Laudable Linkage

Posted on October 17, 2026 by Barbara Harper

Here are several good reads found this week. I hope you find something of interest!

What Draws Me Back: 3 Arguments for Faith on the Days I Doubt, HT to Challies. “I can’t point to a time I considered myself agnostic or atheist, or even on the fence about Christianity. Though I’ve known seasons of suffering and disillusionment, I have no story of losing, then regaining, my faith. I first believed the gospel as a child, and my earliest confession of faith has only deepened over time. But even if my testimony isn’t as dramatic as some of my friends’, it isn’t the case that I’ve never dealt with doubts about God and the gospel. I have. I still do.”

How to Deliver a Difficult Message by Speaking the Truth in Love. “God has placed us in the body of Christ (a.k.a. the Church) so we can help one another mature and grow in Christlikeness (Eph 4:14–15). Often growth involves hearing hard truths. Sometimes we need to have difficult conversations, such as when a spouse does or says hurtful things, a close friend makes harmful decisions, or an employee isn’t performing to standards.” I especially liked the questions concerning whether we need to say anything at all.

Not All Christian Websites are Good for your Health, HT to Challies. “I wonder what the Apostle Paul would say about online Christian discourse? What kind of encouragements and warnings would he give followers of Jesus as we hear and discern and collate the vast quantities of religious speech that’s available on YouTube, Facebook and X?”

We Cannot Afford to Weaken Each Other. “hortly before England’s entry into World War II, Winston Churchill said, ‘We are so few, enemies so many, the cause so great, that we cannot afford to weaken each other in any way’ (The Gathering Storm, p 331). When I read Churchill’s words, I immediately was struck with it’s applicability to our spiritual warfare. It is an easy thing to weaken each other as Christians with verbal sparring.”

Three Steps Forward in Your Walk of Faith. “As women, we find ourselves pulled in a thousand directions as we juggle the demands of family, work, church, and friends. We want to honor God and others, and we want to grow in our relationship with Christ, but frankly, we’re struggling to do it all. We read Isaiah 40:31 about mounting up on wings like eagles, running and not growing weary, and walking and not fainting, but it feels like we’re walking and fainting more than running and flying. But we know the Bible is true, and God never lies. So there must be a way to walk in faith. How do we access this superpower God promises to believers?”

Are We Raising Pharisees? HT to Challies. “Each of these decisions involves different considerations, varying degrees of wisdom, and answers that may differ from family to family. Some decisions have clear biblical implications, but Scripture does not prescribe one specific answer for every situation. You can make all the ‘right’ choices and still miss what matters most.”

Parents, Meet Your Gospel Tutor, HT to Challies. “Compliant kids make our parenting look strong. They make us feel competent. On Sunday morning, our family beams like an online advertisement for biblical parenting. But then God gives you another child. A different kind of gift.”

Are You Being Discipled by Your Device? “I don’t walk with the wicked, stand with sinners, or sit with scoffers, right? But the truth is even if you’re surrounded by solid Christian friends in real life, the media you consume online may well be the counsel of the wicked.”

A Testimony of Spiritual Mothering. “When I left my hometown and moved to Knoxville, I left behind a host of spiritual mothers, many I had known my whole life, including my own mom. I still had them of course, but I prayed before the move that the Lord would prepare a place for us in Knoxville and by a place, I meant a people. He slowly began providing this through friends at work, friends in my grad school program, and eventually in a church home. But the absence of a spiritual mother lingered. Spiritual mothers are people you can melt into. They are safe women, honest women, wise women. Women who feast on the Word and women who battle for you in prayer. Their presence is life-giving, so their absence is noticeable.”

What Are the Noahide Laws? I had not heard of these and didn’t know there was a controversy about them, apparently sparked by something Ben Shapiro said. But Ben Hicks explains them well.

Thank You, Lord, for My Local Pastor: Thirty Reasons for Gratitude. October is Pastor Appreciation Month, and this article presents many reasons to be grateful for the gift of a godly pastor.

Fear not because your prayer is stammering, your words feeble, and your language poor. Jesus can understand you.–J.C. Ryle

Friday’s Fave Five

Posted on October 16, 2026 by Barbara Harper

This Friday seemed to come around even faster than usual. I’m sharing the blessings of the week with Susanne’s weekly gratitude link-up at Living to Tell the Story.

