Here’s a list of articles, music, and blog posts from around the web. Everything listed here was encouraging, helpful, or informative to me during the month of January. I hope it blesses you.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
– Philippians 4:8
1. Grief Should Always Make Us Better
Death is often spontaneous. It comes when we least expect it. Tim Challies has written a moving piece about processing grief and recovering from it. In his case, sadly, he’s processing the death of his son. Challies shares some inspiring words about not wasting suffering, but rather, allowing it to make us better.
2. Mindfulness, Narcissism, and the Solution to Self-Centredness
Modern mindfulness and meditative practices teach us to focus on nothingness. The problem with such an approach to spirituality, according to this article, is that our ego rises to the surface and we begin to feel superior to our peers. As the article helpfully explains, the Bible and Christianity points us to Christ-centeredness, not self-centeredness.
3. No One Ever Cared for Me Like Jesus
This one has been out for a little while, however, I just discovered it. It brought me to tears when I first heard it. I hope it draws you closer to him.
According to Scott Hubbard, “a husband is a man who practices husbandry, or cultivation. Like a master gardener, his job is to so nurture and tend to his wife that she brings forth flowers.” Married men, are you a cultivator of your wife’s character? If not, you should carefully consider your calling. This article has some great insight for men seeking to honor the Lord through the growth and cultivation of their wives.
Perhaps instead of endless striving, we should learn to saunter. Andrea Sanborn suggests, “There needs to be a holy stillness at the core of our striving. Like the eye of a hurricane, we need to maintain a steady place inside where we rest and commune with our Maker, even in the midst of chaos; a secret garden where our spirit saunters with His even as we strain toward the goal to which He’s called us.”
Daniel Seabaugh 