A La Carte (April 1)
Good morning from Kitwe, Zambia. I’m here this week to speak at an event for writers. Prayers are appreciated!
If all goes well, you should find hundreds of great Kindle deals available today—commentaries, Bible resources, and much more. Start here for a short list and then go here for a much longer one. I’ll try to have the list all updated by early morning.
(Yesterday on the blog: Combat Anxiety Through Surrender)
John Piper evaluates Jordan Peterson’s perspective on happiness. “Jordan Peterson is negative about happiness as the aim of life because he defines happiness as fleeting, unpredictable, impulsive, and superficial rather than as deep, lasting, soul-satisfying, rooted in God, and expanding in love. He’s probably right that for most people, happiness is experienced as fleeting, superficial, unpredictable…”
I enjoyed Dan’s tribute to the humble cup of church coffee.
Andrew Roycroft considers the show Adolescence and writes about it for the benefit of a younger audience. “Greetings from the world of Substack. I’m not sure how familiar you are with this platform, but I have a feeling that it might be the domain of people you view as outside of your age group. Thanks for venturing into this space, if so!”
Chap Bettis suggests “five different spiritual habits or rhythms that you can bring into your home that will bring blessing.”
This is a true and encouraging story. “All four ladies were chatting pleasantly as they drove up to the intersection. Adaleen’s window was halfway down due to the hot temperatures outside. Out of nowhere the assailant’s hand reached in through the open window and pulled the keys out of the ignition, stalling the car. Shock gripped all the women.”
Brett McCracken considers Love Is Blind and how it is “fascinating as a reflection of our culture’s widening gender divide over politics and as a strong warning against ‘unequally yoked’ dating when key values and spiritual convictions diverge.”
As I listen and ask follow-up questions, I learn—I learn to appreciate what I have often never considered before and even what doesn’t especially enthuse me. God is good to give human beings skills and passions and good to allow us to express them in our vocations.
A profession of faith doesn’t justify anybody. It’s the possession of faith that justifies.
—R.C. Sproul