Just know this: What you will do among children is as close to the heart of God and central to his kingdom as anything we could mention.

If we nurture the dreams of children, the world will be blessed. If we destroy them, the world is doomed!

But when adults speak up for the vulnerable and the weak, working and demanding that safety and respect prevail, God's little lambs are protected and nourished. They know they are not abandoned; they are loved. And the world becomes a little more like heaven as a result.

So why is a third of our world battling obesity and spending huge sums to burn off excess calories, while the other two-thirds yearn to get more of them?

Nurturing a child’s sense of personal worth and therefore hope and dreams for a wonderful future is perhaps the most important responsibility of every grownup in a child’s life.

We absolutely must battle with every bit of determination we can muster to root out the harm that would warp the souls and spirits of children in our world.

Joy is a decision, a really brave one, about how you are going to respond to life.