Since I was a high school senior, I had a dream of starting a youth center for teenagers. Even when people dismissed it, I knew that God had placed that dream on my heart. After I returned from Bible College…
Browsing Category
Children
It’s so important that we pass on everything we have learned to our children. And that’s because they are the future leaders. But can you imagine a bunch of leaders who do not have an education? I teach a Sunday…
My husband and I had finally finished the paperwork to adopt an American child. We discussed what we should do before becoming new parents. I had previously gone on several mission trips, and we decided to experience this together.…
When God placed individuals with special needs on my heart back in high school, I had no way of knowing He was already preparing me for life with my daughter, Morgan. She has physical and cognitive special needs. Loving…
As a father of three, my life is pretty busy. My evenings are filled with volleyball games, track meets, and dance recitals as I work to be the best dad I can be. Wednesdays nights, though, are my sacred…
When she was six years old, my daughter, Erin, was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease: FSGS. Her disease causes her immune system to attack her kidneys, and slowly, they fail. She is nine now, and we remain hopeful…
I started teaching the three-year-old Sunday School class when I was only 16. For the last fifty years I have seen countless children come into my classroom. Some were scared and cried for their parents for weeks. Others marched in ready…
My wife and I had a plan early in our marriage. We would have a biological child and then we’d adopt one. And as so often happens, God had a different plan for us. My wife went through several…
Sometimes God gives you stepping stones to build up courage to do something scary. For me, that began when God opened my eyes to the suffering in the world. But, I did not even know where to begin. Plus,…
I’m a teacher in a public elementary school. As a follower of Christ, I have always felt working in a public school is my mission field. I feel the Lord has called me to do what I can to…
How can we possibly reach more young people with the Good News of Jesus? We have to find a way! God’s heartbeat is “souls”. He wants His followers to do everything possible to bring others to Him. He doesn’t…
Mothers remember anniversaries of the important events in our children’s lives. While I have experienced many good and bad moments with my sons, Matthew and Jacob, two days will forever be etched in my memory. On August 10, 2014, I…
My search for the truth began in earnest when I became a father. My son’s birth made me wonder more than ever: Why are we here? What is the meaning of this life? I’m from Russia and I was…
You could say our house is a little busy. We adopted five children from China, all with special needs, after having four biological children. Scripture says to take care of the widows and the orphans, and this is a…
I’ve known about the Mentor Upstate program for years, but I became passionate about it once I lived it. Mentor Upstate started in Greenville by a faith-driven couple who saw the need for healthy adult influence in the lives…
In the same year that I accepted Christ as Lord over my life and returned to church, I started having dreams. I was dreaming of children that had no shoes and little clothing, children who looked at me with…
When we became foster parents 16 years ago, we had little to no support. But, we knew God had called us to foster. We live in Spartanburg County, which currently has more kids in foster care than any other…
I was still reeling from the loss of my baby when Hurricane Katrina stormed New Orleans. As I watched the coverage, my mind immediately went to the mothers. How were these mothers going to take care of their babies…
I am a Transitional Kindergarten teacher and I love working with my students each year! I have been teaching for about twenty years now, and sometimes the work I do is really challenging. Some of my students have learning…
When my husband was deployed a few months ago, our son was very sad. He had never been away from his dad and he really missed him. Of all things, they had a special bond of doing yard work…
I’ve had some traumatic experiences in my life. But I know God allowed me to go through these to help me grow and use them for His Glory. As an educator, I now use these trials to encourage my…
Our local Children’s Hospital uses these shiny Radio Flyer wagons throughout their facility. They are a wonderful distraction for the kids—parents wheel their child around the building to give them a much-needed break from lying in a hospital bed.…
When I was in college, I worked for a non-profit that served infants who had special needs due to prenatal contact with drugs and/or alcohol. I was immersed in this inner city population for eight years, and I fell…
I have two adopted children and they are my world. My husband and I used to be a part of this foster-to-adopt-program, and the process, although absolutely worth it, was excruciating. After experiencing some very difficult circumstances, we decided…
When I was 12 years old, my parents sat me down and told me we were moving. They were becoming house parents at Big Oak Ranch, a Christian home for children needing a chance. It’s one thing to talk…
I always had nursing in the back of my mind as a career, but I chose a different major in college. After receiving a bachelors degree, I wondered what I would do. My husband and I brainstormed my next…
The challenges of caring for a child with special needs can be overwhelming. Care must be provided at all times. Our son, Aaron, had cerebral palsy, and we took loving care of him for 27 years until he passed…
My heart is and always has been teaching the youth. Teenagers are in the most vulnerable time in their lives, and I feel I should help make straight as many paths as possible. It says in 1 Corinthians 3:11, “For…
I did not grow up a Christian or in a Christian household. But my spiritual life dramatically changed when I met my future wife, since she was very grounded in her Christian faith. She is a teacher and has…
When you are a young social worker who calls on families in a poor neighborhood, you see a number of things that break your heart. Some of these families have so little in life. One of my families has…