What began as caring for a special needs child became a lifeline for other
My Journey to Unfailing Love
From seeking surfer to saved surfer; one man’s story of God’s extraordinary love.
Dancing to God’s Glory y Denise Kohlmeyer
Can dancing bring God glory? Learn how Kathy Thibodeaux’s talents touch people’s hearts and honor God.
Israel: God’s Choice for Divine Purposes y Medi-Share Chaplain, Bill Adams
One man demonstrates God’s extraordinary love to a Jewish family and is blessed for his obedience.
A Safe Place
This fall, a grounded Canadian goose took up residence in the tall grasses along the little river running through our property. Since he’s unable to fly, we’ve unofficially adopted him.
Before the snow accumulated, Wesley the Goose came out from time to time to eat grass and do what geese do — leave a mess behind. We had an agreement to keep a polite distance from each other.
The snow has since covered the grass, so Wesley and I have a new agreement. I bring him bird seed every day and he greets me with a holy hiss. It’s a love/hate thing. He loves the food but hates my presence! Still, he’s discovered our yard is a safe place to hang out. Maybe, someday, he’ll figure out I’m friend, not foe, and not get his gander up when I come around.
Some people take Wesley’s approach to investigating God. They’re wounded but they keep a polite distance as long as possible. Then, one day, the dire realities of their situation hit home. They need help. They need care. They cautiously approach while keeping their gander up. As they see God providing their needs through His people, they begin to understand He is a safe dwelling place. Their initial hesitation becomes a desire to stay. And God willingly adopts them when they look to Him for salvation.
We all come to God with unique wounds, in desperate need of His rescue and care. I pray the testimonies in this issue will renew your confidence in God’s unfailing love and extraordinary goodness. God had His watchful eye on Wesley when he landed in our yard. He has his watchful eye on you, too! Matthew 10:29-31:
“Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows” … …or geese.
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They were each reeling from the loss of a spouse and they were each raising children alone — until God brought them together. Jess and Ryan Ronne met and married less than a year after their first marriages were ended by God’s providence. Their children were still quite young, and close in age, so new family bonds formed quickly. After 13 years of marriage, they continue enjoying strong ties and a happy marriage.
Growth Through Trials
The road Jess and Ryan have traveled has been difficult. Jess cared for her husband, who was battling brain cancer, as well as their children — one with special needs. After her husband’s death, she knew the only way not to get lost in her grief was to keep moving forward. She almost immediately
Caring for Those with Extraordinary Needs
enrolled in a graduate class and made every effort to keep up with friends, which wasn’t easy under the circumstances. The days were easier because she was busy caring for her family. But in the evenings, she battled loneliness.
Ryan was trying to be both father and mother to his children, the youngest of which was only eight months old, when his wife also died of brain cancer. Although he had always been a devoted father, he hadn’t realized all the day-to-day things his wife handled. It took some time for him to adapt to his new responsibilities and accept the changes as his “new normal.” He is grateful for all the help he received from family during those difficult days.
Ryan and Jess married in 2011. While blending two families can often prove challenging, the children seemed to enjoy adding new siblings to their clan. Not that there weren’t the occasional scuffles you would expect in any family. But the harder adjust-
Ryan and Jess Ronne with Luke.
(Photo credit: Stephanie Benge)
ment was for Ryan and Jess. They were still grieving their first spouses while falling in love with each other. In hindsight, they realize they would have benefitted from seeing professional therapists, individually. Instead, they used each other as counselors, which was not ideal. However, their bond continued to grow.
Raising eight children is a challenge, no matter the circumstances. Raising eight children, one of whom has special needs, is even more challenging. Jess’s son, Lucas, had a stroke in utero and was born needing special care — which he will need as long as he’s on this side of heaven.
Caring for Lucas has impacted the members of the Ronne family in different ways. The other children have become more compassionate and other-centered. Being part of a larger family, and having a sibling who requires extra care, has helped them understand, in Ryan’s words, they are not the center of the universe.
“God put us on the earth with simple needs and we fill it up with our wants,” Ryan said. Lucas’ needs are very simple and he’s perfectly happy when those essential needs are met. He expects nothing more. Following Lucas’ lead, Ryan has learned to be content with God’s simple provisions. He has also learned God’s blessings are often hidden in life’s traumas. “God is faithful. We are blessed to have each other.”
Jess believes caring for Lucas has made her more like Christ, who came to serve and calls us to serve, “the least of these”
(Matthew 25:40). She sees the caregiver’s role as a divine assignment. “The further on my caregiver journey I go, the more I realize that it is holy work and it’s the most effective way to die to yourself, really.” To care for someone who cannot care for themselves is to lay down your own life for them. “God is God and I am not.” Jess is confident God is orchestrating everything for the good of their family and to His glory.
She also knows families in their circumstances need others to care for them, from time to time.
Support Through Sensitivity
Families caring for someone with extraordinary needs often feel exhausted, overlooked, and isolated. They aren’t always able to do basic things, like run errands or go on family adventures, together. They must divide and conquer. One stays home to care for the special needs child while the other takes care of the rest of the children. Or they simply stay home and become unseen, unknown families in their communities.
Friends and family members are sometimes slow to offer support because they erroneously assume the only way they can help is by caring for the challenged child — which can be an intimidating prospect.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Jess encourages people to step in and help these struggling families according to their spiritual and natural gifting. She was thrilled when someone offered to come and cut everyone’s hair in the com-
fort of their home and when another friend offered to take the kids back-to-school shopping. Doing yard work, helping with laundry or bringing a meal are a few hands-on ways others can lighten their load.
Jess did offer this word of advice. “Don’t leave it open-ended. Families like ours are good at saying, ‘We’re fine.’ Be direct. Say, ‘I’m bringing a meal on Wednesday. Would you prefer lasagna or tacos? I’ll just leave it on the porch. I don’t even need to come in.’”
Church bodies can also provide support by being empathetic to the child’s specific needs. Church members often try to make Ryan and Jess feel welcome by inviting them to bring Lucas into the worship service. Unfortunately, he doesn’t want to be there, so he gets agitated and acts out. Their decision not to bring Lucas into the service is often misunderstood. For this reason, the Ronne’s seek out churches that offer other options for those with special needs.
Solutions Through Challenges
Early in their marriage, Ryan and Jess moved from Michigan to rural Tennessee, where they stayed for seven years. It allowed them some space to find their direction as a family and sort through the many voices offering them advice and insights.
While there, Jess discovered she was a problem-solver. When an obstacle presented itself, she saw it as something that didn’t have a solution — yet. So, when she and Ryan realized they needed an occasional break, she established a respite program for parents in similar situations. It gave all the couples involved an opportunity to spend some time alone together, to rest from the constant demands of their situation and enjoy each other’s company. One couple told Jess it was the first date they’d had in five years, and it meant the world to them!
As Lucas got older, they decided to move back to Michigan where there were more resources available to help him. Once settled, Jess began looking for ways to bring practical help and hope to families with children who need extra care. To that end, she began a non-profit organization.
The Lucas Project
Through The Lucas Project, established in 2017, Jess strives to give caregivers the support they need to face each new day. There are many facets to this ministry.
Coffee with Caregivers Podcast: Jess chats with caregivers about the joys and hardships, trials and triumphs of seeing to someone else’s daily needs. Each interview reminds listeners they are not alone. They can also learn from someone else who truly understands their circumstances.
We Are Brave Together: The Lucas Project partners with We Are Brave Together to help special needs families connect and build a supportive community. They have both in-person and online gatherings.
The Lucas Project Resource Database: This United Statesfocused database includes a list of resources, with links, for support, guidance and products for families with a special needs child.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Jess has created numerous resources related to caregiving and serving the disabled.
Caregiving with Grit and Grace, her most recent book, is a 100-day devotional for caregivers serving in any capacity. In it, she relays personal stories, offers self-care tips and helps readers see their task as holy work.
Jess’ other books include:
Sunlight Burning at Midnight, a memoir about the intermingling sorrows of loss and joys of finding love once again.
Blended with Grit and Grace focuses on blending two families together during their years in Tennessee.
Lovin’ with Grit and Grace offers honest “his and hers” perspectives on all things marriage related.
Jess’ Films:
Unseen: How We are Failing Parent Caregivers and Why it Matters aired on ABC in February 2025. This documentary gives a voice to those overwhelmed by the needs of the loved ones they care for — and what they need from us. Visit The Lucas Project website for information about streaming the film.
Uncertain: Exploring the Housing Crisis Among Disabled Adults , a second documentary, is in production.
Jess cared for her first husband, Jason, along with their children. (Photo courtesy of Jess Ronne.)
Church Resources: The Lucas Project will partner with local churches to help them better serve families touched by the unique challenges of raising a unique child.
Nominate a Caregiver: Studies indicate about 45% of all caregivers suffer from depression at one time or another. One of the simplest ways to recognize and encourage someone is to send them an “I’m thinking of you” text or letter. If you’d like to do a little something more, you can “Nominate a Caregiver” on The Lucas Project website.
Respite: The Lucas Project is launching a respite program in Western Michigan. Once a month, families will be able to leave their 8 through 14-year-old special needs children in capable, caring hands for five hours and enjoy a much-needed break. Once the program is up and running, Jess hopes it will serve as a model for other communities.
Information on all these aspects of The Lucas Project, and more, is available on their website: www.thelucasproject.org.
God’s Ongoing Goodness
Ryan and Jess’ children, now ranging in age from 9 years old to 22 years old, have grown to see God’s goodness in all things. Lucas’ special challenges opened a door for Jess to demonstrate God’s love and grace — to encourage and support — an untold number of families who are too often overlooked and underserved. She has recently founded a group home where 20-year-old Lucas now lives and thrives, a true gift not only to the Ronne family, but to other families in their area.
Ryan has a note on the mirror, “Let Go and Let God” as a
daily reminder to entrust his life to the one and only God who sees all, knows all, and can be trusted with all. And Jess clings to Romans 11:36: “For from Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”
“That [verse] has just made it very clear that everything I go through on this earth is not about me. It’s intended for God’s glory. All the hardship, all the pain and suffering, it all has a bigger purpose than just us.”
The Good News
Aman was accused of murder and brought before a judge. The man admitted his guilt, the jury found him guilty, and the judge pronounced his sentence with deep sorrow: the death penalty.
The guilty man was his own son. Despite the judge’s deep love for him, he could not dismiss the charges or avert the penalty. He must uphold the law or be a corrupt, unjust judge.
He was caught in a heart-wrenching dilemma. Then he thought of a solution. The judge stepped down, removed his robe, and exchanged places with his son. He was executed in his son’s place.
That’s what Jesus, in His grace and mercy, did for us when he died on the cross. He was not guilty but paid the penalty for our guilt; he was sinless but paid the price for our sin.
God’s forgiveness is available to anyone who will own, ask forgiveness for, and turn away from their sin (repent) and put their hope, faith, and trust in Christ alone. Only His blood, shed on the cross, can wash away the guilt of our sin so we can forever enjoy God’s forgiveness and fellowship.
The question is, will you accept God’s free gift? It’s only a sincere prayer away. If you’d like to find new life in Christ, tell God you are sorry for your past wrongs and want Him to be your Lord and Savior. He’ll send the Holy Spirit to live in you, guide you, and change you from the inside out.
“It is by grace you have been saved through faith — and this is not through yourselves, it is the gift of God — not of works, so that no one can boast” —Ephesians 2:8-9.
Jess Ronne presenting The Lucas Project at a conference. (Photo courtesy of Jess Ronne.)
