Laudable Linkage

Posted on May 3, 2025 by Barbara Harper

I have a short list this week:

Watch for the Thing After the Thing, HT to Challies. After a crisis or major event, there are often unexpected challenges to deal with.

The Article You Don’t Want to Read, on the subject of death. HT to Challies.

What If You Were the Older Brother? “Too often we read the Bible as though we would have been the hero in every story. God knows this, and so He gives us deeply flawed heroes. When Moses disobeys or Abraham lies or Noah gets drunk or David commits both adultery and murder, or another good king becomes arrogant and rebels against God’s representative, we begin to realize that we all have problems and God is the real hero of the Bible. But still, in some stories I fear we might miss what God is seeking to teach us because we write off the villain too quickly.”

Testing the Teachings of Roman Catholicism, HT to Challies. “Following my conversion, I saw the contrast between my religious upbringing and the straightforward teaching of the Bible. Because our beliefs have eternal consequences, I sincerely desire to help others understand some of the key differences between official Roman Catholic doctrine and the truth of Scripture.”

Beautifully Made: Breaking Gender Stereotypes for God’s Glory. “Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a worldview that had room for girls to be girls even if they like football, NASCAR, and power tools? Or for a boy to be a boy even if he’d rather crochet than swing a hammer and listen to showtunes rather than heavy metal? I have good news. There is.”

If your life is broken when given to Jesus, it may be because the pieces will feed a multitude.–Elisabeth Elliot

Laudable Linkage

Posted on April 26, 2025 by Barbara Harper

I found several noteworthy blog posts this week:

The Good We Cannot See, HT to Challies. “I wanted to see the purpose of the suffering; at least a small glimpse. I wanted to understand even a small piece of why God allowed it. I wanted to see the man that Ezra would become because of the pain he endured. I wanted to see a piece of redemption. I wanted to experience the tangible comfort of knowing that God intended the suffering for good with good defined by me. Therein lies the trouble.”

All the Books I’ll Never Read, HT to Linda. This resonated with me so much! “Not only will I never read all the books I wish I could, but I’ll never be all the things that I want to be, or do all the things that I want to do. When this realization first hit me, I have to confess I did not roll with it well.”

What We Miss When We Skip the Prophets. “The prophetic books of the Old Testament make up 250 of the Bible’s 1189 chapters. That’s about 21% of the Bible! And I think those books are sorely neglected.”

Big Heads or Big Hearts, HT to Knowable Word. “Truth and love ought not be thought of as if they are opposites — as if the pursuit of one will automatically detract from the pursuit of the other. Even in specific situations, we shouldn’t think that we need to decide between standing for the truth and loving. We can always do both!”

Beware Toxic Servant Leadership, HT to Challies. “Sometimes, what people mean by servant leadership is not leadership at all. If I only understand leadership as deferring to others and not stepping on people’s toes, then I’m at risk of ignoring what God has called me to do. We have become so allergic to authority that anytime someone expresses any authority at all we immediately recoil. This is not good.”

Why Does John Mention That He Outran Peter to Jesus’ Tomb? HT to Challies. I don’t remember if I ever wondered about this, but I appreciate this answer.

The 15-Minute Block, HT to Redeeming Productivity. “I am obsessed with this idea of the 15-minute block. Anything and everything becomes possible when you break it down into a manageable chunk.”

Should We Capitalize Divine Pronouns? I’ve been taught all my life that capitalizing pronouns referring to God was a sign of respect to Him. But lately I’ve found several sources saying that capitalizing divine pronouns is not necessary–partly because they are not capitalized in the original languages nor in many Bible translations. I’m glad Tim categorizes this as a conscience issue. Author and editor Lori Hatcher discusses the same question in To Capitalize or not to Capitalize: Exploring the Deity Pronoun Question.

Dead Man Talking. Bob Roberts is frequent camp speaker and the founder of Kids4Truth Clubs. We attended the same church for several years. Bob had cancer a few years ago, which went into remission. But now it’s back in his liver, and the prognosis is not good. While undergoing some experimental treatments as a last effort, Bob didn’t want to “waste” his cancer. So he began a podcast with five men who have been his friends for 30+ years to discuss what God is doing in his life. The one I linked to is the third, where he discusses the first half of his “bucket list.” The first one was more general; the second one discussed friendship and the impact of the group potentially losing one member. These are available wherever one listens to podcasts and on YouTube.

