Category: Links

Links for the Weekend (2026-07-10)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

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

‘I’m Not Feeling It Today’: Bad Reasons We Neglect the Bible

David Mathis writes about the relationship between spontaneity and habit and how this relates to Bible reading. He advocates “planned spontaneity” and gives five practical suggestions.

Joy in God’s presence disappears when I don’t make a habit of pursuing his presence. Daily communion with the living God doesn’t just happen as we go about our daily lives. Setting our minds on things above doesn’t just happen. God means for us to take some initiative and put in a little effort to do the mind-setting and heart-calibrating, and in those arrangements God loves to bless his people with surprising showers of his grace that have all the joy of the best spontaneity.

The Value of Spiritual Disciplines

Jennifer Weichmann writes about how being a runner has informed her understanding of practicing spiritual disciplines.

Like we can see the effects of a habit across years of practice, spiritual disciplines operate the same way. As consistent running makes the runner stronger and faster, so also a disciplined believer strengthens their faith across time through habits like prayer and Bible reading, and also through the easier to dismiss habits of Scripture memory, fellowship, and fasting. These rhythms of spiritual disciplines matter because habits build, habits sustain, and habits drive.

Lassitude

Our poem of the week: Lassitude, by Mark Rico. This poem is (to me) an on-the-nose description of how July heat feels.

On the WPCA Blog This Week

This week on the blog we published an article written by Cliff Lester called The Grace of Thinking Soberly. 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 (2026-07-03)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

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

What It Means That Christ is Praying for You Today

Dave Harvey explains how Christ’s work continues for us after his ascension.

And our Advocate isn’t distant. He’s not working remotely from some heavenly retirement home. He’s seated next to the Father, pleading our case, defending us against every accusation, and interceding for us day and night.

I Thought Healing Would Look Different

Kirsten Black writes about how grief tends to have a starting point but no obvious end point.

Healing doesn’t look like I thought it would. Before loss, I assumed healing meant the hard days would resolve; that there would be an end to the sadness. Now I realize that healing is learning to honor the sorrow when it returns. It reminds my heart that because of Christ, there is still hope, even when the sadness remains. It speaks to my still-aching heart, reminding her life is not as God intended it to be, yet the life to come will be exactly how he planned. And then it patiently waits for the sun to rise, knowing that sorrow will not have the final word.

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

Our poem of the week: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, by Megan Willome. This is a very short poem about the difficulty we have with silence.

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 (2026-06-26)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

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

When You Don’t Get Anything Out of Devotions

Ben Hicks has written a nice description about the effects of our devotions on us, using an apt comparison to diet and exercise.

Sometimes God meets with us in a special way. Occasionally a verse or a phrase or a thought can revolutionize our lives, but I have found that those times tend to be rare. Rather, it’s the slow and steady repetition of reading God’s Word, asking Him to change me, and watching as that happens little by little through the weeks, months, and years.

Let Me Dwell In Your Tent Forever

Here’s a look at David’s request in Psalm 61 to dwell in God’s tent forever. Wes Bredenhof explains how strange this request may have sounded and how we can take comfort in it now.

David isn’t a High Priest.  He wasn’t even from the tribe of Levi (the tribe of the priests) – he was from the tribe of Judah.  Even though he’s the king, David has no right to dwell in the tabernacle.  He doesn’t have the right to find shelter under the wings of the cherubim in the Most Holy Place.  He’s not allowed in there.  And the idea of dwelling in God’s tent forever?  How could it be possible for a sinful human being to do that?  The prayer David expresses here doesn’t seem to have any remote possibility of being answered.

Fieldnotes (II)

Our poem of the week: Fieldnotes (II), by Kilby Austin. This is a delightful little poem about a sunrise.

On the WPCA Blog This Week

This week on the blog we published an article I wrote called Efficiency is Not the Path to Blessing. 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 (2026-06-19)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

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

Does Jesus Really Expect Us to Be Perfect?

This article examines two of Jesus’s statements in the Sermon on the Mount, about righteousness and perfection.

The statements in Matthew 5:20 and Matthew 5:48 are meant to shock and shake us out of self-reliance and lethargy, but their message is not one of condemnation. Rather, they are an invitation. The problem with our interpretation of Matthew 5:48 is an English one, and the problem with our understanding of Matthew 5:20 comes from not paying close attention to the literary structure. We will examine these problems and their answers in turn.

Dear Dementia

Katie Laitkep shared some moving reflections on the final days of her grandmother’s battle with dementia.