Jerry Rose is an internationally known Christian broadcaster and is former president/ CEO of the Total Living Network. He currently serves as TLN’s chairman of the board and hosts the Emmy awardwinning program
Significant Living. Jerry is an ordained minister and the author of five books, including Deep Faith for Dark Valleys and Significant Living, coauthored with his wife, Shirley. He is the past president of the National Religious Broadcasters and currently serves on its board of directors. Jerry is an avid golfer, equestrian, photographer, and grandfather of 20.
Shirley Rose has been in ministry with her husband, Jerry, for more than 30 years. Her career in Christian television focused on hosting several programs, including the Emmy Award-winning women’s program
Aspiring Women. She has authored five books, including The Eve Factor, A Wise Woman Once Said…, and Significant Living, and has contributed to numerous anthologies and periodicals. She is actively pursuing her calling to help other women through writing, speaking, and hosting women’s groups in her home. Her favorite pastimes are country line dancing, travel, and spending time with her 20 grandchildren.
LIVING IN WISDOM
By Jerry and Shirley Rose
The God You Can Trust
The catastrophic natural disasters of the past year in Hawaii, North Carolina and Los Angeles have caused many to question God and doubt their faith. It is the age-old question: Why do bad things happen to good people?
I’m reminded of the story of the “Road to Emmaus” in Luke 24. Jesus had been crucified and with His death the hopes of believers were dashed. Then, three days later, it was reported the grave was empty! There were rumors He had risen from the dead.
These recent events were the topic of conversation for a couple of confused believers as they headed to Emmaus from Jerusalem. They had placed so much hope in Jesus who was to redeem them from Roman oppression. But now He was dead from a brutal and humiliating crucifixion. Had they been wrong?
Suddenly Jesus was walking with them but God kept them from recognizing Him (verse 16). He asked what they had been discussing and their answer, in verse 19, reveals the depth of their spiritual struggle and doubt.
“The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth,” they said. “He was a prophet who did powerful miracles, and he was a mighty teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.”
Before His crucifixion they believed Him to be the Son of God, but now they reasoned that perhaps He had only been a prophet or teacher — a mere human being like themselves. Jesus spent the rest of the journey teaching them about the prophecies clearly stating the Messiah would suffer these very things, and the necessity of His death and resurrection. Jesus joined them for the evening meal and it was only as He broke the bread that their eyes were opened and they recognized Him. They realized they were in the presence of the risen Christ, truly the Son of God. He was more than just their deliverer from Roman bondage. He was the divine fulfillment of God’s ultimate plan, who had brought salvation to the world. He was a God they could trust.
Where Are You on the Road?
How do you see Jesus when tragedy strikes? You may have been a Christ follower all your life,
never doubting his divinity. Yet, as you see innocent, godly people lose their homes, possessions, and many even their lives, do you doubt that a loving God can allow this pain and sorrow? When someone you love is diagnosed with cancer or your child is on the wrong path, does your faith waiver? Do you, like the Christians on the road to Emmaus, bring Jesus down to a human level? It’s easy, in a crisis, to lose sight of a benevolent and all-powerful God. I confess there have been times in my own life that my faith has weakened because I’ve limited Jesus to what I know and understand. We don’t have to understand this fallen world but only to trust God’s goodness and love for us.
“Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” Psalm 62:8
You don’t have to be an expert on prophecy to realize that as this world hurtles toward the end times, there will be more natural disasters, more wickedness and sin. The Bible predicts it. Things will get worse before they get better. Yes, He allows pain and injustice but there is a happy ending for those who know and serve God. As we read in the Bible about scary times ahead, we need not fear. As my pastor often says, “It is not a horror story. It is a love story.” Not only do we have hope of eternity with God but we also have His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us. We must pray for ourselves, that God will give us peace and take away fear of the future and strengthen our faith. We must pray for those in need, that their faith will be strong. And finally, pray for the unbelievers to come to Christ.
God never promised we would be immune to trouble and sorrow. As Paul wrote to the persecuted church in Philippi:
“Do not be anxious about anything. But in every situation … present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Finally, Jesus himself tells us:
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace. Here on Earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Unfailing
My Journey to Love
By Robbie Hift
Ifirst fell hopelessly in love with the Lord Jesus Christ 44 years ago on a surfing pilgrimage to the Hawaiian island of Oahu.
Surfers from all over the world come to the North Shore to pit their skills against and risk their lives in waves that peak from 10 to 30 feet at Banzai Pipeline, Waimea Bay and Sunset Beach. For many of us, surfing is the greatest thrill we could ever imagine — the high-speed, gut-wrenching challenge of taking off on a wave as high as a small mountain with fear pumping through your veins: Flying like a bird with arms outstretched across a liquid green canyon for 200 meters, hoping you won’t get crushed by tons of water. This has been my wonder and obsession for nearly sixty years.
My first love for Jesus was so incredibly strong that I could not contain it. I had to share my burning love for this incredible man with anyone who would listen. So, I used to board the bus on the Kamehameha Highway, pay $1, and stay for the round trip on the Kam Highway that follows the coastline right round the island of Oahu. I carried a leather satchel of Chick Comics with me. These gospel tracts had amazing stories and illustrations depicting the miracles of Jesus turning water into wine and Jesus touching the eyes of the blind. Some told incredible stories of the men of faith, like Elijah fighting for his God before a blazing holy fire, defying 450 false prophets of Baal and bringing the entire nation to worship the true God of Israel.
(Photo
Robbie and Sunny the Surf Dog.
(Photo provided by Robbie Hift.)
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During the bus ride on the Kam Highway, I would sit next to a complete stranger, smile and offer to give them a free Chick comic. Then I would start talking about this wonderful Jesus, this man who loves you so much that He died for you — the God who laughs when you laugh and cries when you cry and who forgives you for all your sins past, present and future. I was amazed! Most people were hungry to hear about Jesus. I was surprised and pleased when they gratefully accepted a tract and an invitation to come to church.
But I am jumping way ahead of myself. I need to take you back to my grass roots before you can understand the greatness of what the Lord did for me personally.
Chasing an Earthly Love
I lived in Durban, South Africa for 27 years. During high school and my six years at university, I was a fanatical surfer, out in the water every day of my life. Weekends were exciting – climbing into a VW kombi with friends and cruising up and down the coasts of Natal looking for surf to ride, camping out on the sands under the stars with friends by a warm fireside in the dunes. But I always had this burning desire, this dream to travel across the world to the legendary island of Hawaii. I knew nothing about God and nothing about the Bible in those days. I just lived to surf.
I worked seven days a week on the railways in Durban for one year so I
could buy the air ticket to London. There, I worked in a recording studio for two years, saving my money for a flight to Hawaii. London is far from the sea. I felt like a bird trapped in a cage in the urban jungle! I fell into a very unhealthy lifestyle of getting stoned on hash and Jack Daniels late at night and taking acid trips with musicians — strangers who were going nowhere fast. It was degrading and ugly and I didn’t like what I saw in the mirror when I stumbled out of bed after each drunken night. I became a burned-out rock and roll musician at the age of 27.
Then, in 1977, Sir Freddie Laker was offering the world’s cheapest Skytrain intercontinental flight from Gatwick Airport to Los Angeles International for just $70. Here was my chance to get to Hawaii! So, I sold my battered Mini station wagon, converted my worldly possessions to just a guitar and a backpack, and left for Los Angeles with $400 cash in my pocket.
Distracted by a False Love
At the Los Angeles Airport, I had a life-changing encounter with a group of youngsters who were distributing a glossy magazine called “Back to Godhead.” These were Hare Krishna devotees who told me that Krishna, bluish in color with four arms, was the name of the chief Hindu god. They believed Krishna was superior to the hundreds of other gods who control the universe. For example, the chief
gods are Siva, the god of destruction; Brahma, the Creator; and Vishnu, the god of preservation.
This religious cult was fascinating! They invited me to come and stay for three days, free of charge, at the Los Angeles Hare Krishna temple. I jumped at the chance for free food and a bed and spent $28 precious dollars on the taxi fare across town to the temple.
In fact, it was so interesting, that I moved 90 kilometers south to the Hare Krishna temple in San Diego for over two years! I became a shaved-up devotee myself, rising at 4:00 a.m. with a hundred others to chant the Vedic mantras for two hours before dawn — to sing and dance to Krishna. There was a raised stage sculptured in rich marble and solid gold with the three deities of Krishna, Balaram and Radha sitting on their raised dais while white and saffronrobed devotees waved sweet smelling incense over them. A hundred devotees on the temple floor were dancing and singing to the hypnotic beat of the tall Mridanga drums with the clashing of the bronze khartals (hand-held cymbals). Can you imagine repeating the same mantra over and over for two hours each day? You become totally brainwashed by the endless repetition and the teachings from the ancient Sanskrit scriptures become very plausible.
No one ever told me that Yahweh, the true god of Israel, absolutely hates idol worship. I never knew about the countless battles fought by King David and Gideon and Elijah against idol worship and false gods.
Finding Unfailing Love
Until one day when the Lord put a Christian lady in my path. Christine lived near the temple. She loved Jesus with all her heart, and she knew her Bible extremely well. So, I started going to Bible studies with her. For two years, whilst I was still a Hare Krishna devotee, I studied God’s Word. You can imagine the religious warfare between the believers from two religions that were so diametrically opposed!
I became so weary of this war between the two, I escaped San Diego and caught an early winter flight to Honolulu. At
Robbie with his daughter, Annabelle. (Photo provided by Robbie Hift.)
last, I was achieving my lifelong ambition to surf the North Shore.
One bright, sunshiny morning, the sea was a beautiful azure blue and there was a cool trade wind blowing through the tall palm trees. The swell was running around 8 foot at Pipeline, the most famous of all tubes in the world. A young local, Billy Dunne, was kind to me. We started chatting in the water.
“You know,” he said, “North Shore Christian Fellowship has a church service for surfers every Sunday, in a big tent at Waimea Bay Falls. We just get together and worship Jesus and study the Bible. You are so welcome and you will make some wonderful new friends amongst people who love the Lord.”
That Sunday, I was lonely and decided to go to the tent meeting. A young man with an acoustic guitar and his wife were singing a beautiful worship song that exalted the name of Jesus above all other names. Something inside me cracked and tears of joy rolled down my face. After all those years in a Hare Krishna temple, I knew I had found the one true God and His name is Jesus.
Billy invited me to come and live in his home in Haleiwa with three other young, Christian surfers. After work each day, we would pick up guitars and play the early gospel revival choruses of the 1970s. Then, on Wednesday evenings, we would get together with the young ladies for a Bible study in someone’s home. After three months, I was totally in love with Jesus. On a special, beautiful Sunday morning, I was baptized in the ocean at a place called Three Tables, near Waimea Bay. That day, 44 years ago, changed my life for ever and ever and ever… My first love has become a lifelong journey that stretches into eternity!
Robbie Hift has written 16 coffee table books and over 200 short stories. His El Shaddai Publishing Company is based in Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa. He is a compulsive surfer and admits that he has surfed over 50,000 waves in his lifetime! Jesus is the love of his life and most of his books are dedicated to Him.
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Kathy Thibodeaux’s Story Dancing to God’s Glory
By Denise Kohlmeyer
When Kathy Thibodeaux was a teenager, she had a difficult decision to make; stick with competitive swimming or continue with ballet. She excelled at both and had won many accolades and awards.
She chose ballet. What a divine decision that turned out to be! Kathy started ballet at age six and, by her teens, was studying at the Jackson Ballet School (JBS) in Jackson, Mississippi. Her teachers were Albia Kavan and Rex Cooper, both former dancers with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre (ABT) in New York City. Kathy flourished under their instruction and when JBS became the professional Jackson Ballet (later Ballet Mississippi), she was one of the first dancers to be contracted. She worked closely with renowned ballerina, Thalia Mara and in 1976, at the tender age of 19, she was promoted to principal dancer.
Kathy Thibodeaux.
