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A La Carte (April 9)

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May the Lord be with you and bless you today.

Westminster Books has a deal on a new book of Gospel Stories. They also still have a discount on a new book for kids by Kristyn Getty.

There’s a wide variety of Kindle deals today. Lewis’ Space Trilogy is an especially good value. So too Powlison’s Good and Angry.

Prove Me. Try Me. Test Me.

“I tell my Sunday school class that we speak to God through prayer, and God speaks to us through His Word. With the Psalms, it’s different. God speaks to me through the Psalms, but I also pray the words right back to Him. Attempting to emulate David, His words become my words. But today, I want to take back the spoken words, regifting them back to David and refusing to keep them as my own.”

Trump’s Tariffs: What They Are, What They Aren’t, and Why It Matters to Retirees

Chris writes a blog for Christian retirees. In this article, he considers Trump’s tariffs and how they may matter to retirees and the rest of us.

It Only Gets Better

Darryl is correct that in so many ways life gets better over time. “Youth has many advantages, like strength and energy. Getting older has some drawbacks, but it has its perks too. Having young children is great, but so is having older children and grandkids. Starting a career is nice, but so is gaining wisdom and experience. Starting good habits is okay, but enjoying the fruit of those habits, accrued after decades, is a joy.”

Handling Praise and Criticism in Worship

There is a lot to think about here for people who are involved in leading worship (and those who are led by them). “Worship leaders who treat Sunday like a concert will either soak up all the compliments and dodge all the critiques, or they might internalize the criticism and become deeply discouraged. But worship leaders who understand worship as service—a spiritual offering to God and his people—can listen carefully to all the feedback God may use to sharpen us. But how can we sort through that feedback in a way that builds Christ’s church?”

Paul Went to the Third Heaven. What in the World Is He Talking About?

Wyatt Graham considers what Paul might have meant when he said he went to the third heaven.

The Spiritual Problem of Being Overinformed

Brett McCracken: “In a sense, ‘being informed’ is more of a liability than an asset in today’s world. The quality of digitally mediated information is simply too untrustworthy. What happens to us when we’re overinformed but underactivated? From my experience and observations, some common side effects occur…”

Flashback: My Dear, Sweet Girl

Some sin loudly and some sin quietly. Some sin in their actions and some in their imaginations. But it’s all sin. Our problem isn’t just what we do, but who we are!

The very resources Jesus used to live his obedient life are resources given also to all of us who trust and follow him.

—Bruce Ware

  • Airport

    Do You Board First or Last?

    There are some travelers who like to board an airplane at the earliest possible moment. There are others who prefer to board at the last. Some rush the gate the very second the gate agents announce that boarding has commenced, while some linger until they have sounded the final call.

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    A La Carte (February 18)

    A La Carte: Caring for other people’s children / Resisting the lure of Catholicism and Orthodoxy / Grace in the exhaustion of motherhood / Deal with sin in the church / Can AI preach my sermon? / Kindle deals / and more.

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    A La Carte (February 17)

    A La Carte: Abstaining from communion / Get married young / When the world shifts under your feet / Eliminating envy / Messiah complex / Making temptation flee / Kindle deals / and more.

  • How to Evangelize and Disciple in a “Live Your Truth” World

    Our culture lacks any coherent, unifying worldview. We’ve moved on from post-truth postmodernism to “Live your truth” metamodernism, where good vibes matter more than consistent ideas. In this world, few see the conflict between “trans-affirming” and “pro-woman.” And the same person using mushrooms to aid spiritual “connection” tells us to “trust the science” about human…

  • AI

    A Simple Way To Ensure You Use AI Well (And Not Poorly) 

    Every new technology introduces both benefits and drawbacks to its users and to the wider culture. The world being what it is, there are always plusses and minuses, so that even as a new tech gives with one hand, it takes away with the other. We are quickly learning that Artificial Intelligence is no exception…

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    A La Carte (February 16)

    A La Carte: God is glad to forgive you / Gen Z needs this doctrine / The draw of Eastern Orthodoxy / Rest for the restless / Finding love after loss / Kindle and book deals / and more.