Daly Focus Blog
We all think we have strong faith. Until our world gets rocked.
An adverse diagnosis.
A child who loses their way.
A divorce.
The storms of life leave us shaken, wondering if God is really there.
Psalm 34:18 assures us that He is: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
What a comfort that is!
God’s presence has anchored author Michelle Cushatt’s life through the upheaval of many trials and difficulties.
Ron and Opal Erickson call themselves “musicianaires.” Ron is an accomplished steel guitarist, and Opal is an accomplished vocalist. They’ve made beautiful music together for over 40 years, not only as musicians but as a couple.
They’ve also walked through the rubble of a marriage that seemed irreparably broken. Through God’s grace and wisdom, they survived adultery, rejection, and betrayal and created a new marriage forged in trust, love, and grace.
God has done such a remarkable work in their marriage that I wanted to share their story on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Restoring Hope to Your Marriage.”
Opal shares how she stayed true to God in the wake of Ron’s affair, and how He taught her to love her husband in a new way.
Sooner or later, we lose the people we love.
That’s a very uncomfortable thought, but it’s true. Which begs an important question: “How do we live in the shadow of absolute loss and still enjoy a happy, fulfilled life?”
I like what legendary college basketball coach John Wooden had to say about that idea. He was 99 years old when a reporter asked if he was afraid to die. Coach Wooden didn’t have to stop and ponder his answer.
As the president of an organization called Focus on the Family, you might expect me to say something like, “Never argue with your spouse.” The truth is I believe that even the most healthy, well-rounded couples need to hash things out from time to time. The key is to disagree in ways that move your relationship forward.
To do that, first recognize that avoiding conflict doesn’t strengthen your marriage – it weakens it. That sounds counterintuitive, but it’s true. Unresolved conflict doesn’t magically disappear. It festers beneath the surface, deepening resentment and eroding emotional intimacy.
Do you ever wonder:
Is there a Creator?
If God is real, why do people suffer?
What does Easter have to do with the existence of God?
If God exists, why does He seem hidden or distant?
Can we deduce anything about God from scientific evidence?
Does our DNA reveal anything about God as a designer?
Can God be personally experienced?
On our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Evidence for the Existence of God,” we’re talking with former atheist, Lee Strobel.
Author Kari Kampakis says teen girls have it tough. Every day is a renewed battle against anxiety, toxic friendships, cyberbullying and pressures associated with social media.
Which is why teen girls need strong women in their lives to protect, encourage, and guide them – to support them in confronting adversity, so they learn to handle life with confidence on their own.
That’s why Kara encourages mothers to be strong parents instead of “buddy parents.” Though your daughter won’t often show it, she cares deeply about your opinions.
A father’s love is imprinted on the heart of a son.
As a father of two boys, that sentiment stops me in my tracks. I didn’t have a good role model for fatherhood growing up. My dad died an alcoholic, and my stepdad walked out on my siblings and me the day of my mother’s funeral. After that, I went into foster care for almost two years.
Maybe your dad didn’t leave a positive imprint on your heart, either.
Sometimes what you say and what other people hear can be two very different things.
Maybe you can relate to a young mother from Ohio who wanted her family to be a beacon of hope during the COVID lockdown. She handed chalk to her two boys – ages six and eight – and asked them to write messages on the driveway. She wanted delivery drivers and passersby to be greeted with encouragement and good cheer. Later, when she checked on her kids’ progress, she discovered boys had covered the driveway and sidewalks with messages like, “Stay away!” “Do not enter!” and “Get lost!”
Misunderstandings like that happen a lot in marriage, too.
Driving is a great illustration for life.
First, what makes driving safe? That line painted down the middle of the road. It’s a boundary that tells you what lane is yours and what lane is mine.
Second, in driving and in life, we encounter people and circumstances wherever we go that force us to respond quickly and make good decisions that protect our family and ourselves.
And third, to get to where we want to go, we have to be in the correct lane.
Today, I’ve got a simple idea to help you build a great marriage. It’s fun, too.
Laugh together.
Proverbs says, “A joyful heart is good medicine” (Proverbs 17:22). Jean and I have great memories of laughing together in the car or around the dinner table. A few times we’ve laughed so hard for so long that we started laughing at each other laughing.
Laughter is often more about connection than it is humor. Studies show that couples who laugh are healthier, happier and more connected.
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.
