Category: Links

Links for the Weekend (2026-01-02)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

Freedom in Devotions

At the beginning of a new year, this post is a good reminder about the goal of our spiritual practices. (It also sounds a warning about the traps we can fall into.)

Once we come to grips with the honest truth that our status with God is completely unearned and freely given to us by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, that may reveal our true motivation in doing all these things. If my true motivation was tied up in a belief that I was earning (or forfeiting) the blessings and favor of God, then I’ve forgotten the goal of devotions in the first place.

How do I deal with anxiety and depression related to aging?

This video from CCEF is full of biblical advice about anxiety related to aging. (A transcript is also available.)

If you have lingering regrets, speak them to the Lord and let his grace and mercy meet you. He has born your guilt and shame, and it’s okay to lament the loss of vitality in various areas of your life. By speaking of your disappointments and fears and sadness to the Lord, you are doing what so many of the Psalms model—faithful and trust-building crying out to the Lord.

All Flesh Shall See

Our poem of the week: All Flesh Shall See, by Kate Bluett. This is an Advent poem which also keeps the Good Friday work of Jesus in view. (I just discovered this poet on Substack and I think she’ll be making repeated appearances in these links in the coming year.)

Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here. 

Links for the Weekend (2025-12-19)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

Note: We will take a break from posting links next week (December 26) and will return with plenty of goodness on January 2, 2026. Merry Christmas!

Make Repentance Part of Your Holiday Preparation

This short Advent meditation, written by Betsy Childs Howard, helps us reflect on the call of John the Baptist: repentance is the best way to prepare for the kingdom of heaven.

Repentance may be a kind of death, but it leads us to new life. The heart of the Christian faith isn’t making ourselves look better on the outside but having God truly cleanse our hearts.

Cultivating Christmas Wonder

John Stonestreet uses T.S. Eliot’s poem “The Cultivation of Christmas Trees” to help us think about Christmas. He urges us to cultivate wonder and expectant waiting.

A childlike faith will allow us to see Christ’s birth in view of His death and Resurrection, as well as our roles as reconcilers in God’s unfolding story of reality. We thus can live in view of His return and triumphant reign. As Eliot put it, may Christ’s first coming fill us with hope for His second, when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Four Advent Villanelles from Anna A. Friedrich

Our poem(s) of the week: Four Advent Villanelles, by Anna A. Friedrich. All four of these are worth reading slowly and savoring.

Thanks to Cliff L for his help in rounding up links this week!

Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here. 

Links for the Weekend (2025-12-12)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

Gift Giving in an Age of Abundance

Here’s a reflection on giving gifts and how to love others around the holidays.

Love affirms the existence of another being. In what way are we affirming and delighting in them if we are just going through the motions of buying them gifts? It must be in the intentionality, the attention to the personhood that the gift becomes an affirmation of their being. When you deeply consider the person and their needs and desires and state in the world, and find a gift that suits them perfectly, that is an act of love that affirms them. It shows them that you sacrificed time and effort into finding something meaningful for them.

Revitalizing a Stagnant Marriage: Connection & Intentionality

Marriages of many years can drift into coldness. This podcast episode from CCEF counselors (transcript available) helps us spot and correct this problem. I’ve listened to this and found it quite helpful.

Your Body Has Been Made

Our poem of the week: Your Body Has Been Made, by Mark Rico. This Advent poem is a wonderful meditation on the angel’s announcement to Mary.

On the WPCA Blog This Week

This week on the blog we published an article I wrote called Your Church Needs You to Sing, and So Do You. If you haven’t already seen it, check it out!

Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here. 

Links for the Weekend (2025-12-05)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

Somebody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen

Advent may have special meaning for those with chronic conditions, for Advent reminds us that Jesus entered our world as “the ultimate expression of sympathy and care.”

Christians can go boldly to the throne of grace because Jesus stepped willingly into our crucible of grief. He knows what we need because, in his humanity, he once needed it himself. The old spiritual originally lamented, “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen; Nobody knows my sorrows.” But happily, along the way, someone noticed the flawed theology and changed the last two words: “Nobody knows, but Jesus.”

Don’t Think Lower Thoughts of Yourself than God Does

Those who are prone to mean and hateful thoughts about themselves will especially appreciate this article. Tim Challies’ list of what God thinks about us is worth framing.

