Good morning. May the Lord bless and keep you today.

Westminster Books has a collection of new and especially noteworthy books on sale.
(Yesterday on the blog: My New Book Is Out: Knowing and Enjoying God)
How To Make Sense Of The Conflict In Nigeria
Oyewole Akande provides a helpful guide to the ongoing conflict in Nigeria. “The security situation in Nigeria is complicated to understand, even for those of us living in Nigeria. There are at least five separate but overlapping armed conflicts going on simultaneously in our country. Below I will give a brief overview of each. I’ll also provide a few links for those who wish to do further reading and reflection.”
ABBA: Band of the Boomers
Mary Harrington explains why ABBA kind of stands in for so many in the Boomer generation. “It’s not clear whether the band will perform as themselves at their ‘Voyage’ events. But why should they? They’ve arguably just come closer than Ray Kurzweil has managed yet to achieving boomer apotheosis: eternally perky, fresh, un-dying versions of their youthful selves, able to continue indefinitely doing what those younger selves did, without ever getting tired, ill or divorced.”
No Purpose For Old Folks
I enjoyed this little story and the point it makes.
A Song for All My Days
Cindy Matson: “As the just Lawmaker, God makes no arbitrary rules. Though some of the Laws in the Old Testament may appear foolish to our modern ears (Why can’t we have two types of fabric in one piece of clothing?), each flowed from an upright Lawmaker who made each ordinance in perfect harmony with His character. Even the most abstruse and baffling laws to us are perfectly righteous and just.”
The World Needs Your Story
“‘All dreams deserve to be seen, and all stories deserve to be shared,’ said the Netflix ad. ‘The world needs your story. Show them!’ But that wasn’t the real point—it was an ad, after all—so it ended with ‘Discover the world’s stories.’ On Netflix, of course. But Netflix isn’t showing my story among ‘the world’s stories…’”
Jesus’ Ministry to a Lipreader
“Why did Mark, the gospel writer, use the Aramaic word ‘Ephphatha’ in Mark 7:34? Just sounding out the word is an exercise in oral calisthenics.” Here’s an interesting explanation.
It Is a Terrible Thing for a Sheep to Go Astray
“In Lancefield in Victoria last year, some people found a lost sheep. This sheep had once belonged to someone, but she had obviously been living by herself for several years.” It reminds us why Jesus drew the comparison between sheep and people!
Flashback: What’s the Point? (Alternative Ways to Frame Your Sermon)
I believe there are often better ways of framing a sermon than falling back on “point one,” “point two,” and “point three.”

Is there any reason that a righteous God ought to be loving toward a creature who hates Him and rebels constantly against His divine authority and holiness? —R.C. Sproul

Every month I put together a roundup of new and notable books for grownup readers. But I also receive a lot of books for kids and like to put together the occasional roundup of these books as well. So today I bring you a whole big batch of new books for kids.

Little Me, Big God: Stories about Jesus: Eight True Stories from the Bible by Steph Williams. “How many people did Jesus feed with one boy’s lunch? Why did a dad run down a road? What happened when Jesus’s disciples stopped some children who wanted to talk to him? And why did Jesus die on a cross? Enjoy reading eight Gospel stories, retold in a faithful and fun way for 2-4-year-olds. Toddlers and preschoolers will love the colorful, exciting illustrations, and older ones can get to grips with the “extra bits” that go deeper into each story. This hardback collection of eight stories from the ‘Little Me, Big God’ series is a great addition to any young child’s bookshelf or children’s ministry range and makes an ideal gift. Can also be used in children’s ministry.” (Amazon, Westminster Books)

It’s Good to Be a Girl: A Celebration of All That God Made You to Be by Jen & Zoe Oshman. “This beautifully illustrated book celebrates that God made girls in his image and explores all the wonderful things he designed them to be and to do. Girls aged 3-7 will learn that they are good and necessary, how God calls different women to do different things, and how trusting in Jesus is the key to help us love and serve others wherever we are. Follow along as a little girl learns from her mother all about real women from the Bible and later history. Together they imagine lots of different ways in which we can reflect God’s character and help those around us today, whether that’s through being a mom or a missionary, a truck driver or a teacher!” (Amazon, Westminster Books)

Your Amazing Hands: A Training Young Hearts Rhyming Book by Abbey Wedgeworth. “This charming rhyming book celebrates God’s good design for our hands, motivating children aged 3+ to use their hands to glorify God. Children will be inspired by all the creative and interesting things their hands can do―they can even use them to bring comfort and joy to others! They’ll discover that Jesus had hands just like ours and that he always used his hands in the most amazing ways, including to save us. Not only that: the way that Jesus used his hands means that we can be forgiven when we use our hands in the wrong way. Children are invited to pray for forgiveness when they make mistakes, and for help to use their hands in the ways God intends. The book’s fun rhyming style and colorful illustrations make it easy to engage with this life-altering message of repentance, forgiveness, and grace-fueled obedience.” (Amazon, Westminster Books)

The Man in the Tree and the Brand New Start: A True Story about Zacchaeus and the Difference Knowing Jesus Makes by Carl Laferton. “Teach children that genuine faith in Jesus leads to a transformed life. Zacchaeus was very short, very rich, and not very happy, but his encounter with Jesus changed everything. In response to the grace Jesus showed him, Zacchaeus was transformed from the inside out. He repented, treasured Jesus above everything else, and showed kindness and generosity to others like never before. Use this story to teach children that only following Jesus will make them truly happy and fulfilled, and that genuine repentance and faith is demonstrated by loving others.” (Amazon, Westminster Books)

