Although this verse refers to the glorious blessings awaiting every follower of Jesus in the Age to Come, I believe it’s also true of the age we are living in right now!

As with you, people often ask Diane and me: “So how are you guys doing?” My answer is always the same: “Our cup overflows”

Our lives, though not without challenges and hardships, are so full of the blessings of the goodness of God we can hardly contain them! We can’t turn right or left without seeing another sign that makes us stop and say, “Lord, You are good”

At the top of the list is the beautiful, unfathomable blessing that all four of our kids (and their spouses) have chosen for themselves to follow the Way of Jesus. And the icing on the cake? They’re now leading their own kids, our six, soon to be seven, grandkids, to do the same.

The aged Apostle John said:

God willing, Diane and I will celebrate 40 years of marriage this coming July. Today, as we’re down in the Bay Area having spoken all weekend, we are heading down to Carmel, CA to spend one night at our favorite spot on planet earth, where we honeymooned 40 years ago! And, we’re still in love! 

It was also 40 years to the very day of our first date that Diane and I placed our hands on her laptop and hit “send”, as we turned in the manuscript of “Raising Passionate Jesus Followers, The Power of Intentional Parenting” to Zondervan.

This book was 40 years in the making. A decade of work for each kid! And now we simply say, as we were counseled to say by our friend Emerson Eggerichs, “Here it is Jesus. Do what you want with it” 

So today, on the release date, March 6th, 2018, we give this book as a thank offering to God. He is the one who gave us the stories to tell, the Scriptures to share, and the wisdom to offer. 

Most of all, He gave us the gift of four kids following Jesus that enabled us to have the courage to even take a stab at trying to help parents raise their kids in God’s ways! 

As the Apostle John said, this is our “greatest joy”!

We pray that this book with bring hope and practical help to parents who pick it up, pray, and put God’s plan for their family into practice!

- Phil

CLICK HERE to order Raising Passionate Jesus Followers: The Power of Intentional Parenting!