And invariably, God’s judgment of me is far more favorable than my judgment of myself. He sees me as someone he loves, someone he cares for, someone he is proud of, someone he does not condemn. He thinks only the highest thoughts of me. He does not loathe, condemn, or despise me, but loves me with all the love he has for his very own Son, for, by the gospel, I am in his Son. And who am I to disagree with his assessment?

Stay Put and Make Disciples

This is a plea to aging saints to, when possible, invest in the places they’ve been for so many years.

For decades, God has been preparing you for these golden years. They are golden. You’ve never had so much life experience. And if you’ve been faithful and walked by the Spirit, you’ve never had more wisdom. You’ve lived long enough to appreciate the energy of youth, and you’ve seen the pivotal place of godly patience in tempering that enthusiasm. Oh, how our young adults need your perspective, guidance, and counsel.

Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here. 

Links for the Weekend (2025-11-28)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

Dependence on Christ Is the One Thing That Can’t Be Taken from You

Trevin Wax writes about what remains for Christians when profound suffering strikes.

The life of faith is the life of dependence—childlike trust. Suffering may ransack your world, but as a child of God, you cannot be kidnapped. When everything falls and fails, your dependence remains.

Even when your lips can no longer whisper, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner,” the voice of your Savior will say, “You are mine.”

Holy Leisure in an Age of Hollow Rest

Cara Ray reflects on how we might rest in a way that’s beneficial to our souls.

While we’re entertained by funny videos, latest trends, and the news, too much infotainment leaves us feeling restless, not restful. The problem is that we enjoy the little hits of dopamine our phones provide, while the algorithmic undertow sucks us in with a constant diet of both trivial and critical content. The system is designed to capture our attention and affection, but by the time we  put the phone away, we often feel more anxious, unsatisfied, and disgusted. This hollow form of leisure promises one thing but delivers another, leaving us to wonder if there’s a better, more satisfying way to find the rest our hearts long for. 

What advice do you have for Christians who struggle with cynicism?

Here’s a short (less than 2 minutes!) video where Dan Darling gives advice to Christians who struggle with cynicism.

On the WPCA Blog This Week

This week on the blog we published an article I wrote called The Old Testament Teaches Us About the Holy Spirit. If you haven’t already seen it, check it out!

Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here. 

Links for the Weekend (2025-11-21)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

Why Euthanasia Feels Intuitive

Tim Challies writes about what it’s been like to live life in Canada while the Medical Assistance in Dying program is gaining traction.

May we instead be people who value life enough to be joyfully inconvenienced by others and who value humility enough to become willingly dependent upon others. May we be people who give up any thoughts of autonomy in matters of life and death and instead entrust ourselves to a faithful God who alone has such authority. May we stand strong against the cultural tide and prove ourselves to be people who truly value life.

On Being a Playful Father

I enjoyed this article by Alan Noble about playfulness and fatherhood. The world needs more fathers who play with their children!

There is something lovely about a father who can bring himself to be silly and playful. And there is something tragic about a father who is so caught up in himself and the cares and addictions of the world that he cannot be silly and playful. Godly fathers should strive for playfulness. The world needs more joy. It is a very dark place.

To the Young Woman in the Restroom at the Wedding

Our poem of the week: To the Young Woman in the Restroom at the Wedding, by Midge Goldberg. This is one of those poems that brings a crushing reality to bear in its final line.

Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here. 

Links for the Weekend (2025-11-14)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

When It Feels Like the Temptation Is Coming From Outside

Tim Challies writes about the power of accurately labeling demonic influence when it is present. (He mentions that such conversation is likely a weakness of Reformed Christians, which sound right!)

I did not speak to Satan or rebuke him, and I did not fret that I had become possessed by a demon. Rather, I came to believe that some evil spiritual being had learned of a specific form of vulnerability and was using it against me. And for a time, it was effective—it truly did shake my confidence and diminish my joy. It left me afraid of when these thoughts would come back into my mind and concerned about what they may have been saying about my heart. But as I began to consider that the thoughts may have been external instead of internal, I was able to respond accordingly. And when I was not able to see victory despite my efforts, I turned to the elders of my local church. God saw fit to honor their prayers and deliver me.

The Gift of Midlife Friendship

Staci Eastin writes about the blessing of friendship in our middle years.

A couple of my friends from when I was a young mom are no longer living. Some have moved far away. But the ones who remain in my life are such a comfort to me. We are older now, and the years show. We are too tired to try to impress anyone. But we cling to each other, and to our God. Because those are the only things worth holding on to.