(Photos courtesy of Ballet Magnificat!)
That same year, Kathy met a special young man; musician Keith Thibodeaux. Keith had his own illustrious start in life. At the age of four, he was a drumming prodigy and was hired to play Little Ricky Ricardo on “I Love Lucy” and “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.” Later, he played Opie’s best friend, Johnny Paul Jason, on the “Andy Griffith Show.”
In 1969, however, Keith put aside acting to become the drummer for the then-mainstream rock band David and the Giants. It was seven years later, when the band was playing in Jackson, that Keith and Kathy met. Keith was immediately smitten with the beautiful, brown-eyed ballerina. He worked up the courage to ask Kathy out and she accepted. They married after a whirlwind courtship.
While Keith surrendered his life to the Lord shortly after their marriage, Kathy did not. That would happen in July 1979, when she responded to an invitation after one of David and the Giants’ concerts. By then — because of Keith and several other band members had decided to follow Christ — David and the Giants had become a Christian rock band.
That night, in 1979, was a major watershed moment for Kathy — not only in her spiritual life but in her dancing career as well. From that moment, she knew her dancing talent was a gift from God and she needed to use it for His glory.
But others weren’t so sure. “People immediately told me I would have to give up dancing now that I was a Christian,” Kathy said. “They were well-meaning, but as I prayed, I felt I was supposed to keep dancing. I sensed God had given me this talent for a purpose.”
Dancing to God’s Glory
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Bolshoi. Kathy knew she had her work cut out for her. She had no idea how it was going to happen but she was willing to step out in faith and trust God to provide.
From an advertisement Kathy placed in a Jackson newspaper, invitations for the company to perform came pouring in, which was affirmation that a Christian ballet company was needed and wanted.
In 1982, she had the opportunity to put her conviction into practice. She entered the second USA International Ballet Competition — which rotates between Jackson, Russia, Finland, and Bulgaria — and chose the song “We Shall Behold Him” by Sandi Patty for her final performance. Dance officials tried to dissuade her, saying her song selection was “too religious,” and that it would offend the judges from the communist countries. Kathy would not compromise. She danced to her chosen song on the final night of the competition and was the only competitor to receive a standing ovation. She also won the Silver Medal. That moment was the catalyst that prompted Kathy to pray about her next chapter. Providentially, a dream began to formulate in her mind and heart: to start a professional Christian ballet company, where God would be glorified and the good news would be expressed through dance.
At that time, there were no faith-based ballet companies in the United States. Most ballerinas studied with secular companies, such as ABT, or went overseas with a European company, like the
From that same advertisement, Jackson’s Belhaven University offered Kathy the use of its dance studios and office space. Furthermore, money started arriving from art-loving people who wanted to support Kathy’s vision.
The only problem was that the company itself—which the Thibodeaux’s called Ballet Magnificat! (based on Mary’s song, “The Magnificat” in Luke 1:46-55) did not exist yet. They still needed dancers.
It took time for dancers to arrive and begin training. Initially, the company started with just four dancers but it was enough to begin doing small performances at churches for freewill offerings. The money was given to whoever had the greatest need; a bill to pay, gas for their car or groceries. “In the beginning, it was a struggle,” Kathy recalled. “We lived day-by-day, trusting the Lord to supply our needs.”
More dancers arrived in the intervening years. Today, more than 600 students are enrolled in Ballet Magnificat!’s School of the Arts. There are currently 60 in the trainee program, which feeds into the two touring companies, Alpha and Omega. Each
Keith and Kathy Thibodeaux.
MORE ABOUT BALLET MAGNIFICAT!
Visit the Ballet Magnificat! website to learn more about the ballet company, ballet school, workshops and upcoming performances at: www.balletmagnificat.com
Ballet Magnificat! is wellreputed and has drawn international attention. See what people are saying at: www.balletmagnificat.com/ articles-and-quotes
company is comprised of 15 dancers who tour nationally and internationally. Over the years, they have performed in theaters, opera houses, concert halls, performing arts centers — including the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. — church auditoriums, and civic centers in more than 49 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America. Additionally, hundreds of hopefuls come to Jackson each year for Ballet Magnificat!’s Summer Dance Intensive.
By 1999, Ballet Magnificat! had outgrown the Belhaven facilities. The Thibodeaux’s purchased a 13,000-square-foot facility in Jackson and created four large dance studios and offices.
“We’re amazed because we didn’t know what we were doing in the beginning,” Kathy said of those first days. “God opened the door. He provided and He brought amazing people to be with us. The Lord has blessed us more than we ever could have imagined.”
Still, more was to come.
In 2016, the Thibodeaux’s took the Omega company to Brazil, at the invitation of Karina da Gama, President of Academia Nacional de Cultura. While there, da Gama asked the Thibodeaux’s if they would consider bringing Ballet Magnificat! to her country, where classical ballet was virtually nonexistent.
It was the furthest thing from their minds, but the Thibodeaux’s were not about to shut a possible open door. After a lot of prayer, exploring several cities for the right location, and talking to their Jackson business partners, Ballet Magnificat! Brazil was founded. The company quickly outgrew its rental studio, so the Thibodeaux’s purchased a 17,000-square-foot, three-story facility in Curitiba.
“It was definitely the Lord,” said Kathy. “His faithfulness brought us there. We are so thankful.”
Kathy — now 67 and retired from dancing, although she still teaches four classes a week — sees dance as one of the many creative arts God uses to share His message of hope and salvation through Jesus Christ. “We’re finding that many churches
are open to the arts,” she said. “God is restoring all the arts back to the church for His glory.”
To that end, Kathy ensures that all of Ballet Magnificat!’s dances are gospel centric. Each one focuses on a specific Bible story. “Deliver us” is the story of Moses; “Stratagem” is based on C.S. Lewis’ “Screwtape Letters;” and “Prodigal’s Journey” tells the story of that famous parable in Luke 15:11-32. Each performance combines contemporary Christian music with classical music.
Furthermore, after each performance – with the blessing of the sponsor — the principal dancer goes out after the final curtain and shares the Gospel message with the audience.
Recently, Ballet Magnificat!’s Omega company returned from Israel, where it had been invited to perform during Holocaust Remembrance Week. They held seven sold-out performances to all-Jewish audiences. The ballet they performed was “The Hiding Place,” based on Holocaust survivor Corrie ten Boom’s book of the same name. At the end of each performance, the ballerina who played ten Boom shared the Gospel.
“We weren’t sure how it was going to come across,” Kathy said. “But it was the most amazing reception.”
That has always been Ballet Magnificat!’s desire, Kathy said. “That God would use us to touch people’s hearts and lives. Our hearts’ desire is to be faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ and our Father’s business and go where He wants us to go and do what He wants us to do. It’s not about our kingdom, but His kingdom.”
Denise Kohlmeyer is a current freelance writer and former newspaper reporter. She co-authored two books in 2009 and has been published in numerous online and print publications, including Today’s Christian Living, Crosswalk. com, Desiring God, Revive Our Hearts, and Just Between Us
Iwas out walking with my 4-year-old granddaughter. She picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that.
“Why?” my granddaughter asked.
“Because it’s been on the ground. You don’t know where it’s been, it’s dirty, and probably has germs,” I replied.
At this point, my granddaughter looked at me with total admiration and asked, “Grandma, how do you know all this stuff? You are so smart.”
I was thinking quickly, “All grandmas know this stuff. It’s on the grandma test. You have to know it, or they don’t let you be a grandma.”
We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information. “Oh...I get it!” she beamed, “So if you don’t pass the test, you have to be the grandpa.”
“Exactly,” I replied.
From
Mikey’s Funnies www.mikeysfunnies.com
If you have a joke or funny story you’d like to share, email editor@ todayschristianliving.org. If we print your joke, we’ll pay you $25.
Editor’s Pick for Kids Caleb Koala’s Comeback Ride
By Dr. Nicole Wilke and Aixa de López (Illustrator) [Christian Alliance for Orphans]
Meet Caleb Koala, a sweet and spirited young koala who lives with his grandfather and loves nothing more than riding his bike. Caleb is no stranger to adversity. He has overcome challenges and physical limitations to find joy in keeping up with others on his bike. However, when a sudden fall leaves him injured, doubt creeps in. With love and support from his grandpa, Caleb discovers his God-given ability to do hard things.
This bilingual picture book is an essential read for adults caring for children who have experienced early adversity, from parents and grandparents to social workers, therapists, global orphan care providers, and church ministry leaders.
God’s Choice for Divine Purposes Israel
By Chaplain Bill Adams, Medi-Share
From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.
Romans 11:28
Somehow, I had managed to board early for my latenight flight from JFK to Tel Aviv.
In those days, I was traveling to Israel twice a year in my work with Bridges for Peace, “Your Israel Connection.” That labor of love was a response to God’s call on my life to Israel and the Jews. I had answered His call by declaring, “Lord, I will give my life to serve your people, Israel.”
And Now, We Take You Live to Delta Flight 234, Seat 26K
Being favored with early boarding, I have the luxury of taking my time to get settled into my little space next to the window. And fill that space I do: MacBook Air,
magazine and a good book in the seat pocket; water bottle and snacks tucked to the corner, shoes off and stowed underneath the seat, travel pillow inflated, earbuds fitted and ready, tray table disinfected…
Huh? Nodding awake, I realize it’s departure time. The hustle and bustle of loading the plane has quieted. It seems every passenger has their seat, and not one of them is next to me. Unbelievably, I have the whole row in which to stretch out. Thank you, Lord!
That’s the moment the sovereign Lord chooses to begin the test He prepared for me.
There’s a commotion in the front. Something unsettling is headed my way. I soon see that it’s a family — a young, ultra-orthodox Jewish family — trying to find their seats.
“Well, there goes my coveted whole row,” is my first thought. “But not a problem, I’m still good with my cozy window seat.”
The orthodox family consists of papa, mama, boy toddler, and crying babe. The papa leaves the family standing in the aisle by my row while he heads aft in search of another seat. I look on, assuming the mama will put the toddler next to me and tend to the babe in her lap. Now the papa is charging back our way with a look of desperation, talking excitedly to his wife in Hebrew and our concerned flight attendant in broken English.
Attempting to get us ready for takeoff, the flight attendant now has a bigger problem on her hands. She listens to the papa, strides back to check on his seat, and returns to speak with me.
“Uh oh,” I think as I realize I’m somehow part of the problem.
In her smooth and highly professional manner, the flight attendant leans in and says, “Sir, this is your seat. You chose it and paid for it. You may certainly keep it, but…”
At that “but,” I reluctantly realize I’m also part of the solution.
She continues: “This gentleman has a difficulty because his seat, about ten
rows back, is between two women. He says his faith does not allow him to be in close contact with any woman other than his wife. Again, sir, this seat is yours, but if you are willing, we can seat you there and allow this family to sit together.”
Flight attendant body language: Deliberate pause … chin set … professional smile … eyes focused on me as if to say, “Sir, you know what you need to do, don’t you.”
Looking back, I wish I could say that I not only knew what I needed to do, but that I wanted to do it, immediately. Instead, I processed the moment in a half a second or so.
We Return Live to Row 26
Thought #1: “I do not want to give up my comfy window seat.”
Self-justification: Unlike this disruptive orthodox family, I reserved my seat and am settled in for a much-needed night of sleep.
Thought #2: “Didn’t you tell the Lord you would give your life for the Jewish
people, and here you are not even wanting to give up your seat?”
Ouch…Conviction!
Conviction is always painful but it’s always good for bringing us back around to what God wants us to do. In this case, I know He is testing my commitment to the calling while confronting my old selfish self.
Thought #3: [and what I manage to say to the flight attendant] “Yes, of course, I’m happy to move to help this family.”
