I recently announced my forthcoming book Seasons of Sorrow: The Pain of Loss and the Comfort of God. In the weeks and months that followed the death of my son Nick, I wrote a series of meditations, some of which I shared through this blog, but many of which I did not. As that first year drew to a close and I came to the first anniversary, I wrote one final meditation, then sent it all to my publisher in the hope that it would be able to bless and serve others. The result is Seasons of Sorrow which will be published on September 13. The book is not a thorough theology of grief or an exhaustive tome on suffering, but neither is it meant to be. It is a real-time, first-person, present-tense series of reflections on the pain that comes with loss and the comfort that God provides. It is my fervent prayer that it will give help, hope, and comfort to others who are enduring hardship as well as to those who may be seeking to help them.

Today I want to tell you about a pre-order offer that we’ve just managed to put together. If you pre-order the book through Westminster Books, you will also receive a printed edition of some supplemental material (while supplies last—one per order). It includes additional chapters along with some especially meaningful quotes and poems from other authors. This has all been printed as a softcover book that combines the words with some beautiful images. It’s a neat little product in its own right that settles nicely alongside the book. (If you have already pre-ordered through Westminster Books, you will receive it automatically.)

Once again, the request from the publisher is this: If you intend to order the book anyway, please consider pre-ordering it as this helps the retailers gauge interest in it.
Please also consider joining Alistair Begg, CityAlight, and yours truly at a special launch event in Nashville.
If you choose to pre-order the book elsewhere or prefer non-printed material, you can still receive the bonus book in a downloadable format through the Seasons of Sorrow site. Simply fill out the small form there and it will be sent to you.
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This week’s Free Stuff Friday is sponsored by Ligonier Ministries. They are offering free admission to ten pairs of winners at their 2023 National Conference.

As Christians are pushed toward the margins of a hostile society, we cannot afford to surrender our convictions or to retreat in fear. By God’s grace, we have the truth that this lost world needs. Now is our time to stand with unrelenting devotion to God’s unchanging Word. Taking place in Orlando on March 23–25, Ligonier’s 2023 National Conference will encourage Christians to live courageously and without compromise amid changing times, finding stability in the eternal truth of God’s Word.
Enter this giveaway today to receive free admission to the 2023 National Conference. Ten winners will be randomly selected, and each winner will receive free entry for two people.
Even if you don’t win admission to Ligonier’s 2023 National Conference, you can still save on your registration with the early-bird discount for a limited time.

Good morning. Grace and peace to you.

There is a good collection of Kindle deals to look at today, headlined by a group of books for women published by Crossway.
(Yesterday on the blog: Great God, Is Life Such an Uncertain Thing?)
The last leaf
Andrée Seu Peterson: “The pestilence angel, no respecter of persons vaxxed or unvaxxed, winged her way to the right address, didn’t knock first, and unpacked her assorted wares: fever, congestion, fatigue, joint aches, and head pains. My father, 97, got a double portion.”
The “priestly caste” of America’s artistic elite
Carl Trueman offers another of his reflections on modern culture. “Goldberg is representative of so many progressively minded people in the media class who talk as other people tweet—with no sense of responsibility, no sensitivity to other people, and no real grasp of what constitutes an argument or even the truth.”
He’s Got This
Sandra Jantzi: “The simplicity of my trust in him causes me to pause. I was fortunate to have a father that never left me wondering if he would take care of me. I realize now what a blessing that is.If only I would think of God in that way.”
Why is “Re-Converting” Easier than Repenting?
“Let me tell you a familiar story from my days in evangelical youth ministry.” Samuel James recounts a story that may sound vaguely familiar to many…
Scalable Platforms
“Many missionaries in the 10/40 window live in what’s been called creative-access countries. In these countries there are no missionary or religious visas available to cross-cultural workers, so they need to have ‘platforms,’ whether business or non-profit, in order to maintain legitimate access.” This becomes an interesting reflection on scalability.
We Didn’t Want the Disruption
“We had life just the way we wanted. Sure, there were things in life that could’ve been better. No life is perfect; there are always things needing updated or changed. But for the most part, life was good. We may have given lip service to God but it was never more than that. Maybe we would pray when something bad happened and, well, something had to be our last resort. It just so happened to be the Creator of the universe.”
Flashback: What Do Hitmen and Porn Watchers Have in Common?
Isn’t it the very height of insanity to expect that people who produce and distribute pornography would care even a little about ethics and morality?

I pray that Christ would always fill me with his grace, hold me by his hand and use me ever in his service. —William Spurstowe