When we were dating, the first major fight I had with my wife was on Valentines Day.  As poor college students, we decided to put a ten dollar cap on presents.  However I thought I would show my generous care for her and get her a gift card to her favorite store AND a romantic stuffed animal on top of that.  But as is bound to happen to anyone who waits until the day of (ok, the night of), everything was pretty picked over.  The only thing that looked potentially romantic was these two hideous, “googly-eyed” monkeys sitting together holding a heart.  I thought, “This is perfect! I’ll make a funny romantic joke. I’ll say ‘even if we both looked like this, I would still want to be near you.’ She will absolutely love it!” Ha! I could not be more wrong. Let’s just say, it did not have the desired effect I was hoping for. I was so foolish.  As I have come to know my wife, her likes & dislikes, her priorities; the obviousness of my blunder is so apparent.  If only I had been handed a manual explaining those things to me; it would have saved me from so many pitfalls. The great news is we have a manual for the most important relationship in our life.  It would have been so very tragic, if Jesus Christ had come to the Earth and died for our sins (thereby making a way for relationship with God) but we had no way of knowing about it. Thanks be to God that, in His wisdom and foreknowledge, He inspired men to record those truths that are necessary for that relationship. But the good news does not stop there.  Not only does the Creator of the Universe want a relationship with you, but he knows every thing there is to know about you.  He knows every need, every desire, every hurt that you have ever had.  Who better to care for us than the One Who knows us best and still loves us. At Whitestone Media, we believe the defining relationship in your children’s life is their relationship with their Creator and we believe a healthy, flourishing relationship with Him is the meaning of life. This is why we work on Theo.  It is our desire to help equip kids as they start down the path toward an intimate relationship with the Lord, Jesus Christ. May the Lord bless your family this Valentine’s Day!

Editor’s note: February 11th marks the 40th year that Mike Joens (Theo’s creator) has been in Christ. On February 11th, 40 years ago, in a Marine Barracks, Mike came to know Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.  In commemoration of that night, we have asked Mike to share his testimony.

I was a 20 year old Marine in Naples, Italy, where I served as a NATO guard. The truth is, I was a blasphemer of God’s Name and a practicing atheist; that is, my lifestyle had no room for any thoughts about God.  I actually hated Christians and mocked them openly.  To me, they were weird, weak, and despicable hypocrites.

A fellow Marine had shared the Gospel with me on two previous occasions, but I had told him (in hostile terms) to keep it to himself.

However, on the night of Feb 10, at 9:00 pm, I was on Liberty in downtown Naples with my Marine buddies.  We were making the bar circuit that would conclude in the wee hours of the morning.  Suddenly, I felt an overwhelming compulsion to go back to the barracks.  Something I NEVER did.

I got to the barracks at 9:30 and walked straight into the room of the Marine who had shared the Gospel with me. It was like I had a hook in my nose yanking me straight into his room.  He was alone, sitting on the edge of his bed on Liberty night. He appeared to be waiting for someone.

I told him what a great time I was having and just stood there looking down at the floor.  But after about 20 minutes, when I finally looked over at him, his face was wet with tears.  He was sobbing!  Then he told me four words that changed my life.  He said, “Mike, Jesus loves you!”  When he said those words I literally became stone-sober!  This scared me.

Next thing I know he was taking me into another Marine’s room, this other Marine was also a Christian who had just come to the Barracks a week earlier. The two men shared the Gospel with me for an hour and a half.  I had NEVER heard the Gospel presented to me as they did that night.  But of course the Holy Spirit was moving in me in powerful ways!

Finally, I went into my room across the hall to be alone.  The lights were off, the door shut.  I looked up at the ceiling, and I remember praying, “God, if you’re really there, I’d be a fool not to want you.”  Then I got into bed and immediately I was back into an altered state of mind.  God had opened a window in my mind for an hour and a half to hear what His two servants had to say, then He let me suffer the consequences of what I had put into my system.

The next day, Feb 11th, they invited me to the Serviceman’s Center in downtown Naples, which was run by Jessie and Nettie Miller, missionaries to servicemen.  This was a place like a Christian USO, where servicemen could come and receive a home-cooked meal, play guitars or board games, and hear the Bible taught by Jesse.  Truly an amazing place with amazing, godly people serving there.

I was blown away.  The Biblical metaphors for spiritual darkness and light are so apt.  When I walked into the Center that night, I felt as though I had walked out of Darkness into a roomful of Light.  I knew immediately that these men and women were different from me.  They had something truly beautiful.  The men were engaging, the meal was superb. Later Jessie taught from the Epistle to the Ephesians and I was enthralled with the message.  These people had Something that I desperately wanted.

Later that night in the Barracks I came to trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord.   It was 11:00 pm on February 11, 1972!

I have never looked back.

Editor’s note: The months following Mike’s conversion were quite eventful. Mike saw God do some extraordinary things both through and around him.  But that, as the saying goes, is for another story; one we hope to share with you soon.

This installment will include our 9th-12th episode. A Day in Prayer, Abiding in Christ, Light Unto My Path, and What is the Church?. It will also include our bonus episode The Good News.

CLICK HERE: Theo Church Edition: Foundations of the Christian Life – $39.99

By: Michael Anderson

My wife and I recently started a new family Christmas tradition. This year we put out our nativity set without the Jesus figurine. Then, on Christmas morning, we will add the Jesus figurine together as a family. So it’s been several days that I have walked past our Jesus-less nativity and I am amazed how big a difference this tiny little figurine (or lack thereof) makes to the rest of the scene. You have Joseph whose arms are supposed to be extended in adoration, but instead he looks like a man who can’t find his car in a parking lot. You have the wise men who are supposed to be approaching with reverence but instead they are waiting around and you get the feeling that at any moment one is going to turn to the others and say “Uhhh, where is He?”. The animals, who are supposed to be bowed in humility, instead look like they collapsed out of exhaustion from waiting. Then there is Mary, whose hands are together as she is supposed to be peaceably praising God. But instead she seems to be desperately begging God for the Promised One.

But the wonderful truth, for which we celebrate Christmas, is that Jesus did come. There was a shocking moment in history when “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”. It actually happened; the God of the universe chose to be born in a small little town as a small little baby to a teenage girl. Just as that little Jesus figurine gives new meaning to the rest of the scene, so the fact of Jesus’ birth gives new meaning to everything else. Without Jesus there is no Christmas. In the chaos of the season, we must not forget Jesus Christ is the central figure.

CLICK HERE to find out more and to share Theo with a special child.