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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

  • Black Friday

    Black Friday Deals for Christians

    Black Friday is upon us and with it the opportunity to save a bit of money as we shop for the holidays or build out our libraries. I have listed hundreds of deals below and will be adding to it throughout the course of the weekend. Note that I will update this list throughout the…

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    A La Carte (November 28)

    A La Carte: Telling a better story / Stopped pipes and stubborn people / Avoid announcement prayers / Girls are less interested in marriage than boys / Changing a church’s culture / Black Friday deals / and more.

  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (November 27)

    A La Carte: John Piper on false teachings / Everything is television / Is it Satan or God? / The hard way is the easy way / Backward progress / Treat people like adults / and more.

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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 (November 26)

    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.