It’s been a bit quiet on the blog front the past few days because Shona and I have been speaking at a conference at Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, Florida, where Tom Ascol and Jared Longshore are the pastors. We tagged on three days vacation with a few of our kids at the end of it. Normal service will be resumed in a couple of days.
Many thanks to Tom, Jared, and the congregation for their warm fellowship and generous hospitality over the past weekend. It was all the more memorable for us because it was the first conference Shona had spoken at, and she did so in connection with her book, Refresh: Embracing a Grace-Paced Life in a World of Endless Demands.
Hannah Asco, Donna Ascol, Tom Ascol, David Murray, Shona Murray, Amy Murray, Joni Murray, Scot Murray
Here are some of the articles I’ve been reading the past few days.
Do You Sleep Less Than Jesus?
“The Word became flesh and slept among us. God himself in full humanity — body, heart, mind, and will — closed his eyes and went to sleep. And not once or twice, but every day.”
How the Church Helps Trauma Survivors
The second article in Todd Hardin’s series on PTSD. I love Todd’s holistic approach to biblical counseling.
When Combat Trauma Tests a Marriage
“Treatment of PTSD requires the expertise of mental health professionals. However, the need for a professional counselor never negates the need for a loving church family. The church is uniquely positioned to wrap around both veterans and their families: loving them, supporting them, and praying for them. A strong support system—like what a church family can offer—is crucial for healing.
Frustrated with a Friend
What do you do when a scholar you admire writes a disappointing chapter that undermines the Messianic Psalms?
How to Be Busy but in Balance
Written by one of the busiest men still alive:
“Perhaps the first step is to stop working, spend some time with God, and seek understanding as to what he is saying about your work. After all, he is our model; he is the one who calls us to work hard and to enjoy rest.
Facebook founding president sounds alarm
The founding President of Facebook takes us behind the curtain.
“The thought process that went into building these applications, Facebook being the first of them, was all about: ‘How do we consume as much of your time and conscious attention as possible?’” “That means that we need to sort of give you a little dopamine hit every once in a while, because someone liked or commented on a photo or a post or whatever. And that’s going to get you to contribute more content, and that’s going to get you… more likes and comments.”
Kindle Books
Fool’s Talk: Recovering the Art of Christian Persuasion by Os Guinness $5.99.
The Making of an Atheist: How Immorality Leads to Unbelief by James Spiegel $2.51.
Saturate: Being Disciples of Jesus in the Everyday Stuff of Life by Jeff Vanderstelt $4.99.
Gospel-Centered Discipleship by Jonathan K. Dodson $4.99.