I believe that God ordains every detail of our lives (Psalm 139:16), and that these details allow us to bring Him glory in unique ways. I have seen this clearly in my life. Even before I learned to read, I loved stories. And when I did learn to read, I constantly asked my teachers and librarians for more and better reading suggestions. After my parents went to bed, I often turned on the lamp in ...
My footsteps fall with a crunch, as I tramp through the nearly silent, predawn forest. The only sounds that float on the air are those of my gingerly obnoxious footfalls and the call of a single songbird as it preemptively declares the dawning of a new day. My pant legs already hang wet from the morning’s dew as I quicken my footsteps through the undergrowth on my way to witness one ...
A Change in Choosing and a Change of Heart Although my navigation skills are slightly below average, there are several places I can drive without confusion. One of these places is the library in Lowell, Michigan. During my middle school years, the shelves in this library were familiar territory. I repeatedly returned to these shelves and perused–sometimes for hours–accumulating a small stack of books to read. Historical fiction and mystery were my favorite genres, and I ...
Increasingly more often in the news, reports pop up about music programs slashed, or art classes cut. With the current financial climate, budgets are tight, and when push comes to shove, funding for the arts is the first to be “reallocated”. It is not that the research proves that art programs are detrimental to a child’s development, in reality it is soundly proven otherwise. Rather, it is more often that the drive to have students ...
Just this weekend, I decided to watch A Walk to Remember with my friend. Both of us had talked about how much we loved the movie as jr. high and high schoolers, and although somewhat doubtful if we would still enjoy it, we decided to grab some popcorn, blankets, and buckle down for a good cry. Admittedly, we found we still enjoyed it (although we talked through the majority of the film) and still got teary-eyed ...
Sacred vs Secular is an age-old argument. I do not presume to be able to add anything of new significance to this discussion, but I will attempt to articulate my understanding of the issue. When trying to formulate an opinion on any matter, the primary stop should always be the Bible. As is usually the case, the Bible is not silent on this issue. There are numerous instances in which God designates something as sacred; such ...
I deeply appreciate this blog post by Tim Challies on the Christian celebrity. Challies’ post led me to contemplate not only the idea of the Christian celebrity, but also how the Christian celebrity affects my job in publishing. Challies carefully states that esteeming talented Christians is not all bad: when we honor people for their God-given talents we honor God, who created them with these talents. But Challies incisively argues that “We cross into a culture ...
Jon Acuff, popular author of Stuff Christians Like, wrote this short blog post encouraging men not to use Pinterest. After reading this post and examining Jon’s Pinterest boards, in what ways would you say Jon fits the definition of a proclaimer? In what ways does he fit the definition of a transformer? (If you are not yet familiar with these terms, please read my review of Prophetically Incorrect.)
“What exactly did David do in South Africa?” I asked my mom. “He built radio towers so the Bible could be broadcasted into remote areas,” she answered. “So did he preach to the locals or lead any other ministries?” I asked. “No,” she said. “He did work with some locals, but that was in construction and engineering. I don’t think he was trying to evangelize to them.” This conversation, which occurred regrettably recently, reveals how my mind has been ...
What is it about Amish and Prairie Books that so appeals to believers today? Right now there is an entire genre of women’s Christian fiction that centers around 1800′s America– and surprisingly it does exceptionally well in today’s market. Is it because this genre is marketed to the generation that grew up watching Little House on the Prairie and now they want to read something that makes them feel nostalgic? Is it because readers want the apparent stability that ...
I recently went to the library to find some books on the subject of art and the church, and stumbled on this collection of essays. The latest essay I read was entitled “The Art Patron: Someone Who Can’t Draw a Straight Line Tries to Defend Her Art-Buying Habit”, written by Lauren F. Winner. The author had gone to a signing for a book she had just finished, and a student confronted her about purchasing a ...
Christians are the priesthood of believers, yes (1 Peter 2:9). But professors Robert H. Woods Jr. and Paul D. Patton, in their book Prophetically Incorrect, argue that we must also be small-p prophets in the way we interact with media. As prophets, not all of us will be called to roam naked for three years (as Isaiah did) or cook food over fecal matter (as Ezekiel did). But, as prophets, we will be called to ...
Written in nineteen eighty-five, Neil Postman’s book Amusing, Ourselves to Death. delves into the concepts of public discourse in a time when Postman believed television was taking precedence over the print Media. Postman based his arguments on Aldous Huxley’s idea that, “what we love will ruin us” leading him to state that, “Our politics, religion, news, athletics, education and commerce have been transformed into congenial adjuncts of show business, largely with out protest or even ...