1. Home from the hospital. My last FFF was written from a hospital room, but I was able to go home after lunch that day. This week I’ve been resting, taking more antibiotics, and recovering from the hospital stay. 🙂

2. Healing. The cellulitis appears to be completely gone. But there was a diagnosis on my charts and discharge papers that I have never seen before, and no one seems to be able to tell me where it came from. No doctor has ever told me I had it. I see my primary care doctor for a follow-up today with a list of questions.

Also, though normally antibiotics mess with my digestive system, that has not been as big a problem this time–surprising considering I was on a couple of different kinds in the hospital. I’ve had more yucky gut feelings the last couple of days–it may be catching up with me. But I am still taking probiotics to help combat that.

3. IB Guard. It’s kind of expensive, but it does help with stomach issues.

4. Sight-seeing by proxy. My oldest son, Jeremy, was in Chicago for the first time this week for his first-ever conference with his new job. He went a couple of days early to sight-see around the city and sent us some photos. I thought it was neat that he happened upon Moody Bible Institute in his walk around the city–not something he was looking for, but it was fun that he found it.

5. Low-sodium eating has not been fun, but it was recommended since I tend to retain fluid in my lower legs, which makes it easier to get cellulitis. It’s been a learning experience. Some things I suspected of being high-sodium have not been, but there has been a surprising amount of sodium in places I didn’t expect, like breads and cheeses. We’ve found that some of the no-salt flavorings have been good on salmon and chicken– not so much on potatoes and other vegetables. But I imagine I’ll get used to it after a while. And I am thankful there’s something definite I can do to help.

That’s it for this week. I hope yours has been good!

By the way, I am giving away a book here: Things We Cannot Keep by Amanda Cox.

Things We Cannot Keep: Review and Giveaway

Posted on October 15, 2026 by Barbara Harper

In the novel Things We Cannot Keep by Amanda Cox, Tess Holcomb fled from an abusive home environment and changed her name. She was taken in by a kind elderly brother and sister. The man, Amos, taught her how to repair watches. When Tess became an adult, she started her own business: Timeless, a shop that restores family heirlooms, from timepieces to art to furniture to dollhouses. She enjoys hearing the stories behind the pieces.

Tess has built her life in routine, anonymity, and her carefully curated group of coworkers. She tries to stay out of the public eye. But then a zealous office manager leaks a story about one of their pieces to the news.

The next things she knows, Tess receives a package at the shop but addressed to her old name, Teresa Baker. In it is an antique pocket watch, a heap of money, and a note asking her to clean and repair the watch and try to find its rightful owner.

Tess can do the cleaning and repairs, but she has no idea how to go about finding the owner with so little information to go on.

But then someone comes back into her life that she has been avoiding for eighteen years. He seems to want to make amends, but she doesn’t know if she can trust him. Yet he seems to be able to help with the mysterious watch.

Discovering the watch’s history will require Tess to step out of her comfortable routine, try many new things, and learn to trust again–all things she is not sure she can do. But the watch’s story may lead to her own healing.

There’s so much more I wish I could say about this book, but I don’t want to give away any more of the story. I’ll just say that I loves Tess’s journey. We can’t change our pasts, and some of the people who wronged us may or may not change. But we can change our perspective.

Some of the quotes that stood out to me:

Until this moment, she hadn’t fully appreciated just how generous her clients had been–to share your history was to offer up a piece of yourself. Even if she had something worth sharing, did she have the capacity to let people experience it alongside her? (p. 91).

It was a vulnerable thing, holding out a remorseful heart, waiting to see what the other party might do with it (p. 125).

When you can’t control your situation, you can control yourself (p. 137).

Maybe he realized that in the face of injustice, he had the power to push back. He didn’t have to be the victim in the story. He could be the hero. His life could be about more than himself (p. 166).

A story doesn’t need to be pain-free to be beautiful. Though her mind accepted the concept, her heart wasn’t so sure (p. 175).

People like to say forgiveness is for you, not the other person–that it sets you free from the hold they have on your life. They’re not wrong, I suppose. But so often those platitudes skip over how incredibly hard it can be. To see beyond the mistakes and offenses to view them as a whole person. And to see yourself as more than the wounds you carry. To let go of the pain and leave space for God to work, knowing he wants redemption and healing for all involved.

