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Parenting

Teaching small fries to take notes, sing psalms, and speak to God

When your child is old enough to write...

When your child learns to write he is ready to begin taking sermon notes.

Say, what?

Let's say that little George is 4 or 5 or 6 years old and he knows how to write his name and how to write all of his letters. Now he can get started! All you need is a regular notebook (or half size) and a pen or pencil.

Before you go to church you should talk with him about the worship service, and how important it is to be quiet and still and to listen to God's Word being preached.

Hopefully he has already been sitting in church for awhile and has become accustomed to obeying in this manner. Explain to him that he is old enough now to begin taking sermon notes!

As you listen to the sermon, write in the notebook a simple sentence that you have just heard the minister say. Remember to write it in the type of lettering that little George will be able to read, in the size that he is used to. Then hand it to George and tell him to copy it. If he is a beginner, he will take awhile to do so. When he hands it back to you, smile, and listen to the sermon for a moment, and write another sentence. He needs to remember not to have a conversation about it. Let George complete this second one as well.

Depending on the age and patience of your child, you can decide whether to have him write 5 sentences, or 10, or more. As he improves, he will be quicker and will accomplish more. He may keep it up throughout, or he may tire. I usually found it beneficial to "push" my child to do just one more after he said he was getting tired of it. This helped him to develop endurance.

After the service, take the notebook home. If you will take a few moments to read it over when he is present, and to show it to your spouse, he will see that this is important to you and it will help him to strive to do it well. If he is able, you might even have him read it as a part of your family Bible reading time.

This activity teaches him to take notes, because as he gets older you will ask him to listen and write down parts of sentences that he hears. It doesn't matter if he gets all of the words - just that he is listening and getting some of them. Eventually he will progress to where he can find the main points and summarize them, but that's a long way off.

This activity also gives him something very worthwhile to do during worship. It is directly involved with the worship, as opposed to just being a toy, a page to color, or a series of "o's" to fill in, in his bulletin. It says to him that he is worshipping too, not just being forced to sit quietly for his parents' sake. It says to him that he is capable of taking sermon notes, just like the "big people" do. It also helps if he sees those older than him participating in this way.

As his notebook progresses you could use it during the week to help him remember what he learned on Sunday. If you are enthusiastic, he will be also.

When your child is old enough to sing...

When your child is old enough to sing a song he is old enough to learn psalms and hymns. Little George is capable of picking up any song that he hears. So if you regularly sing words of praise to the Lord in your home and in your car, he will soon know all of the words as well. Good quality music that truly honors the Lord is just as fitting for children as it is for adults. They do not need off-key vegetables to get their attention. You might teach your children the psalms and hymns by methodically going through your church songbook and learning to sing all of the first stanzas. What a wonderful preparation to be ready for whichever ones the minister thinks fit best with his sermons for that day!

Another way that you can assist your child in worship is by finding out ahead of time, if possible, which hymns or psalms will be sung next Sunday. Then you can sing that one at home a few times so that it becomes familiar to him. If it's one that was unfamiliar to you this could benefit everyone and improve the musical part of the worship of our Lord. If enough people are interested in knowing ahead of time perhaps you could ask the minister if he could email the titles or page numbers to the congregation by Thursday or Friday of each week.

All of this serves to teach our children that what happens on Sunday is important and that it is not a Sunday-only activity. Preparing for worship and reflecting on it afterwards bring it to the forefront and promote our spiritual growth.

Again, a little enthusiasm goes a long way.

When your child is old enough to read...

When your child is old enough to read he can begin reading the Bible. What an excitement it is for little George to help read one of the Bible verses at a family Bible reading time. Maybe he can only identify half or two-thirds of the words, but he is sure trying. Soon he will want to be able to read the other words too, and that will encourage him to learn the rest of his phonics. What a goal!

Historically, most schools were started so that people would be able to read God's Word. George will appreciate that he too is included in the Bible study. He also won't need to fuss for attention if he is already included in taking a turn.

When your child is old enough to speak...

When your child is old enough to speak he can pray. He might repeat after Mom or Dad, or he might add his own simple words of thanks and request. But he should not even be able to remember a time when he did not pray several times every day.

Worship is the central, most important thing that we do in our entire week. It is the time that we humbly come to confess our sins, give our thanks, sing of His glory, ask for help, and learn of His grace. When we teach our children right from the start how to worship, we accomplish the most important task that we must do.

Sharon L. Bratcher has a book with 45 of her RP articles in it, and a 2-year lesson plan entitled “Bible Overview for Young Children” ages 2-6 and 6-9. For information on these, contact [email protected]. This article first appeared in the Dec. 2006 issue, under the title "Sermon notes, and songs, for small fries."

Book lists, Book Reviews

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Saturday Selections – Aug 15, 2026

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Economics - Home Finances

Beware the new thieves

Clever online scammers are targeting Christians, old and young – here’s what to watch for ***** Gerry lost his dear wife Margaret in 2020, after nearly forty years of marriage. He never thought that he would be the lonely type, but now that she was gone, he realized that while the kids and grandkids loved him, and checked in on him regularly, they had their own lives and were busy with so many things. While not much of a social media guy, Gerry had a Facebook account that kept him connected to friends and family. After Margaret’s passing, he received many condolences and messages that really helped him through a tough time. One friend of a Facebook friend who lived on the other side of the country continued to message Gerry after he accepted her friend request during this time of grief. Laura had lost her husband a few years ago, and she knew how lonely it could get after the family settled back into their normal routines, and the house felt so empty. Their conversations switched to private messenger so that prying Facebook eyes wouldn’t have anything to gossip about, and the connections became an important part of Gerry’s day. After a month of regular, frequent communication, Gerry grew to rely on Laura and considered her a true friend. They were both interested in politics, and had many interesting chats about how Canadian culture was changing so quickly. They wondered what life was going to be like for their grandchildren in the coming decades. They shared the challenges they faced as singles in churches where most people were part of a couple. Neither of them liked Facetime or other video chat services, so most of their talks took place through Whatsapp, or Messenger or email. A few months into their friendship, Laura became gravely sick. Her illness was life threatening, and she was devastated. Professing her confidence in Jesus, she told Gerry she was not afraid of death, but still had a lot to live for. Treatments for her illness were very expensive, and Laura was not a wealthy widow. Gerry was happy he could do something for her, and sent money through e-transfers to help her pay the bills that began to pile up. The treatments became more and more expensive, and for a while, Laura insisted that Gerry stop sending funds; it wasn’t worth it anymore with all the pain she was experiencing: she was at peace with stopping the treatment. Gerry insisted: she had to fight on, for the sake of her children and friends, and it wasn’t right to give up hope! Perhaps by now, dear reader, you recognize the themes of what has become a far too common scenario. Lonely people are fooled by deceivers who take advantage of them by pretending to be someone who cares. “Laura” never existed; the man who invented her had dozens of other online personalities that he used to connect with men and women around the globe. All the money that Gerry sent enriched this thief’s bank account, and never paid for a penny of treatment for anyone. And since he didn’t even live in Canada, there was no way to recover the hundreds of thousands of dollars that Gerry sent that were supposed to help someone who never was. Now, thankfully, this is a fictionalized account and Gerry is not a real person, so the harm he suffered didn’t happen. But I’m sharing his story because this exact thing is happening to real people all across Canada, and we need to know what to look out for. Extorting the young Now let me tell you about Logan, a shy teenager, especially bashful around girls at his Christian high school. His Instagram profile painted an active picture – posts after every hockey game, after a day at the lake, and an afternoon on the slopes. His profile led to lots of connections with teens with similar interests, and he began to have more “conversations” with these virtual friends than with his classmates. Chelsea, a girl from the States, became an even closer friend, and Logan looked forward to their interactions more and more, and perhaps to meeting her some day. Logan grew more intimate with Chelsea, and although he knew he shouldn’t, he traded inappropriate pictures with her. Again, by now you may have guessed the deceit that had happened. Chelsea was not a girl from Florida but a con man, and now that he had these compromising photos, he had the tools needed to begin extorting Logan. Small Venmo transfers grew larger and larger, and if Logan didn’t comply, these pictures would be shared with everyone he knew. Weeks of torment followed for the beleaguered teenager. Logan’s parents noticed how their normally happy son had turned morose, with no energy for the things that usually brought him joy. Dad took Logan out for coffee, and when pressed, his son confessed his dilemma. With help from the local authorities, the extortionist was frozen out from further contact. The family’s ward elder visited with Logan, and was a huge comfort for the teenager, reminding him that “all have sinned, and all fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24). It’s a simple message that Logan knew from his youth, but such a comforting thing to be reminded! While Logan’s story ended well, this type of extortion is extremely dangerous. Especially younger victims see their world tumbling down around them. Some have become so distraught, not seeing any way out from their dilemma, that they have taken their own lives. A new danger While both Gerry and Logan are not real people, what happened to them is actually happening to people across the world, with frauds and scammers using social media and modern communication tools to rob unsuspecting citizens. Our online profiles show our hobbies, our loved ones, our careers, and other things important to us, and that become the means by which thieves find connection points with us. A seemingly innocent message or connection opens the door to a virtual relationship that builds up over time. We begin to trust the person on the other end of that email chain or iMessage conversation. And these thieves are happy to play the long game, not asking you for money in the early days of your friendship. It could be more than a year before they “strike” – they will wait till they’ve become someone you trust, someone that you want to help. So what can you do to protect yourself? Here are three simple rules to help you shut down these scoundrels. Rule 1: Do I actually know you? Today’s thieves rarely come to your front door – they approach through electronic communication like phone calls, social media connections, and emails. You may believe you have a friendship with someone; you may even have pictures of this person, or have seen their online presence for some years, you may even have phone conversations with someone – but unless you have seen them in person, there is a chance that this person is deceiving you. You can shut down most scams and schemes by following this rule: if I haven’t seen you in person, we don’t really have a relationship, and I certainly will not send you any gifts, financial or otherwise. While the scams in this story took a long time to set up, other schemes and frauds can materialize quickly. For example, your “utility company” may phone you to let you know that your service is being disconnected due to missed payments, unless you are able to pay over the phone right now. Even more distressing: fake kidnappers have used voice recordings of grandchildren to extort money from vulnerable seniors: “You must send these funds now or you will never see them again!” Rule 2: Don’t answer your phone if the number calling is not one you recognize! You cannot be sure that a caller is who they say they are. Even if the call is from your local area code, or the area code where you have relatives or connections, just let the incoming call go to your voice mail. If the matter is legitimate and important, the caller will leave a message, and you can verify that whoever is calling is really with the company they say they are with, by looking up their phone number from your latest bill or statement. And if the message does turn out to be a loved one, you can simply call them back! Rule 3: Slow down, and tell someone! Most scammers rely on a sense of urgency to make you act more quickly than you normally would. “Get on your computer now and make this E-transfer, or else this terrible consequence will follow.” We get flustered when we are put in a stressful situation; our normal logic gets pushed aside in our panic. Hang up the phone, close up the email or message, and call a trusted friend or loved one. Most of the time, the messenger’s urgency is a tactic designed to bully you into doing something you normally would not do without double checking its legitimacy. How can we help each other? “It is not good for man to be alone,” said the Lord in Genesis 2, and this applies not just to finding a marriage partner, but also to human beings as social creatures. We need relationships, for both giving and receiving love and friendship. In our modern, internet connected world, more and more people have stronger virtual connections than they experience in real life. Many people are lonely! One of the most important ways for us to help our loved ones not become victims of these types of scams is very old fashioned. But it’s also very effective. Keep up your personal, face-to-face visits with your family and friends and neighbors. There is nothing that can replace a real conversation with a real human being. Ask questions of each other; find out from one another what is going on in our lives. Stop by for a coffee regularly! Especially retirees and seniors benefit from these conversations. They may be more lonely and isolated than younger folks. They often won’t be as aware of the dangers of virtual connections, and they may not have heard of the scams and schemes with which you are familiar. Don’t be afraid to ask financial questions: many of our seniors want to be generous with what the Lord entrusted to them. This is a wonderful impulse! But you can help the seniors in your life with good counsel on how to support Christian causes for maximum impact. Rejoice in the Lord always Victims of fraud or extortion often feel ashamed of their situation. If they’ve traded inappropriate pictures, they feel guilty and unlovable. If they’ve been defrauded of money, they feel foolish, as if it was their fault. If this is you, dear reader, please know that there is such great relief in telling someone your troubles – tell a friend, tell your parents, tell your elder. Do not keep your troubles private! It is a joy to be part of a church community that bears one another’s burdens. And if you have sinned in your interactions, confess your sins to the Lord! Our God is patient, loving, and compassionate. He is able to forgive anything that you have done, and He wants to assure you that because of Jesus’ work, your sins are removed as far as the east is from the west! You are washed, you are clean! 1 John 1:9 reminds us “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice! ***** 4 ways to avoid a financial fleecing How to invest carefully Modern scammers have learned how we can be enticed by the lure of large financial returns, especially when presented as exclusive opportunities for a small group of people. This scheme doesn’t only happen online; sometimes the most effective thieves are very popular figures in their own home town… until their schemes unravel. We might think these things only happen in big cities, but unfortunately, they occur wherever sinful men live in community. In my small town, dozens of seniors lost millions of dollars after investing with a person they trusted. So here are a few rules to avoid entrapment: 1. If something sounds too good to be true, don’t bite! Real investing is, by its nature, risky. Investors know that these are the risks associated with any business, and that success is not guaranteed in any endeavor. So, if someone promises you an above average return, and states that there is no risk – it’s a sure thing! – do not believe them! Even if a brother or friend states that you are guaranteed a 12% return, when banks are paying 3% or 4% interest on CD’s, do not believe them! It does not matter how many other people are praising this investment; it doesn’t matter if this opportunity is only available to a few carefully selected people. Don’t be fooled by a “guarantee.” It’s not a promise, it’s a lie. (P.S., if someone reads this, and disagrees, please email me and I’d be glad to talk this through with you!) 2. Don’t deposit money for other people When someone who doesn’t owe you money wants you to deposit cheques or money orders or wired funds into your bank account, don’t allow it! Thieves have developed all kinds of ruses and stories to explain why they need this service performed. It could be overpayment for something you are selling, or it could be a commission for a small task you did for them remotely (like writing an online review or forwarding messages to friends). Do not be distracted by the elaborate story, because part two of this scam is definitely coming. The scammer will ask for a portion of these funds back, as a commission, or a splitting of expenses, or explain that they made a mistake and sent you too much. The thief will hassle, hound, and threaten you until this amount is sent to him. Whatever portion you send back to him is likely to be the amount you are being robbed, because the cheque or money order or wired funds of the original deposit turn out to be fraudulent after a few weeks. Or they might take more, because they have used the transaction to get access to your bank account information. 3. If you don’t understand, don’t invest Investor Peter Lynch said: “If you can’t explain to a 10-year-old in two minutes or less why you own a stock, you shouldn’t own it.” The same principle applies to private investment opportunities. If you can’t understand how a company will be profitable, or how a company’s business plan works, or the technology behind the product or service, you may with confidence say: “I’m sorry, but I just don’t understand how your business is going to make money, and so I’m going to decline this opportunity.” And end that conversation! 4. Wealth grows slowly Ripoff artists normally promise not just a large return, but a quick investment increase. When you hear someone promise large increases in a short period of time, remember what Solomon wrote in Proverbs 13:11: “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.” He echoes that point in Proverbs 21:5: “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.” Marty VanDriel has been interested in helping folks "avoid getting ripped off" since he began listening to consumer advocate Clark Howard back in the ‘90s! An RP reader from the Fraser Valley alerted VanDriel to incidents of these scams among Canadian Christians. VanDriel's favorite financial advice is to read and reflect on the book of Proverbs regularly!...

News

Saturday Selections – Aug 8, 2026

Old books – and old comedy skits – can help us see better C.S. Lewis encouraged the reading of old books, because, while times past had their own shortcomings, their errors were different than our own. So we can see through their ideological blindspots, and meanwhile they can help us see through our own age's blindspots. "None of us can fully escape this blindness, but we shall certainly increase it, and weaken our guard against it, if we read only modern books. Where are true they will give us truths which we half knew already. Where they are false they will aggravate the error with which we are already dangerously ill. The only palliative is to keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds, and this can be done only by reading old books." Can the same be said of watching old comedy skits? This bit, from a 1987 Saturday Night Live (SNL) skit – about a doctor delivering 4,000 babies, all of which are, amazingly girls – makes the case. Like many an SNL bit, it was never funny, but it highlights what everyone used to know was crazy: the idea that you can be trapped in another gender's body. The clip went viral this past week for highlighting what too few are willing to say out loud today – that mutilating children in the name of this nonsense is monstrous. Can you imagine SNL mocking the idea of doctors "transitioning" kids? Actually, they did, in the 80s. REPORTER: "Dr. Hoffritz, can’t you see what you’re doing here? I mean, the 48-51% — they’re not girls, they’re little boys! You have mutilated over 2,000 little boys!” HOFFITZ:… pic.twitter.com/VnOwl6xADE — Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) July 30, 2026 In praise of godly mothers-in-law "My mother-in-law is one of my best friends. When I say so, most mouths pop open like a kernel on a piping hot pan. Before courtesy can get a word in, shock blurts out, 'How did that happen?' Here’s how it didn’t happen: overnight." Have tongues ceased? A Reformed case for cessationism in 5 points. While Pentecostals believe that the special gifts of the New Testament period have not ceased, we don't see Pentecostals regularly healing people, or prophesying (at least not to a Deut. 13:1-5 standard), and even when they speak in tongues, it's in the "tongue of angels" rather than any recognizable language. So have the gifts ceased or not? Here's one Reformed case for saying yes. And we have another here. Al Gore's Oscar-winning, panic-inducing, global warming documentary turns 20 "Many of Gore’s most alarming predictions have failed to materialize, while the policy response he helped inspire has proved extraordinarily flawed." This commentator isn't Christian - he is a gay agnostic who believes in global warming – but he holds this with us in common: that mankind is the pinnacle of creation. Therefore he opposes policies that "help the planet" by hurting the people on it. That means he's also not blinded by the climate catastrophists' ideology, and is capable of critiquing their record. 4 things we added to our Bibles It's good to understand they didn't come from God with chapter and verse divisions. Can college-age men and women be just friends? This is a highly unscientific but, I think, still revealing survey conducted with a secular participants that highlights something Christians get confused about too: that guys and girls sure are different. Can there be exceptions? Sure. But is this a general rule at that age? Do your own survey and let me know if your results are any different. What's the Christian perspective here? Maybe just that, because guys and girls do think differently, this highlights how the Billy Graham Rule is a sensible way to prevent a lot of confusion. ...

Pornography

Porn addiction isn’t just a guy thing

“... but you’re a girl!?” If I had a dollar for every time I heard that given the context that is about to follow, I’d have about twenty bucks. Sure, it isn’t much, but then again, I’ve only told my story twenty times. It never fails. I am a mother of two, and a wife to a wonderful, forgiving, and loving husband. I have been a member of the Church since I was baptized as an infant, and I am a sinner. This is a story about grace. That’s really all it can amount to. I would love to think that I got through all of this on my own accord and by my own strength, but that isn’t the case. It’s grace. ***** When I was still in my early teens, about twelve, I was flicking through the channels on our television. I was supposed to be babysitting, and well, I was – but all my siblings were in bed. Click, click, click. Nothing. And then, I saw IT. A naked couple on the screen. It wasn’t long before my parents arrived back home, and since our window was large enough to see them coming from literally a kilometer away, I had enough time to change the channel and bolt downstairs to my bed and begin to pretend I was sleeping. It began with curiosity I never told my parents about what I saw. And instead of confiding in those who had raised me from infancy, who I literally trusted with my life, I turned to our new computer and told Google instead. I was young enough that I didn’t understand what exactly I was searching for, but I was old enough to know how to work a keyboard and spell words. The next time I found myself home alone, I pulled up a chair, typed in a few key words and found what I had been looking for. What started off as “innocent” curiosity became a full-blown addiction. Minutes turned into hours, and the hours repeated themselves every couple days. I started to like what I was seeing and soon enough, it became a part of my daily routine. I started looking forward to those private moments, but in return, started hating myself, my body, and God. I would stay home as often as I could just to go on the computer. I watched soap operas instead of going to school, and one day, I put a computer in my room. I struggled on and off for years without anyone knowing. My battle began before unlimited wifi, before I had my own smartphone, Instagram and Snapchat account, or personal laptop. It was still difficult to find and pornography sites were “restricted” to those over 18 years. Now, it’s everywhere. It’s been a little over one year since the last time I watched pornography. It’s been a very trying yet powerful year. I struggle with it every single day, multiple times per day. In the midst of my battle, I pushed God aside. I figured that if God wasn’t in the picture, I didn’t have to worry about whether or not what I was doing was sinful. I had convinced myself that He didn’t love me anyway, so what was the point of trying to make Him happy with me. As the distance between God and myself grew, the hatred I began to see in the mirror increased. I started to compare myself to the women I had seen on the screen; my skin wasn’t smooth enough, my breasts weren’t large enough, my legs weren’t skinny enough (I was a size zero!), my nose was too long, my teeth too pointy… the list could go on and on. I began to think that if I looked like the women on the screen, maybe I would have the love that they had too. The reality If only I had known the truth about the “love” that those women were experiencing. Plain and simple - porn is often drug-induced rape. Now, who in their right mind would actually want that? It all happened so fast. One moment they would be meeting each other and the next moment they would be on the bed. But, I didn’t fully understand the truth behind the scenes of what I was watching, so I actually had myself convinced that that was what sex was like. I suppose since it was on the screen I could pretend that it was normal. Yet, it isn’t normal. I told my mother of my struggle last year, and she said something that I had never thought of before. She said “Those women on the screen, those men too, they are someone’s sister. Someone’s daughter, mother, brother and father. They are real people, with real families and real lives.” Bam. If any statement helped me through my battle the most, that was definitely a big contender. You have to think of it in real life, because it is real life. If you were to come across a couple having sex on the street, would you grab a chair, some popcorn and indulge yourself? Nope. And yet, what I was watching on the screen was just as real as that. Satan likes the dark I remember the first time I decided I was going to stop watching pornography. It lasted a week. I had stayed up late and at that time had access to a computer. I dare say that Satan works best at night. I even remember these words running through my brain: “Go on! One minute wouldn’t hurt”. Well, I had gone a full week and I was on the road to recovery, but I hadn’t found my strength in God at that time, and the one minute became an hour which became a daily routine. Again. Why even bother trying to stop? I would argue with myself, It’s impossible, anyway! I had become so invested in my guilty pleasure that it was easy enough to come up with stupid excuses to shut my conscience up. I knew that even though a part of me wanted to stop, a very large part of me didn’t. Even times when I would fall on my knees and pray for forgiveness, deep down I knew that I actually didn’t mean it. I was a pretty techy kid growing up, so no one actually found out about my addiction. I figured if no one really knew about it, and I could pretend that nothing was different, no one would suspect anything. There was a point in my life that I actually thought I just wouldn’t tell anyone. It impacted dating But then, I found myself in a serious relationship with a man whom I now call my husband. We had been dating for a few years when I told him. He was the first person I had ever told. I remember sitting in the car before I went in to see him, praying fervently to God that he wouldn’t break up with me and that he would forgive me. He did forgive me. We dated for a long time. And well, I would love to say that my experience with pornography did not affect our relationship but unfortunately it did. It was easy to convince myself that in order to feel loved I had to be touched. After all, that is what I had polluted my brain with for many previous years! We weren’t the definition of “innocent” in our relationship and I will take most of the responsibility for those actions. I could chalk it up to the fact that we were young, or that we dated for a long time, or maybe that our hormones were raging. And sure, those might have had an effect, but when it really comes down to the heart of the matter – it’s just that, the heart. My heart, and if I can speak on behalf of my husband, his too, were not centered on God. Mine didn’t pay attention to what God says love is: “patient, kind, slow to anger….” (1 Cor. 13). To me, love was attention from my boyfriend - any attention he wanted to give, and any attention I could take. I had tried to find satisfaction in a fellow sinner, instead of looking to our one, perfect and holy God. We went through periods of lust and other periods of just finding pure joy in each other’s company. Thankfully, with a wedding ahead, our time of engagement was focused where it should have been all along, and we began to enjoy each other as God’s forgiven children. It didn’t just stop with marriage There is a saying: “Satan will do anything he can before you are married to get you into bed, and anything he can do when you are married to get you out of it.” It is difficult for me to write this next part, but it’s part of my story. I watched pornography as a wife. I took matters into my own hands when I didn’t feel like sharing my feelings or frustrations with my husband. Mainly it was just because I was bored or lonely. It happened. I hate that it happened, but that doesn’t mean that it didn’t. If there were any part of this whole struggle I could wish never happened, this would be it. My husband is so forgiving. If there is any word I could use to describe him, that would be it. He has stood by me and encouraged me in my fight against pornography more times than I dare count. He is the one to point me to my Rock. I took one evening to share with him my struggles – every last detail – all the whos, whats, whens, whys and hows. He is now my partner in my fight and I know that he would leave everything if he knew that I was being tempted, to come and help me fight. It’s been a little over a year since I have last watched pornography. I am 25, and have struggled with it on and off for more than 10 years. It is still a daily struggle: every time I go to the beach, the mall, pull out my phone, go on Facebook, Instagram, the computer. Videos and images I watched as a teenager will suddenly appear in my mind as I am washing the dishes, doing the laundry, vacuuming, sitting in church, even praying! The struggle has not left me, and I dare say it never will. God’s grace I would love to say that I have all of this under control. I don’t. God does. One year ago, I put my battle in His hands and prayed with tears that He would take this cup from me. And praise be to God, He has. He has given me the strength I need to put my smartphone away, to turn off the laptop, to double check the ratings of shows before I go and watch them. He has strengthened my faith in his Son and His forgiveness. He has given me grace and love. I have found freedom in my walk, a spring back in my step and more love for my husband than I even thought possible. I remember sitting in church one Sunday hearing a sermon on the Lord’s Supper. At one point during the sermon, the minister asked us to picture Christ hanging on the cross – I don’t remember very much after that because I knew what he meant. Picture my sin hanging there on Christ’s shoulders. I put him there. I stood before him yelling “Crucify him! Crucify him!” That is the moment I realized it wasn’t impossible. I had Christ on my side, and he had conquered sin. My sin. He put it to death! For me. So I continue on, fighting, finding my hope in God’s promises: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:16-18). “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). And as my wise mother has taught me, “Don’t be surprised by sin. Be surprised by grace.” Thanks mom. Advice from a former addict to you: Talk to your children/friends. Be the one to bring up the topic in a conversation. I often find it easier to talk about the “big topics” one on one rather than in a group. Ask them to be honest with you, and be quick to listen and slow to speak. Humble yourself as the parent/friend. Also, don’t assume that since you’ve talked to them once, they know and they won’t do it. We are all curious and sinners by nature. Pray with and for your children/friends/family. Set an example: Stay on top of what you and your children/friends watch/read. Are you setting a good example? It’s one thing to say, “Hey Jonny – don’t watch porn” but if they see you watching The Game of Thrones or even porn itself, you’re setting an example of how to be a hypocrite. Use your resources! For movies there’s www.kids-in-mind.com, and even the parents’ guide on www.imdb.com. And PluggedIn is a great resource to double check movies/books or even apps before you or your children watch them. Protect your computer. Get the laptops and smartphones out of bedrooms and into a public area. I know – it creates more clutter. But do you know what kind of clutter is more disgusting? A pornography filled mind. It’s worth a messy desk. Trust me. Password protect your wifi and change the password/turn off the wifi at a specific time at night. Don’t be afraid to discipline. Have an accountability partner. This one is tough because it requires you to be honest and open with someone. If you feel temptation, that is the time to talk with them. Not after you give in, but before that – when you feel like you might give in. As the accountability partner, pray for your friend/child. Uphold them and encourage them in their times of weakness. Encourage your children and friends in their inner beauty. Compliment them on their kindness or gentle spirit instead of their new jeans or new hairstyle. Teach each other how to put on the fruits of the Spirit instead of eyeliner and mascara. Teach your son how to look for the right kind of woman and how to put on the armor of God. If you are bored, find something to do that does not include a laptop or smartphone. The Bible is an excellent place to start. Speak highly of the love of God and show the love of God in your home. Instill in your, and your child’s heart, John 3:16-18. Model repentance to your children. For example, if you lose your temper and shout at them, ask their forgiveness. Let them see what seeking forgiveness, and turning to God in repentance looks like. Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. This article first appeared in the November/December 2016 issue of the magazine. To ensure accountability – that a writer is willing to stand behind what they write – RP doesn’t publish anonymous pieces, but for the nature of this article made an exception in this case....

News

Sophie Cunningham is tearing down transgender lies, but only God’s people can offer up His Truth

Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham is a WNBA player – she plays basketball for a living – but it isn’t her skill on the court that’s made her famous. Her first foray into infamy occurred last year, when she horse-collared opposing guard Jacy Sheldon and threw her to the ground after Sheldon poked Cunningham’s marquee teammate, Caitlin Clark, in the eye. Cunningham then used her newfound fame and her good looks to get into the 2026 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, and get a stint as a ring girl for July’s UFC 329. While some opposing players might not have appreciated Cunningham the “enforcer,” the haters came out en masse after a July 21 interview with ESPN in which she made clear her opposition to men competing in women’s sports. "I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I'm like, 'I never once said that,'" she says. "I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn't have to go against biological men." It was a common sense take, but her own coach refused to have any part of it. When asked for her take on “biological males in women’s sports,” Fever coach Stephanie White dodged, and then threw Cunningham under the bus: "I wouldn't really say that I'm educated enough from a scientific standpoint. I don't ever believe that exclusion is the answer." Exclusion is never the answer? This is a coach in the Women’s National Basketball Association which exists even though there is already a National Basketball Association that both men and women are eligible to play in. Why then does the WNBA exist? To exclude men. Because when men aren’t excluded, then women will be. There is not a single female player in the NBA, not because any rule prevents it, but because biology does. This “inclusive” coach doesn’t get that she’s in an inherently exclusive league. During a July 28 game with the Fever visiting the Seattle Storm, two teen girls were cussed out by one of the Storm’s owners because they had a sign supporting Cunningham’s stand. When the Fever played the Portland Fire on July 31, the Fire coach got asked about men in women’s sports, and he insisted he was “completely supportive of everyone.” Then, when the Fever played the Minnesota Lynx on August 2, head coach Cheryl Reeve wore a “Trans kids belong” shirt, and ESPN commentators Ryan Ruocco and Rebecca Lobos pointed it out, and encouraged viewers to “go and listen” to Reeve’s “incredibly thoughtful” comments defending procedures that mutilate and sterilize kids. Cunningham hasn’t backed down, tweeting out a picture of coach Cheryl Reeve in her shirt and captioning it “There is no such thing as ‘TRANS KIDS’” followed by a smiling clown emoji. But there is some irony in Cunningham taking a stand against men in women’s sports. Twelve years ago she played for the Rock Bridge High School Bruins when the team’s primary kicker went down with a season-ending ACL injury. Long before we started pretending boys could become girls, we were pretending that girls could play football with the boys. It’s the very same kind of biological blindness that insists girls can withstand hits from 250-pound linebackers. And what kind of lesson is it for these giant boys to tell them it’s no big thing to treat women just like men? Cunningham is certainly courageous, but in the past she’s also participated in the confusion. Sports media commentator Clay Travis offered to clear away the confusion with an Aug. 3 tweet: "Important announcement: I am upping my offer, $10 million dollars for a head-to-head basketball game between the defending WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces and a boy's high school state title team of my choice. If the Aces beat my team, I will give them $10 million." The WNBA salary cap in 2026 is $7 million for a 45-game season. Travis is calling this “inclusive” league out, offering to more than double the Aces’ salary for one extra games worth of work… if only they can beat high school boys. If there really is no difference between men and women, then why wouldn’t the very best women ballers in the world be confident about beating high school boys? Because deep down they do know what they’ve been saying about gender swapping is nonsense. We should admire Cunningham for her courage, and Travis for being willing to back his stand with big bucks. But what the world needs to hear now is the clarity that only God’s Word offers. Why is it so stupid for men to play against women? And why does the world have to pretend otherwise? It’s because they’ve rejected God’s Word, and that’s left them without any foundation to stand on. Christians know that men and women are all made in God’s Image (Gen. 1:26-27) and this, then, is the basis of our worth and our equality. But apart from God, what makes us valuable? The world has nowhere to turn but our abilities. That’s why they say we can kill the unborn, and for that matter the elderly and disabled – their lives are said to not be as valuable because they can’t do as much. But then how do they explain equality? Only by pretending that men and women can do exactly the same things. To say otherwise – to say that men can play basketball better than women, for example – is then understood to be an assault on women’s worth. So we’re all expected to ignore our eyes, and just believe that women can be oil rig workers, and “trans women are women.” God’s people are getting some help from the Cunninghams and Travises of the world in exposing these crazy lies. But the Church needs to step up and point the world to the God who defines reality. This is our moment to give Him the glory by providing the world with His answers – let’s not let it slip by. Photo is adapted from an August 2, 2026 photo by John McClellan and is used under a CC BY-SA 4.0 license....

News

Saturday Selections – Aug 1, 2026

Here I am Three gents, singing up a storm, with lyrics based on Genesis 22:10-13 – this is a foot-stomping hand-clapping delight! The delightf...

Politics

Perhaps you should run

Obedience belongs to us. The results belong to the Lord. ***** Every four years, for a brief season, nomination papers open and the question becomes...

Contests, Your Turn 2026

Thoughts from tulips to TULIP: My journey into the Reformed faith and translation

Theology

May I judge?

I hear repeatedly that we’re not supposed to judge another. Young people express themselves this way, and that’s not surprising – after all, n...

Contests, Your Turn 2026

Made new

Josh Schouwstra’s "Made New" is about the quiet witness of the Christian life, and how God can use that quiet witness to chip away at a “heart of stone” which He’ll replace with a “heart of flesh” (Ez. 36:26). ***** ...

News

Liberal party support highest among boomers

More than any other age group, boomers overwhelmingly support the Liberal Party. A July 2026 poll conducted by Abacus Data asked 4,200 Canadian adults which party they would likely vote for if an election were held that day. 52% of voters who were age 60 and older supported the Liberals, versus 32% voicing support for the Conservative Party. Meanwhile, among all other voting age groups – ages 18 to 29, 30 to 44, and 45 to 59 – support was almost dead even between the Liberals and Conservatives. Why the difference? One possibility was offered up by National Post columnist Amy Hamm, who suggested that seniors are more heavily influenced by left-leaning TV broadcasters such as CBC News than younger age groups, who tend to get news from a wider variety of sources, with a broader ranges of political perspectives. Hamm wrote about the CBC: “Citizens should expect our national broadcaster to engage in nonpartisan news reporting. In years long past, the CBC arguably did… These days, the CBC frames Prime Minister Carney’s failures as successes, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as an angry parliamentary jester.” While it can be hard to judge what outlets are trustworthy, Christians have the wisdom from the Lord’s Word to guide our thinking and to test our sources for the wrong biases. Scripture tells us, too, to hear out multiple sources before making judgments, because, as Solomon reminds us, “The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him” (Prov. 18:17)....

News

Saturday Selections – July 25, 2026

When they mock the Bible, question the question One of my friend's university professors had, as a clear goal – if I recall right, he even stated it to his class – to convince his conservative Christian students to stop believing in a literal 6-day creation. His tactics involved undermining their trust in the Bible's accuracy, scientifically-speaking. So, in one of his tests he asked students to explain why the Bible only applied the word "barren" to women. After all, we know today that men are as responsible for infertility as women. The answer he wanted students to give? That back in biblical times, they just didn't know better, so they presumed that it was only and always women who were the cause and never men. Thankfully, in our more modern scientific age we, of course, know better than the Bible writers did. That, then, was an example of why we shouldn't trust the Bible over science. My friend found this compelling – though she still believed Jesus was her Savior, the professor's question seemed to convince her that when it came to origins, we should go with the millions of years over the Bible's six-day account. But what if we questioned the question? His students presumed the question was fair, but the prof had an agenda, so why would we simply take his word for it? Does the Bible only speak of women as being barren? And if so, might there be a reason for that, other than that the Bible is unreliable? How might we approach this question if we weren't trying to undermine the Bible? Well, we might ask at least three questions: 1. Do we think the human authors of the Bible were idiots? The question presumes that in OT times, people didn't know men could be responsible for infertility. But these were farmers, raising stock, so they would have known about bulls and rams that couldn't breed. We also read about eunuchs – males made deliberately infertile. Or what of Ruth, whose had no children by her first husband, Mahlon, but had a child, Obed, when she married Boaz? Do we think nobody knew that males could be infertile? 2. If the Bible does only use it with women, why might that be? There are only about a half dozen women in the Bible specifically described as barren, or not able to have children: Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah, Elizabeth, and Manoah's wife. Then of these six, half – Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah – were in polygamous marriages where their husbands had at least one other wife who was able to have children. So in three of these six we know the man is fertile. Of the other three marriages, is it possible that the woman was infertile and the man was fertile? It could be, couldn't it? So, then, one possible answer to the prof's question – an answer that doesn't concede the Bible's reliability – is that these women might have been described as barren because they were barren. 3. Is the prof's question even true? Does the Bible only describe women as barren? There is at least one instance in which the Bible speaks of males as among those who won't be barren. In Deut. 7:14 Israel is told that if they keep God's commands in this new land “You shall be blessed above all peoples; there will be no male or female barren among you or among your cattle" (NASB). The professor's question wasn't fair and instead of answering it straight up, his students should have challenged the premises. And as this video below highlights, there's other instances too, where Christians really need to question the question. Seventeen babies born alive — and then left to die in Alberta "Seventeen babies were born alive in Alberta following labour-induced late-term abortions in 2025 and left to die..... As a columnist more than 25 years ago, Danielle Smith called such second- and third-trimester abortions a 'horrific practice,' describing how 'nurses used to induce labour then withhold fluids from the baby until it died.'” But now they are happening under her government. Social media pushes pornography on children within minutes, report finds "Social media is now one of the primary pipelines to porn addiction for both children and young adults." 3 thoughts on how to choose your career John Newton, and Tim Keller had this trio of questions: Affinity: Do you enjoy it? Ability: Do others think you can do the job well? Opportunity: Is there an open door? Transgenderism - why we need Logic 101 in our schools "Would you rather have a live son or a dead daughter?" Parents around the world, wondering and confused about whether they should let their daughters "transition," got hit with this question. But was the only way to keep their daughter alive to allow the doctor to put her on experimental drugs to derail her puberty? Did they have to let the surgeon remove her healthy breasts? Dead, or drugged and disfigured? Were there any other possibilities? A false dichotomy is when someone presents an either/or situation when there are actually more than just two choices. Here it's being used to push people in one direction, by highlighting the only other possibility as even more unattractive. But it can show up in other ways. Rick, an abortion advocate, thinks pro-lifers can only speak up for the unborn if they're willing to adopt the children. Shut up, or adopt, he says, those are the only two options. But if someone attacked Rick, would he only expect people to come to his aid if they were also willing to provide food and housing for him? Nope – he'd be happy for any help, even if it didn't come with room and board. Beethoven's wig is very big (Symphony #5) Our school's music teacher had my youngest listening to selections from Beethoven's Wig, a clever musical group who sings lyrics set to the classical music you already know. If you liked this one, be sure to check out their Beep beep beep, also known as Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. ...

Politics

Should Alberta Separate? Why one Christian decided to vote no

“Canada is like an old cow. The West feeds it. Ontario and Quebec milk it. And you can well imagine what it’s doing in the Maritimes.” ~ attributed to Tommy Douglas, premier of Saskatchewan from 1944-1961 I am a true-blue Albertan, born and raised in this province, and I truly haven’t found a better place to live. However, with a referendum looming in October I’ve been presented with the choice of whether my allegiance is to Alberta or to my country Canada. In October, Albertans will vote on the question: “Should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?” Maybe your back goes up immediately – with words like disloyal, unpatriotic, and betrayal going through your mind. Or maybe you feel disillusioned with Canada and understand why a province would want to separate. If I’m perfectly honest, I never felt like Alberta independence was a real thing. It’s been an idea at the back of Alberta political dialogue for my whole life, but mostly proposed in a joking way – “Wouldn’t we be better off if we were our own country?” But now the sentiment is real enough to send enough signatures on a petition to get the question put to a referendum. Despite my skepticism of independence, I have always been sympathetic to western alienation. But my instinct was still to vote “stay” – that there was something good about loyalty, that grievance wasn’t enough of a reason to leave, that respect for my country meant not tearing it apart. But my instinct was not enough. So, when faced with writing this article, I knew what I had to do – I had to go beyond my own feelings and impressions. I needed to go out and talk to other Albertans, to figure out what exactly was going on, and to hear in their own words why they supported or did not support independence. But more importantly than that, I needed to compare their thoughts and opinions to the Word of God. What should Christians think of all this separatism talk? Background Let’s first start with the “why” behind the independence movement. I have sympathy for western alienation, and in my view it started with the eastern provinces viewing the development of the West as a resource for them to profit from. And while that makes sense from the perspective of Central Canada, the West never felt fully included in Canada. Oil complicated this picture. It turned Alberta from a “have not” province based on farming to a “have” province based on oil, and gave it some power in terms of financial wealth. However, the federal government saw this as further resources to profit from, and implemented a series of taxes and programs to spread the financial wealth around the rest of Canada. For example, here is how one prominent supporter of Albertan independence, Tim Stephens, put it in a speech on April 10: “Alberta, having about 12% of the population of Canada, contributes nearly 20% to the federal tax revenue. And when this takes place, we have very little influence over the political future of our country. For instance, many of the elections are decided by Ontario and Quebec. And before people here even cast their vote, who our next government is going to be has already been decided.” There is a feeling in Alberta that many provinces in Canada are happy to take our money as long as we don’t have any opinions on either how the country is run or what the federal government wants to do in our own province. Separatists will argue that through all these years, Albertans have tried through various political means to reform this system, to give Alberta a louder voice in a country they fund. Their conclusion is that the lack of success makes separation our only option. So this is why I’m sympathetic to some of the arguments of the separatists. However, this raises several questions. Is “grievance” enough of a reason to base a new country on? Or even just the simple fact of being treated unfairly? God calls us to respect and obey our leaders, which means we have some responsibility in the place where we’re at. When do we judge we’ve made “enough” effort and our responsibility has come to an end? Lastly, there’s the question of the harm it would cause to our brothers and sisters in the rest of Canada. Even the mention of separation causes some economic instability. Is this justified? I’m sympathetic and yet I feel a deep loyalty to Canada, and the home it provided to my Dutch ancestors fleeing the aftermath of WWII, to my husband when he immigrated, and now provides to our family. “Personally, I argue that Alberta independence is compatible with biblical Christianity,” says Michael Wagner, another well-known supporter of independence, “but desiring Canada to stay together can also legitimately be a Christian perspective. So I don’t think the Bible requires Alberta Christians to support independence.” Each Christian needs to think about why they are voting one way or the other. Love for country, love for neighbor While the motivations for separation are understandable, so is the backlash against the idea. For those who love Canada, it stirs up strong emotions. It’s like a sibling threatening to leave the family or to go “no contact.” This is true not only in the rest of the country, but in Alberta itself. While much of Alberta feels alienated from the political apparatus out East, many still feel deep loyalty and patriotism for Canada itself. Some have even become Canadian citizens specifically because they love Canada, and don’t want to be part of a different country. This is why this issue has become so divisive. I began to reach out to various friends to hear how they’ve been thinking this issue through. “We have also been given political responsibility as those who vote,” one says to me. “In a small way, we are those who bear the sword when we vote, when we choose what we believe is right for our nation. It is not evil to make what one believes to be the right choice in that vote. What is evil is insurrection, rebellion, and violence. But a referendum (democratic vote) is none of those things. Nor is a free discussion about why we think a political decision is right or wrong. Christians should concur with the legitimate result of the election, but they are free to think and vote as they see fit.” It is true that mechanisms for provinces to leave have been worked out by the courts, and Alberta is not the first province to explore the option of leaving (see Quebec and Nova Scotia). It’s not immoral to explore an existing legal pathway to independence. But the motivations and reasons behind doing so may be. Take the issue of grievances. “It’s one thing to forgive a grievance when it’s in the past,” the same friend tells me. “It’s another to remain complicit when that injustice is still ongoing. We can love (an act, not a feeling) our nation without believing that the nation has our best interests at heart.” However, another friend argues, “As a father, I do not want to raise my boys to think that if you feel like you are treated unfairly, the answer is to threaten grievous harm to get what you want. That’s extortion and sinful.” He goes on to add, “A sovereign God has overseen this election, Carney is doing some good things in which I can rejoice, and I can pray for God’s hand in those areas that concern me and trust in Him.” Next, I decide to reach out to my sister and get her opinion. She texts back to me: “One of the things that comes up the most often in the Bible is ‘take care of the widows and orphans and the poor’ – will separating improve people’s lives? Right now equalization payments benefit poorer provinces – isn’t that a good thing from a Christian perspective?” I quickly text back, “One argument would be that the Bible teaches us to voluntarily help the poor, not that other people (the government) should make us help the poor.” She replies, “I would say that it’s more that we should have an attitude of helping the poor – including through the government.” That resonated with me, because it put into words something I had been struggling to articulate. If I want to keep Alberta’s money because I resent helping others like me in the rest of Canada, maybe my motivation is wrong. I might not agree with exactly how the government takes the money, but I should maintain my care for others even while I might advocate for better use of the money we send. Lastly, I decide to listen to a speech available on YouTube on a Christian perspective on Albertan independence. In it, Clint Humfrey, senior pastor of Calvary Grace Church in Calgary, urges Christians to support the cause: “That is what we need today here in Alberta. We need to expect great things from God and attempt great things for God... We ought to seek the relief of our neighbors groaning. We ought to seek the relief of our own groaning in our churches, but we also ought to seek the relief of our children’s future and the provision for them... If you have no hope, you will not be able to have the drive to see what could be done. And it starts with having hope in Jesus Christ for eternal life. And that then gives you the ability to have hope to try things… to try things all for the glory of God.” For a brief moment, his excitement fired me up. But his vision was not my vision, though I certainly care about doing great things for God. The energy and effort required to build a new nation is not where I feel God calling me to work today, even as I try to care for my neighbors around me in my quiet, ordinary life. Love for God I feel somewhat lost in all the arguments for and against. My husband is one of the people whose opinions I value most in this world. So, on a recent trip out of town I took the opportunity of discussing it with him. “Why don’t you support independence?” I ask. “Because it’s about money,” he says. “What are we supposed to do when we’re afraid? Rely on God and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Yes, things are hard for people and gas prices are high. But – ” he gestures at the fields as we drive by, “wouldn’t you say Alberta is rich?” “Ye-es,” I answer, thinking of the not-so-rich country my husband grew up in. “So Alberta is prosperous, let’s trust God will continue to prosper us.” “Okay, so what about this,” I say. “The argument is that the federal government does a lot of unchristian things with our money, and if we kept more of it we could use it for more Christian things.” “Really?” he says. “Do you really think Alberta is more Christian? Alberta isn’t more Christian.” “Why do you say that?” “We have all the same issues as the rest of Canada.” “But maybe statistically the number of Christians is slightly higher in Alberta?” “Think about it,” he says. “Say the Prime Minister gives us what we want – more say, and lets us keep our money. We’d be happy, right? We say it’s all these unchristian laws, but that makes me think it’s about the money.” I nod along because in my discussions I had come across many supporters of having more sovereignty but staying in Canada (and using this referendum as leverage to get it), or arguments that threatening separation had worked for Quebec so we should do it too. I think there are ardent separatists for whom nothing but independence would satisfy, and I hope Christians who vote to leave are not primarily motivated by the idea of leverage – but this group is smaller than the number of people who might vote “leave.” “So, biblically,” I say, “what would you say the Christian thing is to do?” “What does the Bible say? ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s.’ That goes deeper than money – it goes to everything: respect, support, everything unless the government comes against our faith.” I nod again, thinking of something similar John Calvin said that I’d read a while back: “But Peter requires something more of us when he says, ‘Honor the king’ (1 Pet. 2: 17); and Solomon, when he says, ‘My son, fear thou the Lord and the king’ (Prov. 24: 21). For, under the term honor, the former includes a sincere and candid esteem, and the latter, by joining the king with God, shows that he is invested with a kind of sacred veneration and dignity...” My husband looks over at me. “And you know what? The government is coming against our faith. Why not fight that more? We’re willing to stand up for our money, to fight taxes, etc. We’ll fight when the government takes our money and gives it to someone else, but otherwise we stick to ourselves because we don’t want to rock the boat.” He pauses. “There’s a reason God gave us this government, and put these people in power over us. Maybe it’s to teach us how much we need to call on Him.” I think about all the energy that had gone into this separatism debate, and whether it was distracting us from other things. He reaches over and grabs my hand. “Look at Psalms 35-40. I’ve been reading these in the morning lately. It’s all about the poor being oppressed. But who rescues them? God. Who fixes injustice? God. We need to cry out to Him. He’s the one who has our lives in His hands.” Later, I look up Psalms 35-41. In Psalm 37, I read: Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. … Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. We can spend a lot of time fretting in our lives, over what we perceive as unfair, over evildoers “getting away” with something, over what might happen in our futures. But we don’t need to despair when God is on our side. *** I want to be fair, so I reach out to Michael Wagner by email. He replies: “The federal government in recent years has imposed policies on Alberta that undermine the well-being of many Albertans and their families. Looking for an alternative that provides a better future for Alberta has nothing to do with greed, ungodly grievances, or threats. Independence is an option that would make it possible for Albertans to choose political leaders who will adopt policies that will benefit Alberta rather than harm Alberta.” He also says, “It’s about justice, not greed.” I think about the issues at hand for many evenings as I rock my baby to sleep, staring at her beautiful face and wondering about the kind of future I want for my family. For me, my journey over the past couple years has been learning to fully trust God with everything in my life. To let go of control and really believe God will take care of my life. What kind of country do I want my daughter to live in? I think about the “what if” vision that the supporters of independence have put forward, a vision of a more Christian nation we could build if we could just start over from scratch. I think about how much easier it is to tear things down rather than to build them. I think about Canada stagnating, losing its place in the world, and what that would look like for my daughter’s future. I think about the nation that I love and what I would want to tell her about it. Ultimately I don’t have control over the future. It is enough if my daughter is able to trust herself into the hands of God. And in the end, I will stay Albertan AND Canadian. I don’t see a compelling vision of Alberta as a sovereign nation yet, and I haven’t given up on Canada. I haven’t done everything in my power to change the country I love for the better yet. And so I will continue to trust myself and my family into God’s hands....