And so, I gather my accoutrements, hastily stuffing everything into my bag, hoping I’m not forgetting anything. Oh yes, my shoes are tucked under the seat. I speak a word of blessing to the orthodox family, already busily occupying Row 26, and make my way to Row 37. Upon my arrival, the two women cheerily welcome me to the middle seat. I do my best to settle in again, hoping I’ll be able to get back to sleep soon.
That isn’t to be.
Honest, Biblical
Guidance on Dating
and Singleness for Christians Perfect for teens and young adults!
“Lord,” I said inside my head, “I confess. I almost failed the test. I’m sorry. I hope to do better in the future. I thank you for the gift of your people, Israel, and the privilege of being among them.”
— Bill Adams
The woman to my right is a “Sabra,” a native-born Israeli named after sabra fruit; prickly on the outside but sweet on the inside. This lady perfectly fits the stereotype — tough, former soldier, coarse, no-nonsense, a touch rude on the outside. But getting to know her over long conversation about life in Israel — kind, caring, and compassionate on the inside.
I love Israelis.
The woman to my left is a native New Yorker who stepped right out of the pages of a Chaim Potok novel. She tells me her story, which takes hours to tell. She grew up in an ultra-orthodox Jewish community of Brooklyn where she was expected to learn homemaking and prepare to marry (when arranged) a young Torah scholar for whom she would raise many children. She loved her community and saw the value of the traditions that bound them together, but as a teen she knew her calling was the legal profession — and that would mean leaving the community, with great heartache. But leave it she did, attending college and law school in
Manhattan. Her father disowned her and never spoke to her again. Her brothers, likewise.
And here’s the really amazing part: She understood.
She understood what they felt they had to do according to tradition. She forgave and spoke lovingly of them, despite her deep pain.
“Lord,” I said inside my head, “I confess. I almost failed the test. I’m sorry. I hope to do better in the future. I thank you for the gift of your people, Israel, and the privilege of being among them.”
God’s Mercy Demonstrated
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Romans 11:29
The apostle Paul was explaining to the Romans that God gave gifts to Israel that He will not take away. The Israeli people are also God’s gift to the world. He preserved them to be a blessing to Gentiles, like me.
For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience…
Romans 11:30
Me, disobedient? I certainly was, and still am. Except I got one thing right: Believing on the greatest gift of the Jews: Jesus, the Messiah.
But, what’s that about me getting mercy by their disobedience? Although it was the Jews who first received Jesus as Messiah, who brought the good news of His atoning death and powerful resurrection to the nations, by the time Paul wrote his epistle, most Jews did not believe. They opposed the work of the gospel.
That’s what Paul referred to when he said, “Concerning the gospel they are enemies…” I first encountered this complication in my relationshipbuilding efforts when a Christian brother took me aside and said, “Look, I don’t see how you can be friends with the Jews when the Bible says they are our enemy.”
“What…?” I was stunned. I didn’t know how to answer because I didn’t know my Bible.
You blockhead! The answer is in the same verse: “For your sake…” Do you see? In God’s sovereignty over His unfolding plan, He held Israel back in disobedience for my sake as a Gentile, so I would have an opportunity to believe and obey.
In that the Jews oppose my gospel, they may be my “enemy.” But what did Jesus teach us to do with our enemy?
Love them.
And there it is: They are yet beloved for the sake of the fathers, according to the covenants and the promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy.
Romans 11:31
By the mercy I have obtained through them, I now become an agent of mercy to the Jews; by being faithful to a calling, by loving them past their prickliness, by caring to know what causes them pain — even when squeezed between them on a long flight through the night. Only God could have figured out that equation.
Would you join me in praying for the Jewish people and being open to God calling you to be among them?
The rewards of blessing God’s ancient people are great, even if you must give up your cozy seat now and then.
Bill Adams serves as a Chaplain on the CCM/ Medi-Share Spiritual Development team, helping to strengthen employees in their faith through rich biblical teaching and compassionate care. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Bill served as an officer in the United States Army before going on to earn a Doctor of Divinity and Master of Arts in Judeo-Christian Synergism from Master’s International University of Divinity and a Master of Divinity from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary.
“Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.”
— Martin Luther
“Our old history ends with the cross; our new history begins with the resurrection.”
— Watchman Nee
“The devil, darkness and death may swagger and boast. The pangs of life will sting for a while longer. But don’t worry. The forces of evil are breathing their last. Not to worry — He is risen!”
— Charles R. Swindoll
“The stone was rolled away from the door, not to permit Christ to come out, but to enable the disciples to go in.”
— Peter Marshall
My Life Quilt
By Anita Schlaht
It was just an old quilt top at the thrift store. I spotted it and thought maybe it could be finished and donated to a homeless shelter. I bought it for $1.00, took it home and stuffed it away with my other fabrics, pretty much forgetting about it until this week.
“I could finish this quilt and donate it,” I thought to myself as I prepared to do some sewing.
Looking at it, I noticed stains on it that I remembered from when I bought it. Soaking it, washing it, spraying it and washing it again helped the stains to fade but they were still noticeable.
“Is that why the quilt top was never finished and why it was donated to the thrift store?” I wondered.
Maybe life had gotten in the way of it being finished. Maybe the stains came after the top was finished and put away, then discovered and cast away at that time. I decided to go ahead and finish it anyway. Surely, someone
The completed antique basket quilt. (Photos courtesy of Anita Schlaht.)
could still use it as a warm blanket. I could always attach a note explaining that it was clean and new, just stained.
After purchasing batting and floral fabric for backing, I began the process. I ironed it and noticed for the first time that it was hand quilted. Somebody, or maybe a group of somebodies, had spent hours and hours sewing all the tiny triangles together by hand into the “basket” pattern to make this quilt. I examined the tiny stitches and the vintage patterns on the fabrics and decided that it was many years old. My research showed that the earliest known pieced basket quilt was dated from around 1855. I wondered if these scraps were leftovers from little girl’s dresses, kitchen aprons, curtains or tablecloths. I imagined the woman or women who had done this work.
“Why didn’t they finish it?” The question came to me again.
Lacking a fancy quilting machine and not wanting to pay to have it quilted, I decided I would just tie it. Tying is an old process my grandmother taught me. You use a needle and embroidery thread and you “tie” the quilt top to the batting and backing, in a pattern around the quilt, to hold the layers in place. As I laid the quilt out to begin tying it, I noticed something else: one of the rows of baskets was upside down. Maybe that was the reason it was never finished! Maybe someone decided, after the mistake, that it was not worth the time, effort, and expense to fix it and to turn the quilt top into a real, usable blanket.
Imperfect but Precious to God
Sometimes our lives are turned upside down like that row in the quilt. Do we keep looking for God’s plan and our purpose or do we give up? The COVID-19 pandemic turned many lives upside down in the last several years. Nevertheless, just as this quilt will bring warmth and comfort to whomever uses
it, God’s Word brings comfort to me in times like these. Moreover, God still uses us even though we are imperfect .
“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, no angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:38-39.
WHAT IF YOU COULD ENTER ANY ROOM
I shared the story of the quilt and the upside-down row with a quilting friend who was familiar with a common myth, said to be from the Amish and Mennonite quilters. Some quilters believe that since only God is perfect each quilt should contain a “humility square” with some kind of mistake that renders it “imperfect.” Perhaps hands that subscribed to this belief and mantra made my quilt top. Humility is an important attribute in our usefulness to God.
Worth Finishing to M e
I tied the quilt, pinned the edging in place, and went upstairs to the sewing machine. As I sat down, I reflected on the life of this quilt and the similarities to my life. Life for me has been a patchwork of events, experiences, and relationships, stained by sin and some of the choices I have made. Sexual abuse as a child and teenager created scars that have followed me throughout my life. Divorce after 33 years of marriage left me feeling useless and cast aside. Questions of “Why?” have frequented my prayers. Nevertheless, in the Master’s hand all things become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, (s)he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come. ”
The One who created me, just like the single piece of fabric-backing holds this quilt together, holds my life together in His hands. God has “tied me” to Christian friends, my church family and
my family to give me strength and purpose. A line from a favorite Christian song says I could have had a different story. That is true. Despite the trials in my life, I am truly blessed. God’s mercies are new every morning. “Great is Thy faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)
While pinning the quilt I pricked my finger and got a spot of blood on the quilt. As I cleaned off the blood, I remembered that the blood of Jesus washed my sins away. His blood “covers” me just as this quilt will someday cover someone who seeks refuge under its borders. Jesus redeemed me, gave me a purpose. He made me new again. God used the scars in my life to connect me to others who are hurting so I could share my story of hope. The pain from the prick reminded me that we all have pain in our lives. Jesus says in John 16:33, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Imperfect but Complete in Christ
I am confident that the work God began in me, when I became a true believer at the age of seven, will be complete one day. God is still working on me even though I am over 70 years into the process. Turning the quilt top into a quilt brings me joy that it has fulfilled its purpose. In Philippians 1:6 Paul writes, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day
of Christ Jesus.”
I wonder now, “should I give the quilt away or should I keep it?” I am reminded every time I look at it of its value to me. Will someone else be offended by the stains? Will they value it as I do? Will they understand the time, effort, and expense that went into making and finishing it? Will they cast it away a second time? On the other hand, will they love it as I do? They will never know what it once was. They will never know the transformation it has gone through. Will they understand the picture of God’s unconditional love for us that it represents?
Maybe I will find a way to share the story of the quilt with others. Maybe I will keep my Life Quilt and make another quilt to donate. Maybe I’ll look at people whose lives are upside down, stained, and incomplete in a different way and share God’s comfort and love with them more freely because of the quilt.
“God, I pray that I will. Amen.”
Anita and her husband Kirby have a blended family of six children and nine grandchildren. Her internationally known poem “Just Playing” was published as a children’s book in 2018. A devotional, Gardening with God: Lessons from the Master Gardener is her latest book, published in 2023.
Walking in the Light
By Michelle Adserias
One benefit of homeschooling was rediscovering stuff long lost somewhere in the gray matter between my ears. Quick refresher course for all the non-scientific folks like me: the seasons are caused by the earth’s tilt. As it revolves around the sun, the earth’s axis is at a slight angle, only slight mind you compared to the vast universe. It’s incredible the huge difference such a small deviation can make. When the axis leans into the sun, summer reigns. When it leans toward darkness, winter reigns.
Sometimes my heart goes through a spiritual season when it’s as cold as the stale winter air. The coolness of sin’s shadows seeps in. Spiritual winter threatens to imprison me in its grip. The sun seems so far away it simply can’t reach my tilted heart. Maybe this happens to you sometimes, too.
The only way to move from my spiritual winter into springtime is to lean into the Son and feel His warmth penetrate my cold soul. I turn my face toward Jesus — humbled, broken and repentant. He forgives, restores, and draws me back into His presence. If I keep my eyes fixed on Jesus, spiritual spring will return.
Now, springtime in my heart may come much as spring arrives in Wisconsin; not in one fell swoop but in fits and starts with both good days and bad. But God promises I can bring my sinful self to Him for cleansing as often as I need to. I don’t want to walk in sin’s darkness. I want to walk in Christ’s light! Why?
Living in His light dispels sin’s darkness. “You light my lamp; The Lord my God illumines my darkness.” — Psalm 18:2
Living in His light gives direction. “For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light.” — Ephesians 5:8.
Living in His light brings life. “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.’” — John 8:12
Come and walk in the light with me!
But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
— 1 John 1:7
Easter
For many years, I played the piano at a local church.
While there, I was introduced to a hymn I’d never heard before, and one which has become a favorite.
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
Risen our victorious head!
Sing his praises! Alleluia!
Christ is risen from the dead!