Jesus, Strong and Kind by Sinclair Ferguson. “Respected pastor and author, Sinclair Ferguson, uses the words of the popular children’s song to help kids understand that they can always run to Jesus in this beautifully illustrated book. Using the words from the popular children’s song by CityAlight and Colin Buchanan, and stories from the Bible, Sinclair Ferguson shows children how they can turn to Jesus when they feel afraid, lost, thirsty or weak. He shows that God is powerful and merciful, good and faithful. The beautiful colour illustrations by Angelo Ruta bring this hardback to life. An essential addition to any family’s library.” (Amazon, Westminster Books)

Abigail and the Big Start Over by Bethany McIlrath. “Like many kids, adventurous and creative 9-year-old Abigail experiences lots of ups and downs when it comes to school life, making friends, and getting along with parents and siblings. Through both the humorous and serious challenges that arise, Abigail finds herself in one new mess after another. But as she learns all about how Jesus forgave Peter when he messed up again and again, she sees how Jesus can forgive her too. Readers will explore the Bible alongside Abigail and learn that God’s love for us and his grace to us never run out. So we can start over again and again! This fun, exciting novel for kids aged 7+ features short chapters with illustrations that really bring the story to life. It explains grace in a kid-friendly way that is relevant to their lives, and it provides a great way for kids to engage with the Bible.” (Amazon, Westminster Books)

Jesus’ Stories: A Family Parable Devotional by Carine MacKenzie. “Beloved children’s author Carine Mackenzie unfolds the parables of Jesus for families to enjoy together. Carine Mackenzie, whose children’s books have sold millions of copies worldwide, takes the stories that Jesus used to teach his listeners about God’s way, and unpacks them in a way that the whole family can enjoy together. The short stories teach about things like prayer, forgiveness, and the Kingdom of God, and Carine’s knowledge of how to help children understand the meaning behind the story shines through. With beautiful colour illustrations, this book will be a great addition to your family’s library.” (Amazon, Westminster Books)

Any Time, Any Place, Any Prayer Family Bible Devotional by Katy Morgan. “This devotional is a chance to take your family on a journey through the story of prayer in the Bible. It is based on the popular storybook by Laura Wifler, co-founder of Risen Motherhood, which explores prayer: from the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve talked with God face to face, through Old Testament examples and the teaching of Jesus, all the way to the promise of the new creation, where we’ll dwell with God forever. These 10-minute devotions are designed to be easy to lead and fun to do. They will help your family to learn to pray with confidence, anytime, anyplace. They are ideal for kids aged 5-11.” (Amazon, Westminster Books)

Cassie & Caleb Discover God’s Wonderful Design by Susan & Richie Hunt. “Boys and girls, from 5 to 8 years of age, will love the fun world of Cassie and Caleb, two energetic and inquisitive children discovering the beauty of God’s wonderful design. Through twenty beautifully illustrated short stories, followed by an interactive time between parent and child, your children will learn: The creational principle that ‘God created man in his own image . . . male and female he created them’ is extraordinary; That Jesus is in all of Scripture; that God’s Word is our authority and His Glory is our purpose; That when we belong to Jesus we belong to His covenant family, the Church; A Biblical framework for living and thinking. (Amazon, Westminster Books)

God’s Go-Togethers: A Celebration of God’s Design for People by Sam Allberry. “What special pairs are part of God’s good plan? Join siblings Lila and Ethan at the beach as they discover that God not only made the sand and sea to go together, but He made men and women to go together too. In fact, they’re the pinnacle of His good creation! In this colorful picture book–a follow-up to the book God’s Signpost–author Sam Allberry offers a thoughtful look at the biblical design for people. God’s Go-Togethers is a helpful foundation for explaining why God made men and women as a special pair to complement each other in marriage and beyond.” (Amazon, Westminster Books)

Dinner with the King: How King David’s Invitation Shows Us God’s Love by Paul Tautges. “A scary invitation turns out to be very good news in this playfully illustrated, deeply biblical book for kids ages 5-9. Discover how David’s grace to Mephibosheth points to our gospel hope.” (Amazon, Westminster Books)

I offer two brief reminders today: first, much of the daily content of this site is available in Spanish at es.challies.com; second, the quotes I share every day are available to download for free at SquareQuotes.

Westminster Books has the excellent Gospel-Centered Life Bible study series on sale.
Today’s Kindle deals feature some excellent books by J.I. Packer.
The God Who Has Been My Shepherd All My Life Long
Sometimes the simplest observations are the most encouraging, and that’s the case with this one from Paul Tautges.
On Epic Stands, Great Men, and the Church Catholic
Michael Haykin makes a very interesting claim here, and one he has come to after a lifetime of studying church history: “God never does a great work in the history of the Church except through a band of brothers and sisters. This is true of the Ancient Church, the Celtic Church and its powerful missions, the Reformation, the Puritans, and the Evangelical Revivals of the 18th century.”
Imagining Your “Well Done”
You may have heard about the idea of writing your own eulogy, then living in such a way as to make it true. Reagan Rose offers what may be a better alternative.
Holy Distractions
And while we are in the realm of productivity, here’s an article from Jon Bloom: “The ever-growing body of literature on productivity overwhelmingly agrees with what we all know by experience: interruptions reduce our productivity. So naturally, most of the literature focuses on ways we can reduce our interruptions because they distract us from productive work.”
Bible Study is Hard Work (And That is OK).
Bible study is hard work and Craig Thompson explains why that’s not a bad thing.
Good Medicine
Kristin shares a funny story and tells why such memories matter.
Flashback: God Hates Pride
Is there any trait more deceptive? Is there any vice easier to see in others, but harder to see in ourselves? We despise its presence in them, but defend its presence in us.

We think of suffering or feebleness as a misfortune. It is not altogether so, however, if it makes us dearer and brings us nearer to the heart of Christ. —J.R. Miller