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More of Reformed Perspective!

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 Stevens, 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.

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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...
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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...
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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...
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News

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

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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. ...

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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! Register for the July 13-22 nationwide by filling in the form below. Loading…...

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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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What I like about my dumbphone

I’ve been using the Light Phone III exclusively for almost a year now and wanted to share a few notes for anyone who might be interested. First, ...
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News

Nearly 60% of violent crime cases now being stayed or withdrawn
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Contests, Your Turn 2026

Because

What if you were rich as you could be? You owned everything, far as the eye could see. You loved to share these riches with a friend, of your gener...
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Contests, Your Turn 2026

The Ring

He looks down at his wrinkled fingers Thumbs the gold band wrapped around it His wedding ring 71 years ago the church bells rang Then her father g...
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Contests, Your Turn 2026

Sonnet for an Unknown God – Acts 17

I saw an altar, nameless, cold, and bare, With faded letters signed “The Unknown God.” A feeling dark and lonesome lingered there, A shadow of a faith unsure and flawed. The other gods put claim to name and shrine, Majestic in the grandeur they command. Their temples rise in grace, designed divine, Their altars calling – none could dare withstand. I kneel, a fool, and whisper my thin prayer, But weight descends and I can scarcely breathe. I wish to live and find a breath of air, And yet I seem to sense his rage beneath. I pray to emptiness, though none replies, As anguished, I reach up to vacant skies. ***** This work was inspired by Acts 17, where Paul came to Athens and noticed an altar with the inscription, “TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.” This piece is a work of fiction, set before Paul’s visit, taking place in the mind of an Athenian who is in serious doubt of the gods that he has grown up with....

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Contests, Your Turn 2026

Borrowed language to thank my dearest Friend

As Moses raised the serpent up so God’s own Son was lifted high. Alas! My Saviour Jesus bled, my Sovereign Lord did die. His sacred head was wounded, scorned, with grief and shame weighed down; the Man of Sorrows mocked, despised, with thorns his only crown. From his dear head and hands and feet such love and sorrow flowed. How deep the Father’s love for me! What mercy he bestowed! Amazing pity, boundless grace, and love beyond all measure: My Jesus tasted death’s cold sting to make a wretch his treasure. What language shall I borrow? My words a gift too small to thank my dear Redeemer who gave his life, his all. My finest phrasing can’t suffice to bless my matchless King. “Crown him with many crowns!” I join the angel choirs to sing. “All blessing, honour, thanks and praise!” repeats my grateful heart while, echoing the saints of old, I cry, “How great Thou art!” ***** I have been blessed throughout the course of my life with an exposure to – and love of – sacred hymnary. I’ve rephrased beautiful, meaningful Easter hymns to express my deep gratitude for Christ’s sacrifice....

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News

Saturday Selections – July 4, 2026

Lady Pastrix says we need a "Third Testament" If you have liberal Christian family or friends, this is worth sharing. They need to understand that if you only believe some of the Bible, then it isn't the authoritative Word of God governing your life – you've made yourself the authority, the god of your life, who decides what you will agree with and what you won't. And we don't make for a very good god. How do we know if repentance is real? "...the central quality of authentic repentance is that it features earnest productivity.... Whenever I first meet someone who is guilty of a serious offense, even after over thirty years of pastoral experience, I cannot reliably determine if they are truly sorry, particularly if the individual has been caught in sin rather than coming forward. Usually, there are lots of tears. Most people feel bad when they have made a big mistake. But if the grief is not true repentance, then soon enough it becomes clear. Such a person weeps many tears but is unwilling to follow through with something as basic as church attendance, much less memorizing and studying relevant Scripture. And it can be breathtaking how quickly someone who has committed a grave offense begins to criticize a local church. So often the speech goes something like, 'Well, I know that I messed up, but I just thought God’s people would be more loving' or 'I shouldn’t have done it, but everyone is being too heavy-handed.'” What we lose when we don't study the Bible ourselves There are all sorts of tools – including AI – that can shortcut the work of studying the Bible and just find us the verse we needed. But what we need to remember is the why behind what we're doing when we study the Bible. We study, not to complete some work sheet, or to answer whatever set of questions we might have been given. We study God's Word to be shaped by it. It's not about finishing the work; it's about wanted to be shaped by the work. So yes, commentaries and even AI, might have their place, but we don't want to find shortcuts when it comes to studying what God's said to us. We want to "Let the word of Christ dwell in richly..." (Col. 3:16). The lie behind "all truth is God's truth" There's something true in the expression that "all truth is God's truth" because, after all, God is the Author of reality. But the expression can also be used deceptively and it all depends on what direction the use is heading. Is it being used to elevate secular discoveries to being on par with the truth of God's Word? Or is it being used it to elevate God as the author of reality, such that in its order and awesomeness, He's left no shortage of wonders to discover, even by unbelievers? The former "baptizes" secular findings and, if they conflict with Scripture, then demands Scripture be reinterpreted in light of what godless Man has discovered. But we need to steer clear of compromised positions like theistic evolution, or, as this article addresses, we need to be wary of what secular psychology "discovers," claiming to know the nature of Man without even recognizing our sinful nature. The latter understands that secular "truths" can be true, but can only be known as such when they are tested against God's inerrant Word in some manner or fashion. "Trans" skeletons and "scientific" just so stories They've found some ancient "trans" skeletons now that purportedly shows that transexuals have been with us throughout history. The evidence is ironically bad, teaching us not about any historic legacy for transsexuality, but instead how supposed experts are willing to forgo objectivity in the name of whatever the latest ideology might be. Modern Friends It wasn't a good show, but this is sure an awesome spoof... particularly as we head towards RP's next screencast challenge! ...

