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AssortedAnxiety and the triumph of hope: 3 biblical counsellors explain anxiety
As God’s people wandered in the wilderness, they were sustained by bread from heaven – Manna. Not only was it nutritional, it also came with…
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Recent ArticlesDoes 1 Corinthians 6 mean Christians can never appeal to the courts?
Does being submissive to the ruling authorities mean that a Christian cannot seek their day in court? Would going toe-to-toe with the government in a…
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AssortedA pastor on anxiety
Rev. Dirk Poppe is serving as the pastor of the Southern River Free Reformed Church, in Western Australia. Prior to this he served as pastor…
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MagazineJuly/Aug 2023 issue
WHAT’S INSIDE: Learning to be anxious for nothing / Beautiful Brianna: an excerpt from David Murray’s “Why am I feeling like this? A teen’s guide…
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Interview with an artistJulia Veenstra is expressing the world!
Interview with an artist **** According to Hamilton-based artist Julia Veenstra, we all have a moment in time that comforts and reassures us when remembered….
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NewsPeace, peace? Will the CRC be lulled into losing their way?
Is there a spiritual war going on behind the scenes in the Christian Reformed Church? Oh yes, says member Phil Reinders, in a June 5…
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Being the ChurchIn the right place to serve: Christians are leading the way in helping one city’s homeless
By God’s providence, Christians are often in exactly the right place at the right time to do the good works that He prepared for us!…
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EconomicsChristians can’t “invest” in cryptocurrency
I hope this headline got your attention! I can hear some of the objections already: What do you mean, we can’t invest in cryptocurrency; don’t…
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People we should knowElon Musk and visions of the future
“These human space flight missions were a beacon of hope to me and to millions over the past two years as our world has been…
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Articles – BooksA plea to read
**** In the title I promised you a story. Actually that was mainly to draw you in. I figured stories sell more magazines. But it’s…
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People we should knowElon Musk’s highs and lows
Elon Musk might be best known for a brilliant bit of marketing he did back in 2018 for two of his companies: he launched his…
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Economics – Home FinancesHome ownership for Christians: how it happened in the past, and how it might now
As home prices have risen in most of Canada, young people may be wondering if they will ever be able to afford to own their…
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MagazineMay/June 2023 issue
WHAT’S INSIDE: Elon Musk and visions of the future / How to defend the unborn in under a minute / Reformed communities stepping up to…
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Apologetics 101How to defend the unborn in under a minute
I live in a town that’s so pro-life that when I go outside wearing a pro-life t-shirt the only reaction I get is, “Hey Jon,…
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NewsReformed communities stepping up to provide “Safe Families”
It takes some courage to get into the public to show love for our neighbors, with a meal for an elderly person, taking part in…
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NewsCompeting to shine
Reformed youth across Canada are taking to heart Paul’s encouragement to young Timothy “don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but…
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Indigenous peoplesTruth & reconciliation is possible, but not as it is being popularized
Until recent decades, “victimhood” was definitely not a status that people would deliberately embrace. In fact, many who were actual victims would do their very…
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AssortedTragedy, resistance, and change: Glimpses into the Lejac Residential School near Fraser Lake, BC
The following is based on numerous original letters, reports and other primary source correspondence that is available online. It attempts to provide some insights and…
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NewsMP Ed Fast wants to halt Canada’s runaway euthanasia train
In a courageous move, Conservative Member of Parliament Ed Fast has introduced a private member’s bill to permanently halt the federal government’s effort to expand…
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MagazineMar/Apr 2023 issue
WHAT’S INSIDE: A Call to Action: Loving our Indigenous Neighbors / Tragedy, resistance, and change: Glimpses into the Lejac Residential School near Fraser Lake, BC…
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NewsBC teacher fired for not backing down on causes of residential school deaths
After four decades as a teacher, Jim McMurtry was fired February 21st by the Abbotsford School District. McMurtry shared in a tweet that he was…
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NewsAustralian Christian couple wins discrimination case against foster care agency
In 2017, Byron Hordyk, a self-employed carpenter, and his wife Keira Hordyk, decided that they could open their home to provide foster care to needy…
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AssortedRed, White, and Blue? Are there greener pastures south of the border?
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.” These words are engraved on…
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AssortedIs it time to leave Canada?
I had to answer this question in front of a live, though physically distanced, audience in Toronto in the fall of 2021. The presentation occurred…
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MagazineJan/Feb 2023 issue
WHAT’S INSIDE: The winners of our “What needs Reforming today?” contest / Red, White, and Blue: are there greener pastures south of the border? /…
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Parenting4 problems with State-funded daycare
Orthodox Christians are champions of the family, and rightly so. Stretching back to the beginning of history, marriage – and, by extension, the family –…
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Christian educationCalvin Hutchinson: from chemical engineering to high school teacher
There are all sorts of paths to teaching and reasons to teach, and in this interview, conducted with Mark Penninga (and lightly edited), Calvin Hutchinson…
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Christian educationPaul Bartels: from carpenter to high school shop teacher
There are all sorts of reasons to consider teaching and in this interview, conducted with Mark Penninga (and lightly edited), Paul Bartels offers up his…
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Christian educationA call to teach
“Inviting applications!” the ad calls out. It goes on to list four teaching positions that need to be filled, and tries to paint an inviting…
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RP AppHow should Christians view climate change?
Chatting with the Cornwall Alliance’s Dr. Calvin Beisner This is an overview of a recent episode of Lucas Holvlüwer and Tyler Vanderwoudes’ Real Talk podcast….
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Christian educationReport from the front lines: pros and cons of teaching in a Reformed high school
It is one thing to hear from school administrators, boards, and parents about what is contributing to a teacher shortage. But how do the teachers…
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Christian educationKINGDOM WORKERS WANTED… for frontline role
Extensive training required, lower pay, high expectations, few advancement possibilities. Opportunity for eternal impact. **** When I started my undergraduate studies at university, I was…
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News“Markus showed us how to find meaning in suffering”
On Nov. 25, 2022, Mike and Jennifer Schouten testified before the Parliamentary Committee that is considering expanding euthanasia to children **** On May 29, 2022…
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MagazineNov/Dec 2022 issue
WHAT’S INSIDE: Kingdom Workers Wanted / A call to teach / Group of 50 BC doctors are challenging Dr. Henry / I have a bridge…
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EconomicsOn achieving equality…
I was recently confronted with the disturbing statistic that evidences the ultimate case of gender inequality: the life expectancy of males is 6.1 years lower…
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Recent Articles7 biblical principles of environmental stewardship
As environmental issues have become centerpieces in recent elections, policy-making, and public discourse, Christians must promote a biblical understanding of what the environment is, what…
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PornographyThe “couldn’t be my kid” delusion
Sexual temptation caught up Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived; Samson, the strongest man who ever lived; and David, a man after God’s own heart….
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Church historyCan two denominations become one? What are the state of CanRC and URC unity talks?
This is an overview of an episode of Lucas Holtvlüwer and Tyler Vanderwoude’s Real Talk, a biweekly podcast under the Reformed Perspective umbrella. It features…
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NewsSaturday Selections – October 29, 2022
The miracle of the human heart (4 min) God’s fingerprints are all over your heart not simply in its abilities – it may beat more…
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NewsRP’s “What needs reforming today?” contest!
505 years ago, Martin Luther courageously nailed 95 revolutionary opinions onto the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. As children of the Reformation,…
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Book listsMo Willems’ “Elephant & Piggie” (25 books)
From about three years old and up, my daughters and I have all loved Elephant and Piggie and their whole 25 book series. When I’d…
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NewsA group of 50 BC doctors are challenging Dr. Henry’s vaccine mandates in court
During the past two years, Canadians in the medical field who were skeptical about COVID vaccines have faced difficult decisions and challenging work environments. If…
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Recent ArticlesMasters of disguise!
“Poppa! Have you seen the Mimic octopus?” My oldest granddaughter’s question was lit with excitement. I had been mentioning a presentation I was working on…
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Adult fictionLetters Along The Way, from a Senior Saint to a Junior Saint
by D.A. Carson & John Woodbridge 2022 / 373 pages Rating: GOOD/Great/Give Christians have long had the chance, in C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters, to eavesdrop…
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DramaA Royal Christmas
Drama / Romance 87 minutes / 2014 RATING: 7/10 How would you react if you found out that the wonderful, thoughtful, fun, quiet someone you…
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HumorSay what? Insights from the “Devil’s Dictionary”
Ambrose Bierce (1842- circa 1914) was an American satirist best known for his Devil’s Dictionary. In it he sought to “improve” on Noah Webster’s famous…
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NewsSaturday Selections – October 22, 2022
Newton on science and the supernatural (7 min) Science and faith don’t mix? One of the world’s most famous scientists, Sir Isaac Newton, would beg…
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AssortedAging in hope!
