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A La Carte (December 18)

A La Carte Collection cover image

Canada’s mail has begun again, even though the strike was not resolved. If you’ve been trying to send me something (books, probably) you should be able to put them in the mail in the next day or two.

If you’re interested in buying a Bible for yourself or someone else, Westminster Books has put together a helpful little guide that compares the different options in the ESV. All their ESVs are 50% off this month.

Today’s Kindle deals include a Bible study, a book about distinctly biblical self-care, and Paul Tripp’s A Quest for More.

What? You Don’t?

Brianna Lambert has often heard that friendships begin at the point of common interests. Yet she realizes that many of her friends have interests that are very different from her own.

Grief and Gratitude at Christmas

“It’s usually in this season that, even in the midst of life’s struggles and sorrows, we can feel genuine gratitude for the beautiful gifts that have dropped from the sky unexpectedly and even undeservedly in our lives: the people we love, the pursuits and passions we enjoy, the places we cherish, and the past year’s opportunities that have so propitiously popped up. But alongside this gratitude—that is, even as we survey all we’ve been given, we might also see all we’ve had to give up.”

How Do I Navigate Unwanted Singleness? (Video)

Those who are dealing with unwanted singleness will benefit from Esther Liu’s counsel.

What Did the Demons Sing That First Noel

Daniel DeWitt considers what the angels sang at that first Noel and then speculates about what the demons might have sung.

Peel Back the Chocolate Santa Wrapping and What Do You Get? The Easter Bunny!

“There’s been a great set of photos doing the rounds the past few years around Christmas showing up just how cheapskate some chocolate companies are during the festive season. Take a look…” Stephen uses this as a picture of the relationship between Christmas and Easter.

Teach Your Teen About Christian Freedom

This is important for parents to consider. “When kids are young, we work hard to train their consciences, to teach them God’s commands and how to choose between right and wrong. But as kids get older, they must learn to navigate issues that aren’t black and white. They need wisdom to discern between good choices and those that are best.”

Flashback: 32 Random Thoughts About the Local Church

…today I’ve got a long list of brief, random (and unsolicited) observations and pieces of advice related to the local church. I hope there is something here that benefits you.

You don’t need self-discipline to pray continuously; you just need to be poor in spirit.

—Paul Miller

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    New and Notable Christian Books for November 2025

    Though the year is coming to its end, it’s not over yet! That means publishers still have some books to release—books we would not wish to overlook before 2025 gives way to 2026. Here are some of the ones I consider especially noteworthy. In each case, I’ve included the editorial description to give you a…

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    A La Carte: The other side of human rights / Biblical literacy / A ramp out of the worry rut / The depressed Christian / Quick no, slow yes / Do you see eternity? / and more.

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    Would you Consider Supporting My Work?

    I have been blogging at Challies.com on a daily basis for well over 22 years now. That long commitment has allowed me to write thousands of articles and hundreds of book reviews while also sending millions of visitors to other sites through the daily A La Carte feature. While I’ve also written a number of books, through…

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    A La Carte: Are you still gospel-centered? / Christian liberty / Triumph in trouble / Being faithful in little things / How we choose songs / I’m not sabbatarian / and more.

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    The Danger of Defensive Sanctification

    There is a certain kind of sober-mindedness that seems to come over Christians as they age. It can flow from many sources, I’m sure, but I think it often arises from a kind of fear—a fear that they may not finish their race without some kind of a major stumble. After living the Christian life…

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    A La Carte (November 24)

    A La Carte: A wonderful short film / Science confirms a literal, historical Adam and Eve / Go low, aim high / Stop brainstorming / Structured and spontaneous prayers / Kindle deals / and more.