NDP: 7 Days and Counting

Posted on April 25, 2008
Filed Under News Flash | 1 Comment

On May 1st millions of Christians from all walks of life, and from across the country, will unite their voices in prayer as part of the 57th annual National Day of Prayer. Why should believers take a day to focus on prayer? Why pray for our families, our friends, and the needs and challenges facing America?

Simply put, God invites us to do so and promises a blessing when we do. In the book of 2 Chronicles, God says, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (7:14).

God’s looking for four things from us, starting with humility. Boy, that’s a tough one. We can be so proud of our accomplishments, our inventions, our lifestyles—you name it. I’m afraid humility isn’t one of our strengths as a nation. Read more

EAT MOR CHIKN

Posted on April 17, 2008
Filed Under Personal | 2 Comments

Yesterday I returned home from a trip to Washington, D.C. where the streets are lined with pink, white, and red dogwoods starting to bloom. Talk about a beautiful sight to behold. I’m back home now where this morning my boys Trent and Troy awoke to a joyous sight . . . five inches of snow!

It’s springtime . . . and it’s snowing in Colorado Springs. Go figure.
The reason I was in the nation’s capital was to speak at a luncheon held in honor of Truett Cathy, founder and Chairman of Chic-fil-A. (As you can see in the photo, we had an awesome view of the White House and the Washington Monument from our meeting room.)

Credited as the man who invented the chicken sandwich back in 1964, Truett felt convicted to build his company with the distinctive of remaining closed on Sunday—a policy which continues to this day. Thanks, in part, to the popular EAT MOR CHIKIN campaign, his chain of more than 1,300 stores has become the second largest chicken franchise in the country. Read more

Living With No Regrets

Posted on April 12, 2008
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Art teachers depend on it . . .
Kids love making things with it . . .
Carpenters swear by it . . .

I’m talking about Elmer’s Glue, a cornerstone product of Borden, Inc. which also developed Krazy Glue. As difficult as it may be to imagine life without these adhesives, there’s a fascinating story behind one of the sons of the company’s namesake, inventor Gail Borden, Jr.. But first some background.

In 1857, Gail invented condensed milk. During the Civil War, Gail watched his sales soar as the Union armies used his product in the field. About the time of World War II, he pioneered instant coffee, non-dairy creamer, and a variety of powdered foods that wouldn’t spoil without refrigeration. In time, the company he founded was worth millions. Along the way, he gave birth to several children.

I’ll zero in on William Borden. Considering the size of the family fortune, William was a millionaire the moment he was born. He was set for life. As the company grew, so did his earthly fortunes. Upon graduation from high school, his parents desired to give him a gift. One problem. What do you give a kid who already has everything? They decided a trip around the world would be the ticket.

Off he went.

As William made his way through Africa, Asia, and parts of the Middle East, he was deeply moved by the face of poverty, hunger, and neglect he witnessed first hand. At one point, William wrote home with a startling announcement: “I’m going to give my life to prepare for the mission field.”

No longer content to take the reigns of his family business, or spoil himself in the family fortune, he set his mind on becoming a missionary. Taking his Bible, he turned to the back and wrote down two words: No Reserves. Read more

Be Our Guest

Posted on April 9, 2008
Filed Under Focus Ministries | 1 Comment

I enjoy starting my day with a fresh cup of Starbucks coffee—Grande vanilla latte, low fat, half caff, thank you very much. Not only do I enjoy the coffee, I’m blown away by their level of customer service. When I walk in the door of our local Starbucks, I’m still surprised that the barrister knows what I like to drink, what size cup I typically order, and even how hot to brew it for my taste—before I order!

Now that’s what I call first-class service.

I’ve been so impressed by the company, I recently purchased a book entitled, The Starbucks Experience. Here, Joseph Michelli, a Colorado Springs resident and aquaintance, presents what he calls “five principles for turning ordinary into extraordinary.”

You see, as an ex-businessman I take real interest in the way businesses treat their customers. I’m constantly on the lookout how we, at Focus on the Family, might improve our level of service to those who come to us for marriage and family resources.

