There’s hardly a Christian who doesn’t wish his thought life were more pure. After all, the first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord with all...

Joni and Friends Blog

09.05.2025

A Learning Experience | Joni and Friends

I have quadriplegia, but I can drive a van (it doesn’t have a steering wheel, but that’s another story). Recently I cruised into the drive-thru lane...

Joni and Friends Blog

09.05.2025

The Journey of a Mother Raising a Son with Special Needs | Joni and Friends

It wasn’t until the third ultrasound of Roberta’s pregnancy that she and her husband Steve got the news… you’re going to have twins. They were born a week...

Joni and Friends Blog

08.05.2025

Shattered Glass | Joni and Friends

My art studio is a mess of half-chewed pastel pencils, old tubes of paint, and piles of illustrations overflowing my file drawers. Recently while cleaning up...

Joni and Friends Blog

07.05.2025

Imelda’s Story of New Faith and Purpose | Joni and Friends

Working as a physical therapist at a rehab center in Ciudad de México, Imelda spent her days helping people recover...

Joni and Friends Blog

07.05.2025

Purify Yourself | Joni and Friends

It is rare to find believers who nail their sin to the cross desiring, like the Apostle John, to lean upon the breast of Christ. It is rare to find believers...

Joni and Friends Blog

06.05.2025

Rewards | Joni and Friends

Pain and problems do one more thing. If in our trials we are faithful, suffering wins us rich rewards in heaven.

Joni and Friends Blog

05.05.2025

A Veteran’s Life Transformed by the Love of Christ | Joni and Friends

JB’s mother gave birth to him at age 15 and he never met his father. He was adopted by his grandparents, but life with them was volatile. His stepfather...

Joni and Friends Blog

05.05.2025

More of Heaven | Joni and Friends

Suffering gets us ready for the resurrection. Broken necks, broken homes, and broken hearts crush our hopes that earthly things can satisfy...

Joni and Friends Blog

04.05.2025

Gripping Hearts for Heaven | Joni and Friends

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to talk about heaven. Because physical suffering and pain are a part of my daily routine...

Joni and Friends Blog

03.05.2025

His Eye Is on the Sparrow | Joni and Friends

English sparrows. They’re worth barely a penny; Jesus said so. Yet of the world’s nine thousand bird species, Jesus singled out the least-noticed...

Joni and Friends Blog

02.05.2025

Hide It in Your Heart | Joni and Friends

As a little girl dressed in Sunday best and wearing white gloves, I would turn the beautiful gold-trimmed pages of my prayer book. But I would wince when I...

Joni and Friends Blog

02.05.2025

From Rejection to Belonging: A Life Transformed in Thailand | Joni and Friends

At the rough, mountainous border between Thailand and Myanmar, a man name Janga once lived as an outcast. Unstable on his feet because of his physical...

Joni and Friends Blog

01.05.2025

Satan Schemes, God Redeems | Joni and Friends

God always exploits Satan’s evil intentions and uses them in his own service – just one more example of God’s ability to “work out everything in conformity...

Joni and Friends Blog

30.04.2025

A Paradox | Joni and Friends

The Bible makes two things absolutely clear: On one hand, God sovereignly controls even Satan’s action...

Joni and Friends Blog

29.04.2025

She Is Not Gone | Joni and Friends

Edna Hamlin was a saintly old woman. She sat humped over in a wheelchair the many years she lived in a nursing home. Edna and I were pen pals...

Joni and Friends Blog

28.04.2025

How Good God Treats You | Joni and Friends

Years ago, my friend, Steve Estes gave me such wise advice. And today? I’m passing it on. He said: “Keep praising God no matter how good he treats you...

Joni and Friends Blog

28.04.2025

A Life of Service: How Volunteers Are Spreading God’s Love and Hope in the Disability Community | Joni and Friends

Our Joni’s House East St. Louis team first met Joni Oberhauser, her husband Mark, and their children through their pastor. Already deeply committed...

Joni and Friends Blog

27.04.2025

An Encouraging Word | Joni and Friends

Isn’t that wonderful?! You’re nothing but grass! Before you stop reading this seemingly discouraging word, consider this: what if the opposite of God’s...

Joni and Friends Blog

26.04.2025

Playing Favorites | Joni and Friends

The other day as I drove into a restaurant parking lot, I was cut off by two beach boys on a brand-new motorcycle...

Joni and Friends Blog

25.04.2025

Life and Faith with Autism | Joni and Friends

As someone living with autism attending church can sometimes be challenging. Loud music, bright lights, and the busy atmosphere can easily overwhelm me...

Joni and Friends Blog

25.04.2025

Oleanders | Joni and Friends

Often the most beautiful things are the most deadly. Take, for instance, the oleander bush. This popular flowering bush thrives in the California climate...