I accidentally pre-ordered two copies of this book. Unlike Amazon, the publisher doesn’t tell you that you previously ordered this item. They just assume you want another one. So I’d like to give one away. If you’d like to enter a drawing for a giveaway of a paperback copy of this book, just leave a comment on this post. I’ll count all comments as entries unless you tell me you are not interested in the giveaway. Unfortunately, due to shipping costs, I can only mail it to US addresses. A week from today, I’ll use the Random Number Generator to choose a winner.

(I often link up with some of these bloggers.)

Novels About Books, Bookshops, and Libraries

Posted on October 13, 2026 by Barbara Harper

A couple of weeks ago, My writing critique group opened with an icebreaker question about favorite novels that dealt with books or were set in bookshops or libraries. Since reading is one of my favorite pastimes, I thought that might make for a fun blog post as well.

The first few are Christian fiction (titles link to my reviews).

Hope Between the Pages by Pepper Basham. This dual-time novel is set in one of my favorite places to visit, The Biltmore House in Asheville, NC, and in the library, my favorite room there. In 1915, Sadie, the resident library servant overhears a guest speaking about books. He seemed to love them as much as she does. Servants were to remain “invisible,” so she can’t speak to him directly. She leaves a few books she thinks he would like on one of the library tables. He thanks her by leaving a note for the “Library Fairy,” beginning a longtime correspondence.

In modern time, her granddaughter, Clara, owns a bookstore in Biltmore Village. The shop needs repairs and her uncle wants her to sell to a conglomerate. In searching for the missing deed, she finds a box of her grandmother’s with notes addressed to the “Library Fairy.” She learns things about her family that she never knew but has more questions, setting her on a journey of discovery.

The British Booksellers by Kristy Cambron. Amos Darby and Charlotte Terrington are secret childhood friends with a love for books. But she was an earl’s daughter and he was a tenant farmer’s son, so there was no hope for anything more between them. He goes to fight in WWI and comes back scarred. She is now widowed with a daughter. They open rival book shops near each other and have to work together to help each other and their neighbors survive what’s called the “Forgotten Blitz” or Coventry Blitz” of WWII.

The Island Bookshop by Roseanna M. White. Kennedy has a career she loves in D.C., but when her sister falls from a ladder in NC, Kennedy returns home to help her and run their grandmother’s bookshop. She knows she can’t avoid Wes–the man she used to love but who married her best friend, Britta. Britta has passed away but Kennedey feels she knows too many of their secrets to ever have a relationship with Wes beyond acquaintances. When Kennedy discovers a different name on the lease than their grandmother’s, she goes searching through records in the attic. She finds surprising news about her grandmother’s immigration from Croatia during WWII and the difficulties she encountered.

The Orchard House by Heidi Chiavaroli.This one is not a full-out Christian fiction, but there were references to forgiveness, faith, and yielding to God. The Orchard House was the name of one of Louisa May Alcott’s family homes and the one where she wrote Little Women. The bare bones of this plot are based on facts: a woman wrote to Louisa asking about information concerning her brother, whom Louisa had tended while working in a Civil War hospital. The author imagined their correspondence and relationship growing. In the modern day story, two girls find their letters and seek to learn more while dealing with their own problems.

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay. Samantha (Sam) has been brought up in the foster care system. At one home, she discovered classic books and found them a refuge. She’s offered a grant to go to graduate school by an anonymous donor who goes by “Mr. Knightley” (a character in Jane Austen’s Emma). His only stipulation is that she write to him occasionally and tell him how she’s doing. Her letters become “one-sided soul purgings,” since she doesn’t think she’ll ever meet him in person. Plus they are full of literary references. Many of Katherine’s earliest books were, but the farther she went, the more elements she included that I didn’t like. So I don’t read her any more, but this book shines.

The Christmas Book Flood by Roseanna M. White. Jolabokaflod is an Icelandic tradition that translates to “Christmas Book Flood.” It began in 1944 near the end of WWII. Due to shortages, books were the main gifts. A tradition began Christmas night of people reading the books they had gotten for Christmas, often while enjoying hot chocolate. Sounds like a great idea to me!

