“I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:10-13

This is the week of Advent in which we focus on Joy. As a hospital chaplain, I am witness to many forms of joy… receiving a good report from surgery, feeling the support of family and friends,  getting a beautiful bouquet from a loved one and, of course, taking home a healthy, newborn baby–my personal favorite.   (more…)

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“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything.” 1 John 3:16-20

Advent has its center in God’s love. Shortly after this passage, the writer says, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” I am thankful beyond measure for His merciful, unconditional love. (more…)

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“He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.” Ephesians 2:17

Peace. For many of us this is a theory, but not something we experience very often. I can still hear my mother saying to us when my sisters and I were arguing: “I just want a little peace around here.” There are so many things we think of when we hear the word peace. World peace, financial peace and, of course like my mother, peace and quiet. (more…)

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“Give us this day our daily bread…” It’s the prayer we say without even thinking about what it really means.

We have enough daily bread in our homes to feed a small army, usually. If not, we can run to the store and pick some up. How many people around the world pray these words in earnest, gut wrenching hunger: “Lord, please give us this day, today, the bread we need to survive another day”? (more…)

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Editor’s Note: In honor of National Adoption Month, we are featuring stories from some of our adoptive families. If you’d like to learn more about the ways you can Be a Family to a child, please visit www.beafamily.org.

Almost 11 years ago my wife and I decided, through much prayer and guidance of the Holy Spirit, that we were going to adopt a baby. Although Nathan has just turned 10, the early beginnings of orientation and training are still very fresh in my mind and heart. I remember being taught many things that have helped me tremendously in raising my two kids.

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While Julia had no family in Russia, she had her classmates at Children’s Home #47. She had Viktor, Katya and their teachers. She knew how snow crunched under her boots, and how warm she felt in her favorite royal blue jacket. How her black bread and oatmeal tasted. She knew which tiny bed among 42 others was hers, and what she’d be doing the next day. And the next. And the next.

Last fall, she mourned those dimming slices of the familiar. And I’m sure she will again. (more…)

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Several years ago, I felt led to participate in a FamilyLife-sponsored mission trip to Guatemala where I visited orphanages and my heart was broken for the 100 million orphans in our world.

This led to the beginning of our family’s adoption journey — a journey that would stretch our faith and finances and take us to the very limits of ourselves. As we waited three and a half years to bring our precious Maria home, watching her grow up in pictures without her family, we often questioned God’s purposes.

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Note: This devotional is taken from the It’s Your Mission trip blog. It was a Sept. 13 blog entry from a team that distributed shoes to children in Honduras.

Today was definitely a first for me; and I think it’s safe to say it was for most everyone here. Today, we met the children at a private orphanage that cares for orphaned children living with AIDS.

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“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”
I Peter 5:6-7 (NKJV)

What is your “it” that is causing you to feel that you can’t go another step, yard, mile, second, minute or hour in life?

What is the “it” that causes you to lose sleep, not eat, overeat, be anxious, be depressed, have a panic attack, be angry, stressed out or even have suicidal thoughts?

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