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"...The World, the Flesh, and the Devil" - 26 March 2023

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  Our Father, you are our rock of safety and in you is no unrighteousness at all. Grant unto us the grace we desperately need, so as to withstand the temptations and avoid the infections of the world, the flesh and the devil, so that with pure heart, sound mind and holy delight we may serve you in perfect liberty all our days. We remember these who are wrestling with and being wrestled down by specific misfortunes and troubles (…). May it please you to console and relieve them according to their particular needs, giving them enduring patience under their sufferings and a happy ending to all their afflictions. And look kindly on mothers carrying child. May both mother and child be healthy, and give strength and hardiness to both on the day of birth. Please uphold our country, and Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, as well as all other nations in our world, and direct the hearts and minds of all world leaders to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly before you in your ways of truth. We pray
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"Finding Jesus on Upside Down Days" by Jill A. Miller. A Review

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  "Cute as a bug's ear," is what my grandma would say about something that was charming, and delightful, and fun, all rolled into one. Well "Cute as a bug's ear" is what I'm calling this glossy 112-page hardback, "Finding Jesus on Upside Down Days: Family Devotions from the Barnyard" by Jill A. Miller. All 52 of these devotions are perfect for moms, dads, and grandparents to sit down with the young ones, snuggled up on the couch, and to read out loud. And the pictures will add to the attention-keeping and discussion. Miller draws her short tales from a cast of furry and feathery characters in her barnyard, while she draws her points from the Bible. Each reading revolves around the Bible passage without being "preachy," and is illustrated mostly by her animals, herself, or a few of her neighbors and their animals. A majority of the stories will make you laugh or chuckle, though some will also bring you to meet the sadness of death. But
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"Father to the Fatherless, Helper to the Helpless" - 19 March 2023

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  Our Father, you who are a father to the fatherless, helper to the helpless, defender of those who are defenseless. You see that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves. Please keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, so that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to our bodies and from all evil thoughts that that may assault and hurt our souls! We remember these who are tackling and being tackled by specific trials (…). May it please you to calm, compose, and clear them according to their particular needs. Give them enduring patience under their sufferings and a satisfactory ending to all their afflictions.   Please safeguard our country, as well as all other nations in our world, including Kosovo, Kuwait, and Kyrgyzstan. Also, we implore you to direct the hearts and minds, deliberations and decisions of all the world leaders in your ways of justice and truth on behalf of the favored and ill-favored, the mighty and meager, and the powe
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Prayers about Anxiety, Mental Illness, Rest, and Society - 12 March 2023

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  (Anxiety and Mental Illness) : LORD God of Sabaoth, you have recorded for us these words of deep comfort: “ Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you ” (Isaiah 35:3-4). We pray for the anxious and the forlorn, those troubled with mental illness, and those with long histories of distress, especially these we know (…). Break through the dark walls that have been set up around their assessments; pull back the thick curtains they have around the eyes of their hearts; and bring the light of your face to shine on their lives that their weak hands may be strengthened and their feeble knees made firm. O Lord, hear our prayer.   (Rest) : With your servant, Augustine, we pray: “You awake us to delight in your praise; for you made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you” (“Confessi
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"O Father, Who Turns Our Darkness into the Brilliance of Day" - 12 March 2023

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  Our Father, who turns our darkness into the brilliance of day, and gives us garments of joy in place of the apparel of sorrow; we find ourselves in times of worry and deep concern for ourselves, our children, our grandchildren, our nation and our world. In times of prosperity fill our hearts with thankfulness; and in the day of trouble suffer not our trust in you to fail. We remember those who are grappling with specific hardships (…), may it please you to console and relieve them, according to their specific needs. Give them enduring patience under their sufferings and a happy conclusion to all their afflictions.  With your watchful eye preserve those in our Military, especially (…), and encourage their families. Look kindly on those we know who are thinking of marriage. Help them, in all of the excitement of romance to listen to wise counsel, to see clearly what it means to be married, and to learn how to sensibly and graciously work together as they go through the sometimes testy
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"Heroic Fraternities" by Anthony B. Bradley. A Review

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  We’re in an era of widespread fatherlessness, where dad’s spawn kids and then walk away, or up and leave them and their mothers, or are physically present while emotionally distant. It’s part of what lies behind the “daddy-issues” that haunt many kids, teens and adults. Therefore, to build up virtuous and quality manhood in boys and young men, is a noble and honorable task. This desire fuels Anthony B. Bradley, professor of religious studies, director of the Center for the Study of Human Flourishing at The King’s College in New York, and research fellow at The Acton Institute. And this noble desire is crystal clear in his spanking new 222-page softback, “Heroic Fraternities: How College Men Can Save Universities and America”. Between the covers of this easy-to-read book, Bradley strives to restore the honorable goals of college fraternities, reclaiming their original concept of fostering heroic masculinity. A campus brotherhood that helps young men to “use their presence, power, stre
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"The Acrostic of Scripture" by Gibson and Brindle. A Review.

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 To take a fun and thoughtful approach to passing on Scripture and what we believe to our children and grandchildren is a great way to go. That’s what the new, brightly illustrated 64-page hardcover book, “The Acrostic of Scripture: A Rhyming Biblical Theology for Kids” works at doing. The authors, Jonathan Gibson who is ordained in the International Presbyterian Church (UK) and serves as Associate Professor of Old Testament, Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, and Timothy Brindle who is a Pastor at Olive Street Presbyterian Church (PCA), have pulled together an artful and creative way to present our kids with the story of God, full of Scripture and doctrine. This is the fourth installment in New Growth Press’s Acrostic Theology for Kids Series .   After a brief prologue from the authors, the book jumps in, moving from A to Z. Each alphabetic section is brightly illustrated by C.S. Fritz, has a cadenced summary of the subject for that letter, and then is backed up with
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