Best of the Week for April 24
In Best of the Week we link to a handful of the best articles, videos, books, etc. that we have come across in the last week. We hope this will point you to some of the right places and give you gospel-rich tools and thoughts for life and mission.
A High School Counselor’s Tips on Parenting Teenagers
“God has created us as relational beings, which means that no matter the temperament of your children, they want you to know them. There is not one student that I have met with over the past decade who does not deeply desire a healthy relationship with his or her parent.”
A few good thoughts to keep in mind when raising children in general, and specifically applied to teenagers here. These are not your typical suggestions, and they’re filled with relatability and grace.
Creating a Culture of Hospitality
“There is something bonding about being in someone’s house. You enter their world. You see their interests, their style of life, their kids schedules and get a feel for some of the daily challenges they face. In other words, you step beyond the neutral-site church meetings and begin to understand them in context.”
This is all about inviting people over. He makes a point or two about why, but much of it is devoted to the how, with some very simple and practical suggestions that are likely to make the inviting over actually happen. He applies it to those in the church, but this is all equally helpful for showing hospitality to those outside the church with gospel intentionality.
Instagram Generation
“The phenomenon of teen selfies is the product of “sharenting.” We are a generation of parents who raised our children with a constant [phone] camera in their faces, and now a decade later we’re just beginning to see the impact of our habits on the next generation.”
This is really an insight about how social media has affected our lives and relationships, and he uses Instagram as his case study. The end of it all is this: we can’t hide our kids from electronics, social media, and the internet. They are all here to stay. It is our great responsibility to teach them how to live responsibly with it. And this article gives a few good insights into that.
How to Read the Bible for Yourself
“We are not reading simply for subjective experiences. We are reading to discover more about objective reality. I’m not content with what comes to my mind when I read it. The meaning of a sentence, or a word, or a letter is what the author intended for us to understand by it.”
Very short, 3-point article with some good, practical insight into how to read the Bible, understand it, apply it, and hear God through it. There’s no magic pill for this, for sure, and it does take time and repetition. But you have to start somewhere.
The Lord is Never Late
“And then one night I heard the voice of the Spirit, not audibly mind you, but clearly, straight to my heart, applying the word of the gospel to me: “I love you, and I approve of you.”
Good word of encouragement for those of us wondering why God is not moving on a timetable that makes sense to us…or maybe it doesn’t seem he is moving at all. God is not slow, as some consider slowness. He is patient.
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