A farewell letter from the editor-in-chief
By Jayna Richardson
I’ve served as the editor of the FamilyLife Global newsletter for the past 15 years, and no better phrase can summarize my time in this role than “To God be the glory.” I’ve had the privilege of helping produce hundreds of stories of God’s mighty, saving power at work in marriages and families around the world. I’ve had the joy of interviewing and getting to know fellow believers who are passionately and selflessly serving in very difficult areas. I’ve been encouraged – and hopefully have encouraged others – to give thanks to the Lord for countless lives and legacies that have been turned around.
Although I’m stepping away from FamilyLife to delegate more time toward homeschooling my kids and developing my personal ministry, I’m grateful to take with me the memories of many incredible stories I’ve worked on over the years. Like the story about FamilyLife teams in Europe setting up makeshift centers for Ukrainian refugees who were fleeing the war. The tragedy of war created an opportunity for FamilyLife staff and volunteers to share the gospel with hundreds of Ukrainians (and those opportunities continue today – see this month’s article titled “Reaching Refugees”). Or the story of a teenage boy in Moldova who attended a family camp, received Jesus as his savior, and went home and shared the gospel with 18 of his friends – 12 of whom decided to also receive Christ. Or the story of the Art of Marriage event in Belize that concluded with a time of sharing. It turned into two and a half hours of public confession, repentance, and praise – truly a glimpse of revival as God’s Holy Spirit moved among the crowd.
Other articles have highlighted outreaches to indigenous communities in Canada, to police officers in Panama, and to families with special needs in Central Asia and Romania. The circumstances and difficulties are unique and varied across the globe, but the solution is always found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Each precious story is a miracle that proclaims the truth of God’s word for families.
As FamilyLife grows and becomes more globally based, the ways we share our stories will also likely change. But what will not change is our faith that God will continue to do great things in every tribe, nation, and tongue. Serving here and telling stories of God’s goodness has been an honor. To God be the glory.
Editor’s note: The FamilyLife Global Resourcing team is in a period of transition, and many roles are changing. Please direct all correspondence related to international ministry to global@familylife.com.