Link Love

This week is marks 40 years since Roe v. Wade and we'd be remiss if we didn't sit and reflect on what that has meant for our country, regardless of which side of the fence you sit. It's worth noting this year's March for Life is anticipated to be the largest ever and it is primarily made up of young people. Young people. That gives me hope. Jared Wilson wrote a great article this week on why we need to do away with utilitarian arguments against abortion. All life is valuable because God attributes value to it, not because we do. A few years ago I realized that I had not ever fully understood the Gospel, even though I had spent much of my life thinking I had. I searched for books that could give voice to what I was feeling, finally landing on Gospel Wakefulness by Jared Wilson, and Mere Churchianity by Michael Spencer. Luma Sims has just released her new book Gospel Amnesia and while I haven't yet read it, Gloria Furman's review of it makes me want to add it to my 100 in 2013 list.

Blogging can feel a bit like pouring choice wine down a wooden pail riddled with holes at the bottom. I wonder sometimes, "Am I making a difference? Over a decade of words are here and what good have they done at all except make me a bit better writer?" I think every serious writer grapples with these questions and more, so this short audio by John Piper was helpful for me this week.

I've heard from many of you about how helpful my 100 in 2013 post was and so I thought you'd enjoy reading Josh Stringer's post on how to read 50 books in 2013. I've adopted a few of his suggestions already this month and have found them to be helpful.

"There's no one good enough for you!" I cannot tell you how very many, many, many times I've heard those words. Not only do those words make me wonder if all the single men have absorbed the idea that they're not good enough for anyone, but it also makes me wonder if I've literally spent the last 30 years crafting an image of myself that is simply not true. I am not good and I do not need someone "good enough" for me. Ruth Rutherford writes with her typical humor and poignancy here in Debunking the Myth: No One Good Enough.

I'm a huge fan of hot drinks, and hardly a respecter of what's actually in them at all. This recipe for homemade chai is from one of my favorite blogs and I can't wait to try it!

I'm adverse to any sort of conflict, either initiating it or being on the receiving end of it. When I say adverse, I mean I feel sick to my stomach and terrified almost instantly when conflict rises. It's something the Lord continually sanctifies in me, gently leading me into situations where others critique me or I need to critique them. Thom Rainer highlights seven characteristics of an effective critic here. Very helpful.