Don’t have much time to invest writing these days, but do keep a journal and write thoughts (more often type them, or hand-write in my illegible lower case scratches that inevitably make it difficult for others to read; a short-hand of sorts). Along the same lines, I haven’t had much time to read in recent months. At least not at the book-a-week clip I enjoyed before. Always dabbling in a few books, and trying to keep up on a few blogs. Here’s what I’m reading right now: SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Happy tensions: a few of my reads (print + web)", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2009/04/03/happy-tensions-a-few-of-my-fav-reads/"...

Dutch likes to "sort" our books — meaning he enjoys moving them all around, on different shelves, under and on top of objects, and "reading" them from time to time in his spare time. Yesterday he put four books in my book bag, thinking I needed to meditate on the Gospel. He selected one paperback each from four great authors: Andrew Murray, H.A. Ironside, D.L. Moody, and J.I. Packer. Thanks son, your exhortation is heeded! (The yellow duct tape hold together my DIY laptop case.) SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "A few good books from a good son", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2008/10/28/a-few-good-books-from-a-good-son/"...

Since I’m sick and lacking much energy to do much else other than the essential things in life (blogging not being one of them), I encourage you to read Kari’s thoughts on reading, and why it stirs our souls so much. SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Honey for our Souls", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2007/11/01/honey-for-our-souls/" });

Kari is continuing her retelling of our story, “The Road to Santa Clara,” detailing our experiences in leaving all for a ministry opportunity a few years ago. The lessons learned along the way have proved to be invaluable, and although we wouldn’t sign up for it again, we wouldn’t trade it for the world. It is a redemptive story of God’s sustaining grace and the depth of friendship in the midst of confusion and frustrating circumstances. The entire story is now up: Ch. 1: The Phone Call | Ch. 2: The U-turn | Ch. 3: The Jeep | Ch. 4: The Apartment | Ch. 5: The Meeting | Ch. 6: The Rack...

Monday night I arrive home from class to find a box awaiting me. It was books the books I bought from the DesiringGod special $5/book sale back in late June. I was among 11,000 orders than day (they normally get about 100 daily), so I understand the delay. It was worth the wait. (And by the way, a disclaimer: I looked at the box of books and then to Kari and said, “You are worth more than all my books; I’m not opening these tonight. I’d rather be with you.” We were able to catch up from our days and the books waited until today to be sorted out.) Now the books of John...

Justin Buzzard (normally found here) has written a piece, “Three Pastoral Concerns in 800 Words” on the New Attitude Blog, dedicated to raising up a God-centered, Gospel-living, Bible-saturated generation of men and women who display Jesus Christ is in all their lives. Good stuff, especially the reminder that the Gospel is not just the entrance to the Christian life, it is also the imperative of all the Christian life, to be related to Christ and live in Him, at all times, in the Gospel. (Or, to use a metaphor I came up with, the Gospel is not merely the diving board into the pool,...