One of the things I admire about Dr. Dobson is his commitment to provide world-class service and hospitality to our constituents, whether they get in touch via phone, web, mail, or at an event. Likewise, when folks come to visit and tour our headquarters, as more than 214,000 did last year from around the world, our goal is to make each and every one feel welcomed. In my view, this pursuit of “excellence in service” is as much of a priority as is creating excellent resources.

Which is why I was thrilled to hear the following story. Read more

Toes in the Sand

Posted on April 8, 2008
Filed Under Personal | 1 Comment

There are nice beaches—and then there are really nice beaches.

During spring break my family and I discovered one of the most beautiful slices of sand and surf in the country—thanks to an extremely generous friend who gave us the gift of saying at their beach house. It’s a picturesque town called Seaside, located on the Florida panhandle halfway between Panama City and Pensacola. Forgive me if I sound like a travel agent, but Seaside will take your breath away. Talk about an idyllic family vacation spot, this ocean haven is amazing!

Seaside overlooks the emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Soft, sugary-white sandy beaches stretch for miles in either direction. Like two busy beavers, the boys spent several days building and defending their sandcastles from the advancing waves. For our part, Jean and I kicked back and enjoyed doing absolutely nothing. We talked, read books, napped, and recharged ourselves from the busy pace of life.

After getting our fill of sun, we ducked in and out of quaint boutiques and watched other vacationers ride four-seater bicycles through this charming getaway. Dining on hotdogs, pickles, cold drinks and ice cream was followed by watching the setting sun splash pastel colors across the horizon. No two sunsets were alike, as if God was having fun painting the skies with His rich palate of light.

While we were there, I learned something about the history of Seaside. In short, the dream that became Seaside was first planted in the mind of developer Robert Davis when, as a boy, he and his grandfather, who had purchased the 80 acres, went for walks through the track of beachfront property. Read more

It’s Hopeless . . . or is it?

Posted on March 31, 2008
Filed Under Orphan Care | 1 Comment

You’ve probably heard the story of the starfish on the beach. If so, bear with me. As the tale goes, an evening storm dumped thousands of starfish onto the sand. Just before dawn an old man headed out for his early morning walk along the shore.

Surprised by the piles of beached starfish, he knew the only way to save them would be to toss them back into the ocean. He had to act fast. There was precious little time to save them before the hot sun took its place in the sky.

While tossing them one-by-one into the ocean, a young boy walking his dog happened to come along. For a long moment he studied the old man as he worked. Breaking the silence, he said, “Sir, can’t you see there’s way too many? You’ll never get them all back into the sea before the sun comes up and kills them. Not even close. So why are you bothering?”

Ignoring his questions, the old man kept working. The boy watched in stunned disbelief. “I don’t get it. What difference do you think you’re making?”

Not a word from the old man. Almost beside himself, the boy blurted out, “Didn’t you hear what I’m saying? It’s a hopeless cause. What you’re doing doesn’t matter!” Read more

Finding Hope

Posted on March 28, 2008
Filed Under Personal | 2 Comments

A couple of years ago, I sat on the sofa listening to two friends making the case why I should write a book. They said things like, “As the new president of Focus, there will be tons of interest from folks wanting to learn about the man God called to lead the ministry” and “You’ve got such a compelling life story that could help so many people.”

I remained unsure.

While I understood their reasoning and their passion to see me talk openly about the insanity that was my life for so many years, I just didn’t think writing a book—at least not a book about my story—was the way to go. Don’t get me wrong. I had no problem being transparent about the dysfunctional mess that was my childhood. My family put the “D” in dysfunction. However, I just didn’t think talking about my life was that big of a deal.

In hindsight, I’d say writing FINDING HOME was exactly what I was supposed to do. Everywhere I travel, I meet people who have been deeply moved by the story of my coming to faith in God in spite of my turbulent journey. It’s as if God put me through those traumatic years of brokenness so that He could use my experiences to touch the lives of others who have tasted similar hardships.

Case in point. Here’s a letter we just received: Read more

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About

Jim Daly is the President of Focus on the Family. He has been married to his wife, Jean, since 1986. They have two sons. The Daly family resides in Colorado Springs. Finding Home represents Jim's musings on work, family and faith.