To My Almost-Adult Kids: Don’t Be Afraid of These Three Words

Amy Medina writes a letter to her almost-adult children, urging them to ask for help when they need it.

But, my beloved children, please hear me when I say that one thing I’ve learned the hard way is that asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s actually a sign of strength. I’m not talking about the whiny cry from a kid who doesn’t want to do his chores. I mean the kind that comes with maturity – recognizing your God-designed limits and God-intended interdependence. It’s what true wisdom looks like, and it’s a mark of humility. 

On the WPCA Blog This Week

This week on the blog we published an article I wrote called Corporate Worship: An Engine of Christian Hope. If you haven’t already seen it, check it out!

Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here. 

Links for the Weekend (2025-11-07)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

Wellness Cannot Save You

The impulse to seek out wellness is everywhere. Alan Noble has a good caution for us: wellness cannot bear the weight of being our savior.

The appeal to wellness is the allusive dream that one day you may be holistically well enough to live at perfect peace with the universe. It is a desire for shalom. And people will spend billions of dollars a year chasing after it. But as I said earlier, health cannot bear the burden of godhead. It is insufficient. It will come crashing down on us.

Speak with a Christian Accent

Trevin Wax writes about the way we tend to talk like the people we spend time around. He urges us to keep our Christian accent.

At the same time, the Christian accent isn’t merely about abstaining. It’s about adding—words of blessing when others curse, words of encouragement when others tear down, words of peace in the middle of conflict. Our conversations should taste different, seasoned with the salt of grace.

Why the Leaves Fall

Here’s a nice video from The John 10:10 Project about why and how tree leaves fall in the autumn. The Christian perspective on this is refreshing!

Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here. 

Links for the Weekend (2025-10-31)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

Fear is Not a Sin

Ed Welch writes about fear and our response to it. He emphasizes Jesus’s compassion in caring for those who are fearful.

Fear and grief are part of most every day. We do not apologize for them; we speak them. Then Jesus immediately responds with his most intimate words and promises. Fear and anxiety, in turns out, are first steps to knowing God’s kingly authority over all things and his heart of compassion for you.

Why We Need to Talk About Body Image in Women’s Discipleship

Andrea Lee is a counselor and she write about the importance of addressing body image for women.

When want to change our bodies, it’s because we think it’ll get us something we value. We may want to lose weight so we’re noticed and praised. We may want to have strong, defined muscles so we’re seen as powerful. We want something that we believe a “better” body can get us. It’s not always wrong to seek changes in our bodies, but we need to consider our motivation. The reason we want to change our bodies tells us something about who or what we worship.

Plant in Peace

Our poem of the week: Plant in Peace, by Ashlyn McKayla Ohm. This is a poem meditating on a famous passage in Jeremiah 29.

On the WPCA Blog This Week

This week on the blog we published an article I wrote called Never Leaving, Never Forsaking. If you haven’t already seen it, check it out!

Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here. 

Links for the Weekend (2025-10-24)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

What is Your Busyness Doing?

Many of us feel too busy. But, as Alan Noble explains, some forms of busyness can have seriously negative spiritual consequences.

It seems to me that busyness is deceptive. It often starts out virtuous, a courageous effort to manage the daily affairs of your life for the sake of your loved ones and to honor God—in the model of the ant. But the rhythms of hustle can overtake you. They can be seductive. There is a numbness that sets in when you are busy. Your mind is preoccupied with obligations and must-do’s and planning for the future so that sins, conflicts, problems, and issues in your life that aren’t directly related to your busyness get submerged, ignored. What started out virtuous seems to take up more and more space in your consciousness. You begin answering emails at all hours of the day. You check your phone constantly. You feel the need to stay “plugged in.” You feel uncomfortable when you aren’t actively doing something “productive.” This is acedia. And it’s tied to the refusal to believe that God is sovereign over all creation.

Who Are the Righteous Mentioned Throughout the Psalms?

Admit it—you’ve wondered who the Psalms are referring to when they mention “the righteous.” Christopher Ash is here to help.

First, we struggle to know what to make of it when psalmists claim to be righteous, sometimes in quite strong terms. For example, the prayer “Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness / and according to the integrity that is in me” (Ps. 7:8) rather alarms us. What if the Lord did judge me according to my righteousness? He would find it severely wanting. Dare I pray this?

In an Artist’s Studio

Our poem of the week: In an Artist’s Studio, by Christina Rossetti. This is a sonnet about an artist and his love/subject.

Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here.