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A La Carte (4/17)

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Clues Explosions Leave Behind – “In the aftermath of yesterday’s bombing at the Boston Marathon, investigators are working a 12-block crime scene to determine what kind of bomb was used and what kind of bomber—domestic or international—planned the attack. What sort of forensic evidence do explosions leave behind?” This article at Slate answers the question.

Don’t Be Late – I appreciate Joe’s take on why you should do your utmost to be at church on time. What many people don’t consider is that worship services are carefully constructed (at least at a good church!) and that there aren’t throwaway components. “The beginning of our corporate worship is thoughtfully put together with the aim of directing our thoughts toward God. From the opening Scripture to the closing benediction every piece of the liturgy is a piece to a puzzle that, when assembled, gives us all a fuller picture of the gospel.”

The Holocaust in Our Midst – Randy Alcorn shares “Why the Revelations of Dr. Gosnell’s Trial Don’t Shock Me, and the Holocaust in Our Midst.” Also on the subject of abortion, be sure to read A Thermonuclear Trumpet, an article by Rolley Haggard.

Adoption: A Real Question – “Though they are Christian, love children, and see the great need for adoption, the nagging hesitation that may hold some couples back is a concern I wrestled with before adopting. It wasn’t so much the money, or the time, or even the emotional ups and downs of the adoption process. It was something much deeper. A question that I often felt guilty for even considering. I asked myself on more than one occasion, ‘Will I love these children as my own?’”

R.A. Dickey on Rock Bottom – R.A. Dickey has a powerful testimony of God’s saving grace in his life and marriage. I wonder what was left on the cutting room floor of this interview with 60 Minutes. Still, it’s a good, short feature. (The full feature is here).

Sleep-Deprived Parents – Here’s a song for sleep-deprived parents.

We know how God would act if he were in our place — he has been in our place.

—A.W. Tozer

  • When God Plants an Acorn

    When God Plants an Acorn, He Means an Oak

    We stood together on the crest of a hill, a gentle breeze rustling the meadow around our feet. The fields ran gently downward until they met a creek that gurgled happily in its course. A few years prior, an acorn had somehow made its way to the highest point of this hill, carelessly dropped there…

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    A La Carte (April 28)

    A La Carte: Protestantism’s Catholic converts / How healthy is your pursuit of health? / God’s special calling on your life / Considering a Christian university? / Testing the teachings of Catholicism / Kindle deals / and more.

  • New and Notable

    New and Notable Christian Books for April 2025

    It is surprisingly difficult to find a list of Christian books that have been released in any given month—especially if you want that list to be filtered by books released through particular publishers. That’s one of the reasons why I close each month by coming up with my list of New and Notable books. I…

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    Weekend A La Carte (April 26)

    A La Carte: Every pinch of pain has purpose / China closed Christian bookstores / Watch for the thing after the thing / For everything there is a time / Showers of blessing / What Pope Francis can teach us about preaching / and more.

  • What Makes You Beautiful

    What Makes You Beautiful

    I have often thought of a conversation that took place when my girls were little. Abby was perhaps 5 or 6 at the time and Michaela just working her way through the “terrible twos” (which for our kids always happened when they were three or four). A stranger saw me interacting with them one day…