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Entertainment

“What can I do?” Part II

35 more screen-alternatives ***** For our first screen-fast in 2025, we offered up 35 ideas for great activities you and your family can do with your screen-free moments, minutes, hours, and days. As we get set for another fast, we have another opportunity to make a course-correction in our lives when it comes to where our hearts, minds, and eyes are directed. We’re back with 35 more activities, including some ideas from people who did the screen-fast last summer. But first, let’s start with one of their testimonials on why it is worth taking the screen-fast plunge: “I somewhat reluctantly signed up for the screen-fast as my wife and kids were participating, but reflecting on it now, I can see God's hand working through them and the screen-fast. “I spent more time reading the Bible and additional study material, and more time in prayer and reflection. I was able to think more clearly after the first few days as the cheap distraction of screens was gone. This gave me time and focus to think through issues at work which I've been contending with for around a year and come to difficult decisions there that I had perhaps been avoiding. My time was better spent in devotions, exercise, conversation, family activities, and time in God's creation. I felt much better mentally, physically, and spiritually at the end of the ten days. “I intend to do this screen-fast again in the future and strongly encourage anyone who has not done it to do so and aim to grow in service of our gracious God.” What follows are 35 suggestions, gathered from RP readers and staff, for what you can do with all your extra screen-free time! Make God first Bible-in-a-year is easier – “My husband and I also had more time to work on our ‘Bible-in-a-year’ readings in the evenings as well as more time to journal and read some fiction.” Devoted devotions – “I started each day with devotions rather than reaching for my phone and therefore skipping devotions didn’t happen anymore.” Remembering to pray – “Helped to remind me to pray every time I went to tap an ‘earbud’.” Break, and bake, bread Rediscover dinner – “We had meals at the kitchen table instead of in the living room while watching YouTube.” Hold a tasting party – It doesn’t need to be fancy. Kids could find it fun to make and sample 3 different kinds of macaroni with a couple of different ketchups. Or have a soda sampler, using shot glasses, teaching your littles to “clean their palates” before sampling the next. Twists on reading a good book Pay your kids to read what you want – Some kids won’t read, and others only read a certain sort of book. If you’re spending thousands on Christian education, maybe a few hundred could be devoted to upgrading your children’s summer reading by paying them to read the books you really want them reading. Maybe it’s an old classic like Pilgrim’s Progress (but be sure you have a copy with updated English) or a great Christian biography you loved. Would a couple bucks motivate them? Maybe a fiver? This wouldn’t be a great idea long-term – we don’t want them thinking reading is a job – but for the 10 days of the screen-fast maybe it’d be just right. All together now – Try reading a picture book together – maybe one by Mo Willems about Piggie and Gerald, but any heavy-on-dialogue book would do. Then assign each family member and friend a character. Give them a few moments to create the character’s voice. Mom or dad can act the part of the narrator, and you are ready for a dramatic performance. Library treasure hunt – Pick an animal you want to know more about, and then head to the library to research all about it. Everyone needs to choose their own animal, read up, and present your findings in a few days. Best done with adult oversight, or when your kids are able to see through most nature books’ evolutionary nonsense, and can see God’s fingerprints evident in their new favorite critter. Love the neighbor next to you Only head up in the room – “Quite often if you're sitting in a waiting room, someone will strike up a conversation with you, because you're available and willing to talk. You may have an impact on someone else's day. Smile and give eye contact!” Howdy! – Go for a walk and talk, chatting up all the neighbors you meet. Paint party – Paint the opening question and answer of the Westminster or Heidelberg Catechisms on your garage door. Then spend extra time outside, with your head up, ready for any conversations that may come. Outdoor games night – Hold a games night on your front lawn and invite passersby to join in. Make sure they are simple short games, to make it easiest. Be contagious Show, don’t tell – “Over the days slowly joined me in some of my non-screen pursuits, doing jigsaw puzzles and chatting over cups of tea.” “We had family come for summer holidays, and they willingly partook (kids too)! Fishing and bike rides at 7 am rather than cartoons…win!” Start a “What I wouldn’t have seen” journal – Every time a family member sees something they know they wouldn’t have seen if they’d been on a screen, they should write it down in this journal. It may be quite the collection before the screen-fast is done! Actually fix things All-in hour – Your honey-do list is getting long? Pick one hour each day for everyone to just get at whatever needs to be gotten. Dishes piling up? That door squeaking? It’s so much more motivating to work, when no one can shirk. One room at a time – Each day, a different room. You’re picking a target, not promising yourself perfection. So pick a room, get