Here are some secular choices:

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson is a fictional story about the actual Pack-Horse Librarians, who would take donated books by horse or mule to people in remote regions of the Appalachian mountains during the Depression era. Another aspect of this book is the “blue people” of Kentucky whose skin had a recessive gene which colored their skin. There were a few bad words and one scene I didn’t like, but overall it was an interesting story.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Germans captured the Channel Islands during WWII. When one group is accidentally caught out after curfew, they make up a literary society that they’d met for. But now they have to meet for real with a German chaperone, who eventually leaves them on their own. They find that books help pass the time, draw them together, and encourage each other. After the war, one of them writes to a newspaper columnist for information about a book, telling a little about their society. Curious, she wants to know more. So she travels over to get to know the people in their book society. Unfortunately, there is a smattering of bad words, including the Lord’s name taken in vain.But otherwise, this is a charming book. And the movie is good, too.

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. This one is not fiction. It’s based on real letters between an American author and a British bookseller from 1949-1969. It was fun to watch their different personalities come out through their writing and their relationship develop over the years.

I know I have probably read more bookish stories, but these are the ones that are coming to mind right now.

How about you? Do you like books set in bookstores or libraries or books with a lot of literary references? What’s your favorite?

(I often link up with some of these bloggers.)

Why Ask People to Pray?

Posted on October 11, 2026 by Barbara Harper

As I sat in the hospital last week, discouraged over a large and stubborn case of cellulitis that didn’t seem to be budging, I felt it was time to ask for prayer more publicly. I had emailed a few friends when the situation began. But now I felt I needed to share the burden a bit further.

And then I asked myself why.

Did I think prayer was more likely to be answered the more people prayed? Was prayer a spiritual vote?

Well, no, it doesn’t work like that. God sometimes says no despite prayers from all over the globe.

Did I feel other people might have more faith than I did?

In my low moments, a little. When the paralytic’s friends brought him to Jesus for healing, mention is made of their faith, not his. (Luke 5:17-26).

However, Jesus said we only need faith the size of a mustard seed.

Yet somehow, we’re helped when others pray: “We have put our hope in him that he will deliver us again while you join in helping us by your prayers” (2 Corinthians 1:10-11, CSB).

We are told all through Scripture to pray for each other. Paul’s epistles give many examples of specific ways to pray. So it is right to ask for prayer from brothers and sisters in Christ.

Others’ prayers help us to rejoice: “Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance” (Philippians 1:18-19).

Others’ prayers draw our hearts together: “And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you” (2 Corinthians 9:14).

Others’ prayers expand thanksgiving to God: “You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.” (2 Corinthians 1:11).

Others’ prayers help us in our struggles: “I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf” (Romans 15:30).

Of course, asking others to pray is not just about getting my desired outcome. I cringe at language like “storming the gates of heaven,” as if we can force God to do our will. He’s more concerned with conforming us to His will.

Sometimes God says no to one request to provide for a greater need. Sometimes He wants us to learn humility and patience while waiting in prayer or to grow our faith. Fellowshiping with others in prayer helps with those aspects, too.

Whether I pray in person with others or they answer an email or text to tell me what they are praying, my heart is touched first by the fact that they care about me as a sister in Christ, even if they don’t know me well. Then I am instructed as they pray for aspects of the situation or have a perspective of it that I hadn’t thought of. I am amazed that another’s prayer can sometimes reflect a depth of understanding of the need far beyond what I shared. I don’t know whether that comes from their spiritual maturity, or the Holy Spirit’s leading in prayer, or both. I am also encouraged by sharing the load a bit with others.

Sometimes it’s hard to know when to ask others to pray and how much to share. I had an acquaintance years ago who almost could not say anything to anyone without asking for prayer. I was never quite sure if that was a good thing or not. But we can ask for God’s leading even in this. Whether we share with one other person, or a group, or everyone we know, God can use us in each other’s lives through the ministry of prayer.

(I often link up with some of these bloggers.)

Laudable Linkage

Posted on October 10, 2026 by Barbara Harper

Some of the good reads found this week:

The Mercy of God When Formulas Fail, HT to the Story Warren. “There is certainly personal responsibility for every Christian; disciplines that must be present for growth to occur. Yet a problem arises when those disciplines become the formula for how we think God ought to respond. . . The problem with this formulaic faith is that it boils faith down to a sum of actions as the key to unlocking results. Yet the goal of faith is not that our desires might be fulfilled, but rather it is knowing Christ and the power of his resurrection, sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in death (Phil. 3:10). It is knowing Christ and making him known; experiencing more of him and becoming like him.”

