by Jonathan
I love hanging out with teenagers. In fact, I think I enjoy being with teenagers more now than I did when I was one. But anyway, I’m beginning to notice how many teen girls view themselves so negatively. They don’t see themselves as God sees them: cherished, loved, special, and beautiful. When others say they’re inadequate and lacking, they listen and believe. I’m the older brother of seven sisters, the father of two daughters, and the husband of one wife, so this is personal. (In fact, my wife has written on her struggles in this area here.)
by Jonathan
It’s often called Golden. It’s too simple. It’s nearly impossible to implement in real life, but according to Jesus, it sums up pretty much the entire Bible (at the time of writing).
It is, of course, the Golden Rule, and it goes something like this, “Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.”
by Jonathan
Recently, a friend asked me to write more on the topic of grief, and since this particular topic is so much fun, I did. I took a stroll back down into my own valley of grief and asked some questions: What was helpful during my mother’s terminal illness? What wasn’t? What were great things kind people said to me after my dad passed away? What things could have been (and should have been) left unsaid?
by Jonathan
[Note: For an expanded version of this article, click here. The expanded version appeared on A Life Overseas in December, 2013 and is geared more for a missions/TCK audience.]
Someone dies, or gets cancer, or gets cancer and then dies. Someone else says something eminently useful like “All things work together for good” or “He’s in a better place” or “I have a time-share in Florida and the carpet’s getting replaced this week.”
Someone moves to a foreign field, and it’s hard, and it’s sad, and they have kids. And the kids feel it too. They’re sad. They miss grandma, and McDonald’s, and green grass. Someone tells them, “It’s for God,” or “It’ll be ok someday; you’ll look back on this as one of the best things that ever happened to you.” Maybe their parents tell them that.
And grief gets outlawed, and the curse descends. And the child understands that some emotions are spiritual and some are outlawed.
Jonathan & Elizabeth Trotter 