Tag Archives: relevant magazine

Six-Pack (47)

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September long weekend: The start of school, the “end” of summer. Whatever you call it, it’s come and gone one more time.

Here’s the latest Six-Pack–faith-focused and ministry-minded pieces with a bit of who-knows-what!

On the heels of the holiday, two *Picks of the Week* provide an easy starting point, if you need some direction.

 

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter ( @JasonBandura ) to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) A Writer in 1964 Pretty Much Predicted What Life in 2014 Would Look Like
That writer was Isaac Asimov, and this is fairly wild.

2) How Richard Wurmbrand Spent Three Years of Solitary Confinement with Christ
I’ve received newsletters from Voice of the Martyrs for nearly fifteen years. Their founder Richard Wurmbrand is a pretty inspiring man, as this ten-minute video will show.

3) The Obedience of the Second Adam and the True Israel (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Don’t get me wrong: “Son of God” is an appropriate name for Jesus. But I’m not convinced it’s his most fascinating one. Two of those nominees are here for consideration.

4) Three Things You Don’t Know about Your Children and Sex (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
Anne Marie Miller shares this parent-freaking piece. If you’ve got kids, this is worth your time. And after you read, pray.

5) What Makes Spirituality Christian: A Conversation with Dallas Willard
I cannot overstate the respect with which I held the late Dallas Willard. This brief interview gives some peek into his insightful mind and clarity of thought and tongue.

6) The Day Larry Bird Stopped the Pacers’ Practice in its Tracks
How fun is it when your team is run by an NBA legend? Paul George will tell you.

September brings with it plentiful opportunities. Move forward in faith and faithfulness, my friends.

YOUR TURN: Which link above was most intriguing–why that one? Direct others readers to the best of the bunch. Your input makes this post better!

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A Sweet Touch on This Soul

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brennan-manningJust over a month ago, Brennan Manning passed away. His was a life (and death) that rippled through those of countless ragamuffins around the globe.

Including me.

In my late teenaged years, I was handed the book “Abba’s Child” by a man I greatly admired. I admit to not completing it, as its message about a true self and false self fell a bit ahead of its time in my young life. A year or two later, I was stunned by the power of “The Ragamuffin Gospel” in describing God’s gracious love toward every one of us. To this day, that is one of the greatest books I’ve ever read.

Several years ago, I posted an audio recording of Brennan sharing a similarly themed message if you want to hear this old saint preaching with fire!

I confess unashamedly that the most vivid descriptions of grace that I have ever heard came through the lips of a recovered alcoholic Catholic priest that I never met.  Tributes to Brennan have filled the internet over the past month. Here are a couple you may wish to be aware of:

A moving excerpt from Manning’s 2011 memoir “All is Grace”.

Donald Miller offers his Reflections on Brennan Manning’s Wrestling Match with God.

Brennan, you were a gem, polished by the roughness of brokenness that lives in us and around us and birthed from the depths of God’s outrageous acceptance of such folks.  You were much loved by one Canadian prairie boy and by one Cosmic Father.

 

Three Lent Voices

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Here are three directions that you may head if you are looking for help in building or maintaining some “Lent focus” in this pre-Easter stretch:

Ann Voskamp shares experiences of how her fasting attempts are proving to be far more convicting than inspiring. And in the long run, that is a most life-giving gift.

In “The Wonder of Lent,” Margaret Feinberg speculates that the question, “What are you giving up for Lent?” is surpassed by another: “What do you hope to lay hold of during Lent?”

For Relevant Magazine, Caryn Rivadeneira shares “Why Ash Wednesday Matters”. This can serve a quick catch-up for those who are just realizing that the Easter “began” last week. (I recorded my first Ash Wednesday experience back HERE if you need a vicarious well to draw from.)

 

Saturday Six-Pack (25)

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Welcome to Wandering & Wondering!

Here it is–the final “Saturday Six-Pack” of 2012, with one last dose of the best online offerings I’ve found before the calendar runs out.

As usual, if a half-dozen options paralyzes you, begin with my two *Picks of the Week*, and move from there.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter ( @JasonBandura ) to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) Why Discomfort is Good for You
Michael Hyatt makes the counter-intuitive (and counter-cultural) assertion that comfort is highly overrated.  Here is why I think he’s right.

