Daly Focus Blog
Sometimes you need a little luck.
Park ranger Roy Sullivan had a lot of it. In fact, he holds the dubious honor by the Guinness World Records of having survived more lightning strikes than anyone.
Seven to be exact, between 1942 and 1977.
In one incident, Sullivan was driving along a mountain pass when a bolt of lightning struck trees on opposite sides of the road from each other. After hitting the first tree, the lightning passed through Sullivan’s open windows and struck the other one.
If you’re getting married soon, which image best reflects your love for each other – a beautiful bouquet of flowers? Or a packet of seeds?
Some weddings are a flower extravaganza. There are flower centerpieces, elaborate flower decorations, and even a flower girl. And don’t forget the most important arrangement of all – the bridal bouquet. All those flowers are intended to represent the couple’s love: vibrant, alive, and in full bloom.
But the late Gary Smalley, who officiated a lot of weddings, used a unique illustration to help couples understand the true nature of their love.
On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Finding Hope in the Messiah,” we’re listening to Lily Isaacs – vocalist and matriarch of the southern gospel and bluegrass group The Isaacs – share her testimony.
Lily was born in Europe after World War II to two Polish Jewish Holocaust survivors who moved the family to the United States when Lily was two years old. She grew up in the Bronx, NY and studied theater and performed off Broadway.
How many strokes of good luck does it take for a coincidence to become a miracle?
While you consider your answer, let me share the story of Laura Buxton. She was 10 years old in 2001 when she released a red balloon into the air over her hometown in Staffordshire, England. On a card attached to the balloon, she wrote, “Please return to Laura Buxton.” Her home address was on the other side.
A few weeks later, a man 140 miles away found the balloon stuck in his hedges.
One of the most popular questions we get here at Focus on the Family is, “How do I pass my values on to my children?” Let me answer that question for you by sharing two important ideas.
First and foremost is family. You, mom and dad, are the most important influence in your kids’ lives. They’re watching you. Everything you say and do makes a profound impression on what your children say and do. So, model the values you hope your children will adopt as their own.
Bad news from around the world is relentless, and there’s not much we can do to stop it. Which is a problem, considering that exposure to bad news can negatively affect people. Studies show that a steady diet of news featuring violence or tragedy elevate stress, anxiety, and sadness. Add to that the sheer amount of information we’re exposed to through newspapers, television, the Internet, and social media, and we’re virtually drowning in negativity.
What’s the remedy?
Nineteenth century author Henry Van Dyke said, “A friend is what the heart needs all the time.”
Fifteen-year-old Daniel Harrison from Nottingham, England, told his teacher he wanted a friend when she asked if he had any goals. Daniel has autism. He likes his teacher and loves his family, but he doesn’t really have any friends. His parents wondered how well Daniel even understood the concept of friendship. He had never expressed a desire before and seemed quite happy.
Could you use a positive perspective today? Despite your troubles?
We’re listening to Phil Callaway on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Laughter Really Is the Best Medicine.”
Phil, once called “the funniest Canadian alive,” is an award-winning author, speaker, and daddy of three, who makes it a habit to be joyful even though his life isn’t perfect. In his recorded message, Phil shares four secrets to life that he says are absolutely essential to living life with joy in turbulent, unpredictable times:
The world is full of cacti, but we don’t have to sit on one.Don’t jump from the train when you’re in a tunnel.Live so the preacher won’t have to lie at your funeral.Courage is fear that has said its prayers.
A lot of couples will want to “lean in” to my conversation with Dr. Juli Slattery on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Rethinking Godly Sexuality in Your Marriage.”
Dr. Slattery is a clinical psychologist and the president of Authentic Intimacy, a ministry devoted to reclaiming God’s design for sexuality. She’s written the book God, Sex, and Your Marriage, which will be the basis for our conversation today.
She says that too many married couples are not experiencing the intimacy that God intended for them. For many, sexual problems are a hidden, shameful secret because they don’t know how to navigate their pain and frustration or even communicate about it effectively.
If you’re a parent, then I know you’re busy. Your schedule is full from morning until night. Which raises an important question.
When life has you running, how do you make the most out of your time with your children?
I’ve always taken advantage of the opportunities in front of me. When my boys, Trent and Troy, were younger, I struck up thoughtful conversation every morning as I drove them to school. My relationship with them has been built largely on bike rides, four-wheeling excursions, and camping trips.
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.
