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.