Story Warren

Kindling Imagination for Kingdom Anticipation

The Warren & The World Vol 12, Issue 26

by Leave a Comment

August is typically my busiest month, and I usually reference the back half of July as “pre-August.” So I’m fully in the swing of the busy and trying to find the moments to breath in between all. the. things. that need to get done. Many of us are in prep for fall activities and events—may you find rest for our souls in the midst of the busy.

Around the Web

A Complete Collection

Tim Challies shares a brief devotional.

  • The Bible is, by its very nature, a collection—a collection of histories, biographies, letters, prophecies, and poetry written across about 1,500 years in many different settings and many different cultures. You might wonder, why these books and why not others? What binds together the sixty-six books that together make up the book is that they are the complete and authoritative collection of inspired writings—writings that came to humanity from the mind of God.
    Read more

The False Identity of Vanity

Katie Polski points us to the true source of our identity.

  • In C.S. Lewis’ fantasy novel, The Great Divorce, there is a scene where people in hell are offered a bus ride to the mountains, which are symbolic of heaven. The passengers on the bus are all ghost-like figures while their family and friends near the mountains are solid beings, beautiful and non-transparent. One of the ghostly ladies on the bus, dressed very nicely, feels inferior because she is transparent and not as solidly beautiful as the others: “How can I go out like this among a lot of people with real solid bodies? It’s far worse than going out with nothing on would have been on earth. Have everyone staring through me.”
    Read more

Majestica by Sarah Tolcser

Janie Cheaney reviews a middle grade novel.

  • Majestica takes readers on a thrill ride through a wildlife park filled with magical creatures.
    Read more

Set Free Indeed

Tara Gibbs reminds us that repentance sets us free.

  • As a young mother, I took my one and three-year-old toddlers with me weekly to visit an elderly homebound widow. Seeing this woman’s joy in the hugs and laughter of my two children was a delightful gift. But, as I left each week, I began noticing unsettling thoughts in my mind and heart: “It is so wonderful that you visit this woman with your toddlers each week! What a good thing you are doing! If people knew, they would really say nice things about you.”
    Read more

Around the Warren

Mom, Will you Hold This?

Sarah Dixon Young encourages us as keepers of the imaginations of the kids in our lives.

  • Whether we’re at the pool or the trampoline park, my children always ask me to hold their stuff.
    For the older ones, I hold watches, hats, and jewelry. For the younger ones, it’s dolls, matchbox cars, or lollipops. No matter the circumstance, scenario, or treasure, mom is the trusty keeper of all the valuable things. 
    Read more

“Pax” and Animal Stories

Laura Peterson introduces us to some classic animal stories.

  • Of all the books that I read growing up, one of my favorite types to read was what I’ll generally call “animal stories.” James Herriot, Marguerite Henry, Sounder, Julie of the Wolves, Where the Red Fern Grows, Shiloh, My Dog Skip. It wasn’t until I was older that Because of Winn-Dixie was published, but I read and loved it just the same. A few years ago I read The Yearling for the first time, and cried through the last thirty pages or so. There’s just something about the “kid + best friend animal” formula that tugs at my heartstrings (and some of yours too, I bet) in a universal manner.
    Read more
Cute baby girl lying on pool with colored foam cubes in indoor play center.

Something to Do with Your Kids

Who doesn’t love a narwhal? If you don’t, I commend a reexamination of the topic. But if you’ve got a love for them already, here is a great narwhal craft.

Something to Watch

If you’ve been watching Olympic swimming, you’ve gotten the joy of listening to Rowdy Gaines delight in the races of Leon Marchand. His final 50 meters of the 200 butterfly had Rowdy Gaines at his best.

Thanks for reading. We’re on your side. 

–The Story Warren Team

Carolyn Clare Givens
Latest posts by Carolyn Clare Givens (see all)

Leave a Reply