Good morning. Grace and peace to you.

Christmas Is a Happy Day for Broken Hearts
I was asked to write an article for Christianity Today that would speak to those who are grieving at Christmas. “What we wouldn’t give to worship together as a whole family, intact and reunited. What we wouldn’t give to spend this Christmas as we’ve spent so many others, with all of us sitting, singing, and marveling together at the wonder of the day and all it represents.”
Why Such a Lowly Birth?
Jesus could have been born in a very different time or context or set of circumstances. Why did God choose such a lowly birth?
A Front-Row View of the Incarnation
“Who had the best view of the Incarnation? Mary, the mother of Jesus, is certainly a good nomination. So is Joseph, Jesus’s father. It might seem odd to suggest one of Jesus’s disciples in place of his parents. After all, they only spent three years with him. However, there is (at least) one incident in Jesus’s ministry that shows his disciples had a perspective not available to Mary or Joseph.”
Christmas Amid Chaos
Carl Trueman: “Hopefully 2023 will witness significant levels of interest in The Abolition of Man and provoke useful contributions to the field of theological anthropology. In the interim, Christmas offers Christians everywhere the opportunity to reflect once again on the Incarnation, sing of its glorious mystery, and make connections to a rich understanding of what it means to be human.”
Rethink Female Bravery
This interesting article at TGC considers why female bravery is so often portrayed as necessitating physical strength. “Why is physical dominance our measure for brave women? Why is heroism reserved for the person in charge—or the person with the weapon? Why aren’t there more stories that honor daring in the ordinary?”
Faith Lifts Our Eyes Up
Adam Kareus reflects on the death of his brother. “Faith demands we see beyond the pain of the moment to the One who loves us, who gave His Son for us, and who will wipe every tear away. A faith in Jesus Christ is an eye lifting faith, lifting our eyes to the One who stands above.”
Why Did Jesus Come to Earth?
“‘Because he loves us,’ said my little girl with a big, knowing grin as she fidgeted in her seat, probably wondering why her daddy was asking her another question about Jesus. That wasn’t the answer I was looking for, for the record.” But maybe it’s not such a bad answer.
Flashback: The 2 Kinds of Blog
Broadly speaking, there are two kinds of blog. There are blogs that provide a platform for content creation and there are blogs that provide a platform for content curation…Both kinds of blog can be very successful and both kinds can be very helpful.

My faith rests not in what I am, or shall be, or feel, or know, but in what Christ is, in what he has done, and in what he is doing for me. —Charles Spurgeon

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you today.
Today’s Kindle deals include a few new options for collectors.
(Yesterday on the blog: The Night Is Far Gone)

This is a really good article with a really good point to make. “We are responsible for the fields of our lives, for the tending of their soil and for the seeds that we plant within them. Unless we are vigilant in weeding our lives, in taking care over the seeds planted within them, and in inspecting what each seed yields, it may not take long for our entire characters to be overrun by error or made barren and fruitless.”

Lara has a sweet article for those whose fathers may have been unfatherly. “This is our Heavenly Father. Though our earthly dads were meant to reflect him, he in no way mirrors them. Take courage, and run with abandon to the open arms of your Father. He is not like the great mighty stars piercing the blackness of the sky, distant and making you feel insignificant and small. He is the father running toward the prodigal and commanding feasts and celebration over him.”

Kathryn Butler explains what hospice care is and what we should expect when a loved one enters into it.

The struggles and suffering of those who experience panic attacks is real. This article explains some of the basics.

This may be a helpful resource for your church—an explanation of how and why to write a mission policy. It includes a very good example of one.

This is an in-depth look at how a wolf attacked a church and the tactics he used. It’s helpful reading for any church leader or member.

We judge other people’s actions with the harshest of measures but treat our own with the softest. After all, we tend to grow fond of our sins, and especially those besetting sins. 

It is not as important to God that we understand his purposes in a particular providence as it is that we trust in his character.
—Jon Bloom

The God of peace be with you today.

Samuel James considers the rise of sports betting and how it affects our confidence in the games we love. He bridges from there into a discussion of plausibility structures and other interesting matters.

Rebekah Matt tells how marriage is a kind of crucible. She also explains what the Lord means to accomplish through it.

John Piper says: “I hope you’ll be part of this conference and come and learn what God might be pleased to do in your life and our lives—to see His great commission finished and the Bible and the gospel spread to all the peoples of the world.” Join us for The Missionary Conference, October 16-18 in Jacksonville, FL. (Sponsored)

“There is something about me that always wants to be in control. If I am sick, I want to outlearn the disease and overcome it. If relationships start to fail, I want to be able to charm them back to life. We all desire control.”

Garrett Kell considers what temptation is and is not. “Understanding the nature of temptation should sober us. It reminds us that no matter how good temptation makes sin appear, it’s a mirage. … Temptation stokes pride and tells you that you deserve to be at the center of the universe. Indulging in its fleeting offerings only leaves us empty and full of regret.”

“Nothing hurts as badly as the loss of a loved one. We were not created or designed to experience separation from those whom we hold dear. … Our souls cry out to hear the voices of those we love, to feel their arms wrapped around us, to look into their eyes and get lost in their souls once again. The ache is vast, overwhelming, and often indescribable. It’s a raging storm of hurt, fear, sadness, and anger. And if we are not careful, it can overtake us. How can a believer make it through the loss of a loved one well?”

“Society is saturated with apologizers. Every which way we turn, someone is apologizing for something because it offended someone. It’s a vicious cycle. And Christians are, in part, included in this mess. We may not necessarily say, ‘I’m sorry’ for a particular doctrine or Bible verse, but we sometimes may try to downplay it in order to soften its blow. Don’t soften the blow.”

Here are a couple of objects I discovered in my round-the-world Epic journey that help tell the story of Easter.

When God does not give us the things we plead for, he will give us grace to do without them; and if we accept his decision sweetly and trustingly — he will enable us to go on rejoicing.
—J.R. Miller