Recommended March 24
Sharing whatever is good...
Welcome to the March round up of things I have read, watched, and listened to over the last few weeks which I highly recommend. May you be encouraged, inspired and comforted. Let’s dive in…
‘I used to be afraid of God’s will. And that’s because, ultimately, I was afraid of God.’
‘They quickly learned the lesson that you can’t tell a strong-willed daughter, “No.” Strong-willed daughters don’t listen very well.’
Dr Diana Pavlac Glyer shares further thoughts on intellectual hospitality. There is wisdom here for all our relationships and ultimately our witness for Christ.
Michael Kruger on one of the core markers of early Christian identity.
‘Most notably, in the middle of the story the proconsul asks a Christian named Speratus, “What do you have in your satchel?” Speratus replies, “Books and letters of Paul, a righteous man.”
‘The Gospel includes some hard news that is also obvious: the universe and everything in it is wearing down all the time, and we ourselves are more damaged, unfinished, and stubbornly sinful than we realize.’
And gets honest about seeking approval and insecurity.
‘In modern terms, we call it people pleasing or the chameleon syndrome. It shows up whenever the image-conscious, approval-hungry part of us “changes colors” in hopes of blending in nicely with the environment we are in and the people whose rejection, scorn, and belittling we dread the most. In short, we want to be loved and liked. And if we aren’t, we hide.’
Ruth Clemence interviews Clive Bowsher about his latest book ‘One: Being United to Jesus Changes Everything’.
‘I was convinced about who Jesus was. I was convinced that He was raised from the dead, but I had a wobbly understanding and not a rich enough understanding of who God is, what His heart is like, and how Christ gives Himself to us in a very personal way.’
The Discerning Leader Podcast on the spiritual practice of confession.
‘Confession breaks us out of hiding and living a shame-filled life. The invitation to confession is light and life. Confession is not limited to our sin but also includes our confession of our faith in God. This episode includes a guided reflection to help you practice confession.’
A Rabbit Room conversation on music, grief and lamentation.
- writes for Risen Motherhood on starting small, but starting now as we teach our children.
‘Beyond hot-button issues, we also long to teach our children knowledge of God’s Word—yet even the riches found in Scripture can overwhelm our limited ability. The passage we read at the kitchen table floods us with options: should we highlight the attributes of God, point to the traces of Jesus, or narrow in on the nature of man? Podcasts, sermons, and books fill us with information we want to impart to our children, but our exhausted minds often don’t know how. It feels like too much.’
‘The daffodils know where their life comes from, and they boldly stand facing the source, bringing hope and beauty to a land still chilled by morning frost. They are harbingers of Spring, one of the first signs of life when everything else appears dead.’
The Discerning Leader Podcast on the spiritual practice of gratitude.
‘Matt shares how gratitude is a remedy towards entitlement, the belief that God or others owe us something. Gratitude works in our discontentment, self-centeredness, and selfish ambition.’
‘Questions have to be asked about how people like John Berridge were able to function and even succeed in a church culture that allowed him to check the boxes of religious activity yet spur the notion of genuine discipleship. It would be easy to see this as an 18th century problem, but the truth is that it remains a nagging issue in our time.’
‘I considered myself a Christian psychologist, but what I offered people was secular therapy (rooted in humanistic philosophy) with an openness to discuss faith if they so desired.’
Grace Leuenberger asks what is a body for?
‘Should a body be displayed, concealed away, or something in between? Should it be intoxicated, amended, or manipulated by elixirs unseen? Can you only whisper what’s wrong because your brokenness feels like a crime that you can never confess? Do you wonder if anyone else wonders what you wonder? Do your tears taste bitter? Do you know you are Someone’s beloved?’
‘That we open ourselves to growing in wisdom. That we cherish the act of investing our limited time to others. That we don’t suffer through the nostalgic yearning to go back and cling to a particular moment in the past, but that we press on savoring the present one.’
Owen Strachan in discussion with Paul Tautges on identity in Christ.
Last but certainly not least, this song by Eliza King and Ben Potter.
Grace and peace to you and yours,
Ishah Xx
Thank you for sharing my work!