“If God treasures up our tears, much more should we treasure up His mercies, as lovers keep the love-tokens of those they affect. God has a file for our prayers; we should have the like for His answers.” -Stephen Charnock

Repentance is not verbal only. It is always demonstrated consistently in a life over time. And true repentance is a process that requires time and more time to be made evident.

I was grateful for the invitation to write for @logosbible.bsky.social a Top 11 Books *of* prayer and *for* prayer: from Barth to Bonhoeffer, from Flannery O'Connor to Anne Lamott, from Nouwen to Hauerwas to Lawrence.

Not definitive but perhaps just a place to start.
www.logos.com/grow/top-11-...

The hardest and best effort for me right now is to work *under* my capacity and leave margin in my life. We're just one week into this year, and it's already been exhausting. I think we all need to leave some emotional and chronological space to deal w/ the unexpected. But's it's so hard to do less!

Happy New Year from Dorothy Parker (and me).

Amidst the twinkling lights and jolly tunes, we’ve received grim news. I want the story of our life to be one of tinsel and mistletoe. Often it is one of sorrow and shadow.

open.substack.com/pub/amyjulia...

Theology 101: We don’t discover God; he discloses himself. We don’t uncover data; he unveils truth. We don’t climb to him; he comes to us.

I do not care how much you read the Bible. Or about the Scriptures you can quote. Or your theology. I care about how much you are like Jesus.

"Christ chargeth me to believe His daylight at midnight." - Samuel Rutherford

"Meet me, O Christ, in the stillness of this morning.

Move me, O Spirit, to quiet my heart.

Mend me, O Father, from yesterday's harms.
From the discords of yesterday, resurrect my peace.
From the discouragement of yesterday, resurrect my hope."

~ Every Moment Holy

On this side of glory, neither total victory nor total defeat should be the common experiences of the Christian life. Struggle is the norm.
#Theology101

Can anyone suggest a good Advent playlist? #Advent

As people of faith, we live in a liminal space, a kingdom that is often described as “already…but not yet.”

During Advent, we celebrate the “already.” And we lament the “not yet.”

The kingdom is here.

Lord, let your kingdom come.

I love this drawing which I share every year around Christmas time.
Look at their feet!
Mary's consolation is all about the hope and promise of who is in her belly. Jesus is our Saviour—the giver of new life.
I have more on this image here: margmowczko.com/mary-console...

The focus of Advent isn’t pretending the baby is yet come so we can act surprised on Christmas. It’s time to reflect on the brokenness in this world & a reminder we’re only in the middle of the story. The babe in the manger came & is returning as king—& the govt will be on HIS shoulders. “Even so…”

Timely.

"The celebration of Advent is possible only to those who are troubled in soul, who know themselves to be poor and imperfect, and who look forward to something greater to come".

--Dietrich Bonhoeffer ⚓

"A prison cell, in which one waits, hopes – and is completely dependent on the fact that the door of freedom has to be opened from the outside, is not a bad picture of Advent."

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you.
One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order.
No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
Day 1
💙📚 #bookssky #books
#bookchallenge