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A La Carte (December 16)

friday

Grace and peace to you, my friends.

Logos has kicked off their annual 12 Days of Logos event and, as always, there are some good deals to be had.

Christian Word of the Year: Winsome

Stephen McAlpine considers a word that showed up a lot this year. “It’s everywhere you look at the moment. So please step forward ‘winsome’ and take a bow. You’ve been over-used, over-realised, under-appreciated, over-stated, undered and overed, and whatever else can happen to a poor old lonesome winsome word in these topsy turvy times.”

The Case for Taking Video Games Seriously

I think Patrick Miller makes a good case here. “Mainstream Christian discourse rarely moves past this single note. Critical engagement with games is largely absent in major Christian publications. Moreover, writing seriously about games is a credibility killer. While few look askance when a critic describes a Terrence Malick film as ‘cinematic wisdom literature,’ a serious video game review results in awkward looks.”

A Letter to My Old Self

Blake writes a letter to his old self—probably quite a helpful exercise.

20 Questions a Husband Should Ask His Wife About Their Kids

If you’re the kind who likes to consider things very deliberately and formally, this list of questions may appeal and generate some good discussion.

Having Biblical expectations of our work

“Many people have started to reassess their work this year; it has become known as the Great Resignation. After the impact of COVID led to many working from home, then part-time in an office, it has given people time to think. And, on reflection, many people discovered that they were dissatisfied with their work.” Simon reflects on this and says it reveals something important about our hearts.

Deus absconditus

“‘Silence is violence,’ we are told—to not speak on a particular issue is to perpetrate violence against those affected by it. If that is true, how then do we cope with the silence of God? In the midst of our pain and our struggle, is his silence an act of violence against his people?”

Flashback: Faith Children’s Village: A Ministry You Should Know

Faith Children’s Village in Kitwe, Zambia, exists to lead children into a relationship with Jesus Christ and disciple them to be Christ-like in actions and attitudes and to equip each child with life skills that will allow them to become productive Christian citizens.

We will generally find that when we cry out in distress, he doesn’t remove us from our suffering, but brings brothers and sisters from our church family into our troubles, to carry us when we’re too weak to stand up ourselves.

—Richard Coekin

  • Dreams

    What Becomes Of All Our Dreams?

    My dad loved to cook. This was a passion that began relatively late in his life after the kids had moved out. With an empty nest, my parents were able to live a slower-paced life and my dad began to dabble in cooking. He soon found that he loved it and that my mother was…

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    A La Carte: To those living in secret sin / The time Jesus Left the 99 / The discipline of remembrance / No-contact for toxic relationships / Relational wisdom / and more.

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    Dumb Will Do: Why Satan Doesn’t Need Heresy

    There is one memory of my earlier years as a Christian that I’ve never been able to shake. It’s a formative memory that I actually don’t think the Lord means for me to shake, for it has often reminded me that, when it comes to the local church’s worship, the stakes are sky high.

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    A La Carte (February 10)

    A La Carte: Break shame’s chains / I don’t deserve this / Seeing the world like a Great Gray Owl / The cosmic canvas / Preserving wonder / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Neglected Prayer

    The Things You Neglect To Pray About

    There is a close connection between prayer and humility. This being the case, there is also a close connection between prayerlessness and pride. Those who believe they are self-sufficient feel no need to petition God for his help, for his strength, for his wisdom. It is only those who admit their lack who will cry…