If I listened to the wretched talk of proud men, I might sometimes fancy sin was not so very sinful! But I cannot think little of sin, when I look at the cross of Christ. — J. C. Ryle

Laudable Linkage

Posted on April 19, 2025 by Barbara Harper

Here are some of the good reads found this week:

The Resurrection and the Rest of Your Life. “Encountering Jesus—walking with Him through both suffering and resurrection—changes you. When you trace His steps all the way to the cross and begin to grasp the weight of His love, when you witness His power over death and realize what He has already overcome—you don’t walk away the same.”

The Most Radical Thing You Can Bring to Easter Dinner, HT to Challies. “You look at the calendar and begin counting down the days to Easter—not with anticipation, but with angst. What should be a grateful celebration of the greatest event in history, Christ’s resurrection, is instead a time of stress as you think about getting together again with troublesome friends or family members.” Thankfully, none of the people we’re having for Easter is troublesome. But these reminders are good for any time of year.

The Dragon and the Rooster, HT to Challies. A father and daughter at odds and the power of forgiveness.

When Scripture Gets Stale, HT to Challies. “If you’re getting mired down in your reading, I want to give you some tips to help you refresh your mindset. If reading the Bible began to feel stale to me, here are five things I would do.”

When a Good Thing Turns Deadly, HT to Challies. Good and harmless things can become deadly if overindulged.

How to Publicly Thank God After a Work Win, HT to Redeeming Productivity. “Over the years, we’ve watched as the occasional actor or athlete directs thanks to God during an award show acceptance speech or after a big game. While most of us will never celebrate a win on national network television, gone are the days of a simple in-office announcement or a quiet dinner with family to celebrate a work promotion. Now, we update our LinkedIn profiles with a carefully crafted announcement that reaches beyond the intimate circles of our workplace or kitchen table. It’s wise to be discerning about how (and to whom) our gratitude is directed when we share good news.”

Shall we consider him hanging there to deliver us from hell and stain, and retain any desire to walk in the way which led him there? Can we take any pleasure in that which caused so much pain or our best friend? Stephen Charnock

Laudable Linkage

Posted on April 12, 2025 by Barbara Harper

I found quite a few good reads this week:

Taking Our Stress to the Lord, HT to the Story Warren. “The world invites us into its fear and its solutions to that fear constantly. We live in a particularly tense and defensive time. Fried nervous systems and dialed up threat responses crowd our communities, near and far. Well-meaning tips about stress management often invite more stress with additional tasks to incorporate into our packed lives. And if we’re honest, unhelpful messages about stress are not exclusively external.”

We Can’t Fear Questions. “If you have the truth on your side, you don’t have to be afraid of questions. If you fear questions, people might wonder if you really have the truth on your side. If we want to successfully pass off our faith to the next generation, we can’t be afraid of their questions.”

To Go Forward, We Must Go Backward, HT to the Story Warren. “Other mediums require you to give your attention and, like books, paintings, songs, and even food, sometimes will point you to the transcendent. That’s what art does. But our phones are different. They’re black holes for attention. Social media, when it is primarily used to consume content instead of connecting with others, takes your attention and gives you nothing back.”

Prove Me, Try Me, Test Me, HT to Challies. “I don’t think I can do it. I don’t want to be proven, tried, and tested again. Not now; not tomorrow; not ever. Can we take a little break, God? How about a month? Can we take a month off from being proven, tried, and tested? Just a little vacation from trials? Can life just be easy for a little while?”

Quiet Invitations. A tip for engaging children in activities works for oneself as well.

What Does the Bible Mean When It Teaches Wives to Submit? HT to Challies. “Many people cringe at the teaching that wives are to submit to their husbands. A clear understanding of this teaching will lead us to marvel at the goodness of God’s plan for marriage and society.”

