FINDING OUR MISSION
bySomething happened … we went from a very comfortable-typical American-Christian-homeschool (Classical Conversations)-boating-dirt biking-mountain biking-camping type family to something different. We went from living…
Mercy-Showing
GIFTED with MERCY-SHOWING identifying with and comforting those in need
A YEAR COMPLETE
byAnother year completed! Another 365 days filled with the all-embracing moments of what truly makes a year complete. From the fresh scent of…
THE HOSPITABLE ENTHUSIAST
byI met Matt shortly after I moved to Ventura, California last year. A friend of mine was staying in his spare bedroom for…
GOD PREPARES US
byFor we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians…
HEALING IN THE MIDST OF TRAGEDY
byTomorrow is the 22nd anniversary of 9/11/2001. I was 23 when I was at ground zero on that day. I must say there…
A BOY, A DAD AND A BOAT
byWe all sail on the seas of life. Similar to that of the vast ocean, which can be serene, turbulent, unpredictable, or an…
CHOOSE JOY
byLife has been a lot of things in recent months, but consistently, it’s been tough. The past 18 months have been a long…
THE BEAUTY AND PAIN OF KINSHIP
byFor the beginning of this Fruitful Story, you may want to first read Teresa Ku-Borden’s LIVING IN GETHSEMANE This second Fruitful story by Teresa is excerpted…
RAMADAN: AN OPEN DOOR AND A SWEET REMINDER
byRamadan starts on Wednesday evening March 22 and ends the evening of April 21. It is the month of the Islamic calendar in…
THE EXERCISE OF EMPATHY
by“Move along, sister!” the police officer was firmly instructing me. I was standing in front of a scene I’d only ever heard about…
WHEN LITTLE STEPS ARE GREATER THAN LEAPS
byIt was just over a year ago now that my husband and I cut our long-term overseas mission plans short to move back…
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOUR WORLD FALLS APART?
byIn 1980, Gerard Long had a dramatic encounter with God. Gerard and Jeannie married in 1981 and both felt called to serve in…
BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME
byMuslims… What pictures come to mind when you hear that word? Suicide bombers killing thousands of innocent people Angry looking men with long…
OVERWHELMED BY THE UNGRATEFUL
byIt seems like such a small thing, yet it can cause great discouragement. I know I’m not the first to experience it, but…
A THANKFUL HEART
byThe remains of the turkey had long since been put in the fridge. The last of the mashed potatoes had been scooped up….
MY PILGRIMAGE
bySome would call the Camino torture. Some would euphemize it to a nice walk. Some, like me, would call it meditation—just really really…
MIND THE GAP
byIf you have ever visited London and traveled on the underground tube, there is a common phrase you will hear over the bustling…
HOW MOVING ACROSS THE WORLD GAVE ME A BIGGER HEART FOR MY OWN CITY
byI have always been a firm believer that you don’t need to move across the world to make a difference in this world….
SIMPLE OFFERINGS OF LOVE
byI’ve been a long time prayer intercessor for the needs of those I’ve encountered at my church and for those I’ve interacted with throughout my life. Recently…
REMEMBER THOSE IN PRISON (HEBREWS 13:3)
byFor over 40 years I have had the joy of serving as a Family Life Pastor in several churches. My responsibilities were to model…
FIND YOUR MISSION, CHANGE THE WORLD
by“It’s already Monday morning…hard to believe we have only three days left. Difficult to sort through our thoughts as it’s all pretty intense,…
LIVING IN GETHSEMANE
byLast weekend, I snapped a photo of my 15-month-old son sitting on my husband’s shoulders, as we walked leisurely on the pier of…
AN EXCEPTIONAL LIFE
byIn the field of special education, students with disabilities are often referred to as children with exceptional needs. As I reflect on the…
GOD, THE MECHANIC
byMy engine light is on again. And a little screwdriver icon I’ve never seen before. The last time it came on, I let…
God’s Grace allows us to Speak Hope and Truth into the Dark Places
byA year ago I bought a ’93 Chevy conversion van off Craigslist. The deal went down in a somewhat sketchy, yet true-to-form, parking…
We Have an Abundant Well of Love to Draw From (Valentine’s Day)
byWelcome to Fruitful–we love practical ideas about how to live our gifts with intentionality. I have the privilege of watching three young…
LOOKING THROUGH THE EYES OF THE HOMELESS
byThere’s a place in downtown Los Angeles that poses as a park to the everyday passer-by. In the “winter” time (this is southern…
THE PASTOR IN ME: HOW I CAME TO DISCOVER THE TRUTH AND FACE MY FEAR
by“You’re going to be a pastor,” God tells me in the summer of 2011 while working at a fishing lodge in the Haida…
Fracturing the Stigma of Empathy and Homelessness
byThe Tenderloin district covers a fifty square block radius. It is one of the most densely impoverished, high crime neighborhoods in San Francisco. Each…
Opening my heart to show mercy
byGrowing up I had the naïve belief that Christ called his followers to only associate with those who also believed He was their…