(“Christ is Risen! Hallelujah!” by John SB Monsell)
This lyrically and musically beautiful piece celebrates Christ’s victory over death when, after His crucifixion, our Victorious Head rose again. It’s a song of triumph and celebration. It’s a song of great hope. Not only did our
The Pharisee’s Wife
By Janette Oke [Tyndale House Publishers]
From Janette Oke, the beloved author of Love Comes Softly and When Calls the Heart, comes an inspiring work of historical fiction about a young Jewish woman, plucked from obscurity and thrust on a perilous journey, only to witness the world’s most life-changing story. You can find it at https://www.tyndale.com/p/ the-pharisees-wife/9798400505898
Savior die for us, He conquered death and the grave. He was resurrected and restored to eternal fellowship with His Heavenly Father and, in so doing, made it possible for us to conquer death and be restored to eternal fellowship with our Heavenly Father.
Hallelujah, indeed! In Christ, we have the victory both in this life and in the life to come.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:57-58
Dead Sea Squirrels
By Mike Nawrocki [Tyndale House Publishers]
From co-creator of VeggieTales and voice of Larry the Cucumber! Kids will laugh and learn more about the life of Jesus from two previously petrified squirrels who lived during Bible times. Read all 12 Dead Sea Squirrels books, available wherever books are sold, and stream the animated series on Minno! You can find it at https://bit.ly/4gCvpTW
Let’s Be Friends: A Tween Devotional on
Finding and Keeping Strong Friendships
By Calyn Daniel and Blythe Daniel [Harvest House Publishers]
Girls can struggle in their friendships and identity. A fellow teen offers insights about healthy self-esteem, being a true friend and finding friends to be yourself with. Seeing how God designed you and building your relationship with Him can inspire girls to seek the best friends for them. You can find it at https://connectingheartsandconversations.com
The Maker of the Mountain
By Sandra McCracken and Tim Nicholson [B&H Publishing]
Little Brown Bear is on an adventure to find the Maker of the mountain and discover what He is like. Along the way, the bear meets new friends who share what the Maker is like. This book will leave children feeling loved by God and comforted to know Him better. You can find it at themakerofthemountain.com
Prophet, Priest, and King
By R. Albert Mohler Jr. [B&H Publishing]
R. Albert Mohler Jr. delves into the historical significance of the offices of prophet, priest, and king, tracing their Old Testament origins to their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He reveals how these interconnected roles are foundational to understanding Christ’s work and essential for living faithfully as Christians. You can find it at prophetpriestandkingbook.com
The Storyteller’s Bible
By Kathryn Butler [B&H Publishing]
The Bible is filled with incredible true stories that captivate and connect listeners to God, the ultimate Storyteller. This unique storybook features 35 engaging read-aloud tales, stunning global illustrations, interactive questions, and storytelling tips — all designed to inspire and equip you to share the gospel in just five minutes. You can find it at lifeway.com
Spring Sings
By Ellie Holcomb [B&H Publishing]
Spring’s song is coming again, and award-winning recording artist Ellie Holcomb knows that we’re all invited to sing along! Her lyrical words encourage young readers to watch as the world slowly wakes and to know that the new life of spring also retells the story of God’s Son. You can find it at www.springsings.com
What Will You Teach Me?
By Adam Griffin [B&H Publishing]
All learning comes from God! In Adam Griffin’s new board book, What Will You Teach Me?, children will love watching adorable, whimsical animals learn their letters, numbers, music, food, right and wrong, and that God is the creator of all things we learn! You can find it at www.whatwillyouteachme.com
Jesus Doesn’t Care About Your Messy House
By Dana K. White [W. Publishing]
Your worth isn’t tied to a spotless home! Dana K. White’s book combines humor, biblical truths, and practical advice to remind you that while a tidy house is nice, it’s not what matters to God. Find freedom from the shame of mess and discover His love and purpose instead. You can find it at https://bit.ly/4hqWfiz
The Deep-Rooted Marriage
By Dan Allender and Steve Call [W. Publishing]
Discover a deeper, more fulfilling marriage with The Deep-Rooted Marriage by Dan Allender and Steve Call. Paired with the companion guide, this duo helps heal past wounds, break unhealthy patterns, and cultivate lasting intimacy. They transform your relationship into a life-giving, faith-filled journey of hope and connection. You can find it at https://bit.ly/42L67zp
[Zondervan]
It’s a distracted world out there. Do the things you thought would bring connection make you feel more disconnected than ever? Maybe it’s time for a reset! A Savior Is Risen is a call for you to quiet your mind and soul as you focus on Jesus and His resurrection. You can find it at https://bit.ly/40EbZYf
Bible Origins: The Underground Story
[Zondervan]
Bible Origins: The Underground Story immerses readers (8+) in the underground church of Rome and Jerusalem. This hybrid graphic novel features six action-packed stories of early Christians risking everything to spread God’s Word — paired with portions of the New Testament, bringing faith and history to life like never before! You can find it at BiblesForEaster.com
Loyal in His Love
By Tabitha Panariso [Zondervan Reflective]
Therapist Tabitha Panariso guides readers through the life and death of Jesus as a means of countercultural response to the pain of rejection, leading to living hope and transformation. You can find it at http://loyalinhislove.com
New Testament for Everyone
N. T. Wright [Zondervan]
The New Testament for Everyone is an updated translation of the New Testament by renowned biblical scholar and author N.T. Wright, which builds upon on the work done in N. T. Wright’s The Kingdom New Testament . You can find it at BiblesforEaster.com
The King’s Cadets and Little Joe
By Kevan Chandler & Joe Sutphin [Moody Publishers]
Continue the adventure from the bestselling Little Pilgrim’s Progress illustrated edition! The King’s Cadets and Little Joe returns to the Land of Delight with five charming tales. Perfect for early readers or family readalouds, this beautifully illustrated book follows three rabbit brothers as they train to become the King’s Cadets. You can find it at moodypublishers.com
The Jesus Storybook Bible
By Sally Lloyd-Jones [Zonderkidz]
With over 6 million copies sold, The Jesus Storybook Bible is the quintessential book for parents, grandparents, pastors, and anyone else who wants to share God’s Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love with children. You can find it at https://www.sallylloyd-jones.com/ jsb-collection
The Disappearing Seat
By Heather Holleman [Moody Publishers]
Elita Brown’s jealousy grows as she compares her life to others. A school speech competition adds to her struggles. Can she overcome fear and find contentment? This heartwarming story helps tweens discover their identity in Christ and learn to appreciate the good gifts God has given them. You can find it at moodypublishers.com
Hey-O! Stories of the Bible
By Saddleback Kids [Zonderkidz]
Through accessible storytelling and innovative video integration, Hey-O! Stories of the Bible is a storybook Bible unlike any other! Hey-O! Stories of the Bible combines nearly 70 beloved Old and New Testament stories into one beautiful collection, with a QR code that links to corresponding animated videos for each story. You can find it at https://heyokids.saddleback.com
NIV Kids’ Visual Study Bible
[Zonderkidz]
The NIV Kids’ Visual Study Bible brings Scripture to life with 700+ images, photos, infographics, and maps for visual learners (ages 8–12). Packed with study notes, it helps kids see how Bible stories connect, sparking curiosity and encouraging deeper exploration of God’s Word. A must-have for young readers! You can find it at BiblesForEaster.com
NIV Kingdom Girls Bible
By Jean E. Syswerda [Zonderkidz]
The NIV Kingdom Girls Bible helps girls 8-12 grow in faith by highlighting inspiring women of the Bible. The 400+ engaging features, colorful illustrations, and helpful notes, all show how they fit into God’s plan. A perfect guide to discovering the strong, faithful women who came before them! You can find it at BiblesForEaster.com
The Beginner’s Bible
[Zonderkidz]
Featuring bright and vibrant illustrations, The Beginner’s Bible® offers the foundational building blocks of faith for young children while featuring easy to read, short, and simple bible stories of favorite figures. Millions of children and their parents have delighted in this kids’ bible and grown closer to their Creator. You can find it at https://www.thebeginnersbible.com/ products
By Lawrence O. Richards [Zonderkidz]
Take your young explorer on an adventure through God’s Word with the #1 Bible for kids! The bestselling NIV Adventure Bible® will get kids excited about reading God’s Word. They will be captivated with the full-color features that make it fun and engaging to read the Bible. You can find it at AdventureBible.com
NIV Adventure Bible Hardcover
NIV Teen Study Bible
[Zondervan]
Full of features that will help today’s teen learn more about God, the Bible, and how God’s Word relates to their lives, the NIV Teen Study Bible will help them to deepen and understand their faith while reassuring them that God is always with them and they are never alone. You can find it at amazon.com/teenstudybible
NIV Student Bible
[Zondervan]
The NIV Student Bible simplifies the complexities of Scripture and helps students navigate and understand God’s truth and is specifically designed to help students understand and navigate the Bible text. You can find it at BiblesforEaster.com
[Zondervan]
The NIV Bible for Teen Girls is for real teenage girls with real lives. Packed with daily readings, highlighted promises of God, challenging insights, smart advice, and open discussion about the realities of life, this Bible is designed to help teen girls grow in faith, hope, and love. You can find it at amazon.com/teenbibles
The NIV Telos Bible
[Zondervan]
Created to meet the spiritual needs of high school and college students, The NIV Telos Bible is designed to challenge young adults to take a meaningful look at the Bible. This student’s guide through Scripture includes tools like book introductions, reading plans, core questions and answers, and journaling prompts. You can find it at amazon.com/teenbibles
NIV Bible for Teen Girls
NIV Journal the Word® Bible
for Teen Girls
NIV Journal the Word® Bible, Double-Column
[Zondervan]
With hundreds of journaling prompts and plenty of space for notes, art, and doodles, this Bible provides a place for a teen girl to capture her thoughts while reading Scripture. She can journal her feelings, dreams, and hopes, as well as create art, color, and doodle. You can find it at BiblesForEaster.com
NIV Daily Scripture Bible
[Zondervan]
You — yes, you — can read through the whole Bible in a year! The NIV Daily Scripture will help you on your journey to read through the Bible in one year. From day one, each reading includes a portion from the Old Testament, the New Testament, and a Psalm or Proverb. You can find it at BiblesforEaster.com
[Zondervan]
This Bible allows you to creatively express yourself every day with room for notes or verse art next to your favorite verses. This double-column journaling Bible features thick paper with lightly ruled lines in the extra-wide margins, perfect to reflect on God’s Word and enhance your study. You can find it at BiblesForEaster.com
NIV The Story
[Zondervan]
God goes to great lengths to rescue lost and hurting people. Condensed into 31 accessible chapters, The Story sweeps you into the unfolding progression of Bible characters and events from Genesis to Revelation. You can find it at BiblesforEaster.com
[Zondervan]
With its decades-long legacy of helping readers grasp the Bible’s meaning, the NIV Study Bible is designed specifically to help readers know what the Bible says and understand why the Bible matters. You can find it at BiblesforEaster.com
NIV Jesus Everywhere Bible
[Zondervan]
This Bible is the ideal evangelistic tool to share with those who are open to talking about God. Contains added helps designed for those new to reading the Bible including a plan of salvation, reading plans, maps, and more. There is even access to a video explaining the Gospel. You can find it at www.BiblesforEaster.com
[Zondervan]
Featuring over 600 illustrated verses, the NIV Beautiful Word Bible offers a unique visual treatment of Scripture for a more beautiful quiet time. The full-color artwork brings God’s message to life, while the wide margins allow you room to express your feelings, fears, and prayers through words or pictures. You can find it at amazon.com/beautifulword
The Jesus Bible, ESV Edition
By Passion Publishing [Zondervan]
Encounter the living Jesus in all of Scripture. From the Passion movement, The Jesus Bible, ESV Edition, lifts Jesus up as the lead story of the Bible and encourages you to faithfully follow Him as you participate in His story. You can find it at amazon.com/jesusbible
NRSVue Holy Bible, Anne Neilson Angel Art Series
By Anne Neilson [Zondervan]
These NRSVue Bibles showcase a stunning cover, hand-painted by Anne Neilson, featuring artwork from her beloved Angel Series. There are 48 full-color pages throughout with artwork and thought-provoking reflections from Anne, along with journaling space in the wide margins for notes. You can find them at BiblesForEaster.com
Amplified Holy Bible, Anne Neilson Angel Art Series
By Anne Neilson [Zondervan]
These Amplified Bibles showcase a stunning cover, hand-painted by Anne Neilson, featuring artwork from her beloved Angel Series. There are 48 full-color pages throughout with artwork and thought-provoking reflections from Anne, along with journaling space in the wide margins for notes. You can find them at BiblesForEaster.com
NASB Daily Scripture Bible
[Zondervan]
You — yes, you — can read through the whole Bible in a year! The NASB Daily Scripture will help you on your journey to read through the Bible in one year. From day one, each reading includes a portion from the Old Testament, the New Testament, and a Psalm or Proverb. You can find it at BiblesforEaster.com
NASB Personal Size, Large Print
[Zondervan]
Easy to read. Easy to carry. The NASB Personal Size, Large Print Bible brings readability and portability together in one neat, sophisticated package. You can find it at BiblesforEaster.com
Walt Larimore, MD, has been called one of America’s best-known family physicians and has been named in the “Guide to America’s Top Family Doctors,” “The Best Doctors in America,” “Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare,” and “Who’s Who in America.”
