Hard to believe it is the first Friday in February. And on a personal note, even harder for me to believe that as of today, I have a 12-year old in my house.
Here’s a look at the faves from the month that felt like a year.
Favorite Discomfort Book
Love Anyway: An Invitation Beyond a World That is Scary as Hell” by Jeremy Courtney – Jeremy founded Preemptive Love and was literally on a mission field that ISIS invaded. His stories are terrifying considering he and his wife were raising (and still are) young children in the midst of the world around them literally blowing up. But what is really uncomfortable in the best way possible is Jeremy’s recount of what it is like to be in the middle of a humanitartian crisis while the rest of the world views it as a political crisis…and those politics invade the church and those who fund international mission work. Jeremy has a very honest writing style, the chapters are short, and I recommend reading this one slowly to digest and think on any ways we could be complicit with some of what Jeremy and his team have run up against as they have sought support from the western church.
Favorite Sermon
“You’ll Want to Avoid This” by Samer Massad – Fantastic sermon about the one thing that will wreck our lives – pride. Samer is a gifted communicator and you can see why the college ministry he leads is the largest in the state of Georgia (and no, it is not in Athens).
Favorite Online Game
Nitro Type – Yeah, this one is random. One kid is in a class at school where they are making them work on actual typing skills. Seems odd, I know, but oh so beneficial. To be raised in the generation of “technology natives” my kids have deplorable keyboarding skills. So, this game is one they use to teach them and my kid is hooked. And by that I mean, I am too. And my peeps at work. We may or may not be starting a work league. Use caution when checking this one out. It is about as addictive as Tetris.
Favorite Podcats…of Annie’s
Annie Downs and Jennie Allen – I’ve decided to stop kidding myself and I may just start letting the best Annie Downs podcast each month have its own category. In addition to the great one I shared earlier in the month with Jarrett Stevens, her recent chat with Jennie Allen is amazing. Jennie is the creator of If Gatherings and she’s got a new book coming out, “Get Out of Your Head.” Going to be adding that to the reading list of sure. Jennie has a podcast and so that’s also being added to the rotation after this episode with Annie. Really loved it..and both of them.
Favorite Docu-Series
“National Parks: America’s Best Idea” by Ken Burns – We are planning a trip to the southwestern United States for spring break and I’m dorking out on all things national parks. Ken Burns’ docu-series on the history of the national parks is fascinating, well narrated, and full of interesting tidbits to keep you coming back for the next episode. Available on Amazone Prime, this one also brings up great topics of preservation, conservation, and sharing the land with humans who are running out of spaces to rest, breathe, and enjoy the world God gave us in an unspoiled fashion.
