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A New Bout of Chronic Pain Brings Up Old Memories

My youngest son, Caeleb MacDonald, is a 16-year-old with hemophilia and chronic joint pain. Several times this year, the pain has become so intense that he cannot get out of bed. I cannot help but associate his new pain issues with his earlier years, when he suffered multiple…

Halloween Brings Back Memories of a Hospital Staff’s Kindness

On Monday, the preschool at my church celebrated Halloween, complete with little goblins, ghosts, and other assorted creatures. The children bragged about their costumes, saying, “Look, Pastor Joe, I’m a princess. Look, Pastor Joe, I’m a ferocious Samurai warrior.” They looked terrific, and I asked them if they wanted a…

How My Son Caeleb’s Birth Foreshadowed His Strength

Last week, I wrote about the bond I formed immediately with my oldest son, Julian. Caeleb, my youngest son, recently reminded me of the unique bond he and I share. Toward the end of her third trimester, my wife, Cazandra, started to experience complications, so her medical team admitted…