Beach, Virginia to Fort Pierce, Florida.
Having a baby is supposed to be a time of great excitement and joy.
But what if it’s not?
What happens when something goes wrong? What happens when the joys of pregnancy become a devastating, heart-wrenching experience?
Adriel Booker has survived that experience three times. She’ll tell you that she has seven children, but only three sit around the dinner table. She gave birth to two boys, and then she and her husband experienced three consecutive miscarriages.
We’re doing something a little unusual on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Sharing God’s Light Through Art.” We recorded the program in a different kind of studio. Instead of microphones and recording consoles, we were surrounded by paintings, easels, and more paint brushes in one place than I’ve ever seen.
The art studio belongs to Morgan Weistling, who has been an artist since he was old enough to hold a crayon. He has studied under some of the most legendary illustrators and artists of the last century.
It’s likely that you’ve never heard of Caren Spruch, but according to a recent article in the Washington Post, the 62-year-old is working quietly behind the scenes in Hollywood to advance Planned Parenthood’s deadly agenda.
According to her online bio, Ms. Spruch is the “director of arts and entertainment engagement” for an organization responsible for over 300,000 abortions each year in America.
If it sounds oxymoronic to you to put “abortion” and “entertainment” in the same sentence, you wouldn’t be alone.
Do you have someone in your life who’s toxic? Someone who’s negative, even antagonistic toward you. Someone who tries to control your life. Someone who, no matter what you say or do to please them, it’s never enough.
What’s a good way to respond to a person like that?
Christians are especially likely to have relationships with toxic people. Coming alongside another person with the love of Christ in a time of need can be messy.
A father who came to psychologist Michael Anderson’s office for counseling illustrates the shift in thinking many moms and dads need to make.
The father said, “In the last 90 days, my daughter has completely changed. She’ll do anything her friends tell her to do. She’s smoking. She’s drinking. She’s shoplifting.”
Michael asked him, “What was she like 90 days ago?”
The father said, “She was an A-student. She was in the church youth group. She’d do anything we told her to do.”
That last phrase caught Michael’s ear.
My wife and I often discuss our relationship in terms of a theme. It could be “forgiveness,” or “grace,” or maybe “patience.” Then we try to weave that theme into every part of our marriage. Not only will we try to be more patient, for example, but we’ll make patience a part of our conversation with one another for that season of life.
Sometimes all it takes to infuse a marriage with more happiness is a few small changes.
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.
