This Is Us

In the story there is pain and healing, and both the pain and the healing are caused by family

Tea Time

Slow down. Take the time. Tea time.

OT Programs, Young Families, Russian memoriesGuest AuthorMarch 6, 2018orphans, older orphans, Russia, Russian orphans, tea timeComment

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction

Eugene Peterson wrote a book titled “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society.” He reminded us that the Kingdom of God is not built quickly or easily, but requires a long journey of obedience.

News from Russia, Russian memories, Young FamiliesGuest AuthorJune 16, 2016Comment

The Importance of a Mother

How can we ever truly appreciate the significance our mothers have in our lives? I realize this is not a very timely post being much closer to Fathers Day than Mothers Day, but the subject has been on my mind quite a bit lately.It was just over a year ago that my mom was diagnosed with stage four cancer and told she had no more than a couple years to live. This kind of news—after you get over the shock—gets you thinking, of course, about how important your mother really is.

OT Programs, Russian memories, Young FamiliesShawnJune 24, 2014

Neighbors

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37–39 Have you ever been blessed with the gift of good neighbors?

Dacha, Leadership, Life Skills, Russian memories, Young FamiliesRebecca PetersonApril 17, 2014

The Do-Nothing Missionary

“What are we going to do?” It was the first question I asked Doug Patterson when I met with him a little over a year ago to discuss joining the Orphan’s Tree team he was leading to Ivanovo in May 2013.I thought it was a perfectly natural question. After all, weren’t “mission trips” all about doing something? Weren’t we supposed to build things, fix things, provide things to help the people we were going to see?

Orphans and the Olympics - Part III

Pure and faultless religion is defined as looking out for widows and orphans in their time of distress. The orphans we meet in Russia need to see human love modeled for them, in personal and practical ways, to comprehend the vast love God has for them.

Education, Job Preparation, Life Skills, News from Russia, OT Programs, Young FamiliesGuest AuthorFebruary 20, 2014

Antonina's Kitchen and the Kingdom of Heaven

Lasting Impressions

Education, Job Preparation, Leadership, Life Skills, Russian memories, Young FamiliesJoe WebbAugust 5, 2013missions, missions trip, Orphan's Tree, Orphans, Russia

Breaking the Cycle

Education, Job Preparation, Leadership, Life Skills, Russian memories, Young FamiliesJoe WebbJuly 30, 2013Orphan's Tree, Orphans, Russia

Love wins (with an assist from a hockey fan)

If there was one overriding thing I took out of the experience, it was a deeper appreciation for the idea that people are people, no matter where they are.