Remarkable Relationships

Happy Valentines Day! Relationships take center stage this month on Perfection Road. Last week, messy relationships made an about-face. This week, I handed the pen to my 13-year-old grandson Jackson. His greatest gift is seeing what others often miss. I asked him to describe the impact his two adopted brothers make on his family, and he did not disappoint. 

As you read Jackson’s words, consider what Paul had to say about being adopted by God. May we all exude this kind of joy in our relationships and foster togetherness within our own family of believers. 

“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.â€Â  (Ephesians 1:4-5 NLT)

***************

Remarkable Relationship 
Jackson Ellis

My two adopted brothers have built great relationships with my family. They bring us so much joy and laughter and have brought the whole family together. One can see why adopting my brothers was such a great decision. 

My family decided to adopt a little boy from China about seven or eight years ago. His name is Benjamin. That was the best decision of our lives, tied with the decision to adopt Myles last year from Taiwan. Those two kids have brought our family together in a big way. I don’t even have a clue what life would look like without them. 

Benjamin has become one of my best friends over the years. We have lots in common. We both love sports, legos, and video games. However, we do have our differences. For example, my favorite color is green, his is orange. He loves hotdogs, and I hate them. 

Myles and I have built an excellent relationship as well. I enjoy having fun with him. I like to give Myles rides on my shoulders, toss the ball with him, and jump on the trampoline together. It’s always fun teaching Myles to learn new things. 

A group of people standing in front of an attraction.
Jackson, Camden, Myles, Benjamin, and Jessa

Myles and Benjamin have also made a huge effect on the whole family. Ben holds the family together with his patience and self-control. Without him everyone might be arguing all the time. And Myles has brought very much laughter and joy to everyone. As a family we have grown closer to God together. Benjamin loves reading his Bible, and also loves to ask other people what they think heaven will be like. And Myles has already learned to pray. Myles and Ben have made a great effect on our family. 

This shows why adopting Ben and Myles was such a great decision. They have built wonderful relationships with our entire family. They bring us so much joy. They have also made great relationships with God. In the future, Ben and Myles will make many more wonderful relationships. 

“So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.†(Ephesians 2:19-21 NLT)

A man holding two boys on his shoulders.
A man holding two boys on his shoulders.

A Summer Read for You

By Donna Jackson | July 15, 2025 |

Looking for an uplifting summer read that inspires a deeper love for Jesus? What if there were a miracle greater than physical healing? Would you want it? Follow Denise Johnson’s battle with Stage 4 cancer and discover how you can transform your struggle into something you might not expect. This is by no means a…

Do You Know Who You’re Talking To?

By Donna Jackson | July 8, 2025 |

Before I began teaching full-time, I substituted for seven years in a K-12 school. My days with kindergarten children found me counting objects, naming colors, giving sounds to letters, tying shoes, and wiping noses. I soon learned that staying aware of middle-schoolers’ raging hormones was essential. And a week with twelfth graders required extra study…

Hope for the Tired Soul

By Donna Jackson | July 1, 2025

Recently, I came across an unfamiliar theological term. Naturally, the schoolteacher in me did what I used to tell my students to do when they encountered a new word – I looked it up! I had heard the words ‘orthodoxy’ and ‘orthopraxy’. (Don’t let those words stop you from reading further. This is going to…

Who’s at the End of Your Pipeline?

By Donna Jackson | June 24, 2025

If you’ve ever built or remodeled a house, chances are you’ve had pieces of PVC pipe lying around. When these pipes are new, they are pristine, clean, and white. That’s good since drinking water usually flows through them. However, over time, these pipes can develop residue that sticks and restricts water flow. This buildup can…

A Fresh Fragrance

By Donna Jackson | June 10, 2025

Arguably, most of us are addicted to something. Some are addicted to drugs or alcohol. Others to pleasure, power, possessions, or a combination of other things. As for me, I am addicted to a judgmental spirit. There! I said it out loud (sort of)! I spent most of my years focused on being an outward…

Overcoming the Slow Erosion of Hope

By Donna Jackson | June 3, 2025

Knowing that God is working THROUGH us to accomplish something of eternal value warms our hearts with joy; however, God working IN us is another matter. More often than not, exchanging our fleshly desires for godly ones is not a quick yank. It’s more like slowly peeling a Band-Aid off a hairy arm. The hairier…

Chasing a Rabbit Born of Water

By Donna Jackson | May 27, 2025

You’ve laced up your boots, strapped on your backpack, and headed down a well-worn and familiar path. Before seeing them, you can picture every tall tree, mossy boulder, and narrow stream. You smile when you see your own boot prints etched in the dirt along the way. You know the trail by heart because you’ve…

Graduating with a Friend

By Donna Jackson | May 20, 2025

As I watched my oldest grandson graduate from high school, a tsunami of memories washed over me. There were 699 in my graduating class. On graduation night, names were called, and faces came forward that I didn’t recognize. Unlike my grandson, I didn’t graduate with a whole lot of honors, but I was good friends…

Unforced Rhythms of Grace

By Donna Jackson | May 13, 2025

Our fearless foursome had been transported over land, sea, and air from one Greek map dot to another. It had been a glorious week of capturing picturesque scenery, savoring Mediterranean cuisine, and soaking up Greek culture. However, our vacation was over, and it was time to return home. As we stood in the TSA line,…

What’s Your Legacy?

By Donna Jackson | April 29, 2025

Not long ago, our oldest grandson asked Ron and me if we had to read Macbeth in school. We said we had, and I asked him if he’d read Romeo and Juliet. Before he could answer, I blew layers of dust off the centuries-old “what-light-through-yonder-window-breaks” quote I’d memorized 50 years ago. After delivering it with all the dramatic flair…