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…

I raised an athlete. My son had a bent towards sports from the time he was a toddler. Balls, bats, or hockey sticks were the only toys that sustained his attention for long. Not being an athlete myself, I was not prepared as a mom for all that this would mean – many miles logged…

Naaman’s slave girl intrigues me. We do not know her name or exactly how old she was, but we do her situation (2 Kings 5). She was captured in a battle between Israel and Syria. Often these young captives were given backbreaking jobs in the fields, but for some reason, she was chosen by Naaman…

I have always been a big fan of mountains, and few years ago I had an experience that deepened this love even more. While trekking through the Himalayas, I spent a week with a group of boys and girls who opened my eyes to the miraculous ways that God is using children to expand His…

If you ask people what they do for a living, they will describe themselves according to their significant tasks: “I am a mother,” “I am a teacher,” “I am a doctor” or whatever task identifies them best. Having a significant task is a part of our God-given DNA. Every child, no matter how young, wants…

Silent and still, I stayed there, sitting on a giant bean bag in the corner of the room, watching Dakota take her younger brother on an imaginary adventure. With gentleness and grace, she showed him the ropes of playing make believe. I adored the way he listened to her, eyes wide, soaking in every word…