Skip to content ↓

A La Carte (July 30)

friday

Grace and peace to you today, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Unifying Power of Singing

I appreciate Andrew Wilson’s thoughts on the unifying power of singing–something we experience each Sunday!

Doxology

“We are warned about mountain top experiences, and the dangers they present. And I get it. In this life, we must eventually descend the mountain. We are also admonished to enjoy the journey. See the beauty. Squeeze the goodness out of life.”

We Remember Needed Words At The Right Time

Sylvia Schroeder: “God says exactly as much as we need through His Word. He brings it to our minds at the right time, and through it demonstrates His heart of love and compassion.”

Aiming Inside

This author reflects on studying James with students. “The thing that struck me as odd was that consistently when applying James’ wisdom to their lives, they aimed outside rather than inside. These are instructions given to the church, but their applications were always outside the church: how they could care for the poor in society, or love their friends, or tame their tongues on social media.”

Providing for the Household

Drew DiNardo’s article from the current issue of Tabletalk discusses the fact that the heads of Christian households must provide materially and not just spiritually. “Paul unequivocally states that not providing for the material needs of your family, if you are physically able, is tantamount to denying the faith and living like a pagan. This is a scathing indictment.”

Let the Guilty Lament

Ryan reminds us that it is not just the grieving who can and should lament, but also the guilty.

Looking for Your Role in God’s Kingdom? Start Here

Here’s a very simple guide to finding your role in God’s kingdom.

Flashback: 10 Issues To Work Through Before You Get Married

While courtship and engagement is, of course, the time to plan a wedding, it is also the time to plan a marriage. Here, drawn from the work of Jim Newheiser, is a list of issues to work through before you get married.

When we seek to abbreviate God-ordained waiting, we lose an opportunity to learn that he is the source of contentment.

—Glenna Marshall

  • My Top Songs of 2024

    My 10 Favorite New Songs of 2024

    I have wide-ranging tastes in music and will gladly listen to all kinds of different genres. I recently spent some time considering some of the new songs I enjoyed in 2024 and, focusing on songs by Christian artists, eventually narrowed my favorites down to this list of 10—my 10 favorite new songs of 2024. I’ve…

  • A La Carte Friday 2

    A La Carte (December 20)

    A La Carte: From transgender to Christian / Forgive us our debts / Did the Son of God leave heaven to come to earth? / 9 ways to help those who are suffering / Does this prove Mary wasn’t a virgin? / and more.

  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (December 19)

    A La Carte: The astronaut who left NASA to support healthy churches / The cradle that rocked the world / Are Catholics Christian? / Why we need beautiful churches / On stumbling / and more.

  • 2025

    12 Fresh Ways to Read Your Bible in 2025

    A new year offers a new opportunity—an opportunity to rethink and refresh the way you read your Bible. While some have found a pattern or habit they love and will never deviate from, others like to look for new ways to read, digest, and apply the Word. For those who may be interested in trying…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (December 18)

    A La Carte: Grief and gratitude at Christmas / Navigating unwanted singleness / What the demons sang / Teach your teen about Christian freedom / Common interests / and more.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (December 17)

    A La Carte: The Virgin Mary and modern therapeutic culture / Relational heresy and doctrinal heresy / The darkness does not win / How does God deliver from pain by pain? / Christmas with your adult children / and more.