An eager participant chose a front-row seat for the Big Story training. Over the next three days, the truths he learned about God’s heart for the nations and the role of families in God’s mission began to transform his heart and shift his paradigms. Returning home, this Ethiopian husband and father began to pass on…

Meklit is a stay-at-home mother of three. She lives in a crowded urban neighborhood in Ethiopia. Meklit used to keep her family close, protected within the walls surrounding her home. She worried about the diseases her children might catch and the bad behavior they would learn if they spent time with the neighborhood kids, particularly…

As a mother, my most important mission is my own children. What I did not realize was that it was also possible for me to be a part of God’s love for all humanity, in all of our beautiful, mystifying diversity — in my very own neighborhood. Nor did I ever expect that it would…

In 1997, Hope Smith was 9 years old. She lived in Virginia, USA with her family. Hope was home-schooled by her mom. Like most teachers, Hope's mother gave her homework. Hope’s assignment was to learn about another country and write a report. Hope chose the country of Mongolia. She checked out books from the library…

When I was a little girl, my dad was invited to speak at a mission school graduation in Cuba, a place with a language we did not speak, guerilla fighting in the hills, and a strict code of where we could and could not go --no cameras aimed at the governor’s palace and a strict…

Coming from a large family, I know firsthand how skilled siblings are at comparing, especially when it‘s to their advantage. “His piece of cake is bigger than mine!”… “Why does she get to stay up later than I do?” As parents, you can use your children’s natural tendency to pick up on differences to foster…

In our homes, “world missions” should be more than just an optional afterthought to teach our children. Let’s raise the next generation to have a passion for God’s Great Commission. As Hudson Taylor, famous missionary to China, often said, “The Great Commission is not an option to consider, it’s a command to obey.” What is a…

I believe God has His hand on you. We have never seen a generation like yours. This year, your numbers will surpass those of my generation, the Baby Boomers, to become the largest generation to ever walk this planet. Your generation is a caring, socially responsible generation. Unlike my generation, who protested everything, your generation…

A few days ago, my friends and I set out on a cross-country adventure to visit our friend Joseph’s family. That sounds simple enough … until I mention the fact that we live in Kenya and drive a 22-year-old SUV. As you can imagine, our six-hour drive quickly turned into a twelve-hour saga. We dodged…

The warm California sun leaked through the windows. A dozen squirmy young children sat on the floor in front of me, with skinned knees from failed bike riding attempts and sun-kissed cheeks from hours of outdoor play. They listened with wide-eyed anticipation as I told the story of a small river rock who dreamed of…