Happy Retro Day! This poem caught my eye because it contains a truly beautiful message. I hope it encourages you to be worth waiting for. Enjoy! ~Halee

by RTF Staff Writer Jenn Joshua

Make me worth waiting for,
Lord, let me deserve my man
And whether I be rich or poor,
Give me strength of hands

I ask you for a smiling face
Pleasant as I grow old
I don’t ask for beauty outside
But for a heart of gold (more…)

By RTF Staff Writer Jenn Joshua

[Read Monday's post to see part 1 of this interview...]

JJ: How do you think that involvement in missions could help other teens learn to think outside of themselves?  How did this change your own life?

AY: Learning that there was a big, big world out there filled with people who have very real needs was, quite frankly, shocking.  It is easy to acknowledge the orphans or impoverished in other countries, and quite another thing to actually see them.  Living with these children, truly experiencing their life (even for those few short weeks), opened my eyes like nothing else.  Even if a teen doesn’t want to become a missionary, I think that gaining a global perspective is an extremely important part of developing into a well-rounded person. (more…)

By RTF Staff Writer Jenn Joshua

Jenn Joshua: So, Andrew, when you’re not busy setting yourself on fire, I’ve heard that you also have a passion for missions work.  More specifically, working with orphans in China.  It seems like a lot of teens go through the “I-want-to-be-a-missionary-to-China” stage.  For you, it obviously wasn’t just a stage. You’re studying Chinese in college.  You have plans to move to Beijing after graduation.  Can you tell us a little more about the work that you do with Chinese orphans and the program you work through while you’re there? (more…)

When you listen to an album, sometimes the words sound great, but the artist just lacks the conviction or experience to make it sound heart-genuine. Not so with Jeromy & Jennifer’s new album, Coming Home. And it’s not just an album. It’s a journey. A journey from suffering to faith. From intense questioning to endurance and trust.

Jeromy & Jennifer have been through a lot over the past two years. From living in Africa for several months, to the birth of a new baby, an MS diagnosis and the disbanding of FFH, they’ve run the gamut of suffering, trust, and God’s enduring faithfulness. Life is different for them now. But, more importantly, they’re different. They’ve grown, they’ve learned, they’ve dealt with the hard issues and found peace in the midst of pain.

Coming Home doesn’t deal tritely with the object of suffering either. From the first verse of:

Where Do I Go From Here/You brought me this far/Was it only to see me beg?/Was it only to get me to my knees/and then walk away… (more…)

A Flower Quickly Fading

by Jenn Joshua, RTF Staff Writer

“I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow…
…A vapor in the wind
Still you hear me when I’m calling
Lord, you catch me when I’m falling
And You show me who I am;
I am Yours.”

Who can understand life and its brevity? The One who created life and orchestrated our steps and told us that it was good. And it is good for those of us who love Him.

My aunt died last night. Dad just came in the door and told me the news. I was stunned. I knew it was almost inevitable and still I’m surprised. Why? (more…)

Rebekah E. Trittipoe’s “Under an Equatorial Sky”
by Jenn Joshua, RTF Staff Writer

Dangerous. Uncertain. Demanding. These words accurately describe a six-day, six-stage, jungle marathon through 250 km of rough Brazilian Amazon terrain.

Courage. Skill. Determination. These words describe the qualities a competitor would need to finish the race. Do people with this extraordinary combination still exist? (more…)

To Say Nothing of the Humor

Book Review by Jenn Joshua, RTF Staff Writer

Recently, I read Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog). When I asked around, I couldn’t believe that most people have never heard of it… Hopefully, no longer!

This book is hilarious and picturesque—rambling yet precise:

Jerome K. Jerome is a master storyteller and I still marvel at his comical translation of a real life event… especially since autobiographical works don’t tend to be that funny. (more…)

Worth Waiting For
by Jenn Joshua, RTF Staff Writer

Make me worth waiting for,
Lord, let me deserve my man
And whether I be rich or poor,
Give me strength of hands

I ask you for a smiling face
Pleasant as I grow old
I don’t ask for beauty outside
But for a heart of gold

Help my head be high,
And my thoughts be pure,
Give me peace of mind
And cleanliness of soul

(more…)