Justin Hayslett and his family founded Legacy Refuge, an orphan care ministry that is now serving in several countries including Ukraine and Romania. Their story begins with finding hope in Christ themselves, a surprising turn towards adoption, and eventually the most vulnerable among us with an orphan ministry.

Instagram: @legacy.refuge and @filtered.hope

To learn about Lighthouse Cluj, our new international, creative hub, visit www.lighthousecluj.org

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Interview from August 9th, 2024. Dima, a close friend and colleague who served in our charity work in Ukraine joined us on the podcast to share his story of the dangerous daily life of serving in the Ukrainian army. He was granted leave for two weeks and visited us in Romania.

Dima has been stationed around the country, and his unit is now near the front. As a medic, Dima shares how he, like many others from the private sector was drafted, trained, and been serving full-time protecting the reclaiming territory occupied by Russian forces.

As a Christian believer, Dima shares how he integrates his faith and encourages listeners to continue supporting his fellow soldiers, who were just regular workers, like farmers, teachers and musicians living peacefully before war came to their country.

If you'd like to learn more about how to encourage or support Dima, please contact [email protected]. 

After a year break, we're back to conversations on a variety of missional and faith perspectives. This week, I'm joined by Broderic Crowe, our eldest son who's joined us in Cluj-Napoca Romania for the launch of a new missional creative space called Lighthouse Cluj.

In this episode, we're just warming up the podcast gear, getting back in the saddle and sharing a bit about the vision of Lighthouse, and why 3rd spaces are becoming key to bridging the cultural gap between seekers and institutional religion.

Join our instagram page @lighthouse.cluj

To find Bruce or Broderic, visit us at www.mirministries.org

In this episode Bruce reviews the book by Michael Paul Gama.

Evangelicalism is reaching an inflection point. The exodus of millennials from Evangelical churches and the growth of those self-identifying as "Nones," as in "None of the Above," for their church affiliation, is concerning for the movement's future.

Theosis takes a different approach. Seeking to understand Evangelicalism and its origins, this book suggests that Evangelicalism is best understood as the sibling of western, Enlightenment Modernity, which served it well . . . until the modern cultural ethos began to shift dramatically toward post-modernity.

In this shift, young Evangelicals--principally postmoderns themselves--are abandoning "their father's Evangelicalism" and its perceived linearity, hyper-rationalism, either/or exclusivity, and faith expression, too often perceived as stripped of mystery and wonder.

This radical return--and broadening of the doctrine of salvation--has begun to gain traction in Western Christendom, slowly being considered as it has always in the Christian East, as mere Christianity. 

Order the Book on Amazon

Bruce & Deb have been married 27 years, have 8 children and one grandson. They are currently living in Romania serving among Ukrainian refugees. For the past 15 years they've been living in Ukraine. They are life long learners and enjoy holding cross-cultural space for meaning making.

For more, find us on our blog www.liftupyoureyes.org

Subscribe to our Podcast: https://perspectives-podcast.podbean.com/

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/brucecrowe

Intro Music from Uppbeat:

In this episode, we talk with Aleksa Ayshpur from Kyiv, Ukraine. Aleksa is a gifted young women who has worked for the past 10yrs promoting charity projects and inspiring others in Ukraine to make culture.  Aleksa shares her story, having lost her dad when she was just one year's old, she and her sister were raised in the 90's by her mom during a very difficult time in Ukraine. She shares how she found her faith in Christ, and how God has become central to her identity and decisions moving forward now as a refugee serving with us in Romania. 

You can find Aleksa here on FB at https://www.facebook.com/ayshpur and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aleksa.ayshpur/

Thank you for sharing and commenting on our podcast if you enjoy listening to stories of hope, and meaning making from a variety of faith perspectives!

https://perspectives-podcast.podbean.com/

Episode: Parenting the Teen

This week we're focusing on the the teenage years. A favorite parenting season for Deb, these years are filled with exploring, questions, and the final stage before they leave the nest.. usually!  Bruce & Deb discuss sexuality, dating, and the transition into friendship as the highest form of influence through often turbulent, emotional moments. In the end, tending to our own personal formation and growth as parents is the key.

Bruce & Deb have been married 27 years, have 8 children and one grandson. They are currently living in Romania serving among Ukrainian refugees. For the past 15 years they've been living in Ukraine. They are life long learners and enjoy holding cross-cultural space for meaning making.

