Friday Finds (May – June 2021)
Friday Finds is my monthly recommendation of reads, resources and creative projects from across the web. Here are my Friday Finds for the second quarter of 2021 which are shared in my monthly email newsletter. I hope you find something here that encourages, blesses or challenges you.
Blog Posts
The Lines of Grace
An inspiring piece by Chris Thomas! He writes: “I was originally going to title this post, ‘A Tattoo, A Lesbian, And Our Awkward Situation,’ but it sounded a bit too much like click-bait. However that is where this story begins.”
God is on the Bathroom Floor
America’s Got Talent Golden Buzzer winner, Nightbirde, delivered an astonishing, viral performance. Before the age of thirty, she had already tasted the bitterness of divorce and battled cancer three times, and yet she wrote and performed an original song titled “It’s Okay”. It all made sense when I learned of her Christian faith. She writes: “Call me bitter if you want to—that’s fair. Count me among the angry, the cynical, the offended, the hardened. But count me also among the friends of God.”
Nightbirde, How Can It Be Ok?
Angela Davis reflects on Nightbirde’s story. She writes: “America is fascinated with Nightbirde not simply because her story is compelling, but because she seems to possess something elusive we all want. Or rather, someone: the God who knows our pain, meets us in our pain, and redeems our pain.”
My Life as a Christian Under a Communist Regime
Zhang San shares how he picked up a Bible after becoming suspicious of everything he learned in Chinese school. The pastor writes: “Chinese Christians can vividly see the meaning of Jesus’s words: “Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). New believers are often driven out of their homes because parents think it’s a shame to have a Christian daughter or son.”
The Perfect Father Who Shows Me His Way
Helen Sim Ritenour compares the teachings of her Heavenly Father to the ones from her earthly, immigrant father: “I do not think he knew any other way than to teach us a life of survival that was built on fear and avoidance. But God was not this way: He gently led me into the unknowns, going before me and nurturing me along.”
‘Motherhood Is Ministry and Ministry Is Like Motherhood’: An Encouragement to Ministry Mums
In this interview, biblical counsellor and ministry wife, Jo Kim, shares how God’s word has transformed her perspective and goals for motherhood, and how the experience of nursing newborns has ‘sleep trained’ their family in love, perseverance and generosity for church service.
Seven Things Every Christian Man Should Know About Periods
Rachel Jones gives a compelling reason for Christian men to learn about female periods as a way to better serve and love wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters in Christ. She outlines the challenges of menstruation and menopause and writes: “Brother, these are the kinds of struggles faced by many of the women sitting in your church on a Sunday—often in secret. This is where their theology of suffering meets their everyday life.”
Many unchurched people are actually envious church. Here’s why.
Stephen McAlpine shares how his recent interactions with unchurched friends reveal an envy for the treasure we have in church community. He writes: “For all its warts, my friend recognised in church communities – especially in these COVID times – a place of friendship and acceptance and serving of others, that she desperately doesn’t have anywhere else.”
What Good Are Forgotten Memories?
Brianna Lambert reflects on God’s faithfulness to forgetful people. She writes: “We cling to the God we have known, whose well-worn ruts in our minds lead to faithfulness, even when we can’t quite recall the why. The best news is of course that he is truly faithful (1 Thess. 5:24). It’s not subjective or debatable. Our forgotten memories imprint on us a true reality.”
Infinite Possibilities and Infinite Regret: A Reflection on Regret
I loved this reflection on decision paralysis, regret and discontentment. Eunice Kiem writes: “Because we live in a world of seemingly infinite possibilities and opportunities, we also live in a world of seemingly infinite regret.”
We need to grow old together
Stephen McAlpine reflects on the divorce of Bill and Melinda Gates and the media’s portrayal that it’s a ‘good’ thing that will enable them to flourish in old age. He writes: “The message that marriage is somehow simply only about my pleasure and my flourishing is pretty much all the rage. We need to paint a brighter picture.”
The Failure Truck
Dan Shih has returned to blogging and speaks candidly about laziness, failure, perfection and the Immigrant Asian experience in light of the gospel of grace.
Single-Not-Single-Mum: Parenting in Community
Ruth Baker shares what God has been teaching her in both the joys and challenges of parenting two boys as a single mother in Christian community. She writes: Gods’ community gives me strength when I am weak, so I can be what my children need.
