Story Warren

Kindling Imagination for Kingdom Anticipation

The Warren & the World Vol 7, Issue 38

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Remember the other week when I said the weather had turned, but I wasn’t too hopeful it would stay? Today’s high was 97 degrees Fahrenheit. But next week. Next week looks promising in the forecast. I’m hopeful again. I heard a sad line in a TV show this week about hope being a tease, and was so glad to hear another character call out the speaker, “You’re just trying to sound clever.” Hope is so much more than a tease–it is a beautiful, wonderful thing.

Around the Web

3 Things to Keep in Mind When Hospitality Is Hard

We’re turning the corner of the year into a season that is full of expectations about hospitality. Here are some words to help you be kind to yourself.

  • Hospitality is a mark of a generous heart, but it can be very, very difficult.
    Glossy magazine pages showcase what modern hospitality looks like: a stylish home, a curated tablescape, a charcuterie board expertly arranged, sparking glass, ironed linens, and of course, laughing hosts who sashay amongst their guests without concern for a dropped canapé or a peccant grape crushed into the carpet.
    Read more

Top 147 Recommended African-American Children’s Books

The African-American Literature Club has produced the book list to end all book lists! Nearly 150 children’s book by African-American authors or featuring African-American characters.

  • Children book authors, industry professionals, and avid readers contributed their favorite children’s books to this list. We know children and young readers will enjoy most, if not all, of these books, as they have already brought joy to countless children.  We recommend printed books for young readers, or when reading to a child. Some of these books are decades old, but are still in print due to their significance. Others are brand new, reflecting contemporary voices and themes.
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Helping Kids Set Goals

Whether they’re saving up for a special toy or working on a big project for school, it can be hard to help your children see the future and plan for it. The folks at Kids Activities Blog have some great tips on helping kids set goals.

  • With the holidays on their way, I thought it would be a great time to talk about Helping Kids Set Goals.  Every New Year’s Day, we sit down as a family over breakfast and set goals for the upcoming year.   I keep reading more and more about the importance of having a Growth Mindset for kids & this goes right along with it. From trips we’d like to take to projects we’d like to do around the house, there’s something on the list for everyone and for every season.
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40+ Comforting Little Women Quotes for When the World is too Much

If you’ve been reading the news or scrolling through Facebook or any one of a host of daily life activities lately, you’ve probably had the inclination to throw in the towel. Jesse Doogan has collected words to bolster your soul.

  • Little Women is one of those books you can turn to when the world just isn’t working out exactly right. You know that these four girls, with their troubles big and small, would understand. Money problems? They have them. Trouble with friends? Pickled lime debts aren’t easy to repay. Frustrated at home? How about your sister threw your manuscript into the fire? The world feels like it’s on fire and nothing will ever be okay again? Never fear, the sisters learn how to cope and stay hopeful during one of the bloodiest wars in American history. 
    Read more

Around the Warren

Michael Card on “The Biblical Imagination”

James D. Witmer introduces us to Michael Card’s concept of “The Biblical Imagination.”

  • Inevitably, whenever I speak about the “biblical imagination” someone will object, “Isn’t the imagination a bad thing? Doesn’t the Bible say our imaginations are evil?” It is a pervasive opinion, and there are understandable reasons for it. I think it is founded on the fact that whenever the King James Version of the Bible uses the word “imagination,” it does so in a negative sense (e.g., “Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” [Gen 6:5]). Clearly, if we are going to speak of a “biblical imagination, ” we need to address this valid concern.
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Welcoming Autumn With Picture Books

Anne Marshall has some autumnal recommendations for us.

  • As summer slips into autumn and we begin to anticipate the changing colors of the leaves and the slowing of the season, our family loves to snuggle in with a warm drink and some autumn-themed picture books. Here are 5 picture book recommendations for autumn:
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Something to Do with Your Kids

It’s October! Aren’t you glad you live in a world where there are Octobers? The folks at The Spruce have a great list of October themed family activities.

Something to Watch

I was bred in the state of Michigan and I still think that the “Pure Michigan” series of commercials for state tourism were one of the most genius things to come out of the state (who cares about cars!). I go back and watch them on YouTube when I want a little bit of the beauty of the place. Here’s one for autumn.

Thanks for reading. We’re on your side. 

-The Story Warren Team

Carolyn Clare Givens
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