faith Archives

Want to Serve Others? Become a Volunteer Focus on the Family Online Mentor

If you love Jesus, people and social media, please consider volunteering as a Focus on the Family online mentor.

It’s a unique opportunity for anyone who has a heart for the hurting. Online mentors are digital missionaries, tending to real needs, sharing the Gospel, and going “through all the towns and villages,” just like Jesus did … except these modern-day missionaries “travel” through their Internet connection.

Focus will provide the technology and training. We’ll equip you to enter online communications and take part in conversations to breathe life, Bible-based hope, and encouragement to people in need.

Topics: Focus Events Tags: events, faith, promos, technology September 3, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

How to Really Change

One of the most well-known characters in classic literature is Dracula, the ghoulish vampire created by Bram Stoker in 1897. Since then, thanks to countless movies and cartoons, vampires have become synonymous with black capes and sharp teeth. But there’s another characteristic often featured in these dark tales: a vampire’s reflection is never seen in the mirror.

On the surface, it might not seem like that obscure quality would have any practical application to marriages. But let me ask you: on an emotional level, do you see your reflection in the mirror?

Topics: Focus Events Tags: broadcast, faith August 31, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Why Ashley Madison Subscribers Are Chasing a Lie

Owners of Ashley Madison, the infamous adultery-facilitating website, bill themselves as being a source of “online personals & [a] dating destination for casual encounters.”

They’re also a site and source of misery and lies. And now, thanks to hackers, millions of their users have had their private sins made public.

During my career as a minister and clinical psychologist, I’ve worked with hundreds of couples grappling with the excruciating pain and heartbreak of infidelity. The reality is there’s nothing new about sexual sin.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, husband, marriage, news, wife August 25, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

The Top Five Fears of Moms: How Do You Fare?

Moms, what are you afraid of?

Chances are, you’ve got a few things that sometimes keep you awake at night. In fact, with the help of Barna Research Group, Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) did a survey of hundreds of women to find out their greatest fears.

The top five were:

Fear # 1: I’m afraid I’m not enough as a mom. I’m not capable of being a good mom. I won’t have enough money or resources to adequately care for my kids.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, family, parenting August 20, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Kathie Lee Gifford Shares the Gospel on the Today Show

Kathie Lee Gifford returned to her role as co-host of the Today Show yesterday after the Aug. 9 death of her husband, the NFL Hall of Famer and broadcaster, Frank Gifford. On her first day back, she shared a bit about “the private Frank,” including stories of his impoverished upbringing during the Great Depression and his lifelong faith.

In doing so, Kathie Lee shared the Gospel.

Mrs. Gifford took an opportunity to remember her husband and used it to interweave the essentials of Christianity.

Topics: Current Events Tags: broadcast, events, faith, pop culture August 18, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Can You Focus Too Much on Your Marriage and Family?

“Marriage is important, but it’s not the most important thing.”

That comment may seem a bit off-the-wall coming from a guest on the Focus on the Family broadcast. But then, Francis Chan often has a unique way of looking at God and His people.

Francis and his wife, Lisa, join us for today and tomorrow’s program, “Living Your Marriage in View of Eternity.” They’ll offer some challenging insights about living the Christian life, about consistency in our faith, and about being adventurous, not just in our walk with God, but in our walk with our mate, as well.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, marriage August 18, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Confessions of an Idolater

What do you see when you look in the mirror?

Maybe you notice a wrinkle you’re convinced wasn’t there yesterday, or you wonder if you’ve put on a few extra pounds since the last time you really looked.

Or … maybe you don’t see any of those things.

Somehow we learn how to look at our reflections without seeing the things we don’t like about ourselves, don’t we?

But our selective blindness doesn’t end there.

We often don’t pause and examine our lives long enough to see our own negative behavior.

Topics: Focus Events Tags: broadcast, faith August 7, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Are Pro-Lifers the Abolitionists of Today?

Although Monday’s vote in the United States Senate to defund Planned Parenthood fell seven votes short of the necessary 60 to move forward with cloture, pro-life leaders are vowing the fight has only just begun.

I wholeheartedly agree.

Although tremendously disappointing, Monday’s vote marked the first time since the partial-birth abortion debates of the late 1990s and early 2000s that we’ve had an open debate on the Senate floor about what happens during abortion.

I want to applaud strong pro-life women like Iowa’s Sen.

Topics: Current Events Tags: faith, policy, pro-life August 5, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

UPDATE: Focus on the Family Builds Houses for Families of the Egyptian Martyrs

I wanted to give you an update on the houses Focus on the Family has been building for the families of the 20 Egyptian martyrs killed earlier this year by ISIS terrorists.

As you’ll remember, these men, all in their twenties, had been in Libya in search of work. They were attempting to provide for their impoverished families living in Egypt when they were taken hostage and beheaded because of their Christian faith. Immediately following the tragedy, Sami Yacoub, the regional director for Focus on the Family’s Middle East outreach based in Egypt, reached out to their grieving family members.

Topics: Focus Events Tags: church, faith, news, pro-life, religious liberty August 4, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

H.A.P.P.Y. Wife, Happy Life

Do you have a goal for your marriage?

Hopefully, your answer is a little more inspiring than, “To stay married.”

Sadly, that’s about as enthusiastic as many couples get about their relationship. They haven’t discovered a greater purpose for their lives together. And let’s face it, it’s hard to find happiness with your spouse if life has become an endless string of mundane days.

Wives, in particular, usually feel happier if they know their relationship is growing deeper, more intimate, and more romantic.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, faith, marriage July 31, 2015 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura