It’s been a few weeks since I have posted a list of interesting articles.   This isn’t due to the fact that they haven’t been any, but rather just I’ve been struggling to keep up with some of the more in-depth blogs I follow.   Anyway, here’s what’s caught my eye.

Sally Jenkins on the Tebow Ad:

It’s made it’s rounds on Twitter I know, but if you haven’t read this OP-ED in the Washington Journal.   Jenkins doesn’t agree with Tebow, but she sides with the ad’s right to be shown.  It’s respectful, which makes her respectable in my opinion.

Children’s Bible:

Logan loves books, so I’ve been reading any review I can on Children’s Bibles.  This book looked sweet.

Will Obama’s Tax Cuts effect You?:

A good list to check before you file your taxes from Mint.com.   They have some quality blog content.

Who’s Helping Haiti?:

This is very cool way to display some very interesting data.  

Million-Dollar Man

Newsweek is reporting that it’ll cost roughly $1 million per solider for Obama’s surge in Afghanistan or about $65 billion total for 68,000 troops.   That’s a hefty price tag to send troops, and really brings perspective to the amount we pay for such.

Long-Live Organic Church:

An interested article in Christianity today about the “fad” of Organic Church and what happens when it’s over.   I thought the summary was great – it boils down to obedience.  “But when we focus on obedience to a sovereign heavenly Father, who in love is redeeming his creation in his own time and way (often mysteriously)—well, how could we ever be dismayed?”

Shai Linne – Spread His Fame:

Awesome poetry to an Awesome God.

Phil Wing’s Latest Song:

The worship leader at my church and one of my groomsman just posted his latest song this week.   It’s great!   

I am going to try to regularly post a some of the interesting articles and resources I come across each week while surfing the web, reading, or listening to various different stuff.  

Michael Hyatt on Why You Should Sign Up for a Half-Marathon:

I thought this quote about self-leadership was applicable to more than just a half-marathon:

You will provide an example for others. True leadership begins with self-leadership. When you lead yourself, you inspire others to want to follow. Maybe it’s a spouse, or a friend, or one of your children. They need to exercise, but they don’t have an example to follow. You can be that example.

Taking A Financial Fast:

An article discussing how taking a 21-day financial fast to buy only necessities can help us see how much excess is in our life.

10 Ways to Encourage a Missionary:

If you know anyone serving in the mission field (which really extends far beyond those receiving financial support to share the gospel) here’s a good list of ways to encourage them in their ministry.

I read this great article today over on Frank Viola’s blog entitled “He Takes Away So He Might Establish.”

It’s powerful reading talk about how God always brings the darkness before light, the first before the second, and that the Second is Always Better!  We see this all over scripture, how God brings the night, the darkness, and the pain before He brings the light and His glory.   It’s seen in the story of Job, David, and Christ himself.   God gave us and removed the OT covenant so He could provide a new covenant, Jesus, that is so much greater.   Praise Him!

In Genesis 1, God brought the darkness before the light, the evening before the morning.   May we praise Him that when our day is ending, His day is beginning!  “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Ps. 30:5)

I found out today that a friend who has been battling cancer for quite awhile is in the hospital one final time.   She has fought hard and long, but the doctors have nothing else they can.   Pray for Aaron, her husband, and their children during this time.   Reading this article reminds me that He must take away so that He might establish something better… I know He is doing that for Janet!

Thankful for having a God that is wiser than I….

It seems like a few times a month someone walks into my office, glances at my screen, and asks "What Language is that?"  Whether it is C#, HTML, SQL or something different, if you don't have knowledge of what code looks like, it very well looks like some foreign language to someone else.  

However my knowledge of code, and ability to use it, is no different than the talents that other people have that I may not.   I look at those who can play guitar and I am amazed.   I wish I had the strength to rock-climb like the guys I see in outdoor magazines, or produce creative videos that would interest people in watching.

The reality however is that anything is able to be accomplished with the proper practice, tools, and patience.

All that to share this.  For those who might be interested in learning to program, I read this great article yesterday on 10 Tips for Learning a New Programming Language via the NetTUTS blog.   It's a great resource on how to get started.

I came across this article from John Zens' (he spoke at Apex in the fall) posted on Frank Viola's Blog, which I thought I needed to do my duty to pass along.   Zens does a great job addressing one of the biggest issues within the church today, and discussing the negative effects that it has on people.   Here's a quote, but go read the article:

Have you ever noticed that speech that tears others down travels like a brush fire, but news of repentance and restoration seems to move along at a snail’s pace? Why is it that we often immediately believe and embrace negative assessments of people, but reports of repentance, change, or the dispelling of a false rumor are met with skepticism? As believers, the exact opposite should be our practice: we should be hesitant to entertain and skeptical of adverse words about others, and quick to rejoice in and embrace news of the dispelling of a rumor or another’s repentance!