help, and get what you can done in a set amount of time. Then tomorrow, move on to the next room whether you’re done this one or not. Gaming together Race remote control cars – “The quality time together was definitely better as we played cards, drove RCs at the park and made homemade cards.” Rebound for your bro or sis – “Our whole family did a lot more reading, board game playing, and shooting hoops…. I was impressed to see them doing Sudokus, reading, looking out the window, and playing cards with each other.” Embrace the boredom Be bored – “My 10-year-old said that she found more space to be creative when the computer and TV was off.” Tackle a “shower thought” – It’s no wonder so many of us get our best ideas in the shower as there’s nothing else for our brain to do in there but think. Now don’t just think about it; use your extra time to turn an idea into reality. Enjoy your spouse Go on walks – “It helped me reconnect with my wife. Instead of sitting on the couch consuming content in the evenings, we went for more walks and had more time to talk about what was going on.” Go to bed at the same time – It can be hard to connect if you’re falling asleep to a device. But if you turn off the distractions, you can tune into your spouse, and vice versa. “My best recommendation for others would be to eliminate phones from your bedroom. Reading my Bible nightly is way more likely to happen when Instagram is more than a click away. That Christian influencer's advice might be insightful, but God's Word will not return empty (Is. 55:11).” Wash the dishes together – A dishwasher is a lovely thing, but it’s sweet teamwork when a couple divvies up the washing and drying. In our busy lives, this short time right after dinner is still usually open and available, not just to work, but to flirt. Connect with the kids Backyard camping – Pitch the tent, get out the flashlights, and if you can, get some s’mores made. And when it’s time to sleep, have dad or mom read a story, or share a childhood adventure. Game-night marathon – Play your kids’ favorite board or card game as many times in a row as they like, even into the wee hours of the night. More painting Untouched canvas – If your house has a big blank wall somewhere, do something about it. With some painter’s tape, line out, and then paint in, a humungous rectangular frame that you and your friends or family are now going to fill in with your own beautiful artistry. Try, try again – Get small, inexpensive canvases from the store and paints, and paint your masterpiece. Then, tomorrow, paint over it. Continue until you’ve got something you love. Help a widow – Organize a painting party (painting the fence, etc.) for a widow. Challenges Family read-a-thon – Make up your own rules, but here’s something you could try. Mark off a sheet of paper divvying each day in hours and put it on your fridge. Every family member writes down how many (if any) pages they’ve read that hour. The one who gets the most pages in that hour gets a point. Most points in a day gets a small prize. Most points over the 10 days gets to have mom and dad pay for a book of their choosing. Wall of gratitude – Every hour you can write down on an index card something you are thankful for. Then tape that card to a wall. You can only do one an hour, and if you miss an hour, you can’t catch up. Each thankful card has to be original – no repeated thanks for your spouse or children, etc., no matter how grateful you are. The point is for us all to see how many different ways God is blessing us. For fun, get a pack of different color index cards, and maybe use some color pens to draw word art or a picture on each one. There are roughly 160 awake hours over the 10-day screen-fast, so see just how full you can fill your wall of gratitude. Exercise eke-up – Set a goal, any goal. Want to be able to run for half an hour? Try running for just a tenth of that on day 1 – just 3 minutes. Then add a tenth for day 2, and run 6 minutes. Keep adding a tenth a day and by day 10 you’ll be running 30 minutes. Was that too ambitious? Then start again back at the step before it got hard and cut your increments in half. Try this same, slow-and-steady, super-small-steps approach to whatever exercise (push-ups, planking, swimming, a stretching routine) you want to get better at. A pizza a day – Without a doubt, there is no more perfect food, what with the amazing variety of ways it can be prepared and varied. Do your research beforehand – when the Internet can still be a resource – or check out a few pizza-making cookbooks from your local library. Then plot out what kind of pizza you’ll make for each day. Preparations can involve making lists for the grocery store, and recruiting volunteers to craft each pie. Bike where you’ve never been – Find an old-fashioned paper map and use it to plot out places in your town you’ve never biked. Then head off and see what there is to see (avoiding any dangerous spots, of course) and afterward mark it off on your map, filling in every street you’ve biked up or down. Stretch your attention span Read for an hour straight – Note down on a piece of paper a mark for every time you were tempted to stop reading and look at your phone. Watch a documentary carefully – This might seem a bit of a cheat, but being screen-free is more about intentionality than abstinence. So pick a good one deliberately (we’ve got plenty of suggestions) and watch it that way too, with your thumb on the pause button so it can be stopped and discussed. ***** Join us for our 2026 screen fast from July 13-22! Sign up here. Illustrations by Hannah Penninga....

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Entertainment

“What can I do anyways?”

35 screen-alternative ideas ***** You can’t beat something with nothing (as Eph. 4:28, Matt. 12:30, and Matt. 12:43-45 make clear). That means ...
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Contests, Your Turn 2026

Anxiety and trust

There are moments when the world grows quiet, yet our minds grow loud. Worries replay themselves in the dark – unfinished conversations, uncertain f...
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News

More homeowners facing insolvency

Canadians have long been struggling with personal debt, but Scott Terrio, a manager at Hoyes, Michalos Licensed Insolvency Trustees told The Hub that ...
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Technology

On being smartphone-free for five years

Way back in the Fall of 2021, I ditched my iPhone and got a dumbphone. I was sick of how my smartphone was a major distraction in my life. My phone be...
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News

Saturday Selections – June 27, 2026

Envy is a sin. Wealth isn't. If you could make everyone twice as wealthy, would you do it? This is an odd fellow, making a great point about how poverty, not income inequality, is a problem. And secular fellow that he is, he's making that point without even factoring in the 10th Commandment. God cares about the plight of the poor, but nowhere does He condemn Abraham or Solomon for being rich. Envy is a sin. Being rich is not. Poverty is a problem, and one that can only be addressed by trying to "raise the floor" – raising the level of prosperity shared by the lowest income-earners. But concerns expressed about income inequality are simply envy disguised as virtue, and used as a justification for trying to pull down the ceiling – income inequality can be effectively addressed by kneecapping the wealthy to make them less so. Why non-experts can still fruitfully question the "experts" Philosopher J. Budziszewski, author of Pandemic of Lunacy: How to Think Clearly When Everyone Around You Seems Crazy, explains why it is that non-scientific sorts like us can still ask some pretty good, very important questions of the experts. UK report says thousands of girls were systematically raped while the gov't ignored it over optics If you haven't already heard about the rape-gangs in the UK this is going to be even more of a shocker. Authorities in the UK government knew about rape gangs operating in their country, but turned a blind eye to it, because the gangs were made up of Asian immigrants – police and others didn't want to seem racist. The figure that will leap out is the report of 250,000 victims, so it's worth noting that this is an estimate without a lot of firm grounds. But that doesn't mean it is wrong either, or overblown. It could be higher even. But it should be understood as a guess and not a fact. What is a fact is that authorities knew, and chose not to act. Ontario "conservative" gov't opposes opposition bill that would have banned gambling ads "A recent study found that since iGaming Ontario was introduced, total monthly wagers increased by 654% between April 2022 and August 2025, and the number of active player accounts rose 239%. Calls to Ontario’s mental health and addictions helpline rose at an accelerated annual rate (7% above previous trend) after iGaming Ontario was introduced in 2022. The highest increase in calls was among young men aged 15 to 24." It's probably safe to say that not a lot of this newsletter's readership votes for the NDP or Liberals. So it's all the more frustrating that it is the Conservatives who are doing this to our neighbors. And then, when the opposition proposed a way to rein in this runaway train of destruction, the government said no. Sure, they offered up some reasons to oppose the bill, but they didn't propose an alternative to it, making it evident they are fine with the status quo. What's wrong with gambling can perhaps be best understood in contrast with how others seek to become rich. Gamblers make bets that, should they win, are covered by those who bet the other way and lost – your gain is done at the expense of their pain. Meanwhile, if you get money any other (legal) way, your wealth will come to you only by benefiting others. Whether you are a housepainter, an author, or a server, the money that you can be thankful for comes from others who are thankful too, for what they've gotten from you in exchange. Your gain is their gain too. In addition, even if you are a good gambler, the odds are always stacked in favor of the gambling establishment – the government is making huge amounts of money from this, and that has to come from somewhere. So gambling is, over time, going to be a net loser, so even if you weren't hurting others to get your money, you are still making bad use of the "talents" God has entrusted to you. More could be said, but I'll offer up just one more – even if you've got your gambling under control, every bet you make is that little bit more motivation for the government to keep at this... to the great harm of many, who aren't in control of their gambling. If you love your neighbor, you should be lobbying the government to stop pushing, and just simply stop running, such a destructive enterprise. A sea of orange took over Kansas City  You don't have to like soccer to appreciate the intermix of cultures brought about by the World Cup this month. Whether it's Japanese fans cleaning up the stadium afterwards, or this sea of orange-clad Dutch fans, there's been so much to love off the field. This linguistic collapse of late-stage civilization "Take this introduction from a Herald-Sun article during the week: 'Prison authorities were warned not to transfer a transgender murderer to a women’s prison amid warnings they would sexually assault another prisoner if moved.' "A transgender murderer? It’s the sort of phrase that makes English quietly weep in a corner." This article might be inspiration for a great English class assignment... in a Christian school – try and write an assignment in the most politically correct fashion possible, to highlight the insanity. (In a public school they'd assign the same task to encourage sensitivity.) Lost & Found - Running home A quick toe-tapping rhyme based on Psalm 51. ...

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News

Are you still able?

