My Bible study is examining Habakkuk this semester, and I’ve been over and over again impressed by the picture of God’s power that we see through Habakkuk’s eyes. It’s a hard book–one where God can come off as judgmental and mean. But then there are moments like this: “His splendor covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise” (Hab. 3:3).
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Write Poetry With Your Kids
Chris Slaten, also known by the singer-songwriter moniker Son of Laughter, writes about bringing poetry to life with his kids.
- “Writing poetry is too hard.” This is the offense I hear my high school students protest frequently. I get it, but I don’t think it’s entirely true.
A year or so ago, Lyndsay and I took our kids for a walk to a nearby overlook we call Devotional Rock, a clearing that offers a front row seat to one corner of the Nantahala National Forest. When I threw out the idea that we should write a poem about our hike as a family, our kids—ages five and seven—jumped on it and immediately started throwing out lines like “When I look at the flowers and the bees it makes me happy” or “the trees sneeze drops of water.”
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The Carol Danvers Statement: A Marvel of Biblical Womanhood
Eric Schumacher, a writer and pastor from Iowa, tells of what he discovered going to see Captain Marvel with this ten-year-old daughter.
- My ten-year-old daughter recently returned from her first overseas church trip. She spent the week in a new culture, trying new foods, and serving the children of friends. Before she left, I gave her a bracelet that reads “Be Brave.” We talked the week before about brave women in the Bible, such as Miriam, Deborah, and Priscilla. We read their stories and learned about how God put them in positions to serve others, gifting them with the courage, strength, and wisdom for the task at hand.
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Aslan and the God of All Discomfort
Timothy D. Padgett unpacks the not-safe character of God through the Narnia books.
- One of the most quoted lines from “The Chronicles of Narnia” is also one of the most ignored. We like to say that we know that God is not “safe,” but all too often we end up living as though our safety, or, even better, our comfort marks the boundaries of our relationship to God. Whether it’s a Postmodern reaction to the cold view of reality of its Modernist antecedent, or a sign of weariness in an increasingly fractious age, for many Christians, we cannot conceive of God’s will for our lives involving anything unpleasant or uncomfortable.
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Twelve Rules for the Bookish Life
Doug Sikkema tells us the rules of a life that needs no rules.
- With gratitude for half a decade of service alongside the Commentteam, and in particular for the mentorship and friendship of Brian Dijkema and Jamie Smith, two of the most bookish men I’ve ever had the pleasure to know. May your tribes increase!
Read widely. If it be strange, bid it welcome. Your hopes of becoming more capacious and hospitable will depend less on the depth than the breadth of your “to-read” list.
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Around the Warren
Moving the Turtle
In a piece from the archives by S.D. Smith, we are reminded that parenthood is a pattern of little things.
- My daughter knows I’m thinking about her because, every night, I move the turtle. Let me explain. One night our family watched a documentary about the life of a sea turtle. Afterwards, their little plastic toy turtle (named “Sparky”) became a focus of attention for us. We joked about his life and his journey and this led, first to some laughs, then a game. For some reason, we joked about the turtle hiding around the house.
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The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Laura Peterson reviews works of deep middle-grade fiction.
- I have a close cousin whose book recommendations have never steered me wrong, so when a few months ago she was singing the praises of a recent middle-grade novel, The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, I knew I had to add it to my to-read list. I finally got to it (and its sequel, The War I Finally Won) this winter, and was glad to find my cousin’s record unmarred. These books are deep and difficult, but scattered with moments of beauty and grace even in the midst of suffering.
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Something to Do with Your Kids
I keep getting behind myself this year. It’s halfway through March already and I only just realized it. In case you were looking for good March-related activities for your families, here’s a list for you.
Something to Watch
Ever have just a little too much garlic? These larvae have…
Thanks for reading. We’re on your side.
You can find her at carolyncgivens.com or on Facebook or Instagram at @carolyncgivens.
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The Warren & The World Vol 11, Issue 10 - March 25, 2023 - The Warren & The World Vol 11, Issue 9 - March 18, 2023
- The Warren & The World Vol 11, Issue 8 - March 11, 2023
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