In a Nutshell

Tidbits – July 2026

If Dad told only dinosaur jokes - Part II How can you tell a dinosaur from a peanut? Try lifting it up. If you can’t, it’s probably a dinosau...

Assorted

Ruin and restoration and our part

When the world falls into spiritual darkness and all you see around you is chaos and misery, what then? [caption id="attachment_45427" align="align...

Politics

Alberta separatism: is it wrong to go?

I have deep roots in Alberta, having lived there for the first 30+ years of my life. I was also heavily involved in politics through a half dozen diff...

News

Ontario’s “conservative” gov’t opposes bill that would have banned gambling ads

Adult non-fiction, Book Reviews, Teen non-fiction

The Amazing Generation: Your guide to fun and freedom in a screen-filled world

by Jonathan Haidt and Catherine Price 2025 / 236 pages Rating: Good/Great/GIFT The old blue rocking chair is the most comfortable chair in our house, and my husband and I have built a useful strategy around it. If we casually leave a book on the table beside it – the kind of thing our kids should read, but may not pick up on their own – our kids will eventually flip through it and very possibly read it. That’s how we enticed our two middle-schoolers to check out The Amazing Generation, co-written by Jonathan Haidt (of The Anxious Generation fame) and Catherine Price (author of How to Break Up with Your Phone). This is a positive and helpful book that encourages young people to choose the richness of real life over a shallow, screen-focused existence. Our kids were skeptical about the book at first, and I couldn’t really blame them. The messaging is a little over-the-top – to quote the book, “Don’t let the evil tech wizards hack your brain! Be a rebel instead!” – and is likely to earn some eye-rolling from the target tween/teen audience. Fortunately, much of the content and presentation is compelling enough to keep pulling readers back in. More importantly, it’s hard to argue with the authors’ very convincing arguments that, for example, most apps are “addictive by design,” and many tech companies are very aware that their products are hurting kids. The book is cleverly designed as half informative guide, half graphic novel, with the graphic novel following six kids through a year of their lives. Predictably, the three “low-tech” kids have all kinds of interesting experiences and adventures, developing skills and having fun with their friends, while the three tech-dependent kids’ lives are clearly less rich and fulfilling. That said, the kids’ behaviors ring true – for example, fixating on recording and posting an experience rather than actually living it meaningfully – and will likely hit uncomfortably close to home for many readers, young and not so young. The informative part of the book is designed to grab and hold middle-schoolers’ attention, with fairly short sections of text interspersed with features like “Meet a rebel” (profiles of real young adults who have, in some way, rejected tech), stats and facts, quotes (often quite outrageous or ominous) from prominent tech-company executives, and real-life musings from teens and twenty-somethings about their experiences. Some of the latter are quite impactful – e.g., “I missed out on my entire teenagehood because of social media and my phone” – while others are helpful and encouraging: “I would tell my younger self to get off social media and go make some memories.” The information in the book is also solid (as one would expect from the two authors), and would be interesting for almost any age. For example, the book describes the addictive “dopamine triggers” (like bright colors, unpredictability, and rewards) that are built into many apps, which are easily recognizable, and which in fact mirror the design of slot machines. This type of information can help kids identify when and how they’re being manipulated, and hopefully help them become less susceptible to that manipulation. The overall message of the book isn’t to abandon technology entirely, but rather to “Use technology as a tool – don’t let technology use you,” and “Fill your life with real friendship, freedom, and fun.” (These are the two tenets of “The Rebels’ Code.”) The balance suggested feels reasonable; for example, kids are encouraged to limit and wait to use certain technologies, not to become full Luddite “rebels.” The book also suggests lots of realistic alternatives, and strategies for going low-tech even when kids feel like they’re the only one (including asking their parents if they can blame them for limits and restrictions, to save face in front of their peers). My only quibble is that the book ultimately encourages fairly self-centered motives for choosing a life of real, non-screen experiences, like learning new skills, having fun, and developing good relationships. Late in the book it mentions that you can also feel good by “doing things that matter” – “things that help other people... or make the world better,” but the point feels like an afterthought. Overall, though, this would be a great conversation starter, and is a book that has enough substance to be worth a read for both the older and the younger members of the family... even if you have to use the “comfortable chair” trick to get them to open it in the first place....

News

Saturday Selections – July 11, 2026

If only Steve Jobs had pitched it this way back in 2007... Back in 2007, if Steve Jobs had pitched the iPhone for everything it helps us do, would we have wanted it then? So how about now? To get a little balance restored, why not sign up for RP's 2026 Screen-fast and log out and look up from July 13 to 22. 5 ways your words can be verbal cyanide This is the sort of article that folks who most need to read it won't read it. So, if you don't think this could possibly apply to you, that might mean it is for you :) 5 questions for parents to talk with teens about AI This article begins with a wallop – an account of a teen who, after talking with an AI chatbot, committed suicide – and while I don't think that's the pressing danger we're facing with our kids and AI, these 5 questions seem helpful conversation starters. How does the local church deal with addiction? Tim Challies: "Of all the pastoral issues a church can face, I think one of the trickiest may be addiction..." Pushing euthanasia for organ transplantation A Spanish woman was, reportedly, prodded towards euthanasia by a medical system that wanted her organs for transplants. If this is the direction of organ provision, Christians are going to have to choose death over having any sort of hand in these murders. Don't know it all? Neither do they. When it comes to any sort of discussion or debate, God's people shouldn't always feel the need to do the heavy lifting. Especially when someone, ignorant of the Bible, tries attacking it. Highlighted here is a great tactic – put the onus back on them for them to show what they claim to know. If they know the Bible doesn't make sense because of... well, whatever, ask them to dig into it for you. ...