He’s a former vice president and physician in residence at Focus on the Family, and the American Life League named him a “Rock-Solid Pro-Life” awardee. He’s also an award-winning medical journalist and the bestselling author of over 40 books. He and his wife of 52 years, Barb, have two adult children and reside in Colorado Springs. You can find his daily blog at www.DrWalt.com and follow him on Facebook at “DrWalt.com.” Have questions for Dr. Walt? Email them to editor@ todayschristianliving.org
This column is for informational purposes only, does not constitute health or medical advice, and is not intended to substitute for the diagnosis or recommendation(s) of your healthcare professional(s).
ASK DR. WALT
By
The Excellent Eight
A Proven Formula for Increased Quantity and Quality of Life
QUESTION: In the past you have written about a series of numbers I need to know about to become healthier. Can you remind me of them?
ANSWER: In my book Fit over 50: Make Simple Choices for a Healthier, Happier You (https://amzn. to/3BhYO2r), my co-author, Dr. Phil Bishop, and I have two chapters that answer your question: “You Need to Know Four Numbers” and “Five Habits to Live Ten Years Longer (or More)!” But let me both update and summarize those two chapters for you into what I now call ‘The Excellent Eight.’
Eight Excellent Factors
There are eight basic numbers that represent the healthy factors you need to know. Memorizing the numbers is even easier than learning a new phone number. The numbers are: 0, 5, 15, 30, 100, 120, 150, and 200. Here are the factors these numbers represent:
Factor 1 0 = no tobacco products and no/limited alcohol
Factor 2 5 = five servings of fruits and vegetables per day along with no/limited ultraprocessed foods and no/limited added sugars
Factor 3 15 = minutes of silence, relaxation, prayer, Bible study, meditation per day
What happens when you practice these eight factors?
Why should you both care and want to apply all of them to your life? Simply put, if you do so, you’ll not only live better and longer, you’ll also live with significantly fewer health issues and dramatically reduced medical costs. This may sound incredible, yet it’s true.
Researchers report that 50-year-old adults who practice just four of these “low-risk lifestyle factors” – namely numbers 1, 4, 5, and 7 above – have a lifeexpectancy increase of more than 12 years for men and more than 14 years for women, a whopping 48-49% increased lifespan! Besides living longer, you will significantly reduce your threat of premature death from cancer and cardiovascular disease. Three-fourths of premature cardiovascular deaths and half of premature cancer deaths in America are attributed to not adhering to these same four low-risk factors.
Unfortunately, national surveys show the percentage of people adhering to a low-risk lifestyle is decreasing. The CDC reports that only 23% of U.S. adults get enough exercise, while just one in 10 Americans eats a nutrient-rich diet (sufficient fruits and vegetables, no/limited ultra-processed foods, and no/limited added sugars).
Globally, we Americans rank 49th when it comes to life expectancy. The three highest-ranked countries are Monaco (over 89 years), followed by Japan and Singapore (over 85 years). The life expectancy in the U.S. is not higher, say researchers, because obesity and moderate alcohol use are increasing, while physical activity and consumption of a nutrient-rich diet are decreasing.
A national study reported the number of Americans with an ideal cardiovascular health score, based on seven of the factors above (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8) has dropped to just under 6% over the last 20 years due, primarily, to poorer scores for factors 4, 5, 6, and 8. The CDC reports 40 million Americans are living with uncontrolled high blood pressure (HBP), 39 million adults aren’t taking the recommended statin therapy to manage their abnormally high cholesterol, more than 100 million adults have poor blood sugar control (from
Walt Larimore, MD
diabetes or prediabetes), and almost 190 million adults are obese or overweight (42% obese, 31% overweight = 73% of all adults).
Data from Harvard a few years back listed six of our Excellent Eight as preventable risk factors for premature death in the U.S.:
1. Smoking, 467,000 deaths (one in five deaths, more than 1,300 per day)
2. High blood pressure (HBP), 395,000 deaths (one in six deaths)
3. Overweight/obesity, 216,000 deaths
4. Sedentary behavior (inactivity or inadequate physical activity), 191,000 deaths
5. High blood sugar, 190,000 deaths
6. High cholesterol, 113,000 deaths
Unfortunately, many people don’t even know their risk. 13% of U.S. adults over 35 years old have not had HBP screening, 18% have not had cholesterol or lipid screening, and 36% have not had diabetes or obesity screening.
Although cigarette smoking has decreased, new forms of smoking have increased (e-cigarettes, vaping, etc.). According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), “People often think some forms are safe and don’t cause health problems. This isn’t true. There is no safe form of tobacco.” Tobacco is still the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the U.S., accounting for about one in five deaths. A 2025 study reported each cigarette smoked can reduce life expectancy by an average of 20 minutes — reducing life expectancy an average of at least ten years.
The CDC reports that even moderate drinking increases the risk of premature death and other alcohol-related mental and physical health harms, while the ACS advises that even limited alcohol consumption has been linked to an increased risk of several types of cancer, most particularly, breast cancer. As a result, a 2025 U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory noted that alcohol is one of the three most preventable causes of cancer in the U.S., after tobacco and obesity, advising that even one drink per day can increase your risk of cancers such as breast, mouth, and throat.
Finally, daily internalized spiritual practices have been explored in numerous studies related to health. Research suggests prayer and meditation have indirect effects on physical and mental health, which potentially contributes to longer life spans. For example, purpose in life and life satisfaction, both of which are increased with prayer and Bible reading, are associated with 17% and 12% reduced mortality risk, respectively.
Daily prayer may lower blood pressure and heart rate, which can boost the immune system and increase survival rate. Religious service attendance is also associated with a 33% reduction in allcause mortality compared with those who had never attend. Daily meditation can significantly reduce stress levels, which is linked to a decreased risk of chronic diseases, and may even slow down the aging process, which could contribute to a longer lifespan.
So, what should you do to dramatically decrease your risk of premature death, increase your life expectancy, increase your quality of life, and decrease long-term medical expenses?
• For factors 1, 4, 5, 6, and 8, adults should see their family or personal physician with this list in hand.
Factors 1 and 4 (0 = no tobacco and no/little alcohol; 30 = BMI below 30). He or she can help you stop tobacco use, review your alcohol use, and give advice for an elevated BMI.
Factor 5 (100 = FBS below 100). Your physician can check your fasting blood sugar and/or A1C, a blood test which measures your average blood sugar over the previous three months. Blood sugar screenings every three years should start at age 45; at age 40 for those who are overweight or obese.
Factor 6 (120 = systolic BP below 120). He or she can check your blood pressure and give you advice if it is abnormal.
Factor 8 (200 = cholesterol below 200). Your physician can check your cholesterol or, even better, a lipid profile. A lipid profile is recommended every 4-6 years, starting at age 20, more frequently if you have any increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Starting at age 40, a calculation of a 10-year cardiovascular disease risk should be added. You can find one at tinyurl.com/5h45uz9d.
• Factor 2 (5 = five servings of fruits and vegetables per day with no/limited processed foods or added sugars). Consider a one- or two-time family consultation with a Registered Dietician Nutritionist (RDN) who can help you develop a healthy nutrition plan.
• Factor 3 (15 = fifteen minutes a day of prayer, Bible study or meditation). If you need help with spiritual disciplines, see your pastor, a pastoral professional, or a Christian mentor or counselor, all of whom should be delighted to help.
• Factor 7 (150 = minutes of exercise per week). If getting 30 minutes of movement a day for 5 days a week is difficult, consider finding an exercise partner — either on your own or in a nearby gym. Most gyms have exercise experts who can help you design an exercise program that you’ll enjoy and be able to do on your own.
Other factors to consider
I have not mentioned other important factors that can improve your health, such as dealing with negative emotional, mental, or relational factors; updating recommended vaccines; reducing screen and sedentary time; improved sleep quality; increasing enjoyable social contacts; and spending more time in nature or outside and at play, recreation, and vacation. But these are all icing on the cake compared to the importance of The Excellent Eight. Blessings on the journey.
Esther Marie Ziph is a joyful believer who desires to see the Bible come alive for everyone she meets. She believes there is peace and fulfillment in the journey with God no matter the circumstances. She loves each of her children dearly and is looking forward to a large family reunion in heaven someday. .
God’s Brilliant Star
Have you ever seen a fallen star that seems like it comes all the way down to earth? The blaze of its trail is brilliant and brief. The star’s flicker goes unnoticed by the majority of human eyes while brilliantly, silently, and boldly making its trail across the sky. Where does this star come from? Where does it go? How did it get there? Does anyone know?
The stars are so many and varied in size we don’t know each one nor could we even if we wanted to. But sometimes there is a star whose magnificence bears documenting and remembering. This brilliant star in my life is Daniel Baxter.
Up close and personal, he looked like any ordinary star. He was dirty and unkempt, rocks stuck to his shoes, traveling under the day and night sky. Searching, searching, searching for something, but not sure what. Year after year passing uneventfully and gathering more dirty debris, physically and mentally. Until one day God prompted me to walk boldly up and say, “What do you want to do with your life?” This day I saw a spark that slowly began to ignite the sodden logs of his life and would eventually become the wildfire that turned life as we know it upside down.
By Esther Marie Ziph
tening. I could tell his thoughts could not or would not get through his mouth. The line between fantasy and reality was so blurred it seemed he couldn’t quite decide what he was experiencing.
“God can use you and me. It doesn’t matter what we look like … ”
— Esther Marie Ziph
As the days turned into months, it felt like we were watching a rose bloom in slow motion across the kitchen table. At first, there was a fleeting glance that streaked across the table. Then, another day, Daniel’s back seemed taller and straighter. Then he developed muscles from his work on the farm and he always ate a second salad. He faithfully ate the handful of walnuts I gave him each day to kill parasites. He stopped attacking his food as if someone might steal it. The worms were annihilated. He could sleep and concentrate. We tackled the crow’s nest on his head and he looked rather dignified. He was now healthy and strong so we talked about him getting his driver’s license. That did it. He balked and he ran away in fear.
