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A La Carte (May 9)

Today’s Kindle deals include a few titles that are worth a look.

The Word Biblical Commentary series is on sale for Logos at up to 67% off. While the series has a frustrating format, many of the volumes are excellent.

A Tale of Two Men with ALS

Here’s a tale of two very different men, both of whom have ALS.

The Long, Hard, Unprecedented Fall of Sears

“In 1989, Sears Roebuck & Co. ruled America as its biggest retailer. It loomed over rivals from a perch high above Chicago, inside what was once the world’s tallest building—one bearing the company’s name.” It has fallen a long, long way from those heights.

10 Things You Should Know about the Theology of John Calvin

Sam Storms rounds ’em up. “Our primary, but not exclusive, source for these truths about Calvin’s theology come from the Institutes of the Christian Religion, the first edition of which in 1536 contained only 6 chapters. The final edition of 1550 had 80 chapters.”

The Radium Girls

Here’s one of those weird little glimpses of history. “At factories like the Radium Luminous Materials Corporation on Third Street in Newark, young women like 14-year-old Katherine Schaub passed their days with tiny paintbrushes in their mouths. Beside each girl sat a small dish of radium powder, which she mixed with a few drops of water and adhesive.”

Ten Questions Christians Should Ask of Their Entertainment

There is lots to reflect on here.

How To Honor Your Unbelieving Mother

“As we approach Mother’s Day—it’s important to consider a proper way to honor your mother. The value of a mother is far higher than we can hardly imagine.” Indeed.

Fidget Spinners

My daughter just turned 11 and “needed” a fidget spinner as one of her gifts. The New York Times explains how they became this generation’s hula hoop.

Flashback: 5 Questions To Ask of a Book Before You Read It

They are far and away the most common questions I receive (beyond, perhaps, how to pronounce my name—it rhymes with “valleys”): Can you tell me anything about this author? Have you heard of this book? Is it safe to read? Since I can’t answer all the questions, here are a few tips in the form of 5 questions you can ask of any book.

You must keep all earthly treasures out of your heart, and let Christ be your treasure, and let Him have your heart.

—C.H. Spurgeon

  • General Market Books

    10 General Market Books I Enjoyed in 2025

    While the bulk of what I read every year is published by Christians and for Christians, I do also enjoy reading books for the general market. On that note, here are 10 of the general market books I read and especially enjoyed in 2025.

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    A La Carte (December 24)

    A La Carte: Brain implants / Recovering Christ at Christmastime / How to create sabbath / Things I didn’t know about marriage / A true baptism / and more.

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    A La Carte (December 23)

    A La Carte: A generation’s boredom / The joy of making discoveries / John Piper’s devotional life / Sermon criticism / Enduring shame for the cause of Christ / Kindle deals / and more.

  • The Collected Best Christian Books of 2024

    The Collected Best Books of 2025

    I probably don’t need to tell you how much I love books in general, and Christian books in particular. One of my favorite times to be a reader is in mid-December when people begin to share their picks for the top books of the year. I collect all of the lists written by sites or…

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    A La Carte (December 22)

    A La Carte: The new David movie / The ghost of Christmas never / It isn’t night for the moon / Evangelism targets / Made in God’s image / What Jesus came to do / Kindle deals / and more.

  • Pastoral Prayer

    A Pastoral Prayer

    Our Father in Heaven, we are gathered here this morning like children gathered before the feet of their father. We want to begin this new day with you. We want to begin this new week with you. Before we do anything, before we go anywhere, before we engage in work, school, or even play, we…