A nation-wide challenge to experience life without screens ***** It used to be different, not all that long ago. Carrie is a teen who always had the kind of contagious smile that would get her friends smiling right back, no matter their mood. She used to shoot hoops with her younger sister after dinner. She enjoyed heart-to-heart chats with her mom while doing her hair. And she treasured many of the devotionals that her dad read to her by the glow of her small bedside lamp. George, a mechanic and all-around handyman, has always counted himself blessed to be married to his wife of 26 years. He was the kind of dad who’d get down on the ground to play with his kids. While three of his kids have moved out, his two youngest children still live at home. George has served as a deacon in his church, where his love of tinkering was a help not only to his own family but to some of the older couples in his ward. Liz’s life changed after losing her husband eight years ago. But she did an amazing job doting on all five of her children, her 23 grandchildren, and the seven great-grandchildren. She’d always make it out for every one of their milestones to give out hugs, and to remind her growing clan of God’s goodness and love. Then, not right away, but over the weeks and months and years, things changed. Carrie’s sister, mom, and grandparents now don’t see much of Carrie. OK, they see her, but not her eyes. Carrie is mostly head down, scrolling on her phone and messaging with people they don’t even know. Her mom has a hard time remembering when they last shared a good chat, or when she last saw her daughter’s beautiful smile. Dad’s devotionals were replaced by someone Carrie follows on Instagram who posts short reflections… which Carrie reads when she has time. George’s wife knows that her husband is still committed to their marriage. But she is having a hard time competing with the attention he gives to his various YouTube subscriptions. His ward doesn’t see him much outside of church, and he seems to spend more time watching clips about fixing cars than actually fixing them. And lately his scale seems to be out by at least 10 pounds. Instead of dropping by with a card, Grandma Liz now sends a WhatsApp message when her children and grandchildren celebrate a birthday. She has become very hesitant to head out her front door. It’s all the nightly news she’s been watching, which is making the world look like an ever-scarier place. Even when she makes a grocery trip, she stays out for as short a time as possible. Carrie, George, and Liz all go to the same church, and share this in common too: they have all slowly become dominated by their screens. None of them think it’s a real problem, but, if pressed, they will agree that they spend more time on their screens than they did a couple of years ago. But isn’t that just life today? Increased screen time may well be one of the biggest changes our world has experienced in the past half-century, with one estimate putting the global average for daily Internet usage at 6 hours and 38 minutes. The correlation between screen time and anxiety, mental health challenges, and weight gain is well-known now. What isn’t so well documented, or discussed in church, is the impact that screens are having on our pace as we “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Heb 12:1-2). Putting screens in their place When Reformed Perspective did a deep dive into this topic last spring, we promoted The Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch. Crouch correctly shifts the focus from whether a particular type of technology can or can’t be allowed, to instead how these technologies can be put in their proper place, so that priorities like family, friends, and faith remain priorities. But how is this going for you? Screen time, like money and sex, has become a sensitive topic – okay to talk about in generalities, but don’t get personal! We’re all quick to be defensive and shut down the discussion if anyone dares raise the topic of our own usage. That’s why we challenged our readers to a 10-day screen fast in the last issue. The goal of such a fast isn’t to eradicate screens from our lives. But don’t we all see wisdom in implementing a reset? Let’s test it out, to determine just how reliant we are on our devices, and what sort of impact this dependence may be having on our relationships, including with our LORD. Last month our Assistant Editor Marty VanDriel gathered a group and gave the challenge a go, and you can read about how their screen fast went. Now we’re issuing the challenge again because some generous supporters have presented us with quite the offer. For every person that commits to, and completes, a ten-day screen fast from July 21 to 30 they will donate $100, split between two charities (Word & Deed and Reformed Perspective). They will give up to $20,000! Could you do it? Do you have what it takes to put your screens aside for 10 days? (The screen challenge allows exceptions for necessary activities, like your job and making a phone call.) It may be hard to do this by yourself, so would you consider asking some of your family, friends, and siblings in the LORD to join you? If you can get a group of 10 together, that can serve as a great accountability and encouragement. Plus, it will lead to $1,000 going to two very good causes. And if you don’t think screens are much of a challenge for you, we encourage you to ask your loved ones if they think you should give this screen fast a try. This challenge isn’t so much about saying no to screens as it is about saying yes to other priorities. That’s why we’ve put together 35 ideas for fun, productive, and meaningful activities you can challenge yourself to do during these 10 days. Enjoy some time travel Can you remember not having your phone in your pocket, or not hearing the ping of a new message on your tablet? Although we think screens are essential, we have the power to make necessary changes in our lives. A screen fast can serve as an important reminder to yourself that you don’t have to keep living the way you have. Instead of scrolling, Carrie can shoot some hoops with her sister again. George can go for a walk with his wife, and drop by the home of the young man in his ward who hasn’t been coming to church much lately. And Liz can write a card and deliver it in person to her granddaughter. Yes, you can ignore this screen fast, and hope that your family members and friends don’t bring it up either. But before you brush it aside and reach for your phone, consider for a moment what you want your legacy to be at your funeral. Which Carrie, George, and Liz do you want to be? The one before the screen addiction, or the one after? Join us for our 2026 screen fast from July 13-22! Sign up here....