I am 68 years of age and retired, so I suppose I am considered old. In our politically correct times, I am called either a “senior…
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AnimatedLeo Da Vinci: Mission Mona Lisa
Animated / Children 2020 / 82 minutes Rating: 8/10 What would history’s most inventive mind have been like as a kid? In Leo Da Vinci we…
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CD ReviewWhy you, too, should listen to Jamie Soles
I like Jamie Soles! From his music telling Bible stories for kids to his versifications of the Psalms, there is something for every Christian in…
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NewsSaturday Selections – October 15, 2022
Perfect timing Here’s a fun one for the whole fam that’s sure to inspire some imitation… Scientists revive 100 million-year-old bacteria? For anything to be…
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AssortedThe gift of sleep: it’s good for what ails you
Early to bed is a spiritual discipline. You may have said it yourself at some time, “I can get by with only 5-6 hours of sleep…
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AnimatedAn American Tail
Animated / Family 1986 / 80 minutes RATING: 9/10 This is the immigrant experience, set to music, and seen through the eyes of a 19th-century…
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Book ReviewsThe Comic Book Lesson (2 books)
A graphic novel that shows you how to make comics by Mark Crilley 2022 / 156 pages Rating: Good/GREAT/Gift Emily is a young artist with…
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NewsSaturday Selections – October 8, 2022
Three biblical questions for fans of The Chosen Todd Friel has “three potent reasons to consider before you watch” this super popular Christian TV series….
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AssortedG.K. Chesterton on the difference between reformers and deformers
As a young man I had questions about how my denomination conducted services: Why did we have an organ and the style of music we…
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Apologetics 101Witnessing without knowing it all
Ding dong! The doorbell goes and through the peephole you can see two young men clad in dark conservative suits. Fortunately you’ve recently read an…
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FamilyGoing to the Mat
Family / Drama 2004 / 92 minutes Rating: 8/10 Jace Newfield is the “new kid” and he’s blind, but what’s causing him the most difficulties…
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Book ReviewsFuzzy Baseball: Triple Play
by John Steven Gurney 2022 / 176 pages Rating: Good/GREAT/Gift This is, as the title references, three stories in one, each involving the Fernwood Valley…
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NewsSaturday Selections – October 1, 2022
Loud for the unborn (3 min) On Sept 3, in New York, abortion defenders showed up at a pro-life protest. And this gentleman saw it…
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MagazineSept/Oct 2022 issue
WHAT’S INSIDE: A Valley of Conquerors: God’s work in one Reformed community to set prisoners free from their bondage to sexual sin / “Enjoying God”…
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ContestsENJOYING GOD! RP’s 2022 photo contest, the youth entries
This summer we asked RP’s readers to send in photos showing how you were enjoying your Creator. It was a photo contest, with two categories:…
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ContestsENJOYING GOD! RP’s 2022 photo contest, the adult entries
Whether it was on a road trip, or closer to home, RP’s readers showed they know how to experience joy in the Lord. This summer…
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Adult non-fictionStrange New World
How thinkers and activists redefined identity and sparked the Sexual Revolution by Carl R. Trueman 2022 / 187 pages Just how strange is this new…
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DocumentaryThe Master Designer: The Song
Documentary 2014 / 76 minutes RATING: 8/10 What I most appreciated about The Master Designer was this nature documentary’s patience, showing us just a half dozen…
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NewsSaturday Selections – September 24, 2022
Cephalopods are super cool Cephalopods include both octopus and the “Flamboyant Cuttlefish” highlighted below, which can change its color in waves. As the author notes…
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InternetFund a film about fighting sexual temptation
“Into the Light” will equip God’s people to fight the pull of pornography This is an overview of an episode of Lucas Holvlüwer and Tyler…
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InternetWe can’t save the world, and that’s OK
We are weary. Gloom and malaise are the shadows of the moment, inescapable beneath the blazing ball of stressors that blinds our eyes to what…
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InternetA valley of conquerors
The fire crackled in a massive stone fireplace behind us as we talked and sipped coffee. The handcrafted log home that surrounded us was almost…
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History“I have a bridge to sell you” (and other deals too good to be true)
I recently received an e-mail from a Nigerian prince who wanted to share his wealth with me. He told me it was millions and millions…
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NewsCanadians retiring in record numbers
Statistics Canada recently reported that Canadians have retired in huge numbers over the past twelve months: 306,000 citizens retired from full-time work from September to…
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Culture ClashesPeppa Pig propagandizes preschoolers
During the COVID lockdowns, some North American children began developing a British accent, and started using words like “mummy” and “water closet.” This development was…
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NewsSaturday Selections – September 17, 2022
What happens in a 2nd trimester D&E abortion (4 min) While this is nearly bloodless, and the animation as underplayed as possible, the topic matter…
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DocumentaryThe Riot and the Dance: the TV series
TV series 2022 / 30 minutes RATING: 9/10 The folks who brought you the documentaries Riot and the Dance: Earth and Riot and the Dance:…
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NewsPro-life Leslyn Lewis comes third in Conservative leadership race
On September 10, Canada’s Conservative Party announced that their new leader would be Pierre Poilievre, taking 71% of the votes cast on the first ballot….