4 Ways to Let Go of Perfectionism in Your Quiet Time. “I used to think my quiet time only ‘counted’ if it was done the right way—uninterrupted, organized, meaningful, and preferably with something underlined in matching ink. But more often than not, I walked away feeling like I didn’t have time to do it like that. The house offered me a different equation: clean it well and I could see the results. Order the mess and everything would feel right again. But my quiet time with God didn’t work that way. I often didn’t see immediate results. No visible proof I had done it ‘well.’ No checklist to confirm I had gotten it right.”

Being Filled with the Spirit. “Few ideas in the Christian life leave believers as confused as being filled with the Holy Spirit. Some picture a mystical event that lands on a lucky few. Others claim it is a technique to be mastered. The apostle Paul gives a simple command in Ephesians 5, and the answer turns out to be more practical than either picture. The people who are filled with the Spirit are the people who are spiritually active and alive.”

No, Not All Sin Is the Same in God’s Eyes. “Perhaps you have heard a well-intentioned believer say, ‘All sin is the same in God’s eyes.’ . . . But as with every spiritual sounding mantra that isn’t actually a verse, we must ask if it lines up with what Scripture teaches. A careful study of the Bible will show us that, contrary to what many believe, not all sin is the same in God’s eyes. And rather than being a discouragement, the truth ends up being more helpful, encouraging, and fair than we might at first realize.”

Shame vs. Conviction: What’s the Difference? “At first glance, the two may look like twins, and the sinking feeling each produces may leave you thinking they’re synonymous. Don’t fall into that trap. One leads to freedom, while the other will leave you shackled in dark despair.”

Is Jesus the Social Justice Champion of Progressives? HT to Challies. “Progressive Christians often present a truncated portrait of Jesus, highlighting the parts of his ministry that fit their emphasis on social reform. In their view, Jesus was a social justice warrior who stood in solidarity with the poor and marginalized, challenged unjust systems and structures of power, and called his followers to pursue love, inclusion, and liberation.”

What I’ve Learned in the Cancer School of Wisdom, HT to Challies. “Drawing from his own cancer ordeal, John Piper has urged many of us not to ‘waste our cancer’ but rather to redeem it for good. I’m trying to do that. By the grace of God and, I dare to hope, for the glory of God, I truly want to live well and then to die even better. God’s Word taught me—long before my diagnosis—to live life and walk wisely, as if on the edge of eternity, and to avoid complacency and presumption by keeping my mortality in mind.”

Some Marriage Advice: Just Shut Up, HT to Challies. This is good for all conversations! I especially liked the imagery about the furnace. “Did you know that you don’t actually have to say every thought that comes into your mind? You can actually take a thought, examine it, and throw it away. Our minds are fickle. We often think things that are mean, rude, unkind, and downright untrue. It is so important that before these thoughts make it out of our mouths that we sift it through the sieve of God’s word.”

How You Handle Criticism Is a Test of Your Humility. HT to Challies. “Your character will grow in direct proportion to your willingness to accept correction. It will also make you a better Bible student and a better Christian because frequently when you read the Bible, the words will be a form of criticism, and the Holy Spirit speaks through that criticism. If you are defensive and not open to criticism, you will not have a good walk with God.”

The Problem with So Much More: A Critique and Apology, by the Authors, HT to Challies. I have not finished reading this whole piece, so it’s unusual for me to share it yet. I had never heard of the book, So Much More: The Remarkable Influence of Visionary Daughters on the Kingdom of God by Anna and Elizabeth Botkin. But I had heard of their concept that young women should stay home under their father’s influence rather than go to college, get a job, or go on missions trips. Many years ago, before Facebook, before message boards, there were subscriber lists for different subjects. Communication was by email and everyone who was accepted to the list got every email from every other member, all on the topic of the group. This group was made up of Christian moms, and my kids were around 3-12 then. I knew I didn’t hold to all the practices of the group, but I felt there was enough we were agreed upon that we could have some good fellowship. One day I shared some blessing from my college years and was told they didn’t believe in young women going to college. I had never heard that before and was incredulous. I tried to share, in what I thought was a gracious way, how God used a Christian college in my life. I was removed from their list. I found out later a lot of their teaching came from Bill Gothard.