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Magazine, Past Issue

The July/August 2026 issue

The 2026 “Log out. Look up.” 10-day screenfast is here, and we’re doing this together again! Find all the details inside this issue, including how to sign up and the answers to these five Ws: • When it is • Why you should join • Who you should get to do it with you • What you can do with all of the extra time you’ll have on your hands • and How your fasting can help raise $20,000 for charity This month's highlights: Join the summer screenfast!: Get all the details and sign up here. More of Your Turn: More wonderful entries from the Your Turn contest, including a comic, four poems, and more! Have you heard of the dumbphone?: Check out these alternatives to the smartphone that can help you take back your time. Come and Explore: The map!: What happens if you stray from the straight and narrow? Choose how you'd like to read: Flip through the Digital Edition for a classic magazine experience View the PDF directly in your browser Click here to download the PDF (12 mb) to read offline   INDEX: Love thy neighbor. Love thy neighborhood encampment...? / Why I'm grateful for the notwithstanding clause / RP's screen-fast challenge / "What can I do?" Part II / On being smartphone free for five years / What I like about my dumbphone / Give your kids a superpower / Don't. Just. Read. / Can I watch a move during my screenfast? ...and other FAQs answered / The day is not an age /Is AI helping you, or dumbing you down? Yes. / Teachers lead the way in adopting, and sometimes restraining, tech / 9 in 10 Canadian women in their 20s who "practical a religion" are now childless / Federal spending increases under Carney / Opposing rainbow crosswalk results in human rights trial in Alberta / Radicalized and Reformed? Someone we know tried to kill the president / 1 in 7 dog owners would give up their partner to prolong Fido's life / "Transition" victims and supporters decry conversion therapy law / BC midwives now allowed to kill / Greener pastures? East losing residents to Alberta & BC / Thoughts from tulips on TULIP / If we confess our sins / Trust and anxiety / Borrowed language to thank my dearest Friend / Because / The ring / Sonnet for an unknown God / Made New / Lessons from the dirt / Parenting – it's not about me / Laura Kroesbergen's hyperrealistic animals / ED update: Blessed through the US / Come and explore: The map / Another reason everyone should study economics / Do you like being corrected? David did. / Presuppositions / When John MacArthur visited a philosophy class / Big brother can't be father or mother / Berra-isms / Are we conservatives? / Showing and telling / Never read a Bible verse / If dad told only dinosaur jokes / How he learned he needed to preach Mark 2:28 / Movie review: Mr. Smith goes to Washington / Book review: Graphic novels of all sorts...