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Culture ClashesLorie Smith: another Christian battling to preserve a freedom we all need to use more often
Lorie Smith is a Colorado website designer and graphic artist who wants to expand her business to include wedding clients. While she’s worked with homosexual…
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EconomicsAn abundance mentality in business
Christian business owners often speak about an “abundance mentality”: the idea that God, in blessing their companies richly, has allowed them to be a blessing…
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NewsSaturday Selections – September 10, 2022
Economics 101: how profits answer the “knowledge problem” How can we know what to make? And how much to make? And who would be best…
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NewsQueen Elizabeth II, dead at 96
Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022 at the age of 96, after reigning as Queen of Great Britain and the Commonwealth for over…
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Pro-life – AbortionNo place for pro-life cynicism
“In the days when the idea of a surprise pregnancy was only an abstraction, I had never suspected that I could feel fierce love for…
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DocumentaryMount St. Helens: Modern day evidence for the world wide Flood
Documentary 2012 / 36 minutes Rating: 7/10 Thirty-four years ago Washington State’s Mount St. Helens blew its top. The eruption on the morning of May…
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AssortedThe coming battles over church property
Same-sex “marriage” and sexual morality were hot topics in evangelicalism in the late-90s and early 2000s. Since the legalization of same-sex “marriage” in 2005, the…
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NewsSaturday Selections – September 3, 2022
Birds are crafted (2 min) In this clip from the documentary Flight: the Genius of Birds, we get to explore how the depth of design…
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Book ReviewsThe Charlatan’s Boy
by Jonathan Rogers 2010/ 305 pages Rating: Good/GREAT/Give I love love loved Jonathan Rogers’ Wilderking Trilogy, a children’s fantasy series that echoes the story of David…
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NewsGood news: CRC Synod reaffirms homosexual sex is sin
At their annual synod this earlier year, the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) took a stand for biblical sexuality. They officially accepted – by a majority…
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In a NutshellTidbits – August 2022
Great Communicator on communication and diaper changes Ronald Reagan was nicknamed “The Great Communicator” for his ability to connect with his listening audience. But that…
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PoliticsWhy the Right always drifts Left
“O’Sullivan’s First Law” states: “All organizations that are not actually right-wing will, over time, become left-wing.” Coined by journalist John O’Sullivan back in 1989, it…
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Christian educationWhy biblical poetry matters
Skim through any modern Bible and you will notice something peculiar: many pages are laid out as poetry, with appropriate spacing and indents. But have…
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DocumentaryLife’s Story 2: the reason for the journey
Documentary 2006 / 107 minutes Rating: 6/10 This is the sequel to Life Story: the one that hasn’t be told, and once again there’s loads of…
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MusicSome thoughts on Christian music in worship
So there is some great music out there, and as Reformed Christians, we can rejoice in that fact. But if the issue of music in…
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NewsSaturday Selections – August 27, 2022
Joe Rogan vs. Babylon Bee on abortion! (10 min) Last week Seth Dillon of Babylon Bee made an appearance on the world’s most popular podcast,…
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ParentingQuantity, not quality: good parenting takes time
In The New Tolerance authors Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler share the way one parent taught his teenage son to see through the worldly messages…
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AnimatedThe Jim Elliot Story
Animated / Family 30 min / 2005 Rating: 6/10 This is a half-hour animated version of a true story your grandparents might still remember hearing…
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Book listsThe RP 52 in 22 challenge
If you’re a reader, there’s a good chance you have a stack of books somewhere that you’ve really been meaning to get to. But, what…
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Dying WellCome, sweet death, Come blessed rest!
Last week, while working in the backyard, I chanced to speak with one of our neighbors. There is only a wire fence separating our properties…
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NewsSaturday Selections – August 20, 2022
Trick shots from level 1 to 1oo School has been out for a while now – are the kids getting antsy with nothing to do?…
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Book ReviewsNero
by Jacob Abbott 2009, 202 pages Rating: Good/GREAT/Give How do you make history come alive for teens? Sometimes it means turning to an author long…
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DocumentaryNoah’s Ark: Thinking outside the box
Documentary 35 minutes, 2008 Rating: 8/10 This is a fun and fast look at what Noah’s ark might really have looked like. The picture most…
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Book ReviewsSnow Treasure
by Marie McSwigan 1942 / 196 pages Rating: GOOD/Great/Give In 1940, shortly after the Germans invaded Norway, a Norwegian freighter arrived in the US city of…
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Being the ChurchHospitality hacks for folks who want to be, but keep finding excuses not to be, hospitable
As Christians, we know that hospitality is important, but if you’ve ever tried it, you also know that it can be really hard, and we…