Skip to content ↓

A La Carte (7/29)

A La Carte Collection cover image

The Friends with Benefits Epidemic – Here’s the best couple of lines from this article: “Your desire for sex is proof that God loves you. Your physical draw to another human being is proof that God created you to want to experience unparalleled intimacy in a way that reflects His desire for intimacy with us. God designed sex and the acts and attitudes preceding it to access aspects of your heart, soul, body and mind that could not be accessed any other way.”

Playhouses – This is every child’s dream. “Even in a troubled economy, it seems, some parents of means are willing to spend significant (if not eye-popping) sums on playhouses for their children that also function as a kind of backyard installation art.”

A Disciple’s Tomb? – Most of these things never pan out, of course. But still… “An Italian professor has announced the apparent discovery of the tomb of St. Philip, one of Jesus Christ’s apostles, at the ancient city of Hierapolis in the Aegean province of Denizli.”

Norway – I don’t agree with all of this, but it makes an interesting read. “It’s something of a stretch to compare Norway’s reaction to Friday’s appalling attacks to the Anglosphere’s reaction to 9/11. If Norway decided to freak out, it would look a lot different — most notably, there would be no other countries to invade, rightly or wrongly. Still, Oslo could do a lot of the same types of things Washington, Ottawa and London did, if it so chose.”

Happy, Holy, Beautiful Mess – “Ever hear the old adage: ‘Marriage isn’t primarily intended for your happiness, but for your holiness?’ Well, it’s true and it’s a glorious thing.The growing in holiness part doesn’t always seem blissful. But it means that God isn’t finished with you yet, either. The purpose and hope in marriage isn’t defined by you or your spouse, but by God.”

Brian Regan on Aging – This guy pretty much always makes me laugh.

As the profane take the liberty to force their irreligion upon you, so you take the liberty to force your religion upon them.

—C.H. Spurgeon

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (April 23)

    A La Carte: Climate anxiety paralyzes, gospel hope propels / Living what God has written / How should I engage my rebellious child? / Satan hates your pastor / How to navigate our spiritual highs / The art of extemporaneous preaching / and more.

  • The Path to Contentment

    The Path to Contentment

    I wonder if you have ever considered that the solution to discontentment almost always seems to be more. If I only had more money I would be content. If I only had more followers, more possessions, more beauty, then at last I would consider myself successful. If only my house was bigger, my influence wider,…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (April 22)

    A La Carte: Why my shepherd carries a rod / When Mandisa forgave Simon Cowell / An open mind is like an open mouth / Marriage: the half-time report / The church should mind its spiritual business / Kindle deals / and more.

  • It Begins and Ends with Speaking

    It Begins and Ends with Speaking

    Part of the joy of reading biography is having the opportunity to learn about a person who lived before us. An exceptional biography makes us feel as if we have actually come to know its subject, so that we rejoice in that person’s triumphs, grieve over his failures, and weep at his death.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (April 20)

    A La Carte: Living counterculturally during election season / Borrowing a death / The many ministries of godly women / When we lose loved ones and have regrets / Ethnicity and race and the colorblindness question / The case for children’s worship services / and more.

  • The Anxious Generation

    The Great Rewiring of Childhood

    I know I’m getting old and all that, and I’m aware this means that I’ll be tempted to look unfavorably at people who are younger than myself. I know I’ll be tempted to consider what people were like when I was young and to stand in judgment of what people are like today. Yet even…