Here is a collection of good reads gathered from across the internet this past week. Enjoy!
On why we need to know our Bibles better than we know what’s on blogs or in books: Books, Blogs, and the Importance of Knowing My Bible by Mike Leake
So it is very important that I keep this in mind as I read through all of these books and blog posts. I want to follow Jesus and be the best husband and daddy that I can be. But I’m also a bonehead who is being slowly (oh so painfully slow) transformed into the likeness of Jesus. He is my standard. I never can meet that standard. But he has graciously provided for me. He accepts me because He accepts His own perfect work. (click here to read more)
On what to do when you feel spiritually dry: What to do When You Are in a Spiritual Dry Spell by Scott Slayton
Our prayer life suffers the most during dry spells. We feel distant from God, so we don’t pray because we find it discouraging and this only leads to a further sense of alienation from God. When you struggle to pray, try praying through several Psalms to reinvigorate your time in prayer. These words inspired by the Holy Spirit give us a vocabulary for prayer and remind us that other people who know God walk through the same periods of darkness that we do. (click here to read more)
On prayer and school: Pray for Your Child’s Teacher by Shane Pruitt
Teachers literally shape and mold future generations. When people are asked, “Who was the most influential person in your life?” the most common response is a parent and a very close second is a teacher. As your children head back to school, you’re entrusting them to a teacher. These men and women are simply human beings; this means they’ll make mistakes, they value encouragement, they appreciate patience, and they surely need your prayers.
In asking some real-life teachers, “How would you want the parents of your students to pray for you this year?” here is a prayer list of what they shared: (click here to read more)
On being “true to yourself”: The Exhausting Task of Finding Your Best Life Now by Trevin Wax
What should we do? The world says pursue happiness, whatever the cost, by becoming the best version of “you” possible. Look inside for salvation, and then look outside for affirmation.
The problem is, “the curated version of you that lives online also feels hopelessly polished and inaccurate,” Havrilesky writes, “and you feel, somehow, that you alone are the inauthentic one.” Show your true self and you’ll be shamed. Another problem is that this pursuit of happiness—finding yourself and being true to whatever authentic person you decide to be—turns out to be rather exhausting. (click here to read more)
First Baptist Church 