As we celebrate the third week of Advent and I reflect on the Spirit of Joy, I remember when I was a very young child my family and I would spend lots of time together in preparation for this momentus time of year. More time was spent together than usual because love was in the
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During Christmas there is much talk about joy, and “Christmas Spirit”. There is some vague idea that you should conjure up some great memories, make some hot chocolate, go throw a snowball, and voila! You have the “Christmas Spirit”. If that does’t work to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, then you...
Read moreChristmas was always a special time for me growing up in Nazareth, Israel. At this time of the year, people were open to talking about Jesus, who He was, and why a personal relationship with Him could give joy and peace in the middle of political unrest where neither joy nor peace could be found. Local hospitals
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We are upon the Christmas season, also known in the church calendar as Advent! What a wonderful time of the year this is as we remember God becoming man! Each week of advent we will be blogging about that week’s advent theme. We will also be posting a CEF missionary’s perspective on Christmas, so check
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Dametrius caused trouble all year. But last week, he prayed to become a Christian! Then he told God, “Thank You, thank You, thank You!” That makes me so thankful that God has allowed me to teach children. “Our teacher never gets mad at us,” one child stated with conviction. “Yes she does,” argued another. “You
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“Some people don’t believe in early conversion. They complain if you do get hold of [children] and they are converted, they won’t hold out… Well, that is not my experience. Some of the most active men that I have helping me in Chicago were little barefoot boys picked up in the lanes and byways whom
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“I love working with the children who don’t come to club well-dressed, who don’t seem perfectly put-together and well-cared for at home.” My co-club teacher was really good at noticing these children, and she lavished love on them. Many of us have memories of that special adult who took an interest in us, who made
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She was absolutely terrified, and with good reason. This little girl had grown up in another country where she encountered witch doctors, fierce guerrilla soldiers, and a turbulent family life. As we discussed sin in our Bible lesson, she cringed in her seat, fear spreading across her face. This little girl knew firsthand about sin’s
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*Please note: this post contains serious material that is not appropriate for young children* I do not know how to write this post; child trafficking is not a palatable topic. Devastating, yes. Overwhelming, infuriating, disillusioning—but I don’t know how to make it palatable for a blog. Instead, I am going to grapple honestly. Will you...
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Lost: 1: not claimed 2: no longer known 3: ruined or destroyed physically or morally (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) Many children are lost. Their parents don’t notice where they go. Their relatives don’t take time to learn their favorite colors. They have sinned, and like the rest of the human race, they cannot stop. She wouldn’t meet
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