She belongs to Jesus—now, in the struggle, as we wait and watch her sleep, not knowing if she’ll wake again. She belongs to Jesus because she’s believed, by grace through faith, that He is her only hope. He gave her eternal life, and He holds her today. No one and nothing will snatch her out of His hand (John 10:28–29).

Daylilies

Our poem of the week: Daylilies, by Kate Bluett. This spring poem is about flowers, rain, and resurrection.

Thanks to Lorelai H for her 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 (2026-06-12)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

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

5 Warnings Against Covetousness and How to Put It to Death

John Piper shares some warnings from the Bible about the danger of coveting. He also shares “the sword that puts covetousness to death.”

Paul clearly saw that the main fuel for faith is the word of God—promises such as, “My God will supply every need of yours.” So when covetousness begins to raise its greedy head, what we must do is begin to preach the word of God to ourselves. We need to hear what God says. We need to hear his warnings about what becomes of the covetous and how serious it is to covet. And we need to hear his promises of future grace that give great contentment to the soul and free us to love.

Does the Bible Condone Slavery?

Rebecca McLaughlin appeared on the What in the Word? podcast to discuss the tricky topic of slavery in the Bible. (That links to a page with the video of the conversation as well as links to audio-only options. I do not see a transcript, though there is a synopsis/summary.)

Rapid-Fire Apologetics: Glen Scrivener Answers 5 Tough Questions About the Bible and Theology

Christian apologist Glen Scrivener tackles five questions at the end of this interview with Matt Smethurst and Ligon Duncan. (This is a link to a video.)

On the WPCA Blog This Week

This week on the blog we published an article I wrote called Time Outside of Our Hands. 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 (2026-06-05)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

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

Rushing Our Quiet Times

Jo Gibbs writes about how modern busyness has affected our devotional practices. She offers some advice and shares her personal practices.

For many of us, the busyness of our day shapes the way we approach Bible reading and prayer. We grab ten minutes of Bible reading on the way to work, our minds already racing ahead to our To Do list. We choose devotional books built around a short passage, a brief comment, and a two-sentence prayer. Just browsing some devotional titles says it all: 3-Minute Devotions for Women, The One Year Love Language Minute Devotional, A Mindful Moment: 5-Minute Meditations and Devotions. Convenience often become our priority, rather than depth. Our quiet time becomes something to get done, rather than a space for real growth in our relationship with God. That’s one reason our quiet times sometimes aren’t working.

Advice on How to “Preach the Gospel” to Yourself

What does it look like to preach the gospel to yourself? Micah Colbert offers some guidelines and reasons why we should pay attention.

Preaching the gospel to ourselves is a discipline that we should consistently practice in order to mature in Christlikeness. But what does that actually look like? Practically, how do we “preach the gospel” to ourselves? Recently, a young woman in our church asked me those very questions—ones you may be wondering about as well. If so, I hope the advice I gave her will be helpful to you too.

Dry

Our poem of the week: Dry, by Kate Bluett. This short poem begins with the crossing of the Red Sea and ends with a plea to God for rain.

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 (2026-05-29)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

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

Pray to the Lord of the Harvest

Trevin Wax highlights prayer as an essential evangelistic activity, and he offers three practical suggestions.

A couple years ago, John Dickson and I were giving guest lectures for a course at Wycliffe Hall in Oxford. One of his observations stood out to me: Praying is the most frequently enjoined gospel-promoting activity in the New Testament.

Not preaching. Not giving. Not going. Praying.

I tend to think of prayer as what we do before the real work of evangelism begins, or as a last resort when we run into difficulty. But ever since Dickson made that observation, I keep finding that emphasis on evangelistic prayer everywhere I look in the New Testament.

The Dangerous Days Past Middle Age

Michele Morin writes with some warnings for those in the second half of life. She points out three temptations particular to this age.

I can easily be fooled into mistaking apathy for godly serenity. I might take comfort in the absence of “fiery” sins like lust and anger — yet I may be blind to the pride, selfishness, and slothfulness that have crept into their place. Time can make us lazy, and we’re all subject to its subtle drift. Perhaps the sifting question for the aging Christian is, “Am I killing sin, or have I just traded one destructive path for another?”

I Am Not Enough for My Kids

Amy Medina writes about the determination she needed when going through the adoption process and how she took that same determination into parenting.

But what I discovered is that bringing them home, as challenging as it was, was the easy part. Raising them is much harder. And I’ve slowly, incrementally, had to accept this hard truth: Determination is not enough. I am not enough for my kids. 

