In the Twinkling of an Eye
— Joe MacDonald

My sons reacted to hemophilia treatment in entirely different ways. My oldest son, Julian, had one port-a-cath, while my youngest son, Caeleb, had eight. Julian had two surgeries, one to place the port and the other to remove…

Next month, April 21–23, the MacDonald family heads to San Antonio to attend the Hemophilia Federation of America’s 2022 Symposium. I cannot wait to see old friends and participate in educational sessions regarding upcoming treatments and services to…

Last week, I took Caeleb, my youngest son, to the University of New Mexico Health’s urgent care center, which is on the same floor as the Ted R. Montoya Hemophilia Program and Treatment Center. He’d been experiencing stomach…

This week marks a change of seasons in the life of the church. With Ash Wednesday, Christians worldwide enter a time of Lent, a season of 40 days before Easter, to contemplate and discover the story of hope…

I will never forget the years when my youngest son lived in the hospital more than he did at home. The stress that we felt as a family threatened to break us and wear us down. Date nights…

I knew that I wanted to teach theology at the university level. I prepared a great résumé and felt academically equipped, having received my doctorate in ministry. I applied to dozens of schools, but no one offered to…

Last Sunday, my oldest son came to town for a photoshoot. He hopes to build a strong website presence so that directors and casting agents consider him for future projects in musical theater. We made plans to eat lunch…

The Sacramento Christian Camp and Conference Center lies in New Mexico’s Sacramento Mountains at an elevation of 9,500 feet. It offers fresh air and magnificent views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. I’ve been visiting the camp for…

We find ourselves in a delightful spot regarding hemophilia. My youngest boy’s last internal bleeding episode occurred nearly eight years ago. Using prophylactic treatment, we’re managing his bleeding disorder well. My older son, who struggled with breakthrough bleeding…

Last weekend, I met with some of my pastoral colleagues at a restaurant in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The food was terrific and we dined with the mountains behind us. I looked out the window to see several ski…

Next week, my youngest son will celebrate his 16th birthday. It’s hard to believe that so much has occurred in his young life. He has experienced the heartache of living with a bleeding disorder, and has often been…

I will never forget the day my wife told me that she was pregnant with our first child. I stood there, unable to process her announcement of our boy’s impending entry into the world. I couldn’t fathom how my…