December 2021
YOU TOLD HIM ABOUT AN OCEAN OF LOVE
John was amazed by what he was hearing …
God’s love for him — and all people — is so deep, so wide; it’s like an ocean covering all the earth. How was this even possible?
John had a few good friends … but his parents were distant: his mom worked overseas, like many Filipinos, and his dad, a driver, was only home once a week. John didn’t feel very loved.
But then you sent him the Book of Hope. He received it when he was invited to a church youth group and Bible study. That’s where he heard about God’s love for the first time.
And today he is following Jesus!
Thank you for sending God’s Word to the Philippines, to introduce John to the Savior.
HOPE FOR A BROKEN WORLD … BY THE POWER OF GOD’S WORD
by President Rob Hoskins
Since I’ve become a grandparent, I’ve given much thought to the spiritual implications of grandparents — now termed the forgotten generation — as they help, or even raise, their grandchildren — the left-behind generation.
My conclusion: God has called us to be physical and spiritual parents and grandparents to the children and youth in our spheres of influence.
This generation of left behinds has incredible technological connectedness, yet their reality is loneliness and the highest levels of unhappiness ever recorded on the planet.
God beautifully demonstrates three crucial things that need to happen in the life of our young to combat the lies of the enemy. After Jesus is baptized by John in the Jordan River and the Spirit of God descends on Him, “A voice from heaven said, ‘This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy’” (Matthew 3:17, NLT). In this one event Jesus is given:
- A strong sense of identity.
- Compelling affirmation.
- Clear purpose. Immediately after this, Jesus is tested in the desert, then begins his great work.
I love hearing stories from the field, like Prosith, a 13-year-old in Asia Pacific, being raised by his grandmother. After learning he has a heavenly Father, Prosith began to feel less lonely and desolate … and more joyful. His life’s mission is now to share God’s Good News with others who don’t yet know Christ, like his Buddhist grandmother.
When we step into the role of spiritually parenting and grandparenting, we are equipping children and young people to find hope and live differently.