Joni and Friends Blog

24.04.2025

Building on the Foundation | Joni and Friends

Many years ago our old barn down by the creek was burned up in a roaring blaze that could be seen for miles...

Joni and Friends Blog

23.04.2025

Our Volunteers Demonstrate the Love of Jesus Worldwide | Joni and Friends

At Joni and Friends, 98% of our ministry programs around the world come to life through the Christlike love and dedication of volunteers… like Jonathan...

Joni and Friends Blog

23.04.2025

A Lesson from a Sprig | Joni and Friends

It’s a fact that those who don’t believe often possess polished reputations and shining health. Their children graduate from Stanford University...

Joni and Friends Blog

22.04.2025

The Fellowship | Joni and Friends

The words “fellowship” and “suffering” don’t look as though they fit together. One communicates comfort. The other, pain. Yet God links these words...

Joni and Friends Blog

21.04.2025

Serving with a Heart Full of Faith: A Volunteer’s Journey of Love and Purpose | Joni and Friends

Cindy first heard about Joni and Friends while serving as a home health and hospice volunteer. Walking alongside a family whose two sons had...

Joni and Friends Blog

21.04.2025

Lover of My Soul | Joni and Friends

When I approach the Lord in prayer, I relate to him in different ways. Occasionally I talk with him as my elder Brother, which he is...

Joni and Friends Blog

20.04.2025

Easter Sunday | Joni and Friends

When I was a child, I sang a lot of hymns with my family. As a five-year-old, my imagination went wild the first time I heard everyone singing...

Joni and Friends Blog

19.04.2025

Holy Week: Good Friday | Joni and Friends

Most of us can get a little worked up when we are falsely accused. Sure, we can handle “valid” criticism—or maybe we can’t! But when someone attacks...

Joni and Friends Blog

19.04.2025

Holy Week: Saturday | Joni and Friends

“About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ (which means ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’)...

Joni and Friends Blog

17.04.2025

Holy Week: Thursday | Joni and Friends

Do you recall what it’s like to cram for an exam? Especially a “now or never” exam? How about an exam on the Bible? Unless you’re a seminary student...

Joni and Friends Blog

17.04.2025

Holy Week: Wednesday | Joni and Friends

We don’t often associate laughter and joy with the days leading up to Easter. You can’t sentimentalize something as gruesome as a crucifixion...

Joni and Friends Blog

17.04.2025

Good Friday: A Day to Remember Christ’s Ultimate Sacrifice | Joni and Friends

Every year around this time—right before Easter—a certain plant comes alive on my patio with bright, red blossoms. It is a Euphorbia milii, commonly known as...

home›Joni and Friends Blog›Kids & Parenting

Joni and Friends Blog - Kids & Parenting

How God Redeemed My Life in the Face of Anguish | Joni and Friends

Yardsticks | Joni and Friends

A Mother’s Request | Joni and Friends

Be Personal | Joni and Friends

God’s Kindness | Joni and Friends

Meditating | Joni and Friends

Memorizing | Joni and Friends

A Learning Experience | Joni and Friends

The Journey of a Mother Raising a Son with Special Needs | Joni and Friends

Shattered Glass | Joni and Friends

Imelda’s Story of New Faith and Purpose | Joni and Friends

Purify Yourself | Joni and Friends

Rewards | Joni and Friends

A Veteran’s Life Transformed by the Love of Christ | Joni and Friends

More of Heaven | Joni and Friends

Gripping Hearts for Heaven | Joni and Friends

His Eye Is on the Sparrow | Joni and Friends

Hide It in Your Heart | Joni and Friends

From Rejection to Belonging: A Life Transformed in Thailand | Joni and Friends

Satan Schemes, God Redeems | Joni and Friends

A Paradox | Joni and Friends

She Is Not Gone | Joni and Friends

How Good God Treats You | Joni and Friends

A Life of Service: How Volunteers Are Spreading God’s Love and Hope in the Disability Community | Joni and Friends

An Encouraging Word | Joni and Friends

Playing Favorites | Joni and Friends

Life and Faith with Autism | Joni and Friends

Oleanders | Joni and Friends

Building on the Foundation | Joni and Friends

Our Volunteers Demonstrate the Love of Jesus Worldwide | Joni and Friends

A Lesson from a Sprig | Joni and Friends

The Fellowship | Joni and Friends

Serving with a Heart Full of Faith: A Volunteer’s Journey of Love and Purpose | Joni and Friends

Lover of My Soul | Joni and Friends

Easter Sunday | Joni and Friends

Holy Week: Good Friday | Joni and Friends

Holy Week: Saturday | Joni and Friends

Holy Week: Thursday | Joni and Friends

Holy Week: Wednesday | Joni and Friends

Good Friday: A Day to Remember Christ’s Ultimate Sacrifice | Joni and Friends

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