Jonathan Shradar

What joy we are experiencing in bonding with our little girl. She is so sweet, loves to giggle and keeps checking to see if we are still here! There will be challenges physically for her but she seems so willing and capable to face them with us. We truly love her.  Today I am reflecting on this song from Ghost Ship called "adoption." This is really our story and this is why we chose to adopt Adia, to give her a home... Because we were adopted in Christ. If you were wondering about our motivation know that you too can experience this adoption, this love from God through Christ.  https://youtu.be/W8MwMML7OK8

I have been joking the last couple of weeks about Stacy's and my trip to China to bring home our daughter saying it was a vacation. It is true to a point. I am using vacation time to be away. But it really isn't about relaxation and getting away, there is significant purpose. It all has me thinking about invitations to slow down and change perspective that we too often ignore or refuse. We have better things to do, we are convinced. How will we achieve our goals if we rest?! How can I be the best it I am not moving, hustling..? Maybe we need to say yes to more of these invitations. Set different goals. Slow down. Look around. Be amazed.  I promise to do so, even on this journey of family growth and adoption. We shall laugh when we can. See many new things. Cry if we need to. And wonder all the more at God's amazing care for us.  If you need it, I give you permission to go on vacation!

The last three weeks of life have been a lot of frustration. Not with work or people or even the adoption process that has us heading next week to pick up our daughter. No my frustration has been solely sourced in my ear. The ear that will probably burst and flow forth blood and fluid as the pressure of a few international flights builds, but now remains unmotivated and filled with something that is bringing my hearing down and distracting the heck out of me. A few weeks ago I had a nasty head cold and sore throat that developed into an ear infection. The membrane protecting the ear drum full of puss and fluid and blood, it was a rather painful experience with antibiotics have corrected (as least as far as infection is concerned - so I am told by the crack medical team that loves to take my money!) There have been sleepless nights, dizziness, and a lot of frustration that I am not back to normal. Of course I have been letting God know what I think about it all. And I have been asking w

Be like a child. Have wonder and expectation. Have dreams. Trust the King and live free. This is the call of Christianity, whether we remember it or not. This is what the kingdom of God is about, but we are usually too busy being grown up. "And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:2-4 ESV) I often wonder what has happened to our wonder - for those in Christ. We have clean and neat theology, our expression is appropriate for our context and few things moves us beyond our normative experience. We are meant to have mature thoughts (leaving childish things behind) and so we button up and end up looking stern and feeling even more so. But the adventure of following Christ is surely designed for more, childlike trust and wonder and running to Jesus! Our

“For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you — that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” (Romans 1:11–12 ESV) There is no throw away in Paul’s introduction to the letter to the Roman church. Here we have a nugget of truth, in Paul’s expectation, that resonates in our community still today. The preaching of the gospel is the imparting of a spiritual gift that strengthens believers. He is eager to come to them to do ministry so he can join in on the mutual gospel encouragement. This is what we in the church exist for — to proclaim the gospel to one another and to the world, that we would be strengthened by it. I don’t always see Christian community in this light, but I desire to do so just like Paul, and maybe you do to. The power of God, the richness, fullness, and righteousness of God is conveyed and delivered in the gospel for all those who believe. This is why it is our well of refreshment and vi

We have been given a compass for life, our belonging, our union with Christ and our call to each other. [embed]https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/fmfn/Fmfn+episode+45.mp3[/embed]