What amazes me hearing now about this book is that it was written “by two unknown teenagers with no theological training or life experience” and yet “became the manifesto of the burgeoning ‘Stay at Home Daughter’ movement.”

The authors now say “with better hermeneutics and a better understanding of church history and historic theology . . . [we] realized our entire case was exegetically hollow. And that the life we had given up so much to live, and worst of all had called others to live, was built on a theological house of cards.” They are not deconstructing their entire faith, but they realized they were wrong on this issue and explain why.

Inside a Gilded Age Mansion, HT to Challies. This 11 1/2 minute video by Architectural Digest shows details of the Elms, a Gilded Age Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. Some of the architectural tricks are amazing.

“Christians that shine by reflecting the light of the Sun of righteousness, do shine with the same sort of brightness”–Jonathan Edwards

Friday’s Fave Five

Posted on October 9, 2026 by Barbara Harper

Thank you so much for your kind words, encouragement, and prayers regarding my post about being in the hospital with cellulitis. I’m still in the hospital, but there’s hope of going home today. The doctor will decide today whether I need more IV antibiotics or whether I can go home with oral ones. Much as I’d like to get home, I don’t want to leave too soon and end up back here. (Update: I am home now!)

I wasn’t sure earlier this week whether I’d have a FFF post or not–partly because I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to around all the hospital disruptions, partly because, frankly, I was a little down. But there are always blessings, always something to be grateful for. So I’m sharing today with you all and Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

1. Improvement, though it has been slow. Cellulitis is a skin infection which is serious, and a nuisance, but can be dealt with. Its biggest danger is that it can spread quickly and then cause major problems. So when this experience involved more area than ever and looked deeper and “angrier” than I’d ever had, I was alarmed. Then when it seemed stuck at the same level for so long, I was discouraged. But finally it took a turn for the better.

Also, once I accepted the situation rather than chafing against it, my spirits improved. I might as well just lean into the chance to read, doze, and rest.

2. Good nurses. Most of the nurses and technicians have been great, a couple of them exceptional. Efficiency, cheerfulness, and thoughtfulness go a long way.

3. A nice view. I happened to get a room at the end of the hall which is a little bigger and has a lot of windows.

It’s been nice in the mornings to watch the light come up over the hills.

4. Humor. While still in the ER, they wanted to do an ultrasound on my leg to make sure there wasn’t a blood clot, which can also cause redness and swelling. There wasn’t, thankfully. When they brought me back from the ultrasound, Jim said, “Boy or girl?” 🙂

5. Camping. Jim, Jason, and Timothy were supposed to go camping this week since Timothy is off for fall break. I felt bad about derailing that. So I thought it neat when Jason sent pictures that he and Timothy set up a tent on their back deck and were camping out there.

Bonus: Hearing from a long lost friend. A good friend and I eventually lost touch when we started attending another church. It wasn’t deliberate–our lives just went in different directions and we didn’t have that weekly opportunity to touch base. She’s not on Facebook but heard from another mutual friend that I was in the hospital. She dropped a flower and card at the house, which Jim found when he stopped in to pick up some things. Then she sent me a couple of texts. My heart was so warmed to hear from her again.

And that’s it for this week. I hope yours has been good.

Prayer Request

Posted on October 7, 2026 by Barbara Harper

Hello friends,

I mentioned last week having flu-like symptoms and then redness in my leg.

I’ve been in the hospital since Monday with cellulitis. When I’ve had it before, it’s covered a few inches of area. This time, it went from my toes to a few inches below my knee. Doxycycline at home wasn’t keeping it in check, so we were instructed to go to the ER Monday. We spent six hours in the ER hallway and I was finally admitted that night to start IV antibiotics the next day.

When I’ve had cellulitis before, it has looked better one hour and then worse the next. So it’s normal for it to fluctuate. But I’ve been discouraged there hasn’t been more progress. If it’s not much better soon, the doctor is going to start an even stronger antibiotic.

Some of you know that I have irritable bowel syndrome, and antibiotics wreak havoc with my intestines anyway. I’m fearful of what these stronger antibiotics are going to do, but I’m trying to just take things a day at a time.

Jim, Jason, and Timothy were supposed to go camping this week with Tim being off for fall break. I feel bad about messing up those plans, but they’ve been good sports.