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Parenting

Give your kids a super power

Reading to your kids will give them something better than the ability to leap tall buildings ***** I've been thinking lately that books are incredible. They are full of adventures and worlds and characters that shape us in profound ways. They make us laugh and cry and think. They dispel boredom, boost grades and reduce poverty. Giving kids access to books is like giving them a super power. There is only one problem: Not every child can unlock this power. They may be literate and able to read, but they aren't readers – kids who love good books and devour as many as they can. If you can raise your children to be readers, you will unleash a power that will change their lives. Parents say, “I wish my son would read, but he just doesn't enjoy it." How do we get kids to fall in love with reading? Of all the skills we want our children to master, reading is near the top of the list. We want our children to love words so that they will be daily readers of the Word. The Bible is a challenging book, and our children need to be able to read and understand it in order to grow in their relationship with God. We want them to read Christian literature so that they will grow in faith and that they can be a blessing to others. And one day, our boys might become elders or deacons, and they will need to do a lot of reading. If they are fluent readers, their task will not be such a burden. Raising readers is a priority for Christians. So how do we get them to change from those who love the image to those who love the Word? A soccer lesson A baby is not born wanting to read, any more than he is born wanting to play soccer (believe it or not!). So what makes kids learn to love soccer? Usually, someone in their life is excited about the sport and introduces them to it. They practice with their mom or dad or brother or friend, and the more they play the better they get. Soon they enter a positive upward spiral: They enjoy soccer because it's fun, so they play lots and they improve – and they love soccer even more! To get proficient at a skill, children need to practice it over and over. But they are the same as adults: they tend to avoid things that give them pain and to do things that give them pleasure. Learning to read involves a certain amount of pain. Have you ever sat next to a child sounding out her home reader? Yeah, I know. If it’s painful for you, what do you think it’s like for your child? Children need to read a lot to get proficient, but they won’t unless it's enjoyable. So they enter a negative downward spiral: They don't enjoy reading because it's hard, so they don't practice and they fall further behind – and they hate reading even more! If only we could make the pleasure of reading outweigh the pain long enough for kids to become proficient readers. Then the super power will be unleashed. When they start to read because they want to, a whole new world of ideas, delights and experiences will open up before them like the view from a mountain peak. In love with reading So how do we get our kids to fall in love with reading? With books? The answer is very simple: We read to our kids out loud. We start as soon as we can and we read for a minimum of fifteen minutes. Every day. Throughout their childhood. It’s not complicated. It doesn’t cost any money. But it is the secret to raising readers. How does this help? You might be wondering, "If I'm doing all the reading, how is that helping my child to read on her own?" Reading to kids is like advertising for books. From a very young age, children learn that great books are a source of joy and delight. They associate these books with the pleasure of snuggling on your lap. They are drawn into the story so that when you stop, they say, “Oooh, keep reading, keep reading!” And they steal the book off the shelf and read the next chapter on their own because they can’t wait to find out what happens next. They are highly motivated to master this skill. The pleasure outweighs the pain. Most kids start school eager to learn to read. But as they go through the grades, this interest drops lower and lower. They might know how to read, but they never pick up a book. What is happening? The advertising has stopped. Parents figure they don't need to keep reading to their child now that he can read on his own. But here's the thing. A child's level of comprehension is way above his reading ability until about grade eight. The gap doesn't close until age 13 to 14. That means in the early grades he’s stuck reading “Matt and Pat put on a hat” when