2) Narrative Numbness (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
The language of “story”, significant as it is, has almost been sapped of its power by overuse. That said, this piece from Relevant Magazine nails squarely the key component that cannot be missed as Christians consider their roles in carrying the Jesus-story. Insight is sharp in this brief offering.  Thanks for sharing, CJ Casciotta.

3) 50 Motivational Quotes That Will Put Your Motivation on Overdrive
With January 1, and its spoken or silent resolutions, perhaps one of these fifty quotes, served up by LifeHack, will be just what you need to make that change stick in the year ahead.

4) The Death of a Child: A Parent’s Worst Nightmare (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
In light of the recent tragedy in Newtown, this piece, by a parent who tasted loss, will offer some insight to any pastor or friend who ever has to walk this road with someone.  Read it, and then pray you never need it.  But if you do, walk that road as well it can be walked.

5) 4 Things I’ve Learned about God through My Baby Who Was Born Blind
This article opens with this: “It’s not often that you get the opportunity to empathize with God; I recently experienced that bitter-sweet insight when I found out that my eleven-week-old baby girl was born almost completely blind.” And on it goes from there.

6) Work Less and Do More by Applying the Pareto Principle to Your Task List
The Pareto Principle says that in most situations roughly 80% of effects come from only 20% of the causes.  Translation: There are a few things in your life that can make all the difference.  Are you aware of what those are?  Lifehacker wants to know.

Happy New Year, my friends.  May the year ahead be unusually full of an awareness of God and how very close He is to you.

Blessings on you, my friends.

YOUR TURN: Direct other readers to the best stuff with a comment below, or weigh in on what you read.  Your input makes this post better!

[You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or email, in the upper right corner of this page.]

Saturday Six-Pack (22)

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Last week’s “Saturday Six-Pack” arrived on Tuesday.  This week’s: On Monday.  Does less failure count as success?

One way or the other, here are the latest half-dozen links to feed and fuel you.

As usual, these articles are mostly faith-focused or ministry-geared, with a bit of disorderly-pile-of-who-knows-what tossed in!

If you need help starting, begin with my two *Picks of the Week*, and move from there.

For a steady stream of such links, follow me on Twitter ( @JasonBandura ) to the right of this post.  Sharp quotes and solid articles are tweeted 3-4 times daily.

Today’s edition:

1) Women Bishops: It’s About the Bible, Not Fake Ideas of Progress
While my fellowship doesn’t have bishops, we do have women.  We also have the Bible, and possibly some fake ideas about progress.  This short piece by NT Wright hits hard on Scripture’s non-negotiable authority in the discussions of women in leadership.  And some will surprised where he goes from there.

2) 20 Top Leadership Tips… In Tweet Length
Prompted for some of the best insights he’s picked up on leadership, Ron Edmondson offers this list… in ready-form to flood your Twitter queue.

3) Does Sliding into Cohabitation Lock You In? (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
There is a common line of reasoning that sees living together as a prudent, even helpful, test-drive ahead of marriage. “Surely this ups the odds of marital success,” is the thought. Yet the research, both religious or secular in nature, consistently argues otherwise. How can something so logical be so incorrect?  For Psychology Today, here is Dr. J.R. Bruns‘ take on what is at work under this surface.

4) On the Other Side of Suffering
Philip Yancey has long been a blessing to my life. This short piece, highlighting a lesson he learned from a WWII chaplain, may be just the word of encouragement you need this morning to press on, despite a lack of the clarity or motivation you desire.

5) Why Should We Care About Advent? (*PICK OF THE WEEK*)
The Advent season is underway again. In case, you haven’t yet figured out why that should matter to you, Rob Bell has a few thoughts to share, in this piece, originally posted in 2010 for Relevant magazine.

6) Six Ways to Find Time for Your Creative Work
To any whose list includes tasks that require free-flowing creative juices, The Time Management Ninja offers these six tips.

May your week be full of awareness and enjoyment of the God who already fills it with Himself and every good thing.  Blessings on you, my friends.

YOUR TURN: Direct other readers to the best stuff with a comment below, or weigh in on what you read.  Your input makes this post better!

[You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or email, in the upper right corner of this page.]