So for now Jim and I are hanging out in the hospital. I was chafing over the hospital stay for a while but just decided to use the time to read, rest, doze, and do things on the computer.

Your prayers are very much appreciated that God would grant healing, wisdom, and guidance.

Anna and Her Daughters

Posted on October 7, 2026 by Barbara Harper

Anna and Her Daughters by D. E. Stevenson was written in 1958, but has something of an old-fashioned feel to it.

Anna and her three daughters live in London, and their father has just passed away. Anna’s cousin and solicitor, Andrew, has to tell them that their money is gone. They’re not penniless, but they’ll need to economize. The girls will need to get jobs.

Anna decides instead that they’ll move back to her native Scotland.

The oldest, Helen, is beautiful but self-absorbed. She can’t stand the thought of leaving London and her friends and parties.

Rosalie is quiet and has always lived in Helen’s shadow, “pretty, but not as pretty as Helen.”

Jane is the brainy one who was headed to Oxford but can’t go now.

Everyone adjusts to life in Scotland and things like preparing their own food, except Helen. She goes to live with relatives in Edinburgh. Rosalie flourishes without Helen around. Rosalie and Jane get different but interesting jobs that they like.

Then Jane meets a young scientist named Ronnie but is too shy and awkward to even ask his name. Rosalie brings him home for dinner, basking in his attention–until he sees Helen.

The story is told through Jane’s point of view as each girl goes through trials and growth experiences.

The book ended up where I thought it would, but took a different route than I thought. I was a bit disappointed at first, but the situation is also found in Jane Austen’s books and even the Bible.

Stevenson’s writing reminds me a little of Louisa May Alcott. Not the language–they’re several decades apart. And Stevenson doesn’t drop in moral or instructive observations in a didactic way. But they both have a homey feel and an emphasis on family.

The audiobook is superbly narrated by Candida Gubbins.

What Makes for Good Worship?

Posted on October 4, 2026 by Barbara Harper

What do we mean when we say something like “The worship was good today at church?”

Many of us refer to the song time as worship. So we might mean that we liked–or even just knew–the songs. We might mean that we were in good voice, or the worship team was. Or we could be referring to a lack of distractions or feeling uplifted after the song service.

But what about when we don’t know the songs? Or they’re too high or low for our range? Or they’re not our favorites? Or there are technological glitches or distractions?

Does God not still deserve to be worshiped even then?

Someone at my alma mater used to say that worship is worth-ship–ascribing to God His worth. It’s not that He needs worship. He is secure in who He is. But we need to worship: first of all because He is worthy, but also because if we don’t see Him aright, we’ll likely be off in other areas of our heart and lives.

We can ascribe to God His worth in so much more than the musical part of the service: in paying attention during the Sunday School lesson and sermon, in giving, in reaching out to others.

And we can worship everywhere, not just at church. Yes, there is much of value in worshiping God together as a family of believers, and we’re commanded to do so.

Romans 12:1 says, “Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” That’s every day, every moment:

-praying for patience and kind words when we want to lash out so we can better reflect God to others.

-listening to praise music when we’re stuck in traffic.

-when appliances break down, remembering that nothing in the world is permanent and we have a better home in heaven. We can lay up treasure “where moth and rust do not corrupt.”

-remembering God’s patient, loving care of us while we’re calming a fretful child.

-reminding ourselves, when we’re doing some household task we don’t like, that we’re imitating a God who brings order out of chaos.

We associate worship with a good feeling. Pastor Erwin Lutzer has said, “Worship that is not based on God’s Word is but an emotional encounter with oneself.”

But we can worship in spite of feelings. Job worshiped after everything was taken from him. David worshiped in caves hiding from enemies who were trying to kill him. Paul worshiped while in prison.

Elisabeth Elliot has said, “Worship is not feeling. Worship is not an experience. Worship is an act, and this takes discipline. We are to worship in spirit and in truth. Never mind about the feelings. We are to worship in spite of them.” (from Let Me Be a Woman).

Sometimes worship spontaneously flows while singing praise songs or reading the psalms. But other times, we have to deliberately turn our minds to who He is and what He has done for us. Romans 12:2 talks about being “transformed by the renewal of your mind.” The more time we spend in God’s Word, the more He can transform our thinking, no matter the circumstances.