8 Marriage Pitfalls to Avoid Like the Plague. “We’re focusing on marriage’s irritating, foolish snares. When all is said and done, these pitfalls ultimately emerge as spiritual issues, because no one loves to fan the flames of inappropriate, subtly destructive behavior more than the enemy of our souls who most certainly hates any loving, loyal, compassionate commitment. On the table? Eight marriage bugaboos to be aware of. And if you’re not married, you’ll probably glean some helpful insights for other relationships.”

The Enormous Significance of Small Tasks. This is written in the context of parenting, but it’s true of teaching, caregiving, and so many other activities.

Walking with Those Who Weep, HT to Challies. “I have had the opportunity and privilege of walking with many through various forms of loss and trial. It was not until we lost our 18-year-old son, however, that I truly learned that there is a huge difference between knowing about grief and knowing grief. Walking through the death of our son revealed to me that I knew far less about what is actually helpful in supporting others than I thought.”

The Spiritual Problem of Being Overinformed, HT to Challies. “In a sense, ‘being informed’ is more of a liability than an asset in today’s world. The quality of digitally mediated information is simply too untrustworthy. What happens to us when we’re overinformed but underactivated? From my experience and observations, some common side effects occur.”

It Only Gets Better, HT to Challies. “Youth has many advantages, like strength and energy. Getting older has some drawbacks, but it has its perks too.”

Wings and a Prayer, HT to nikkipolani. A fascinating story of a Vietnamese pilot’s escape with 52 family members before the fall of Saigon.

Pain that brings you closer to God will always be better
than comfort that keeps you away from Him.-
-J. C. Ryle

Laudable Linkage

Posted on April 5, 2025 by Barbara Harper

On Failure, HT to Challies. “Yes, we are going to keep failing at life, again and again. Failing people we love. Failing at things we love. Failing the God we love. But we have a path for dealing with failure. It takes faith, courage, and hope.”

When Your World Burns Down & How to Answer the Question of Pain and Suffering, HT to the Story Warren. “There are love stories that survive fire, and rise straight up from the ashes. This is a Love Story that begins more than 2 decades ago with a bundle of a baby boy …. our third son, named Levi, because the Farmer dared to believe it was a word from the Almighty: ‘And Levi got up, left everything and followed Him,’ (Luke 5:28), and the Farmer said that’s exactly the kind of man that we pray our boy will be.”

Prayer Requests from Jailed Children. “This message is scrawled on a prayer request card, sitting in front of me on my desk. Tears come to my eyes as I read it.”

What Is Your Name? “God requested a sacrificial offering instead of hospitality. And He showed Himself in the fire. He revealed the wonder of Himself in the sweet aroma of their sacrifice.”

Why Feeling Overwhelmed Can Be a Good Thing. “I feel as if I’m drowning in a tsunami of needs. Adult children who need help. Aging parents with health concerns. Personnel shortages at work. Ministry needs. Volunteer opportunities. I want to do good things for good people, but there just isn’t enough of me to go around. I’m overwhelmed. This realization, I’ve discovered, is the first step toward a solution.”

Death Is Not the Worst Thing that Can Happen to You, HT to Journey of Faith. “Contrary to what many Christians think, death is a big deal, and we shouldn’t take it lightly at all. But death isn’t the worst thing that can happen to us.”

What Haggai Taught Me About Priorities, HT to Knowable Word. “‘I can’t. I’m busy!’ These piercing words stopped me as they spilled out of my 2-year-old’s mouth. . . . Yet the reason I stopped wasn’t my son’s disobedience or misplaced priorities; it was because those words were an echo of my heart.”

Brain Fast Food: Living and Ministering in and Age of Casual Thinking. “One of the great advantages of the technological revolution is that we have unbelievable access to all kinds of great resources. One of the great disadvantages of the technological revolution is that intellectually speaking it conditions us to go after McDonald’s hamburgers rather than Ruth Chris steak.”

Stewarding Your Mind. “Doing productivity God’s way means viewing your entire life as a stewardship. Your time, talents, and treasure are all resources left to your care. And the sensible Christian will take care to do all that he or she can to make a good return on these things for the Master. Most believers understand this call to stewardship in areas like finances or even with the use of our time. But are you treating your mind like a stewardship?”

