Weekend A La Carte: Listening well to domestic abuse survivors / The only way to satisfy the longings of your soul / Confronting a loved one with narcissism / Missed opportunities and the best of all possible timelines / Hopeful for the future of disability ministry / and more.See AlsoA La Carte (1/19)A La Carte (11/21)A La Carte (10/13)
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New year, new books! As a new year begins, publishers have been hard at work with new releases. I sorted through the many options and arrived at this list of new and notables. In each case, I’ve provided the editorial description to give you a sense of what it’s all about. I hope there’s something here that’s of interest to you! How to Memorize Scripture for Life: From One Verse to Entire Books by Andrew M. Davis. “Andrew M. Davis helps readers commit to extended Scripture memorization so they may grow in holiness, resist temptation, and share the gospel with others. In this brief guide, he offers an accessible, time-tested pattern for studying Scripture that includes simple daily procedures and tips for long-term retention. By building up a storehouse of biblical truth in their hearts, readers will strengthen their prayer life and intimacy with Christ as they prepare to share God’s truth with others.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books) Just Be Honest: How to Worship Through Tears and Pray Without Pretending by Clint Watkins. “Suffering often causes deep spiritual agony. You might be left thinking, “Where is God? Why is he allowing this? Why doesn’t he do something?” And then guilt whispers to your soul, ‘Am I allowed to say these things? Shouldn’t I trust God without hesitation? Am I just a faithless Christian?’ This honest, warm and personal book shows us that we don’t need to wrap up our stories of suffering with lessons and silver linings or suppress our pain. Being…See AlsoA Roundup of Book Roundups5 Reasons E-Books Are Better Than BooksT4G – The Importance of Books
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A La Carte: Is ‘gentle parenting’ biblical? / The challenge of choosing between bitter and better / Is that wise? / The spiritual promise the cinema can’t deliver / What is the church? / and more.See AlsoA La Carte (March 13)A La Carte (February 1)A La Carte (2/7)
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A La Carte: Shepherding our children through hardships and trials / Redeem time in the age of TikTok / God is for you, no matter where, who, or what / Three reasons Christians should oppose abortion / 5 signs our inner peace might be a deceptive calm / and more.See AlsoA La Carte (May 20)Free Stuff FridaysA La Carte (3/23)
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I have yet to meet the Christian who has mastered prayer. In fact, I have yet to meet the Christian who feels like much more than a beginner in the school of prayer. Though I know many who pray, I know few who are convinced they really understand prayer. In a strange way, I find it heartening to learn that even one of my most trusted and respected theologians has declined to write a book on the subject and wondered, “Who can write or speak at any length easily on the mystery of prayer?” I am thankful that we do not need to understand prayer in order to pray. At least, we do not need to exhaustively understand prayer in order to pray. We do not need to have an answer to every question or a resolution to every mystery. The biblical command is not to figure out prayer or iron out every dilemma of prayer, but simply to pray. I take that to mean that we should not allow our lack of understanding to lead to a lack of prayer. We should not allow our confusion to excuse hesitation. Instead, we should press on in obedience and faith—obedience to God’s clear command and faith that prayers are meaningful to God. We should press on in earnest prayer, in confident prayer, in constant prayer, and in all kinds of prayer, trusting that God loves to hear them and act upon them. It has been my experience that the path to a deepening understanding of prayer…See AlsoThe School of Prayer5 Great Books on Prayer
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