Contests

Sign up for RP’s July 13-22 screenfast challenge!

Bring peace to your mind while raising $100 for charity. ***** Are you struggling with keeping screens in their proper place? Do you or your children find it hard not to reach for your device, almost without thinking? Last year, over 1,000 of you joined us in “breaking the spell” for 10 days. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, making it evident we would all benefit from doing this every year. So for ten days, we're going to get re-oriented. We're asking everyone – as much as it is possible for you – to steer clear from your smartphone, computers, TV, and tablets for the ten days of July 13 to July 22, 2026. Speaking of together, we’re asking you to sign up with an accountability partner – someone who can see how you are doing and egg you on. And you can do the same for them! Need a device for work, or to stay in touch with family? No problem. You are welcome to come up with your own exceptions. Just write them down in advance and stick to them. Some generous supporters have pledged to donate $10 per day for every day you manage to go screen-free from July 13-22. The money will be split between two fantastic kingdom causes – Reformed Perspective and Word & Deed – to a maximum of $20,000 split between both causes. A few tips Commit. Don’t allow yourself to make easy exceptions, even if you are having a hard day. For example, just because you are at someone else’s home doesn’t mean you can enjoy screens again. Don't get sucked in. If you still need screens for basic your job or other functions that are essential, go for it, but ensure that you are only using your tablet and phone for that and only that. For example, if you need a phone for directions, don’t take the opportunity to scroll the news. If you need a computer at work, don’t let yourself go to other websites or play an online game. Out of sight, out of mind. Help yourself by hiding your devices and make them difficult to access. Maybe even take the TV off the wall. Log out. Log out of your social media accounts so that it isn’t easy to quickly open them. Hide your app icons. If you need still need to use your phone, hide all the icons of the apps you want to steer clear of. Come up with a plan. When you find yourself wanting to reach for a screen, what'll you do instead? Make a plan. It doesn’t have to be hard or complicated. Perhaps say a prayer, take a drink of water, try to memorize a verse, do a set of 10 jumping jacks, or read a couple of pages of a book you’ve been meaning to get to. Have alternatives ready and waiting. You and your children are going to need something else to do with your screen time, so you need to have options, otherwise you'll just spend your time pining for your phone. Get out books, magazines, art supplies, a soccer ball, or whatever. For more ideas be sure to check out our article "What can I do anyways? 35 screen-free alternatives. Invite accountability. Let loved ones know what you are doing, and ask them to check in on you regularly to see how it is going. Tell them not to let you off the hook! Don't let this opportunity pass you by. Don't we all need help on this front? So don't let yourself off the hook - let's do this together! This challenge is now complete!...

Entertainment

Can I watch a movie during my screen-fast?

…and other FAQs answered ***** 1. Can I still do the screen-fast if my work requires I be on a computer? Some didn’t participate in last year’s screen-fast because they figured their job just didn’t allow for it – they had to answer texts and calls, or type away on a keyboard most of the day. But everyone can join in on the fun! For kids an entirely screen-free fast is probably best, just to help them reset. For mom and dad, it’d be about stretching ourselves as much as we realistically can. To paraphrase Andy Crouch, the screen-fast isn’t about becoming Amish; it’s just about becoming a lot more Amish than we might be comfortable with. Go without Instagram, Facebook, or checking the sports scores… because that can so easily go from the seconds you intended to the minutes you didn’t. It’s about drawing a line. So sign up, note your exceptions, and then stick to them. 2. Can I still Facetime with Oma during the screen fast? If your children do regular Sunday Facetime or Messenger video calls with their grandma, should they skip those for RP’s 10-day screen-fast challenge? No siree, for at least a couple of reasons. First, the you from the future wants you to call. A good way to evaluate decisions is to consider what the you from ten years hence might have wished you’d have done now. We know that the us from then would really appreciate it if we’d kick our screen-addiction… which is a reason to get at it now. But that same future you would love it if you’d call your mom more often (and more importantly God does too – Ex. 20:12). Even during a screen-fast. So you should. Second, not all screen usage is the same. Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, has spoken to how face-to-face communication, even over a smartphone, is entirely different from a kid swiping through a video roll. One destroys our ability to focus, and the other helps stretch it. One involves interaction and intention, while the other is simply consumption and the abdication of deliberate decision-making. One harms us, and the other builds us up. And we all know which is which. 3. Can I watch a movie during my screen-fast? The screen-fast shouldn’t be just another time to watch the latest that Hollywood offers. But as mentioned, not all screen usage is the same, and Haidt also speaks to how watching a long-form movie – not a half-hour sitcom but one single story told over a couple of hours – is very different from viewing TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube. Those mediums’ seconds-long clips erode attention spans, making us unable to deal with moments or minutes of boredom. But even the best movies aren’t going to be one long action scene, and sticking with the story through the lulls will actually help build up our ability to focus. So, for some families captivated by YouTube shorts, watching a film could be part of taking back control. The key is intentionality. Don’t fall onto the couch and see what’s on. Watching “just something” is like eating “just something” – God gave us a brain, and we need to use it to meal plan. If you’re going to do it, deliberate so that you, and not the algorithm, decides. Pick a challenging film that will spark conversation, and get you and your family thinking and then watch it with the pause button at the ready so you can make this interactive and not simply consumptive. A movie could be an exception in your screen-fast… if it’s a movie (and not ten) and a certain sort (and not just any). I’ve offered one nominee, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, which will stretch young viewers’ attention-spans, but will certainly reward all who make it to the end. 4. What is the screen-fast actually for? First off, this isn’t about legalism and creating some 11th commandment that must be woodenly followed. It really isn’t even about screens so much as it is about regaining self-control. What we’re doing now is damaging ourselves and our kids in ways that are both obvious, and not so. When every ding has our hand flinching toward our phones, we’re never fully present – we’re always distractible and we can all feel our attention span frittering away. And it doesn’t take a genius to know screens are impacting our kids all the more so, and will cripple their ability to buckle down and just learn. But our out-of-control screen usage is also impacting us in ways we might not have even considered. In Ps. 63:6, King David spoke of how: “…I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on You in the watches of the night...” Do any of us use our insomnia like that anymore? We leave no room for long unhurried conversations with God when we fall asleep staring at our devices instead. The problem isn’t our deliberate, intentional usage, but our loss of self-control, and with it the loss of minutes going on hours, with nothing to show for it. The screen-fast is about a reset to put our screens in their place, as our tools and not our masters. And more so, it is about reorienting our lives to properly recognize God’s place as the Lord of our lives, our time and our priorities. ***** Join us for our 2026 screen fast from July 13-22! Sign up here....

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Saturday Selections – Aug 15, 2026

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The Pity Party Pit and how to get out of it

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The Golden Rule: the biblical response to self-pity

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Beware the new thieves

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Saturday Selections – Aug 8, 2026

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Porn addiction isn’t just a guy thing

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Sophie Cunningham is tearing down transgender lies, but only God’s people can offer up His Truth

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Perhaps you should run

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Thoughts from tulips to TULIP: My journey into the Reformed faith and translation

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May I judge?

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Made new

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Liberal party support highest among boomers

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Saturday Selections – July 25, 2026

Politics

Should Alberta Separate? Why one Christian decided to vote no

In a Nutshell

Tidbits – July 2026

Assorted

Ruin and restoration and our part

Politics

Alberta separatism: is it wrong to go?

News

Ontario’s “conservative” gov’t opposes bill that would have banned gambling ads

Adult non-fiction, Book Reviews, Teen non-fiction

The Amazing Generation: Your guide to fun and freedom in a screen-filled world

News

Saturday Selections – July 11, 2026

Contests