We are in the throes of summer, gardening, bird watching, picnics, hikes, and all the rest that comes with summer. I hope the weather is pleasant for you and your time is full of making memories and family fun. It's also a time for festivals.
In Maine they have Windjammer days, in Alabama there's the Secret Stages Music Discovery Festival. Colorado hosts the Scandinavian Midsummer Festival, while Georgia holds the AthFest Music and Arts Festival. Indiana has their Crawfordsville Strawberry Festival while Connecticut has their Blueberry Festival at Sweet Wind Farm. Summer festivals are fun and there is sure to be one near you. Summer is also a time for reading so here are a few essays that hopefully pique your interest!
Summer schooner rides on Penobscot Bay, Maine
DebbieLynne has some great thoughts about Not A Tweet Any Professing Christian Should Endorse. It is getting easier to see which teachers are false, they are more and more ashamed of the Gospel. Remember what Jesus said in Luke 9:26, For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
AllieBeth Stuckey podcasts about America being past the point of no return. The summary of her Podcast #261, "America is at a turning point, and there's probably no going back. Christianity is waning in mainstream popularity as the world tries desperately to find meaning, morality, and purpose outside of the God who gives them. But that's no reason for the church to fret. Instead, we should REJOICE knowing that the church thrives on the margins and that this is our greatest opportunity to shine as lights in the darkness. Today we talk about the importance of discernment in this present moment and practical ways we can ensure we're standing firm in our faith." Surely an important podcast to listen to.
I wrote about the point of no return myself in 2010. I believed we were approaching a tipping point. Since then, we have been hurtling past it at light speeds.
Natasha Crain has some Christian Mom Thoughts about how to keep yourself and your kids from being swept into a secular worldview, ever harder these days of George Floyd and riots.
Did you ever wonder why every culture since the history of the world has some sort of religion? I always used to wonder that. Here is Ligonier Explaining the Universal Phenomenon of Religion
Open Hearts in a Closed World is an upcoming online conference this July featuring Susan Heck and CityAlight and many others, teaching (FOR FREE) on topics I know you sisters will love. Here is the conference website and here is my blog on it, with the list of topics and information all in one place.
"I don't have time to serve my husband" writes Lauren Washer.
Sharon Lareau has some important advice for women about Domestic Abuse in the Age of Modern Technology
World re-reviews the classic movie with Henry Fonda, Fail-Safe in the essay Pandemic Lessons from a Cold War classic. I watched that film as a young adult and it stayed with me. Comparing the movie's scenario to today's difficult decisions forced by COVD-19, they write, "In a culture that does not view suffering as a natural consequence of living in a fallen world, many consider the no-good-answer scenario unacceptable. As a result, criticism for leaders everywhere abounds."
Mission update from Peru, "She thought her generosity would save her"
Nations Coffee Co., 'Reaching the nations with every cup' - good coffee, with a mission.
Florida beach at sunset