what he’s thirsting for is adventure stories, with knights and spies and fearsome foes and daring-do. But he can’t read that on his own yet. He is stuck reading simple, boring books. Then the pain outweighs the pleasure. It's not worth the slog. We have to keep advertising. We have to keep reading out loud. Wait, there's more Reading aloud is such a bonding thing to do with your kids. The story characters become part of your family culture. You laugh and cry together. You discuss serious topics together. You read chapter after chapter way past bedtime because it’s too exciting to stop. It’s a simple, beautiful activity in which your children feel very loved. My dad was a very busy man, and he had a hard time talking to his children. But one of the ways I knew that he loved me was that when I was a teenager, every night, I would go into his study, and he would read The Viking Saga by Henry Treece. My dad was diagnosed with cancer when my youngest sister was 10 years old. He kept reading The Hobbit to her every night until he was too sick to continue. Those moments are now some of her most treasured memories of her dad. Reading to your children is one of the most powerful things you can do for them. But how do we compete for their attention in an age of screens and constant entertainment? And where do we find the time to fit this into our hectic schedule? And what if I'm not good at reading? To help, here are twelve tips for developing a read-aloud habit in your home. 12 tips We all have the same twenty-four hours in a day and we find time for whatever we think is important. The bottom line is: reading to our children only happens if it's a priority! And here’s how to do it. Start small. It’s better to read every day for five minutes, than to wait for that elusive half hour of "free time." Build the habit and the attention spans slowly. Decide on a set time and place. Write your plan down, post it on the fridge and tell your kids you are starting a new habit. Attach reading aloud to a habit your family already has, such as eating a snack after school. Let them know “It’s book reading time!” Soon they will be reminding you! If your children are very active, pick a time when their energy levels are low and they would appreciate snuggling in for a story. Every child is happy to listen to a story if it means bedtime will be postponed. How well you read doesn’t matter. As the parent, you are the best reader for your child, especially fathers. Pick a book that you enjoy and don’t be afraid to skip boring bits. Look for other pockets of time to read out loud. Keep a book in your bag for when you are waiting in the car or the doctor’s office. Resist giving them a screen to keep them occupied. You want to feed their brains, not damage them. Read around a campfire. Listen to audio books during long car rides – or short ones! You’d be amazed how much of the Bible you can listen to over a year of driving kids ten minutes to school. The NIV 1984 (dramatized version) is a favorite for our kids, with its sound effects of swords clashing and cargo splashing overboard. Record yourself reading aloud on your smartphone. Young children can listen to it while you make dinner. Have lots of great books in the house. Check out book sales and thrift stores. Give kids a bookshelf to start their own collection, and let grandparents know what titles they can give as birthday presents. Visit your local library regularly (with discernment!). Make use of their online reservation system to make requests. Children should see you enjoying books, so model reading for yourself. Keep reading to children even after they learn to read. Let’s do this together Many of the ideas in this article are based on The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease, first self-published in 1979 and now in its 8th edition. I highly recommend it, especially because it contains extensive lists of books for all ages. It might make for a good selection for any book club you are in, or want to start. Tackling it together could be a wonderful encouragement – we can help each other keep up with this important habit. Let me leave you with the concluding verse from a Strickland Gillilan poem: You may have tangible wealth untold; Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. Richer than I you can never be – I had a Mother who read to me. Amanda Poppe writes Christian fiction for children ages 8-12. Find her at amandapoppe.com and download a free short story to read to your kids. A version of this article first appeared in Una Sancta....

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