Mark 10:13-23

Not what any of us wants in our obituary! Phillip Morrison writes about a serious situation that was brought to light by an obituary -- child abuse -- and Phil Ware offers some helpful suggestions on ways to bring redemption out of the hurt of this world.

He should have left him for the buzzards. He should have sent him to hell. But he didn’t. He sent him to the lost. Max Lucado writes to remind us of our need to surrender our anxiety, and everything else, to Jesus and let him change our name and our future.

Just how important are children to Jesus? We can do some pretty stupid things when it comes to kids!

When do you forget the schedule and live in the moment? While we need schedules, our children must take precedence over our schedule.

"When Jesus saw [the disciples stopping parents from bringing children to him], he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, "Let the children..."

"[Jesus continued,] "But to answer your question [about eternal life], you know the commandments: 'You must not murder. You must not commit adultery......"

"One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. ..."

"People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them,..."

"Looking at the man [who said he had kept all the commandments], Jesus felt genuine love for him. "There is still one thing you haven't done," he told...."

What does a little girl do when a stranger from far away shows up at school? Phil Ware shares more of his recent trip to Fortaleza, Brazil with Compassion International and the Nerd Herd to visit Compassion sites, projects, children, and churches.

Which gets blessed more, the pup or the petter? Mike Barres reminds us that love, the blessing of human touch, is important to our pets and also to us and those who we love.

Some things need to be separated! We often need children to help us see again with the eyes of innocence and call us back to godly mercy and kindness.

When is a picture more than a picture? Phil Ware shares his experience at a lunch between sponsors and their children in Kampala, Uganda.

A touching reminder of why we do some very simple, but important things! Phil Ware shares a recent heart-gripping moment they had with their compassion child from Uganda and what it all means as he remembers a trip from 5 years ago with Compassion Bloggers.

"Then [Jesus] took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them."

"As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit..."

""Why do you call me good?" Jesus asked. "Only God is truly good.""

"One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him."

"You have not the making of your own cross, although unbelief is a master carpenter at cross-making; neither are you permitted to choose your own..."

"Looking at the man [who said he had kept all the commandments], Jesus felt genuine love for him. "There is still one thing you haven't done," he told...."

"[Jesus continued,] "But to answer your question [about eternal life], you know the commandments: 'You must not murder. You must not commit adultery......"

Mark 10:14 - Let the children come to me! People who are like these little children belong to the kingdom of God.

What child have you touched with Jesus' grace lately? Children are a blessing, a gift, and a responsibility: how we treat the least and most insignificant says a lot of how we would treat Jesus.

Jesus is God made touchable! Phil Ware introduces his trip to Comunidad de Los Niños Sagrada Familia in Lima, Peru, and the children that Jesus wants touched with his grace.

"Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!" This amazed them. But Jesus said again,..."

Are you still a child at heart? Ron Rose challenges us to mystery, kingdom, living as we remain childlike but not childish.

Are you not there yet? We must not give up on ourselves or each other because we are not there yet!

What do you have to hide? Phil Ware shares his father's values in a letter to his children Zachary and Megan