The Stigma of Mental Illness – Brad Hambrick has written an important article for the Biblical Counseling Coalition. He looks at the role of language in our discussions of mental illness. “Consider the breadth of meaning that can be contained within the simple sentence, ‘I’m depressed.’ That’s what we say after a bad math test, the end of romantic relationship, the death of a parent, after prolonged isolation, and when we’re hung over from alcohol (a depressant). Then there is clinical depression which has some relation to these experiences, but may or may not be present in the down mood associated with the list of experiences above.”
Your Church Is Too Small – Hillsong is a growing movement and I found it helpful to read this ground-level perspective on their most recent conference. It draws attention to both the strengths and the weaknesses of the movement, its conferences, churches and music.
The Pro-Life Home – Rachel Jankovic: “The Gosnell situation shines light on the darkness of abortion in a way that nothing else has in a long time. Stories like this one (and the recent video sting of that clinic in the Bronx) make me realize that I am just far enough away from the reality of abortion to forget to fight it, and that I needed this kind of reminder. Let me try to explain myself.”
Cities Behind Walls – I enjoyed this gallery of cities that were built behind walls. It makes for an interesting contrast between the modern and the ancient.
What Is Hesed? – God’s hesed is his loyal love. “God loves His people genuinely, immutably, loyally. Both the love and the loyalty are, of course, tightly bound together. That is, just as one cannot love capriciously so one cannot be loyal without love. God is for His people, and will never cease to be for them.” Be sure to read down to the personal applications.
I have never won an inch of the way to heaven without fighting for it.
—C.H. Spurgeon
