In South Florida homeschooling is becoming increasingly popular. Parents often choose to home educate their children to give them a more biblically-based education, provide an expedited or slowed down academic pace or allow the child to study more specific interests. Tracy Pons, South Florida’s district 4 representative for the Florida Parent Educator Association (FPEA), said, “Some of the main reasons to home educate are because God’s holy word tells us to educate our children. They are our most important jobs, and generally, children are much more successful when educated at home.” According to Pons, another reason may be to avoid […]

“Honey,” my mom would say, “Don’t stare. That’s not polite. No, don’t point.” But I couldn’t look away from a child in a wheelchair. We all grew up politely looking the other way when we pass by someone with special needs. Our lives were suddenly disrupted when a child with special needs came into our family. No one makes a plan to parent a special needs child. The child simply arrives and the day she does is tragic and life as you know it is redefined for you. Our special needs little girl, our Allie, is really our granddaughter. Allie […]

Each of us have found ourselves in seasons where we wonder, “Why me, God?” For some, it is a financial crisis. For others, it is abuse or addiction. Others find that their relationship is shattered or unraveling. When faced with a trial, how will we respond? Jose Flores offers us an inspiring model of how one young man has risen up to fulfill his unique purpose. In his early teens, Jose Flores was diagnosed with a health condition that would eventually cause him to lose the use of his legs. He was told that he would likely be in a […]

The results of a study done by the Harvard Medical School, the University of Michigan and the Casey Family Program found that children in foster care were twice as likely to suffer from PTSD than other children. This is some alarming information and causes us to ask the question why? Are children coming into the foster care system already traumatized? Are children being traumatized while in the system or is it a combination of both? Whatever the answer it means those working in the system with children need to be aware of this reality and how to best help the […]

For years now, Americans have been among the world’s worst savers. This is most astonishing since we live in one of the most prosperous nations in the world. The 2014 Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that Americans on average saved only 3.8 percent of their disposable income. Compare this to the 13.3 percent saved annually back in 1971 . . . what are we doing? The average Chinese household saved 50 percent of its disposable income last year and in India over 30 Percent. Why is there such an enormous discrepancy and why are Americans so consumptive? Proverbs 21:17 says, […]