Every time we open Scripture, we’re invited into divine conversation–where infinite wisdom meets our daily needs, where heaven’s perspective illuminates our earthly path.
Chuck Swindoll

Laudable Linkage

Posted on March 29, 2025 by Barbara Harper

A variety of good reads found this week:

When God Used a Stutterer, HT to Challies. “Must limitations and weaknesses keep us from effective ministry? And how should we think about others in the church who have glaring, limiting imperfections?” This is a neat story.

If I Have Matching Dishes, But Have not Love . . . HT to Challies. “If I have matching dishes but have not love, my kitchen cupboard becomes a higher priority to me than the most important person to me in this life.”

People Over Perfection: 5 Tips to Help You When Tiny Distractions Take Over. “Have you ever found yourself in a friend’s living room when you suddenly noticed a picture on the wall that was crooked? Did it occupy your attention for too long, leaving you unsettled and distracted until you walked over and straightened it?”

You’re Beautiful, HT to Challies. “In this month’s letter, I share my personal journey with female beauty standards—a topic that’s been on my mind ever since my daughter was born. I share what life was like growing up with contradicting beauty standards, and how they shaped my insecurities as an Asian Australian woman. I then explore how my new faith, motherhood, and entering my late 30’s has redefined my perspectives on outward beauty.”

Why Christian Men Need Friendship, Not Just “Accountability,” HT to Challies. Yes, yes yes! I’ve always felt there was something off, even artificial, about “accountability partners,” and this helps explain why.

The 10%, HT to Challies.”What does that say about us as a society? We, with the requisite number of chromosomes, determine your fate before we even meet you, before we experience one of your open-hearted hugs or witness your exuberant spirit. How far have we fallen, that we will only welcome you if your test results declare you worthy of our care?”

Why Are There Four Gospels? A great illustration helps answer this question.

You Can’t Do It Alone. “Productivity is not the solution to all of your problems. That’s the promise of secular productivity, isn’t it? Peace, order, simplicity, abundance—the life you want—is just on the other side of one simple system/technique/app/framework.”

The Theology of Work and the Stay-at-Home Mom: Embracing the Value of Our Calling, HT to Redeeming Productivity. “It’s easy to feel like our work doesn’t “count” because we’re not bringing home a paycheck. We don’t get the flashy title that comes with being a high-powered professional, and sometimes, it feels like society only values work that earns money. But if we believe, as Christian moms, that God has called us to this specific work, does the absence of financial gain truly define our calling’s worth?”

God Is Writing Your Story: You Need to Tell It. “God has given each one of us a story. It may not be as dramatic as Corrie ten Boom’s or as screen-worthy as Louis Zamperini’s, but each and every one can be used by God to connect with someone and to ultimately point them to Jesus. And we’re not supposed to keep these stories to ourselves.”

The LORD may not give gold, but He will give grace: He may not give gain, but He will give grace. He will certainly send us trial, but He will give grace in proportion thereto. We may be called to labor and to suffer, but with the call there will come all the grace required.
— Charles Spurgeon

Laudable Linkage

Posted on March 22, 2025 by Barbara Harper

Here are some of the good reads found this week:

I Feel an Imprecatory Prayer Comin’ On. “Growing up, I never heard anyone mention imprecatory prayers, which are mostly found in the Psalms. What are they? Imprecatory prayers are prayers in which you ask God to send calamity or hardship upon someone else.”

What Does the Bible Teach About Demons and Spiritual Warfare? HT to Challies. “I haven’t done this, but I suspect that polling our youth groups about whether or not the devil and demons are real would have troubling results. Perhaps a poll among youth pastors would fare similarly. It’s simply something we don’t talk about. And I get it. But it’s also a very important topic, and is far too dangerous to overlook.”

Why We Do What We Do. What the Bible teaches about our desires and the way they can change after we become believers.

“I’d Never Do That!” I haven’t read the book mentioned, but I appreciate the application about offering help with humility.

Praying for Dreams to Come True, HT to Challies. “Dreams and desires are like butterflies in our hands. We cannot hold onto them too tightly or we will crush them. But if we hold them with open hands, at the right time, God will breathe the breath of his Spirit and they may launch and fly.”

How Marriage Vows Work, HT to Challies. “This distinction matters because marriage is sustained by more than warm feelings. When a couple faces challenges—as every couple will—they need the foundation of clear, mutual commitments rather than memories of how they once felt.”

How to Respect the Dignity of Loved Ones with Dementia, HT to Challies. “Contrary to what we might think, the gift of presence is perhaps most significant in the advanced stages of dementia. It is not infrequent at that time for loved ones to feel that their visits do not count for anything. They assume that they won’t be recognized or their visit remembered, which may be precisely the wrong conclusion.”

The Etiquette of Speech, HT to Challies. “There are three grave errors I think we can fall into when it comes to speech etiquette, and we should be wary of each of them.”

Wounds That Cannot Wholly Be Cured. “I’ve never known grief as strong or wounds as deep as I have been through this year. In January, my youngest brother died unexpectedly. It has been a season of loss and heartache that far surpasses anything that I have yet experienced.”

The Bible is not an end in itself, but a means to bring men to an intimate and satisfying knowledge of God, that they may enter into Him, that they may delight in His Presence, may taste and know the inner sweetness of the very God Himself in the core and center of their hearts. A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

Laudable Linkage

Posted on March 15, 2025 by Barbara Harper

I went from just a few shared reads last week to a longer list today. I hope you’ll find something of interest here, along with some time to read.

“That’s Just Your Interpretation,” HT to Challies. “This is a common response when discussing Scripture, isn’t it? ‘That’s just your interpretation!’ No matter how clearly the Bible speaks, this objection seems to persist. But is it true? Can we really understand the Bible? This question takes us to the heart of the Christian faith and invites us into a discussion about the clarity and authority of God’s Word.”

Ten Truths to Empower Your Prayer Life. “My introduction to prayer came at the age of seven. I was spending the weekend with my grandmother and had slept beside her, snuggled deep into the covers. As the early morning light filtered through the curtains of her bedroom window, the sound of her whispered prayer broke through the fog of my fading sleep. . . . In the years since then, I’ve learned much about this sacred privilege. Today, I’d like to share ten truths I’ve sought to apply in my own prayer life.”

The Greatest Show: Is Your Faith Performance? “The desire to have a godly reputation isn’t wrong, but the danger comes when our focus shifts from genuine transformation in Christ to carefully crafted perception. It’s a tale as old as time and worth pausing to ask: do you care more about appearing faithful, gracious, and surrendered to Christ than actually walking in an authentic relationship with Jesus?”

Be Faithful Over Little: A Different Vision for a Life That Counts, HT to Redeeming Productivity. “But God hasn’t purposed for most people to be world-shapers. The vast majority of our faithfulness and work for the Lord will be exercised in the small, often boring, and monotonous rhythms of life.”

Between Two Worlds: Suffering, Safety, and the Cross, HT to Andrew Le Peau. “The predominant institutional approach to suffering is often one of avoidance—from institutional marketing that equates flourishing with the absence of suffering to personal postures that treat suffering as an unwelcome and harmful interruption in one’s development. Institutions can lessen burdens but not eliminate suffering. No mentor, policy, program, or system can insulate students from grief, disappointment, or hardship. A culture increasingly focused on removing discomfort does not necessarily make people stronger; it often leaves them more anxious and unprepared for suffering when it inevitably comes.”

A Denier Redirected: Living Out the Greatness. This discussion about living in a godly way in an ungodly society dovetails with my own reading about Daniel and how he did so.

This Vice Is One of the Key Predictors of Divorce: Yet, It Is Oddly Understudied. It’s a vice running rampant in society these days.

Coming of Age. “You could tell me that no matter what a mother loves her children, but it takes a story to show me how painful that could be and what it means. Or maybe you tell me that it’s good for my children to suffer losses and failures; that they’ll learn how to pick themselves up if they only get to experience life’s challenges. I’d say it makes sense but it takes a story for me to understand the real value behind it. I could learn as I go and fumble blindly along the way, or I could walk in the shoes of many mothers who’ve gone ahead of me and have a story to tell me of how to become the mom of adults.”

What Did We Gain and Lose by Livestreaming? HT to Challies. “What began as a temporary necessity has become an expected staple of the church’s ministry. As people began returning to worship, committees and the session debated whether livestreaming should continue. If so, for how long, and for what purpose?”

Obedience is the key to all doors: feelings come (or don’t come) and go as God pleases. We can’t produce them at will and mustn’t try.–C. S. Lewis

Laudable Linkage

Posted on March 8, 2025 by Barbara Harper

I have just a short list of good reads to share with you today:

Own Your Faith, HT to Challies. “If God has gifted you with a healthy church and parents that love Christ, be so thankful! See your own faith as connected to theirs, but not dependent. They labored hard so that you would leave and be a beacon for Christ on your own. They desire to see you making godly choices. They want you to make the decision to wake up early and seek God’s face. The time for hand-holding is over. Your parents won’t stand before the judgement seat of Christ for you.”

The Most Profound Aspect of Jesus Saying “I Never Knew You. “Most of the time, the lesson we derive from Matthew 7:21-23 is that there will be people who believe they have a right to enter the Kingdom based upon their religious activities and behavior, but will be rejected. This interpretation is true, but in stopping there we miss something.”

The Supremacy of Christ in Repentance: Understanding True Sorrow vs. Worldly Regret. “There is a significant difference between natural regret and Spirit-driven repentance, between emotional sadness and spiritual surrender. The flesh can feel remorse, acknowledge sin, and feel shame. You can regret in an emotional or intellectual way, but that doesn’t make sorrow spiritual. You can regret sin without having a change of heart. Godly sorrow responds to God’s view of sin. It’s looking at God’s perspective on my sin. It’s vertically oriented—God-ward.”

How to Pray for an Unmet Desire, HT to Challies. “In His most famous of sermons, Jesus tells us to pray, assuring us that the heavenly Father won’t give us a stone when we ask for bread. But sometimes that bread just seems so long in coming. How could a good Father withhold a good thing from His child? After all, our earthly, sinful fathers would never ask their child to starve when they had the means and ability to provide food. How are we to respond in these seasons? What should our prayers look like?”

Nobody ever outgrows Scripture. The book widens and deepens with our years.
–Charles Spurgeon.

Laudable Linkage

Posted on March 1, 2025 by Barbara Harper

Here are some good reads for the first weekend in March.

The Great Danger is to Assume We Are All Headed for Heaven, HT to Challies. “For every American who believes they’re going to Hell, there are 120 who believe they’re going to Heaven. This optimism stands in stark contrast to Christ’s words in Matthew 7:13-14: ‘…wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’”

The Sacred Mundane, HT to Challies. “What about the ordinary and mundane tasks of the homemaker? Can they possibly be more than they are? the making of breakfasts, of lunches and dinners, the folding of laundry, wiping of counters, changing of diapers, the picking up, and the dropping off. Can these have meaning beyond the day after day ‘sameness?’”

All My Heroes Are Broken. “Disappointment. Once again, a Christian leader has fallen off the pedestal. Of course, I should never have placed them on it. But in my mind, they are not what they once were. Maybe they never were. I need good examples–role models who live out what it means to walk by faith and reflect God’s glory. My heart cries out for inspiration to live for God day by day. Can I really do what God made me and saved me to do? How have others done this before me?”

A Congregation Is a Voting Body. I share this because it never occurred to me anyone would think otherwise until a few years ago, when I heard someone say that they didn’t have the church vote on things because there was no instance of it in Scripture. But there is.

You Probably Won’t Get a Book Deal. But We Still Need You to Write, HT to Challies. “It’s difficult to be published. Unless you have a large following, or catch a break, you may face an uphill battle in getting your book published. And yet, I would argue, it’s still important for you to write for at least a couple of reasons.”

The Three Lost Pieces of a Good Romance, HT to Challies. “Today, I’ll be discussing the three essential elements of a good romance novel that have gradually been vanishing from mainstream romance tales, and why these three elements are necessary for a good story.”