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A La Carte (February 9)

wednesday

The Lord bless you and keep you today.

Today’s Kindle deals include Alistair Begg’s excellent new book Brave by Faith.

Wordle and Our Longing for the Limited

Chris Martin reflects on an interesting cultural phenomenon: “The most consequential cultural phenomenon of this, the year of our Lord, 2022 is a once-a-day word game made by a computer coder for his significant other.”

Laughter 101: Why Humor Matters for the Christian Life

“How many philosophers does it take to explain a joke? Quite a few, as it turns out. And not only philosophers. Psychologists, sociologists, and anthropologists have exerted themselves to explain exactly what makes people laugh. Although everybody understands intuitively what humor is, the concept of humor is still elusive, being difficult to define in a way that encompasses all of its facets.”

About Radius International Church-Planting Training

In this short video Brooks Buser, President of Radius International talks about church-planting training for missionary candidates going to unreached language groups. Learn how Radius can be a benefit to your church and mission candidates. (Sponsored Link)

Does the Woman Caught in Adultery Belong in the Bible?

“The story of the Woman Caught in Adultery (John 7:53–8:11) is arguably one of the most beloved Jesus stories in the New Testament … However, the story is missing from some ancient manuscripts of John, as noted already by early church fathers like Jerome and Augustine. For this and other reasons, a majority of modern scholars regard the passage as a later insertion, and some even want to remove it altogether from our Bibles.” Here’s one take on the passage…

Boycott China’s Winter Olympics? Many American Christians Agree

CT covers the issues of boycotting the Olympics because of China’s persecution of Christians, Uyghurs, and others.

I Was Patient Before Having Kids

Erik Raymond: “Recently a friend said, ‘I was much more patient before I had kids.’ Saying this tongue in cheek, he meant that he’s realized that since becoming a dad, he struggles with patience. Now we know that having children doesn’t evaporate the parent’s reservoir of patience they previously enjoyed. Instead, being a parent presents a new set of challenges that reveal a lack of patience that was already there.”

When Pressing “Unfollow” is Not an Option

“How does one navigate the complexities of the modern age? What do we do when an opposing point of view is not encountered on a screen, but rather, face-to-face? What do we do when a coworker disagrees with us on a matter we deem important? How do we interact with an instructor who promotes an idea different from our held beliefs?”

Flashback: God, Protect My Girls

One of my most common prayers for my girls is a prayer for their protection. Here is how I pray for God to protect them.

God is the best friend, but the worst enemy. If he can look men into their grave how far can he throw them?

—Thomas Watson

  • Celebrate

    How To Make the Devil Shout for Joy

    As we fall away from the company of our brothers and sisters, as we grow distant from the voice of God through his Word, as we grow lackadaisical in speaking to God through prayer, Satan smiles, he laughs, he shouts for joy. Our sorrow is his pleasure.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    Weekend A La Carte (January 31)

    A La Carte: Prioritizing theological maturity / What is excommunication? / Discipleship in a sexualized culture / Why motherhood can feel impossible / Giving all like Jesus / and more.

  • Free Stuff Fridays (Reformed Free Publishing)

    Have you ever wondered what it would be like to uproot your life and sacrifice everything for the sake of your faith? Enter today’s Free Stuff Fridays giveaway to win a copy of Grace House, the story of one young Hindu girl who is forced to choose between the only world she’s ever known and…

  • Family Tech Books

    Books to Help Parents With Tech

    Christian parents are well-served with books meant to inform and equip them as they lead their families. Here are some of my top picks for parents who want to faithfully disciple their children to live well in a world of smartphones, social media, AI, and a host of other world-shaping technologies.

  • A La Carte Friday 2

    A La Carte (January 30)

    A La Carte: The biggest crisis ever / When God’s plans leave us distressed / The rise and fall of gay activism / Boundaries in dating / How to derail a Bible study / Kindle deals / and more.

  • New-and-Notable January

    New and Notable Christian Books for January 2026

    As you know, I like to do my best to sort through the new Christian books that are released each month to see what stands out as being not only new but also particularly notable. I received quite a number of books in January and narrowed the list down to the ones below. I have…