I can’t bind up all the wounds. I can’t protect them from all the bad things. I can’t make them love the things I love. I can’t keep the bullies away. I can’t always stop them from being the bully. I can’t force a (sincere) apology. I can’t change DNA. I can’t create motivation. I can’t make this world fair. I can’t keep them safe all the time. I can’t manifest love and security into their hearts. And of course, I can’t always be the kind, patient, and wise mother I imagined I would be. 

On the WPCA Blog This Week

This week on the blog we published an article I wrote called Work: For Legacy or Joy? 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 (2026-05-22)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

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

The Will of God Isn’t a GPS

Trevin Wax advises that God’s will is more like a map than a GPS.

Some Christians come to the Bible expecting semimystical guidance—a verse that will signal to you exactly what job to take, a story that will help you know whether to move, a constellation of circumstances that tell you to lean further into the right romantic relationship. Others wait for a perfect peace, a gut feeling, or a dream. Doesn’t Jesus say our heavenly Father takes note of every sparrow that falls? Surely he cares about our every step.

What We Lose When We Don’t Study the Bible Ourselves

Glenna Marshall explains the benefits of studying the Bible, even when (maybe especially when) it is difficult.

The purposes of study require that we do the work of study. We cannot expect spiritual growth without living closely to Scripture. We cannot hope for a deeper understanding of God and his redemptive story while refusing to learn the Person or the story. We won’t grow closer to the Lord if we refuse to engage with his chosen means of revelation. The things we desire to take from Bible study will only come through studying the Bible. A deepened affection for the Lord and a heart that reflects Christ come from a life saturated with Scripture. Because God’s word is living and active, regular study will (over time) shape you to look like Jesus, to love what he loves, and to hate what he hates.

Three Truths to Combat Your News Anxiety

If paying attention to the news is making you anxious, Paul Sadler has some truths from the Bible to offer comfort.

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 (2026-05-15)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

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

Eight Myths about Heaven That Many Believe

Many Christians have a view of heaven that is more informed by popular culture than by the Bible. Randy Alcorn has spent years writing about heaven and wants to correct eight of these myths.

Thinking that Heaven will be boring betrays a heresy—that God is boring. Nonsense! God made our taste buds, adrenaline, the nerve endings that convey pleasure to our brains, our imaginations, and our capacity for happiness and excitement.

Collective Awe and What We Were Made For

Glenna Marshall writes about recent space-related events and discoveries and ties them into God as creator and humans as those who gaze on creation together.

That’s why when we encounter large-scale astonishing global or terrestrial events, we drop what we’re doing and stand in awe. I enjoyed following the Artemis II mission around the moon and back, mostly because I cannot imagine the glimpse of the universe that the four astronauts were fortunate enough to see, but also because I cannot fathom the math-minded brilliance of the scientists and physicists who made such an endeavor possible. I know I wasn’t the only one watching the Orion burn its way through the earth’s atmosphere while my heart pounded with a bit of fear. Anyone who watched breath a collective sigh of relief when splashdown occurred at precisely 7:07p.m. We were relieved and amazed.

Breaking

Our poem of the week: Breaking, by Kate Bluett. This poem is introduced by a portion of Luke 24 where disciples recognize the risen Jesus as he broke bread for them. This poem is, gloriously, about resurrection.

On the WPCA Blog This Week

This week on the blog we published an article I wrote called Wisdom Drained of Power. 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 (2026-05-08)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

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

The Modern Flattening of Sin—and What We Lose

Trevin Wax has written about how our descriptions of sin have changed and how this affects our view of the work of God in salvation.

When we recast sin as primarily a matter of feeling far from God rather than being in an objective state of rebellion against him, the solution gets altered. We no longer need a physician who prescribes a cure for a dying patient; we go looking for a therapist who helps us understand our feelings. “Is our nature truly impaired,” Sanders asks, “or are we simply suffering the consequences of false beliefs about ourselves?”

Want to Share the Good News? Ask Good Questions

Sharonda Cooper has an article for Crossway about the power of questions in evangelism. She provides some helpful examples!

A third reason to ask questions is to learn the person’s perceived area of greatest need. Oftentimes people think love and acceptance are their greatest needs. Sometimes they prize financial success or independence. Maybe they long for freedom from fear and anxiety. Whatever that deepest craving might be, your job is to find it. You want to know what keeps this person up at night. Probing that area uncovers pathways to present Christ as the answer to that person’s soul sickness.

Eventide

Our poem of the week: Eventide, by Sally Thomas. This sonnet is remarkable, a description of dusk by the sea. The hymn Abide with me runs through the poem.

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