Category: Worth Your Time

Articles:

Why the Mental Health of Liberal Girls Sank First and Fastest by Jon Haidt

This article isn’t about politics; it’s about the power of ideas.

“Many young people had suddenly—around 2013—embraced three great untruths:

They came to believe that they were fragile and would be harmed by books, speakers, and words, which they learned were forms of violence (Great Untruth #1). 

They came to believe that their emotions—especially their anxieties—were reliable guides to reality (Great Untruth #2).

They came to see society as comprised of victims and oppressors—good people and bad people (Great Untruth #3).”

Do Christians Really Suffer in America? by John Piper

“So, we don’t just wait for others to persecute us and take away our pleasures and privileges and securities. Instead, we voluntarily make choices that deny ourselves some of these things freely, willingly, joyfully in order to serve others.”

Our Missions Approach is Too Western by Elliot Clark

“There’s a double mistake here. First, missionaries of a bygone era weren’t as complicit in colonialism as many think. Second, for all our anthropological acumen, we may not be as culturally savvy as we suppose. I’m convinced current missiological strategies can still be deeply Western in potentially harmful ways.”

Books:

Walking with Grace: Embracing God’s Goodness in Trauma Grace Utomo’s story is extraordinary. She was a newly married 23-year-old and a rising violin star when she was hit by a car in a crosswalk. The ensuing trauma to her body and mind equals a depth that few of us will ever experience, yet through it all she continues to keep her focus and hope fixed on Christ. Her story is sobering and inspiring.

Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution by Carl Trueman

If you are bewildered or just curious about where our current cultural perspectives came from, this is an excellent place to start. Think of it this way: If you were going to live in India, you would want to research Hinduism so that you could understand the way people think. If you live in America or Europe, this book is that equivalent.

How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery in America by Clint Smith

The longer I live, the more I am astonished at what was left out of my 80’s/90’s American education regarding slavery. If we want to find any hope for lasting racial reconciliation in our country, it’s got to start with reckoning with our history.

We rejoice that our Grace (age 17 ) chose to be baptized in September!

Trying something new! Instead of doing a couple of posts a year with my book recommendations, I’m going to write them monthly, and include links to videos and other resources as well. Feel free to share your ideas with me!

Videos and Music:

Maverick City Music sounds beautiful but is even more wonderful to watch.
Vocamonix is an excellent Nigerian acapella group.

Universe Size Comparison –for when you need to remember how small you are and simultaneously how incredible you are.
College softball players with a 53-game winning streak talk about the difference between happiness and joy. 

Articles:

Embrace Your Otherness by Jen Wilkin: “Sweet child, study the way you are feeling today. Because I love you, I ask this of you: lean into your “otherness”—learn the contours of its face, feel out the steady grip of its hand. Because I intend it to be your lifelong companion. It is a truer friend than those who surround you now. More than I want your comfort, I want you to be an alien and a stranger.”

This is Pro-Life: Powerful Photos of Older People with Downs Syndrome Defy Misconceptions

Books:

Lots of people are talking about the “Shiny Happy People” documentary about Bill Gothard and the Duggars–and it’s important. Jinger Duggar Vuolo’s memoir Becoming Free Indeed tells a similar story, but I appreciated how she gave a nuanced perspective on her childhood and her family, and how she carefully “disentangled” Gothard’s legalism from true faith. It’s a courageous book.

All My Knotted-Up Life by Beth Moore was both delightful and sobering. I’d only read one other Beth Moore book, but I’ve admired her insight, humor, and grace on Twitter, and this memoir only increased my respect for her. She’s a gifted storyteller so it’s a page-turner on its own, but it’s also an important book because of what it reveals about American evangelical culture. I highly recommend it.

Gil teaches a section on dating and relationships in one of his Bible classes, so he’s always reading up on what’s happening in American culture on this topic. He talked so much about American Hookup: The New Culture of Sex on Campus by Lisa Wade that I decided I needed to read it myself. It’s not a Christian book, but that doesn’t keep it from revealing how the hookup culture on college campuses is scarring our young people. This is a very hard book to stomach–but is a must-read for any parents sending their children off to college.

I was completely ignorant about how difficult it is to take down sex offenders until I read What is a Girl Worth?: My Story of Breaking the Silence and Exposing the Truth about Larry Nassar and USA Gymnastics by Rachael Denhollander. Even though Nassar had abused hundreds of girls, no one could stop him until Rachael–a tenacious lawyer–put everything in her life on the line to find justice. It is a compelling and eye-opening story.

Pictures are from our trip to Yosemite and Gold Country in June.