If you have a turning point in your life you would like to share, email your story to editor@ todayschristianliving.org All submissions must be under 800 words. If we print your story, we will pay you $75. We reserve the right to edit for length and content. All submissions become the property of Today’s Christian Living
Daniel Baxter was the filthiest human being I had ever met. When he sat down that eventful night at the dinner table, his crusty mop of hair totally covered his shame-filled, bowed-down face. There was an incredible odor that nearly forced the windows open on their own. He ate with delicate hands and grace, yet his fingers were so caked with sweat laden dirt they hardly bent. There were wounds all over his body, presumably from lice or meth (or both) and there were pin worms crawling on the kitchen chair that had escaped his clothes. He was a living, breathing corpse of a man. His mind was no better after 20 years on the streets and hanging out in abandoned buildings. He was almost nonverbal, with only an occasional grunt to answer questions. He would not look up but stayed in a shrunken self-protective huddle. Always lis-
I often pray for Daniel. Remarkably, I see him periodically – shuffling down the grocery isle or carrying his signature dirt-caked stuff in sewed up jeans wrapped on a stick. He is still homeless, by choice, but the Daniel I see and talk to now is different than six years ago. Daniel now walks straighter. He has kept his strength. His skin is clear and baby soft, defying his 55 years of age. His hair is usually wild still but cleaner, still brown with flecks of grey.
There is a soft twinkle in his eye and no more growling. He used to be known from a great distance by the signature loaf of cheap bread in his hand that he would munch as he walked.
A smile. I haven’t seen that in years. Laugh! Now he is usually devouring one or two bags of spinach and handing out Chick tracts in-between. I believe, if God can use Daniel Baxter to change people’s lives (by handing them Scripture and leading them to eternity with Jesus), then God can use you and me. It doesn’t matter what we look like or where we go. When the Holy Spirit’s fire hits a dirty life, a star is born to magnify the Lord’s power in this dark world.
First Looks
Creativity is one aspect of God’s character we inherited from being made in His image. Of course, we don’t have His unlimited creativity but the measure he gives to musicians, artists, writers, chefs and the problemsolvers of the world is truly a reflection of our Maker.
Here are some new books written by God’s image-bearers. The authors have put their gifts to good use, recording their thoughts and insights to bring glory to God and encouragement to His people.
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”
1 Peter 4:10
Old Soul, New Creation: Experiencing God through a Life of Art and Faith
By Jake Weidmann [Thomas Nelson]
One of nine Master Penmen in the world, artist Jake Weidmann invites you to immerse yourself in the centuries-old tradition of communing with God through creative work and to be encouraged that every creative endeavor you undertake is a testimony to how God made you in His image. You can find it at https://bit.ly/42vgh72
Making Marriage Easier: How to Love (and Like) Your Spouse for Life
By Arlene Pellicane [Moody Publishers]
Feeling stagnant in your marriage? What if the question isn’t “Why is marriage so hard?” but “How can we make it easier?” God’s plan for marriage is meant to be a celebration, not a life sentence. Whether with young kids or approaching retirement, this hilarious & encouraging book is for you! You can find it at https://a.co/d/1HkMctn
Dave Ramsey is a seven-time #1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He has appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped people regain control of their money, build wealth, and enhance their lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.
By Dave Ramsey
Five Keys to Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions Alive
Is your determination to keep those resolutions sagging? Here’s some advice and encouragement to keep going — or get back on the bandwagon.
Dear Dave,
Do you have any advice for sticking with your goals and New Year’s resolutions? I always have great things in mind to shoot for in December, but then they always seem to fall by the wayside before spring.
— Rae
Dear Rae,
Believe it or not, setting goals and making them happen is easier than most people think. You just need to keep a few guidelines in mind at the beginning of the process.
Number 1: Be specific.
What do you want to achieve? And be super specific when you answer that question. Things like “eat healthier” or “read more” are too vague. Instead, try something like “cut eating out to twice a week” or “read for at least 30 minutes every night before bed.” Also, look out for any roadblocks that could keep you from reaching your goal and make a plan to knock them out of the way.
Number 2: Make your goals measurable. A goal like “lose weight” has no target attached to it. But “lose 20 pounds” has a clear finish line.
You can also break your goal setting into bite-size chunks. Give yourself daily, weekly and monthly steps to take. Focus on those and when you accomplish one, tackle the next.
Number 3: Set a time limit.
You need a finish line, so take your goal, create a plan and break it all the way down into daily activities. Then, give yourself a deadline. You might say, “I want to lose 25 pounds by December 31, 2025.” To lose those 25 pounds by your deadline, figure out things like how many times you need to work out each week and how many calories to eat in a day.
Number 4: Make sure the goals are yours.
Trying to achieve someone else’s goals for your life never works. Why? Because working hard is hard work. You won’t have the drive to stick with it if it’s something you aren’t passionate about.
Number 5: Set your goals down in writing.
Something special happens when you write down specific goals. Seeing them plainly in front of you hammers it home in a way nothing else will. There’s a reason God said, “Write the vision, and make it plain,” in Habakkuk 2:2 (KJV). Get those goals down on paper, along with all the steps it’ll take to make them happen.
And hey, don’t beat yourself up if you get a little off track, Rae. Keep your chin up and your eyes on the prize. As long as you stay focused on the end goal and keep taking steps — even small ones in the right direction — you’ll eventually turn those goals into reality!
— Dave
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Will Morris is the Middle East Correspondent for Morning Star News and one of its founding writers. He is an award-winning journalist and photographer whose byline has appeared in numerous domestic and international publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post and even Stars and Stripes
Mr. Morris has spent roughly a decade covering the Persecuted Church and conducting research about freedom of religion — mostly in the Muslim-majority countries in which he lived. He also covers national security and environmental issues.
Will Morris holds a degree in International Studies from the Ohio State University where his coursework focused on the Middle East and Development. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, where he served in the infantry.
You can contact Mr. Morris at veritas@ witnessmedia.org
Worldwide Persecution
It is a sobering statistic. This past year at least 4,475 Christians were killed for their faith. Most of those slain, some 3,100 people, were from Nigeria alone. Those killed were just a fraction of the 380 million Christians persecuted for their faith worldwide in 2024, according to the 2025 edition of the World Watch List issued by Open Doors (OD). This figure represents an increase of 15 million believers persecuted for their faith worldwide over the last year.
In addition to those killed for their faith, at least 209,770 were violently forced out of their homes in 2024, largely in countries like Nigeria, India, Myanmar, and lawless regions like the Sudan. Another 54,780 were beaten, threatened or otherwise abused and there were 28,368 religiouslymotivated attacks on Christian-owned businesses. Finally, there were some 4,744 Christians detained, arrested and sentenced for practicing their faith and 3,944 Christians who were either raped, sexually harassed or forced to marry non-believers, according to Open Doors, a group that advocates for persecuted Christians.
The numbers speak volumes and yet somehow, for me, they fail their intended purpose; to help believers who have yet to suffer real persecution –largely the western Church – understand what life is like for their persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. This is not the fault of the study, or those who conducted it, but the mission’s aim.
How do you quantify with numbers what is almost impossible to explain with words? How do you rank living under those realities? Only Jesus knows whether it’s worse being stripped of all your possessions, your home and your livelihood by Fulani militiamen in Nigeria or enduring the same thing at the hands of Hindi nationalists in India. Still, the Watch List does shed light on just how bad life is for Christians in certain countries and on changing trends in persecution.
And by ranking the worst places to live as a Christian, OD attempts to hold world leaders to account – for their role in persecuting Christians or their indifference in stopping it.
This year, growing lawlessness in certain regions, like Central Africa, has contributed to the climate of persecution that Christians endure. But paradoxically, the growing authoritarianism of states in Central Asia and the Middle East have
played different roles with the same outcome — deprivation, stark repression, imprisonment and even death for disciples of Jesus. Another concerning trend is how different countries, such as China, have increasingly used technology and AI, developments that were supposed to free humanity, to monitor Christians and crush religious freedom.
Top Five
North Korea
Hailed in his country as a deity, Kim Jong Un rules North Korea like only a self-appointed demigod can … by torturing, imprisoning or outright killing anyone who doesn’t worship or agree with him. It is hardly surprising that North Korea has retained its World Watch List place as the most repressive country for Christians. It is a distinction North Korea has earned 23 times. Christianity is strictly outlawed in the Hermit Kingdom. Any of the vestiges seen as normal for Christians in other counties, such as; owning a Bible, engaging in corporate worship or listening to a sermon, are strictly outlawed.
“If your Christian faith is discovered in North Korea, you will either be immediately executed or deported to a horrendous labor camp that few survive,” the report states. “…In this environment, even secret Christian worship and prayer is an enormous risk.”
Somalia
Somalia has never really known true peace or stability. Strategically located on ancient trade routes where the Red Sea opens into the Gulf Aden, Somalia has been held as a colony, used as a Cold War pawn and fought over by tribal warlords. Then in 1991, the country disintegrated after a civil war. In the mid2000s, Islamic militants from the group Al-Shabaab began establishing themselves in the pieces of the shattered country. It is a massive understatement to say the country is gut-wrenchingly poor.
Somalia currently ranks dead last in the United Nation’s Human Development Index. Now, when Al-Shabaab isn’t fighting the Somali army in the Central province of Hiiraan, it is working to establish a strict form of Sharia in the land it controls. Christians are seen as allies with outside powers. “Even at home,” the report reads. “Any suspicion you have come to faith in Christ can result in house
Provided courtesy of Open Doors. For more information about the Watch List visit opendoorsus.org.
arrest, forced marriage or threats on your life from your own family.”
Yemen
Yemen, like Somalia, borders the Gulf of Aden and suffers from many of the same historical problems. It ranks eighth from the bottom on the U.N.’s Human Development Index. An active Shia minority, perpetually in conflict with the Sunni population of the country, complicates this. In 2014, a civil war broke out which, despite a cease fire in 2022, continues sporadically to this day. Last year, one believer was killed for their faith. Numerous house-church bodies in Shia-controlled areas were forced to close.
“The country is now ruled by three different powers, none of which are sympathetic to Christianity,” the report reads. “Anyone thought to be Christian can face monitoring, detention, torture, ill-treatment and even murder. Persecution has increased as Houthi rebels – Islamic militants – have expanded their control.”
Libya
It was hoped that after a permanent ceasefire to the second Libyan Civil War was reached on October 23, 2020, that conditions would improve for Christians living in Libya, but this has not been the case. Certainly, things are not as bad as they were in 2015 when Islamic State of Iraq forces and the Levant (ISIL) abducted and beheaded 21 Christian construction workers. Or later, in April of the same year, when they executed 30 Ethiopian Christians. But Libyan Christians still live and die under extreme persecution. The country is now split between two governments, several jihadi groups and numerous allied tribal elements, none of which are particularly tolerant of Christians.
The lack of a central, stable and I would add, secular government makes life for Libyan Christians “even more precarious,” according to the report.
“Following Jesus is a huge risk for anyone. Libyan Christians with a Muslim background face violent pressure from their families and communities to renounce their faith,” the report states. “Foreign Christians, especially those from sub-Saharan Africa, are targeted by Islamic militant and criminal groups. These groups kidnap and sometimes brutally kill Christians.”
Sudan
Four out of the five worst countries for Christians to live are located just off the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, and they are all Muslim-majority countries. Although Open Doors placed Sudan at number five in its rankings, its name is practically synonymous with Christian persecution, particularly genocide. For a brief moment, there was hope that after 2019, when a coup brought President Omar al-Bashir’s 30-year rule to a crashing halt, that things would get better for Sudanese Christians and the Sudanese in general.
But after a civil war broke out in 2023 between the national army and several militias, that hope was lost. Now the country is again locked in a war that has displaced more than 7.7 million out of 49 million people. Believers are caught in between much of the fighting.
