The Lord bless you and keep you today.

Wordle and Our Longing for the Limited
Chris Martin reflects on an interesting cultural phenomenon: “The most consequential cultural phenomenon of this, the year of our Lord, 2022 is a once-a-day word game made by a computer coder for his significant other.”
Laughter 101: Why Humor Matters for the Christian Life
“How many philosophers does it take to explain a joke? Quite a few, as it turns out. And not only philosophers. Psychologists, sociologists, and anthropologists have exerted themselves to explain exactly what makes people laugh. Although everybody understands intuitively what humor is, the concept of humor is still elusive, being difficult to define in a way that encompasses all of its facets.”
About Radius International Church-Planting Training
In this short video Brooks Buser, President of Radius International talks about church-planting training for missionary candidates going to unreached language groups. Learn how Radius can be a benefit to your church and mission candidates. (Sponsored Link)
Does the Woman Caught in Adultery Belong in the Bible?
“The story of the Woman Caught in Adultery (John 7:53–8:11) is arguably one of the most beloved Jesus stories in the New Testament … However, the story is missing from some ancient manuscripts of John, as noted already by early church fathers like Jerome and Augustine. For this and other reasons, a majority of modern scholars regard the passage as a later insertion, and some even want to remove it altogether from our Bibles.” Here’s one take on the passage…
Boycott China’s Winter Olympics? Many American Christians Agree
CT covers the issues of boycotting the Olympics because of China’s persecution of Christians, Uyghurs, and others.
I Was Patient Before Having Kids
Erik Raymond: “Recently a friend said, ‘I was much more patient before I had kids.’ Saying this tongue in cheek, he meant that he’s realized that since becoming a dad, he struggles with patience. Now we know that having children doesn’t evaporate the parent’s reservoir of patience they previously enjoyed. Instead, being a parent presents a new set of challenges that reveal a lack of patience that was already there.”
When Pressing “Unfollow” is Not an Option
“How does one navigate the complexities of the modern age? What do we do when an opposing point of view is not encountered on a screen, but rather, face-to-face? What do we do when a coworker disagrees with us on a matter we deem important? How do we interact with an instructor who promotes an idea different from our held beliefs?”
Flashback: God, Protect My Girls
One of my most common prayers for my girls is a prayer for their protection. Here is how I pray for God to protect them.

God is the best friend, but the worst enemy. If he can look men into their grave how far can he throw them? —Thomas Watson

Every day I put together a list of six articles for you to enjoy. Every now and again I think the list is particularly strong. And, as it happens, today is one of those days. We are spoiled by so much good writing!
We are also spoiled to have access to so many great Kindle deals.
(Yesterday on the blog: Like an iPhone, Only Much More So)

“The passage from frozen deadness to free-flowing water is different each year. Some years it is a slow, gradual, barely-noticeable transition as more and more glades form and join together to become open runways of moving water. Other years, it’s much more dramatic as the ice creaks and groans, often shaking our house as it shifts. Then, out of nowhere, a vast flow of ice from up river charges, jolts, and rips winter’s hold.”

“This winter I was literally stopped in my tracks, in the woods, on a snowy evening, by mitral valve disease and found myself slowed down from my usual 45-year-old pace of classroom music teaching. At first this seemed like a hardship to me, something I would have to endure.  I’d have to drop some calendared events, and I’d have to wind down my running activities.”

Does this video about the Trinity mean SBTS is going back to posting regular short-form videos from its professors? Here’s hoping!

Sylvia reflects on those times we deal with failure or rejection.

Justin considers preppers and the most important set of skills that may serve in the impending apocalypse.

Here’s an issue I expect we will hear a lot more about in the days to come: the role of AI in Bible translation. “One of the most important aspects of any translation project is the Godly lives of the translation team demonstrating the reality and relevance of the message long before the words emerge from the printer. As one African church leader put it, ‘we want to see the Holy Spirit in the lives of the translators long before we see the words Holy Spirit on the page’.”

It is not wrong to feel, but it is not enough. Feelings will not sustain us when the world turns against us. Feelings will not sustain us when enemies rise up to oppose our faith. 

Prayer is never about asking God to submit his awesome power to your will and plan; prayer is an act of personal submission to the always-right will of God.
—Paul David Tripp

I’m finishing up a conference in Fiji today (which I guess is tomorrow if you’re in North America—the International Date Line is endlessly confusing). It has been a tremendous blessing to get to know the believers here and to see how the Lord is at work in these little islands. I’m so thankful for the faithful legacy of The College of Theology & Evangelism Fiji.

Westminster Books has a deal on a new book that seems to be getting lots of attention.
(Yesterday on the blog: My System for Remembering and Re-Encountering What I Read)
As Long As You Know You’re Nobody Very Special
Darryl wants you to know that you’re nobody very special (and that admitting this is very freeing).
The Finished Work of Christ
David explains why “the finished work of Christ” is one of his favorite phrases.
As Slow As It Takes
”When we came to the field we thought that we were already on the slow track when it came to leadership development. Many popular missions methodologies advocate handing over significant authority to new believers very quickly, within a matter of weeks or months. Some even have unbelievers facilitating and leading Bible studies.” But here’s what that’s often not a wise idea.
Sing We The Song of Emmanuel (Video)
Getty Music has a new lyric video for the Christmas hymn “Sing We the Song of Emmanuel.”
How to Disagree Theologically
This is a good example of holding strong convictions with gentle charity.
Unborn Images Matter
“Abortionist Dr. Joan Fleischman says she sometimes shows her patients the pregnancy tissue she removes after an abortion. She says that post-abortive women are ‘stunned by what it actually looks like,’ and the women ‘feel they’ve been deceived.’” STR tells who is actually being deceptive.
Flashback: Fears and Fleeting Faith
In their troubles they fled to Jesus. In their uncertainty they cried out to their master. But they came to him in fear and doubt, not in faith.

The Bible is not only a book which was once spoken, but a book which is now speaking. —A.W. Tozer