A La Carte (January 14)

Today’s Kindle deals include a couple of books that I don’t think I’ve seen on sale before: Greg Allison’s Embodied and Andrew Davis’ The Glory Now Revealed. Bob Lepine’s Build a Stronger Marriage is a good one as well.

(Yesterday on the blog: Are We Post Woke?)

The Sticky Sin of Always Being Right

Trevin Wax writes helpfully about a sin we are all prone to. “To admit I’m wrong—to acknowledge that wrongful actions aren’t canceled out by good intentions, or that in the heat of conflict my wife or my kids may be more often right than I am—would drive a spear into the heart of my self-estimation. So I deflect. I defend. I explain. I justify. I need to prove I’m right to stay upright, elevated over those closest to me.” I thrash around, trying to keep myself afloat above the waters of selfishness that would otherwise drown me.”

Sex Advice for Newlyweds

You’ll find some helpful advice for newlyweds (and others) in this article. “I’m not trying to lay down a sexual constitution or issue bedroom edicts. This is Scripture-shaped counsel formed by years of sitting across tables and couches from real couples before and after the wedding. Listening to what actually goes wrong. Paying attention to what actually helps. This is what I’ve seen bear good fruit. Take it for what it’s worth.”

The Search for Identity in Digital Spaces

“Digital social interaction will never quench your actual thirst for connection because it will always sacrifice community on the altar of convenience. In other words, when given the choice between community and convenience, the algorithm will always pick ease over the complexity of human relationships. In fact, the digital identity you project online may have made you feel less and less like your actual self, and, deep down in the truest recesses of your heart, that bothers you.” (Sponsored)

Don’t Try to Make Christianity Look Good

Amy asks a good question: “Do you carefully present a kind of truncated Christianity that you think people will like? Take a moment to evaluate yourself. Do you avoid certain truths our culture dislikes because you think that will attract people to Jesus?”

Soul Care in a Collapsed Age

You’ll find some challenges in this thoughtful piece by Hayden Nesbit. He explains how a lifetime of skimming content essentially trains us to skim people as well.

Let’s Stop Straining for Shortcuts

Brianna Lambert is thankful for the many learning opportunities the internet affords, but is also concerned by them. “While these opportunities can be very helpful, they also can push us further towards the idea that life is more about quickly improving ourselves through metrics than through slowly forming our character.”

When Writing Feels Like a Chore: 3 Ways to Rediscover Your Joy

Sometimes writing feels like a chore, even for those who love to do it. Jana addresses that reality and offers different ways to rediscover your joy.

Flashback: The Character of the Christian

…if you want to grow in holiness, one great place to begin is by knowing and imitating the character qualifications of elders. 

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