Video & Short Films
A Video Letter Before My Dad Passed – Oma’s Applesauce
Jason Van Genderen shares a video letter that he made for his Dad before his passing in 2011 from lung cancer. This video is beyond beautiful and filled with words that are honourable, humble and healing. In these times of separation, why not pick up the phone and share the same words to your loved ones today?
Talks & Sermons
Engaging Our Emotions: What Do I Do With How I Feel?
In this microtalk, Tim St John shares how emotions are designed to turn us toward God: “Emotional health is not always knowing how to just feel better. Emotional health is knowing how to come to God as a complete person, no matter what you’re facing.”
Bible Talks: “The God Who Feels” – Providence Church Brisbane
Our church recently hosted a weekend away and encouraged our members to consider the place of emotions in the Christian life. In the first talk, “The God Who Feels”, Pastor Mikey Tai introduces us to a God who is both powerful and emotionally expressive. In the second talk, “Engaging with Emotion”, Richard Gibson (Principal, Brisbane School of Theology), shows us through Jesus’ example, how we can engage with our emotions in an appropriate, righteous and loving way.
KCC Conversations – Understanding Power in the Church
In recent days, there has been a growing number of stories of misuse of power in the church by leaders. In this interview, Dr Diane Langberg (Author, Redeeming Power: Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church) shares how the church needs a better understanding of what power is and how we all can avoid misusing it.
Book Reviews
Social Media, Identity & the Church
Tim Keller reviews Chris Bail’s book, Breaking the Social Media Prism: How to Make Our Platforms Less Polarizing: “Jesus says that when Christians are noted for their unusual love, then the world will know he came from the Father (John 17; 1 John)…Could at least some Christians be known for their love on the internet? And could they take part in the rebuilding of new spaces of public discourse in which we can present our faith confidently and listen to our critics carefully and humbly–at the same time?”
Songs & Music
Behold Him
I’m loving this 2020 release by Paul Baloche and Kim Walker-Smith. The lyrics encourage me to ‘be still and behold Him’, the One who is holy and humble.
Album – Faithful: Go and Speak
Listen to this stunning collection of songs inspired by the stories of God’s faithfulness in and through the women of the Bible. Songs were inspired by stories of God’s faithfulness to specific women in the Bible like Rahab, Eve, Ruth, Leah, Esther and more.
At Last, The King – The Gray Havens
The Gray Havens have released a gorgeous acoustic arrangement paired with enchanting lyrics. Available on Spotify and my Hymns of Hope Spotify playlist.
Album: Cresendo by Jackie Hill Perry
This 2018 album by Jackie Hill Perry has been on repeat for me this month! A must-listen for Christian Hip Hop and Rap enthusiasts!
Wayward
Asian-Australian singer and songwriter, Joyce Chen has released her first single on Spotify! ‘Wayward’ speaks of the joy and freedom of recognising our limitations as we walk in step with an infinite God.
Podcasts
The Greater Story – Episode 19 – Cruella
Born brilliant, bad and a little bit mad, Cruella is a villain’s origin story, based off the character of Cruella de Vil from 101 Dalmatians (1996). Is Cruella a cruel villain or a misunderstood victim? How does the film’s themes of suffering, revenge and identity point us to the greater story in the gospel? Tune in to find out what we think! Listen here.
In Good Faith: Information Overload
Have you ever felt paralysed by the abundance of choice on the Netflix menu? Do you struggle with commitment and FOMO? Does your mind struggle in moments of quiet and stillness? In this episode, Chong Shao and Dan Shih reflect on the book, “The Wisdom Pyramid” by Christian author Brett McCracken. They introduce us to the modern sickness of ‘information obesity’ (aka. infobesity), why this is a problem, and three information habits that give us infobesity.
History This Week – The Chinese Immigrants Who Built America
I love history and learning how the past informs the present. On this episode of History This Week, Gordan Chang (Professor History, Stanford University) shares the monumental milestone of May 10, 1869 – the completion of the transcontinental railroad which connected the two sides of the United States. But this achievement came with great sacrifice, especially from Chinese immigrants who made up 90% of the workforce but was erased from history.
The Greater Story – Episode 18 – Wandavision
In this episode we drop some exciting life news and review Disney’s WandaVision, a short series that tells the story of Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) after the events the Avengers: Infinity Saga. Listen along as we discuss how the themes of power, love and grief point us the greater story in the gospel. Listen here.
Infographic
Infographic: The Common (Yet Neglected) Problem of Burnout
A Crossway infographic with some fascinating and sobering stats on a problem that affects our society, our workplaces, our churches, and our homes.
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