“Sudan is now home to the world’s largest displacement and hunger crisis,” according to the report. “The conflict has given Islamic extremists more opportunity to target Christians; more than 100 churches have been damaged, and Christians have been abducted and killed. New Sudanese Christians face such severe opposition that they tend to keep their faith secret, even from their own children.”
PRAYER POINTS:
PRAY that God will provide supernaturally for the physical needs of the persecuted church.
PRAY that God will glorify His name through the suffering of His children, that the Holy Spirit will fall upon the persecuted church worldwide in a way unseen until now, so that in the coming last days, even in the face of reprisal, members of the persecuted church will walk among the lost preaching boldly, issuing prophesies and healing the sick.
PRAY that the “peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” will come to all persecuted believers and allow them to endure courageously and with absolute joy unto the end.
PRAY the children of the persecuted church will know the same joy as their parents and, even in the worst of times, will endure with complete resolve and utter fearlessness.
Emotional Confidence
By Alicia Michelle [Baker Books]
Tired of up-and-down feelings stealing your peace, sabotaging your relationships, and filling your mind with self-defeating thoughts? What if you had a proven emotional management tool to biblically respond to your feelings with both compassion and clarity? Discover three simple steps to better manage emotions, to reduce stress, improve decisionmaking, and grow closer to God.
In Emotional Confidence, certified Christian life coach Alicia Michelle shares how to implement the method she has taught to tens of thousands into an ongoing lifestyle practice to effectively manage emotions for God’s glory. This biblical, scientificallybased method shows you how to handle emotional overwhelm, overthinking, and avoidance; acknowledge feelings without judgment; process emotions through God’s clarifying lens of truth; and courageously choose a scriptural response. With calming activities, client stories, scientific evidence, and heartfelt honesty, this book overflows with practical ways to confidently process emotions for better relationships, spiritual growth, and lasting calm.
Catching Whimsy
By Bob Goff [Nelson Books]
Learn to pursue joy and savor life’s possibilities. Because you can’t catch what you don’t chase.
Beloved bestselling author Bob Goff takes you on a yearlong journey into the uplifting, inspiring, and unexpected possibilities awaiting you. With his trademark storytelling and winsome take on life, Bob returns with Catching Whimsy, a 365-day devotional that whispers some much-needed truth, hope, and whimsy into your days. It will help you leave behind endless cycles of planning and floundering and instead wake up to the curiosity, delight, and possibility in this marvelous adventure called life. You don’t have to stay stuck in ambivalence and paralysis, unsure of the right next step. Instead, get settled in God’s love for you and start journeying, wide-eyed and expectant, into a more meaningful life, a more engaged faith, and a more intentional future. You are only one or two decisions away from a more beautiful and winsome life; a life you can access through a door God leaves ajar for you each day.
Faith for the Curious
By Mark Matlock [Baker Books]
It may surprise you to know the majority of non-Christians are not hostile to the faith or looking for a fight. In fact, most are open and even curious about spiritual matters. Yet evangelism training and apologetic resources are often geared toward knowing what to say to hardcore atheists and evolutionists, who make up less than 10 percent of the unchurched population.
If you’re ready to have respectful and fruitful spiritual conversations with your spiritually curious friends, neighbors, and family members, Mark Matlock offers this research-based approach. He shows you how to:
• create a church culture that is open to spiritual exploration and discovery
• help foster meaningful connections to Jesus and His church
• start spiritual conversations and break through common communication barriers
• bridge the gap between traditional Christianity and the modern spiritual climate and more.
So God Made a Grandma
By Leslie Means [Tyndale]
Join Leslie Means, founder of the popular website Her View from Home, in this heartfelt follow-up to the national bestseller, So God Made a Mother
Some relationships are beautiful and full of love, support, and warmth. Some are complicated, yet still honored and transformative. All these stories, told from the perspectives of daughters, friends, grandchildren, and grandmothers themselves — will stir the hearts of anyone who’s had a grandma, who is a grandma, or who knows a grandma.
This diverse collection of essays celebrates the women who shape us, the women we are, and the women we pray we’ll become. So God Made a Grandma is for the love-givers, the tradition-keepers, the memory-makers, and the timeless love we call our own. Enjoy true stories from women of all ages and stages celebrating grandmas and their enduring legacy of faith, love, and family. Makes a perfect gift for any woman in your life.
The Dream Keeper Saga: The Last Keeper
By Kathryn Butler [Crossway]
Book 5 Concludes the Dream Keeper Saga, an adventure for middlegrade readers steeped in magic, mystery, and glimmers of hope.
After a worldwide quest to save the planet from Eymah and his nightmares, Lily is now racing to escape the dark caverns of the Realm. Joined by Keisha, Adam, and their magical friends, she fights Eymah’s monsters in an unrelenting battle of ice and fire. When she meets an elder centaur along the way, Lily learns about an ancient scroll that foretells the last keeper — one who prepares the way for the arrival of the prince. Could it really be her? In her final fight to defend the earth and the Realm, Lily relies on her faith in Pax’s promise: that he will return and make all things new.
The thrilling conclusion to the Dream Keeper Saga (Book 5) takes middle-grade readers on an adventure filled with talking dragons, monsters, and more. Mixing fantasy with Christian themes, this novel invites families to reflect on and discuss God’s story of redemption.
Toxic Empathy
By Allie Beth Stuckey
[Sentinel/Penguin Random House]
We are told empathy is the highest virtue — the key to being a good person. Is that true? Or has “empathy,” like so many other words of our day — “tolerance,” “justice,” “acceptance” — been hijacked by those who exploit compassion for their own purposes?
In Toxic Empathy, Stuckey argues that empathy has become the left-wing activists’ manipulation tool, used to bully people into believing they must adopt progressive positions to be loving. She explores how toxic empathy is employed in five heated issues: abortion, gender, sexuality, immigration, and social justice. Progressives use catchy mantras to present their perspective as empathetic but in each case, they ignore the other side of the moral equation. For example, abortion is presented as compassionate for the woman, but what about the human life the procedure kills?
This book isn’t about killing empathy; it’s about submitting our empathy to God’s definitions of love, goodness, and justice.
Becoming New
By Warren Wiersbe, edited by Dan Jacobsen [David C Cook]
This all-new devotional, curated by Warren Wiersbe’s grandson, offers a 100-day journey through Scripture, helping readers not only understand God’s Word but live it out in the power of the Holy Spirit.
A transformative journey through Scripture, Becoming New invites us to experience a deepened connection to God’s Word, a greater sense of purpose, and a stronger relationship with the Holy Spirit.
A beloved Bible teacher, Warren Wiersbe was passionate about God’s Word. Now, in this previously unpublished devotional, Wiersbe calls Christians to “become new” in their relationship with God.
With daily, themed Scripture passages, reflections and commentary from Wiersbe, and thought-provoking application questions, Becoming New offers an accessible 100-day experience of spiritual growth. Becoming New is ideal for those seeking profound, lasting change, as Wiersbe’s contagious love for the Bible inspires us day by day to draw closer to God and then share this joy with others.
The Beijing Betrayal
By Joel C. Rosenberg [Tyndale House]
Can Marcus Ryker and his team stop a secret plot against the U.S. — before millions of Americans die? In the pulse-pounding final installment of the Marcus Ryker series, the leaders of Communist China are secretly plotting to invade Taiwan and challenge American supremacy in the Pacific. And no one in Washington knows what’s coming.
Marcus Ryker and his team hunt down Abu Nakba, the most wanted terrorist in the world, and discover a horrifying secret inside a lab in Pakistan. When Marcus’ plan to blow up the lab goes horribly wrong, a massive explosion rocks the city.
News of the blast reaches the U.S. President, negotiating an agreement with China on trade and counterterrorism. He’s unaware Beijing is preparing to invade Taiwan and planning to release a terrifying virus. Ryker must stop Beijing and the Kairos terror network before they unleash a catastrophe that brings the superpowers to the brink of nuclear war.
Jo Jones is an 18-year-old homeschool graduate who is thankful for her family, sunshine, God’s Word, and chocolate.
An aspiring author and graphic designer, Jo once ran a faith-based magazine for teen girls and has been published on TheRebelution.com
Counting My Blessings
Ijudge the child in the store who is clearly spoiled, still screaming, grasping for more. Until it strikes me: I am that kid.
I have all this, and I want more? All this, and I don’t even see it?
All what?
I have wide-arching rainbows, light dancing on golden skin, boys feeding chickens in cool morning rain. I have tiny roadside blossoms and bare Amish footprints in the gravel dust, belonging to redcheeked smiles.
What do I have? What do I not have?
And this is the lens I clip onto my pink-framed glasses each day, heart swelling as I gawk, almost unbelieving, at God’s lavish goodness. His love language is gifts — He tells me every day, each moment teeming fresh with blessings, whispering “I love you.”
I reach for them; hands extended to accept the gifts, hands extended to worship the Giver. Because isn’t that where meaning lies? In the breathless, sacred act of heart-singing two simple words:
Thank you.
Yadâh — Hebrew, “To extend the hands.” Isn’t that the pulsating, throbbing heart of life? Receiving the gifts, handing back glory?
“Give thanks to — Yadâh — the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1
I am spoiled by this love that graciously wastes on me joys unrealized, blessings I hurry past.
So I slow. I seek. I begin to uncover: so many gifts. They’re in obvious places: pink-streaked clouds, laughter-eyed faces, table set with abundance for both my body and soul, hungry.
But they’re in the other places too. I open the photo, another basketful of unfolded laundry for an already-tired woman. And I want to groan with her in her busyness. Who wants to do laundry?
But the message I almost send, sighing weary, isn’t yadâh. No, it clenches fists tight.
I want to reach hands out open. I delete the message, praying, restart:
“Thank God for clean laundry and the physical ability to fold it.”
And together we yadâh, taking the moment that feels void of glory and handing it back to God with hearts full.
This is the shift, when I learn not only how to find the yadâh moments, but how to find the yadâh in the moments. When life bleeds and sobs
By Jo Jones
and argues — is there anything there?
I am learning to be like Job.
“Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” Job 2:10
I open my hands for the blissful blessings, yet shut them to the uncomfortable, unwanted? I wonder: Are gifts the only things I wanted and got?
“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped.” Job 1:20
The man who has just lost all his gifts family, wealth and, soon, health praises while he reels. He got what he never wanted. And we are all Job, but we don’t always respond like Job.
Why should I sift through the moments (which themselves are gifts), deeming only some of them yadâh-worthy, throwing the rest away? Isn’t a gift simply something that is given? No matter what it is?
The moments I never asked for but were still given, teach me to yadâh before I receive the gift, trusting this pain and boring and the hard has purpose. It is never pointless and my heart throbs as He quietly gives me the things I didn’t want. He is still giving.
I have missed out on so many blessings because I was looking only for the poetic ones, blind to the countless other love-gifts because my eyes were only open to what I deemed good. I pray again for eyes to see and soon I am praising Him for industrious spiders, dishes needing relief from the remnants of good food and beautiful, strange grasses.
I stand in each moment, breath catching, grasping the love-gifts, barefoot on holy ground.
So, this is the secret? This is what fills me, fills all of life, then overflows into the lives of those around me. This is what gives meaning, speaks to my soul aching for beauty and purpose and fellowship with God. This is what I’m made for. It is constant reminding and heart-breathed prayers until yadâh becomes a way of life, the only way to rightly view this world and that to come.
I must receive the gifts and thank the Giver, because He has taught me that He is good and that He is always giving and that too often I rush by and never know.
But I want to know.
So, each morning I open my empty hands, reach them up to the Giver and yadâh for whatever He will give. I am forever extending my hands, to pluck the sweet fruit of His steadfast forever-love.
