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A La Carte (April 20)

thursday

May the Lord be with you and bless you today.

Westminster Books has a deal on a new edition of a game-changing book.

Today’s Kindle deals include a few excellent books.

(Yesterday on the blog: A Family, Personal, and Travel Update)

Learning From Those Who Pray All Night

“To be a Christian in Tanzania is to attend all-night prayer vigils. Some churches hold them every weekend. For others, it’s once a quarter. It’s such a part of church culture that the church leaders at our Bible school expressed shock when they heard that American evangelical churches generally don’t practice this.”

Weary One, Take Heart

Christa considers how to respond in those times when we are weary and hurt.

The Awkward Duty of Encouragement: How Men Strengthen Other Men

Mack Stiles writes about the importance of men encouraging men. “Why go out of my way when it’s easier just to stay quiet? Besides, most guys seem to be doing fine anyway, right? Encouragement, however, is not just a good idea, but a biblical command — yes, even for men.”

I don’t hate my sin like I know Jesus calls me to

Neither do I. And probably neither do you.

How To Quit The Comparison Game

Seth Lewis: “The piled-up fortunes of earth eventually become piled-up inheritances for others. Fame is forgotten. Pleasures fade. Getting ahead of others can only last so long, and it can never give you lasting significance, real meaning, unshakable joy, or anything else it promises so freely like an ever-shifting, just-out-of reach mirage.”

Died: Charles Stanley, In Touch Preacher Who Led with Stubborn Faith

There was a stretch in which the preaching of Charles Stanley played a key role in my spiritual growth, and for that I will always be grateful.

Flashback: Fellowship with Godly People

Whoever longs to be godly must walk with the godly, for God has decreed that godliness will not be attained in isolation, but in community.

Every preacher who does not make prayer a mighty factor in his own life and ministry is weak as a factor in God’s work and is powerless to project God’s cause in this world.

—E.M. Bounds

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    A Very Christmasy A La Carte

    A La Carte: Awkward family Christmas photos / Wesley and Watts / An Irish Christmas / Marginalizing the Messiah / Jesus showed up / Perfect peace / Kindle deals / and more.

  • General Market Books

    10 General Market Books I Enjoyed in 2025

    While the bulk of what I read every year is published by Christians and for Christians, I do also enjoy reading books for the general market. On that note, here are 10 of the general market books I read and especially enjoyed in 2025.

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    A La Carte (December 24)

    A La Carte: Brain implants / Recovering Christ at Christmastime / How to create sabbath / Things I didn’t know about marriage / A true baptism / and more.

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    A La Carte (December 23)

    A La Carte: A generation’s boredom / The joy of making discoveries / John Piper’s devotional life / Sermon criticism / Enduring shame for the cause of Christ / Kindle deals / and more.

  • The Collected Best Christian Books of 2024

    The Collected Best Books of 2025

    I probably don’t need to tell you how much I love books in general, and Christian books in particular. One of my favorite times to be a reader is in mid-December when people begin to share their picks for the top books of the year. I collect all of the lists written by sites or…

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    A La Carte (December 22)

    A La Carte: The new David movie / The ghost of Christmas never / It isn’t night for the moon / Evangelism targets / Made in God’s image / What Jesus came to do / Kindle deals / and more.