For more, find us on our blog www.liftupyoureyes.org

Subscribe to our Podcast: https://perspectives-podcast.podbean.com/

Spotify

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/brucecrowe

Intro Music from Uppbeat:

Our family just returned yesterday from a mountain retreat in Western Ukraine with our friends from central Ukraine. For those tracking the news, there's so much ongoing information concerning Ukraine it can be overwhelming to try and try and make sense of what's actually going on.

In this podcast, I discuss the past two months inside Ukraine since the Kharkiv offensive, the domino effect that brought on the ground now with conscription, drones, and now nuclear threat.  For Ukrainians, all eyes on are on winter and survival and rolling blackouts are upon the nation.

I also some news inside Russia for western listeners, the deconstructing narratives and why the next few weeks in Ukraine could prove critical for those clinging to power inside Russia and Belarus.

We will resume the Parenting Perspectives (Teenage years) next week. Thank you for sharing to anyone that would enjoy.

ABOUT: Bruce & Deb have been married 27 years, have 8 children and one grandson. They are currently living in Romania serving among Ukrainian refugees. For the past 15 years they've been living in Ukraine. They are life long learners and enjoy holding cross-cultural space for meaning making.

For more, find us on our blog www.liftupyoureyes.org

Subscribe to our Podcast: https://perspectives-podcast.podbean.com/

Spotify

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/brucecrowe

Intro Music from Uppbeat:

Episode: Parenting the Preteen

This week we're focusing on the emotional preteen years. As parents, we need to embrace this season as a time of testing and differentiation as our kids begin to embark on discovery of their identity. This essential transition is only made more difficult when parents enforce performance and outward behavior rather than holding space for some unpredictable behavior.

- Our kids begin exploring and pushing boundaries.

Bruce & Deb have been married 27 years, have 8 children and one grandson. They are currently living in Romania serving among Ukrainian refugees. For the past 15 years they've been living in Ukraine. They are life long learners and enjoy holding cross-cultural space for meaning making.

For more, find us on our blog www.liftupyoureyes.org

Subscribe to our Podcast: https://perspectives-podcast.podbean.com/

Spotify

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/brucecrowe

Intro Music from Uppbeat:

Episode: Parenting the Middles (Ages 4-10yrs))

Join Bruce & Deb as they discuss the parenting journey from pregnancy through becoming grandparents. 

Each episode will focus on a stage in the parenting journey and hopefully will encourage, bring some practical wisdom, and vision for the formational journey ahead.

In this episode, ages 4-10yrs old:

The Crowe’s share about paying attention to your body, your emotions, and parenting through self-awareness. So often we are parenting from other places and spaces, our stress, and fears. Learning to be present in these formative years grounds our kids in the unconditional love they, and we need to thrive. They also discuss holding space for rebellion, and moving from the authority of "role", to the more lasting influence of "relationship" as essential for preparing for the teenage and young adult years. 

Bruce & Deb have been married 27 years, have 8 children and one grandson. They are currently living in Romania serving among Ukrainian refugees. For the past 15 years they've been living in Ukraine. They are life long learners and enjoy holding cross-cultural space for meaning making.

For more, find us on our blog www.liftupyoureyes.org

Subscribe to our Podcast: https://perspectives-podcast.podbean.com/

Spotify

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/brucecrowe

Intro Music from Uppbeat:

Episode: The Early Years (Infant - 3yrs)

Join Bruce & Deb as they discuss the parenting journey from pregnancy through becoming grandparents. Each episode will focus on a stage in the parenting journey and hopefully will encourage young parents and provide some comic relief to those still on the journey with us!

In this episode, we cover the New Born - 3 Years phase of parenting.

Deb talks about creating rhythms, schedules, and bonding. We talk about creating boundaries, nurturing the heart vs outward obedience and how the early years provide young parents a reflective mirror into their own soul.

We have been married 27 years, have 8 children and one grandson. We're currently living in Romania serving among Ukrainian refugees. For the past 15 years we've been raising kids in Ukraine as a missionary family, engaged in humanitarian work, business and mission projects. We love laughing, becoming best friends with our kids, and learning.

For more, find us on our blog www.liftupyoureyes.org

Subscribe to our Podcast: https://perspectives-podcast.podbean.com/

Spotify

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/brucecrowe

Intro Music from Uppbeat: