Laudable Linkage

Posted on August 9, 2025 by Barbara Harper

Here are some thought-provoking reads found this week:

The Change Along the Way, HT to Challies. “Ever since mankind was in the Garden, and that fatal first sin was committed, we have tried to shortcut the goals set before us. As with our first mother, we are fickle creatures, seeking always the final product without the process in between. . . .Even our Saviour was tempted in the wilderness to escape the way of the cross for the kingdoms of the world, for the devil knew this inherent weakness in mankind. We long for the glory, and if we can avoid the cross, all the better.”

Can Faith and Fear Coexist in the Life of a Believer? “What separates a person of faith from the crowd? It’s not a lack of fear. The faithful choose to listen to their faith instead of their fears. Faith assures us that God’s invisible presence and power accompanies us as we obey His voice.”

How to Have a Soft Heart. “You can probably think of women who have been cut by life and now wear their pain as sharp edges. But you probably also know women who have walked through as much difficulty and somehow emerged softer. Gentler. More gracious. More trusting. Have you ever wondered how to end up like them?”

Do You Talk Too Much, or not Enough? “The danger in too much talking arises when the entertainment value lies in the drama. And when we enjoy talking, it’s easy for the conversation to drift there. Here are some danger zones where many words can lead to sin.”

Does God Really Care What You Wear This Summer? “Perhaps you’ve wondered it too: does God really care what I wear this summer? Before diving in to answer that question, it may be helpful to consider another: do I really want to know the heart of God on this topic, or am I merely looking for affirmation of my already-formed opinions? In other words, what do I want more? An answer to the question ‘Does God really care what I wear?’ Or am I more concerned with how close I can get to a perceived line of immodesty without going over? “

Dear Weary Caregiver, HT to the Story Warren. “But for those (like me) who need regular reminding, here are three lessons God is teaching me about himself and his ways as I care for my boy. I hope they encourage you as you continue to lay down your life in the service of another.”

Ten Reasons Why I Love Verse by Verse Exposition, HT to Challies. “What is verse by verse exposition? This is when a pastor preaches a book of the Bible, reading and teaching each verse in order to expose it’s meaning. Sure, this can be done poorly, but I think that this approach is super helpful for the church and really beneficial for the preacher. I want to outline ten reasons why I love verse by verse exposition.”

How to Guide Your Children Through the Digital Age, HT to Challies. “Technology is everywhere. There’s no escaping its influence—not only in our own lives but also in the lives of our children. Here are three powerful ways technology is shaping your children and how you can help them respond with wisdom and discernment.”

A Plea to Biblical Counselors Regarding Autism, HT to Challies. “Recently, I’ve heard biblical counselors make unhelpful comments about autism, namely that it’s just a “Big Pharma” money-making scheme. They insist that diagnostic criteria are too vague, making an autism diagnosis too subjective. They even say that biblical counselors have better answers, as if they are better suited to “treat” autism. Biblical counselors, I beg you, do not go down this road, as it will lead to irreparable damage to individuals and families impacted by autism. This road represents a profound misunderstanding of what autism is, how it is diagnosed, and the medical side effects with which these families suffer.”

God sees trouble and grief, which we can lay in His hands where it is safe,
and where we are safe. Corrie ten Boom

Laudable Linkage

Posted on March 7, 2020 by Barbara Harper

Here’s my latest collection of thought-provoking reads:

Eleven Practices for Growing Love.

Could a Lack of Purpose Be Stealing Your Joy?

Anxious for Nothing: Addressing the Worry I Can’t Explain, HT to Challies. This is what I wish more people understood about certain types of anxiety and panic attacks: that they’re not a deliberate violation of Phil. 4:6-7 or worry about anything in particular. Some good thoughts about dealing with anxiety.

Intersectionality and the Church, HT to Challies. This post explains the term and demonstrates why it doesn’t work for the church.

Jesus, the Prostitutes, and Transgender Outreach, HT to Challies. “We must never assume that Jesus’ loving welcome of prostitutes indicates the slightest endorsement or toleration of their sin. Notice how Jesus explained his behavior: ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick’ (Mt. 9:12). Jesus said that he came to cure people of their sinful disorder – that is, to remove it and render them free from it – but not to promote or explore its experience. When he added, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice” (Mt. 9:13), the mercy he offered was deliverance from sin to his righteousness.”

When Parents Feel Like We Are Mostly Failing Most of the Time, particularly in regard to modern technology.

I Illustrated National Parks In America Based On Their Worst Review and I Hope They Will Make You Laugh, HT to Challies. One-star reviews are often ridiculous, but never more so than these. Loved how this artist turned them around.

Don’t forget to set your clocks back an hour tonight (bah, humbug).

And to end with a smile:

Happy Saturday!

Laudable Linkage

Posted on October 20, 2018 by Barbara Harper

Welcome to my latest round-up of noteworthy reads around the web:

Please Do and Don’t Assume Motives. This would solve so much. It doesn’t mean being naive.

Are You Becoming More or Less of an Encourager? HT to Challies. “The church must be an oasis for the true Christian! You must be such a great encouragement that you become a breath of fresh air for those who speak to you. Of course, we should confront sin and push people towards holiness, but when people talk to us they should feel like we care about them and, more importantly, their soul. Sadly, as life goes on and as time goes on, we can tend to become crankier and less thankful for our salvation, but the writer of Hebrews calls us to be different.”

We Don’t Need to Go Back to the Early Church, HT to Challies. I’ve heard off and on throughout my Christian life that we need to “do church” like the early church of the first century. But if you read the NT epistles, those churches were rife with problems that the NT writers had to correct.

How Can You Show Radical Hospitality as an Introvert? by Rosaria Butterfield, HT to Challies. “We need the people who are quietly listening and praying as other people are talking, discerning about things.”

Home Libraries Confer Long-term Benefits. “Home libraries are strongly linked to children’s academic achievement.”

Is Turning Off Your Notifications the Ultimate Productivity Hack? HT to Challies. Excess notifications are one of my biggest pet peeves, and I turned off most of them long ago. Especially anything that makes noise. Interesting note here that it takes “on average, 23 minutes and 15 seconds to get back to the task at hand after a distraction.”

And, finally, someone shared this on Facebook. Pretty cute.

Happy Saturday!

Laudable Linkage and a Question

Posted on September 2, 2017 by Barbara Harper

It’s been a little while since I have been able to share interesting reads found online lately, so I have a longish list. But first I have a question.

I used to save all my links on Del.icio.us.com, but they’ve not been up to par for some time now – being bought by various companies, relocating, changing their url. etc., and now they’re “read only” – I can’t add new links to them. I liked that the tags were searchable: if I wanted to look up a link I had saved about the Bible, I could search for “Bible” and find all my links on that subject. Lately I have been saving new links to a draft in my gmail account since I always have that open, but sometimes either the draft itself or the content disappears (maybe when it gets too long?) So my question, or actually two questions are: Is there anything else like Delicious out there, and is there an easy way to import the links I already have over to something else? It would take ages to place all those years of links individually, so I probably just would not do that and hope the read-only version of Delicious stays up, or maybe I’d just do it for a couple of the most important categories. I’d love hearing any suggestions!

Ok, on to the most recent rewarding reads:

Hermeneutics for Parenting: Study the Word, HT to Story Warren. Though this is in the context of teaching one’s children, when it gets to the part about Bible study, it’s good basic, concise Bible study truth for anyone.

The Rise of Digital Technologies and the Decline of Reading. This is not an “abandon all technology, books are better post.” Some good tips for finding balance and adapting.

Empty Tables: Singleness and Barrenness. “I had to learn my purpose could not be put on hold until I was married. In the same way, I have to learn I am not less than, being withheld from, incomplete, or unable to learn what God has for me to learn in barrenness.”

Do I Want My Children to Be Careful or Take Risks? HT to Story Warren. This is a hard one to balance. I think I erred on the side of carefulness probably too much, but I can see the need to encourage and allow for some degree of risk-taking as well.

Millennial Motherhood: Three Traps For Young Moms.

An Ode to ‘Women of a Certain Age.’ Loved this, especially after just recently passing a “milestone” birthday. I have a lot of living left to do!

5 Practical Steps For Seeking Wisdom through Mentorship, HT to Challies.

Charlottesville, Confederate Memorials, and Southern Culture. A difficult subject, one I certainly don’t have all the answers for, but this sounds like a reasonable approach.

4 Reasons You Shouldn’t Be Colorblind, HT to Lisa.

Sorry, Nobody Wants Your Parents’ Stuff, Advice for Boomers Desperate to Unload Family Heirlooms, HT to Button Floozies. Also linked to the latter was this place which takes old sewing notions and the like: I don’t like the name of the place but I love the idea!

10 Elements of a Light and Bright Space, HT to Linda. This is exactly my style, except for the open shelving (too much to dust!)

Lessons from the Otter on Doing Hard Things, HT to Jessica. Randy Alcorn draws some observations from an otter afraid to go into the water and then finding it’s “what he was made for.” I’ll include the video below. I love this because this is so me! “Sometimes we need to just get our shrieks out of the way as God lowers us toward the water, finally just jump in that water, and discover the wonderful things God has for us!”

Happy Saturday!

(As always, linking to a particular site does not include 100% endorsement of that site.)

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Laudable Linkage

Posted on July 8, 2017 by Barbara Harper

Here are a few of the good reads discovered lately:

The Greatest Work You Can Do, aimed at college students but good for all of us.

Fictitious Forgiveness: Why We Cannot Forgive Ourselves, HT to Challies. “Feeling bad about ourselves over undealt with offenses is God’s objective expression of love, not a feeling to be drowned out by self-actualization and self-pampering.”

Implications or Applications: Biblical Narratives, HT to Proclaim and Defend. Written for preachers but good advice for reading and knowing how to apply Biblical narratives.

Altar of the Feels.

Act Your Age. This is aimed at young men needing to “grow up,” but has some good thoughts for all of us.

Go to Bed for the Glory of God.

6 Surprises Every Premarital Counselor Should Cover, HT to True Woman

Dashing Little Ones Against the Rock HT to Challies. Thoughts on one of the most difficult passages of Scripture.

A few about parenting:

What Your Kids Need Is Your Authentic Christian Life.

Spurgeon’s Secret for Raising Godly Children, HT to Challies. I’d disagree with #8, but otherwise agree with the list.

Teaching Our Children About Work.

And finally, this from Pinterest made me smile.

Happy Saturday!

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Laudable Linkage

Posted on October 3, 2015 by Barbara Harper

Here are a few noteworthy reads discovered in the last week or so:

God of Judgment, God of Grace. Rebekah does a great job of showing that these are not aspects of God from two different testaments, but rather they are both all throughout the Bible, and in the midst God’s judgment are some of the most marvelous displays of His grace.

6 Things I Wish I Had Never Told My Children. I don’t know that I agree with every little thing here, especially the last point (though I agree with what is said underneath it), but it is thought-provoking and a reminder that while we love, nurture, and build up our children, we do need to prepare them realistically for the real world.

Why You Can’t Push Your Kids Into the Kingdom.

The Value of a Life. Should we laugh when our country’s enemies are killed?

A look at the 23 UI changes in iOS 9 that you might have missed. I am sure with each upgrade to a new iOS system for the iPhone or iPad, there is much that it will do that I never know about, so a quick look at an article like this is helpful.

What Is Periscope, and How Do I Use It? I had vaguely heard of this and knew it involved watching people’s videos of what they were doing, but that’s about it. This article explains it all clearly and simply.

Here’s How to Clean Up Your G-mail Inbox, You Hoarder.

And this is adorable: