Grace and peace to you today. Today’s Kindle deals include quite a nice little selection. Westminster Books has a great deal on a new study Bible that looks quite interesting: The ESV Church History Study Bible. (Yesterday on the blog: What I Long for More than Miracles) One Hope for Our Mass Derangement I recently commended Alistair Begg’s series on Romans 1 and biblical sexuality. He’s got an article on it at TGC that is drawn from that series and well worth reading. God or Money: Detangling a Complicated Relationship “Christians have a complicated relationship with money and gospel ministry.” Renee Zou provides some help detangling it in this article. Putting the Mess in Christmess “The history surrounding Christmas has been anything but peace on earth and goodwill toward men. While contemporary religious and cultural traditions may evoke a certain nostalgia for its celebration, its history is actually a mess! One big mess — with feverish disagreements, hostility, and even rioting.” You Don’t Need to Apologize for Crying “It isn’t uncommon for people to apologize for crying during a meeting. Why do you think this is the case? While it could be for a variety of reasons, two are especially prevalent.” Hope > Optimism Seth explains why hope beats optimism. “I’ve always been an optimist. I’ve got so much optimism I can be an optimist for you as well, if you want me to. I can believe all the best things about your future and mine. It comes naturally for me, so it’s no trouble. … Continue reading A La Carte (December 15)