Initiate meaningful conversation with your family no matter how long the commute with Joe White's age appropriate short talks on scripture, parenting, culture, and community.
Episodes
Friday Sep 06, 2019
Friday Sep 06, 2019
"This is a really cool picture of a lovely mom and three ugly boys, Bob, Bill and Joe. Those are my two brothers up there. Oh, she was too good to have three nuts like us, but there's a story behind this, dear mom."
Family Discussions:
- What is the one trial that you're experiencing your life right now?
- How does God turn the trials of your life into the experiences that produce endurance in you?
- What kind of reaction makes you better?
- What kind of reaction makes you bitter?
- How do trials produce endurance and why is endurance such an essential quality to possess?
Transcription:
00:14 This is a really cool picture of a lovely mom and three ugly boys, Bob, Bill and Joe. Those are my two brothers up there. Oh, she was too good to have three nuts like us, but there's a story behind this, dear mom. And I want to tell you that story today, the scriptures from James Chapter one starting in verse two and it says this, "consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance and let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." My Mom and dad had dreamed and prayed that they would have three children someday. The first baby unfortunately, was a precious boy named Frank. Because of complications during childbirth, Frank only live for an hour. I can't imagine how heartbroken. I can't imagine how heartbroken mom must've been that day. As sad as she could have been, she knew that Frank belonged to God and her heavenly father had a plan for the seemingly tragic death.
01:14 Mom and dad knew the truth of Psalm 16:11, "In Thy presence is the fullness of joy." Frank awaits our ultimate family reunion with God. I'm sure. But as the years went by, she had three boys and her dream came true. The third son, um, humbling as it sounds, um, it was me. If Frank would have lived, I probably wouldn't be here today. Our family has had many bumps and bruises over the years. We've shed countless tears and we have clung to God in prayer. But Mom and dad find joy in all circumstances because with one baby in heaven and three boys on earth, and God has shown them that he is sovereign in the most difficult times. You know what? I think there's a Frank in everybody's life. I think there are tragedies and trials around every single corner, but God always has the last word. God always takes everything, no matter how bad it is and turns it in to his glory for his purpose. My question for you today is this: what is the one trial that you're experiencing your life right now? And how does God turn the trials of your life into the experiences that produce endurance in you? The second question today is this. When trials come, your reaction to them will either make you bitter or they'll make you better. What kind of reaction makes you better? What kind of reaction makes you bitter? And the third question, how do trials produce endurance and why is endurance such an essential quality to possess?
02:51 The lifeline for today is this man, how can we as a family help each other become better and not bitter in times of trials? That's just one of the greatest gifts I believe that people in a family can give to each other.