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A La Carte (December 18)

A La Carte Collection cover image

Canada’s mail has begun again, even though the strike was not resolved. If you’ve been trying to send me something (books, probably) you should be able to put them in the mail in the next day or two.

If you’re interested in buying a Bible for yourself or someone else, Westminster Books has put together a helpful little guide that compares the different options in the ESV. All their ESVs are 50% off this month.

Today’s Kindle deals include a Bible study, a book about distinctly biblical self-care, and Paul Tripp’s A Quest for More.

What? You Don’t?

Brianna Lambert has often heard that friendships begin at the point of common interests. Yet she realizes that many of her friends have interests that are very different from her own.

Grief and Gratitude at Christmas

“It’s usually in this season that, even in the midst of life’s struggles and sorrows, we can feel genuine gratitude for the beautiful gifts that have dropped from the sky unexpectedly and even undeservedly in our lives: the people we love, the pursuits and passions we enjoy, the places we cherish, and the past year’s opportunities that have so propitiously popped up. But alongside this gratitude—that is, even as we survey all we’ve been given, we might also see all we’ve had to give up.”

How Do I Navigate Unwanted Singleness? (Video)

Those who are dealing with unwanted singleness will benefit from Esther Liu’s counsel.

What Did the Demons Sing That First Noel

Daniel DeWitt considers what the angels sang at that first Noel and then speculates about what the demons might have sung.

Peel Back the Chocolate Santa Wrapping and What Do You Get? The Easter Bunny!

“There’s been a great set of photos doing the rounds the past few years around Christmas showing up just how cheapskate some chocolate companies are during the festive season. Take a look…” Stephen uses this as a picture of the relationship between Christmas and Easter.

Teach Your Teen About Christian Freedom

This is important for parents to consider. “When kids are young, we work hard to train their consciences, to teach them God’s commands and how to choose between right and wrong. But as kids get older, they must learn to navigate issues that aren’t black and white. They need wisdom to discern between good choices and those that are best.”

Flashback: 32 Random Thoughts About the Local Church

…today I’ve got a long list of brief, random (and unsolicited) observations and pieces of advice related to the local church. I hope there is something here that benefits you.

You don’t need self-discipline to pray continuously; you just need to be poor in spirit.

—Paul Miller

  • Men in the Image of Women and Women in the Image of Men

    Men in the Image of Women and Women in the Image of Men

    God made men and God made women. God made men distinct from women and women distinct from men. God made men and women equal in worth and value while also making them distinct in some purpose and function. It’s all obvious stuff, this—obvious matters of differences between the sexes.

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    A La Carte (April 14)

    A La Carte: The healing of that old ache / Grounds for everyday smiles / A “quiet revival” in the UK / When Scripture gets stale / Praying when it feels like God isn’t listening / Kindle deals / and more.

  • A Less Busy Heart

    In the midst of our busy lives, we can sometimes wonder whether we really have the time to pray. Won’t prayer hinder our productivity? Won’t prayer keep us from getting done all the things we need to do?

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    Weekend A La Carte (April 12)

    A La Carte: Designer babies / The dragon and the rooster / Leper Christianity / Theologians against nature / Faithful and small / The missing heart of AI sermons / Douglas Groothuis books / and more.

  • Good News Rock Bottom

    Good News at Rock Bottom

    Life most certainly brings its challenges. Some of these are just little ruts along the way, some are deep and dark valleys, and some are lower still—the kind of rock bottom experiences that are so dreadful we wonder if we will be able to endure them with our faith intact.