On the Road With Dr. James Dobson
Dr. Dobson recently returned to Focus on the Family after a two-week trip that took him from coast to coast.
See photos from the Dobsons' recent travels, including Dr. Dobson's trip to the Talladega Superspeedway and Mrs. Shirley Dobson's participation in the White House National Day of Prayer service. In late April, taking advantage of some time away from the demands and rigor of the radio broadcast and the campus of Focus on the Family, Dr. Dobson returned to southern California for some dedicated writing time as he continued to make progress on his forthcoming book, Bringing Up Girls. While secluded in the desert, the Founder and Chairman celebrated his birthday with beloved daughter, Danae. (For the first time ever, Mrs. Dobson was forced to miss the celebration due to scheduling conflicts as she prepared for the 2008 National Day of Prayer activities.)
Dr. Dobson and Danae then traveled to Birmingham to tour and attend NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway on April 27. Dr. Dobson was asked to pray during a chapel service on Sunday morning before the race, and was invited to attend a private meeting with drivers, their families and owners of cars. He met with former NFL Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, legendary driver Darrell Waltrip, and other NASCAR luminaries.
Danae and her dad were seated a few feet from Pit Row, and watched the exciting race from that vantage point. Car No. 78, owned by Furniture Row, was painted red, white and blue and named “The National Day of Prayer.” It was driven by Joe Nemechek, who qualified the car for the coveted pole position. The car was in the eighth position on the last lap before crashing just a mile from the finish line. Nemechek was not injured. Very special thanks are in order to the sponsor, Furniture Row Racing, and our new friends at NASCAR.
From Talladega, Dr. Dobson joined his wife, Shirley, in Washington, D.C., for the annual NDP observance ceremonies. In addition to meeting privately with various government officials and supporters of Focus on the Family, Dr. and Mrs. Dobson hosted a regal prayer reception at the Willard Hotel on the Wednesday evening preceding Thursday's national commemoration. On Thursday, May 1, the Dobsons joined several hundred friends for a grand ceremony hosted by President George W. Bush in the East Room of the White House.
Shirley, now in her 16th year as Chairman of NDP, opened the White House service with a strong, bold and winsome call for America to return to the Lord and pray for its leaders. Later in the day, the National Day of Prayer Task Force hosted a three-hour service on Capitol Hill as officials, dignitaries and guests joined together in praying for the nation, its families, its government, its military, and the upcoming election. Honorary Chairman and national apologist Ravi Zacharias spoke, as did several high ranking government representatives. It was a meaningful week of celebration. Please stay tuned to upcoming radio broadcasts to hear more about this year's NDP events.
A flurry of broadcasting and ministry responsibilities await both Dr. and Mrs. Dobson as they settle back into Colorado Springs for a final push towards Memorial Day and the upcoming summer months. Your prayers for their health and wisdom would be most appreciated!