Resource Roundup

I’m a bit of a resource geek. I want to be a lifelong learner, one who sets her face toward wisdom (Pr. 17:24), listens to wisdom (Pr. 13:14), increases in wisdom (Pr. 9:9), and much more! And, as each of these Proverbs suggest, a primary source for growing is through listening to wise people, both near and far. The internet has made a way to learn from believers all across the world.  And while I don’t believe they should take the place of the local church and real life relationships, I’m so grateful for the wealth of solid, Biblical people just a few clicks away.

I shared what I’m reading book-wise recently, but I thought it might be helpful to pass on what I read online, too. I’m not a huge social media fan, but, I do like Twitter. This is the primary place where I find articles to read online. You can follow me by going straight above and clicking on the “t.”

That said, I love to pass on resources that I’ve found helpful to my heart. And, funny story. I can be a little over zealous in podcast sharing, so I’ve been told. I learned that someone in my life wants me to only send *super good* podcasts, not every single one I listen to.  For the record, I wasn’t sending every single one, but there was a streak where many were causing many light bulbs to go on inside, and I wanted to share them! Can you blame a woman?!

So, at the risk of overloading you, I want to limit myself to 5 or less each week. There’s a lot out of good out there, but I want to help and not hinder your personal endeavors to steward your time well. And there’s a difference between constant input that leads to over-stimulation and slow input that allows room for meditation. I believe the latter is more beneficial.

Podcasts (you can check out my favorites, and when I listen to them):

Climb the Ladder of Integrity – The Emotionally Healthy Leader podcast. I would highly recommend listening to two episodes prior about integrity. All of this can be also be found and worked through in his book (highly recommended!). And, you can also download a helpful PDF.

Articles:

The Smallest Stage – “Jesus teaches us that there is a gloriously weighty presence and promise of the Father that we can access only in the smallest, secret place.”

Should I Stay or Should I Go – “When should an evangelical Christian separate from a church? That question is asked often these days, and it betrays more than one problem in contemporary Christianity. Far too many church members have become church shoppers. The biblical concept of ecclesiology has given way to a form of consumerism in which individuals shop around for the church that seems most to their liking at that moment.”

Give People Dignity the World Has Taken Away – “How many times had he stood authoritatively before a congregation to lead them in worship? Now he lay helpless in a hospital bed of his own making. How many people had looked up to him with respect and admiration? Now he was looked down upon with pity or contempt. How many divine truths had he boldly preached from the pulpit? Now his mouth was wired shut with only confessions leaking out in muddled whispers.”

Tending Your Garden – “If we overlay what we read in Genesis onto the dictionary definition, then one way to think about ministry is a person or agency through which image-bearing and disciple-making are accomplished within particular spaces.

“If I could go back and give myself a pep talk while in the midst of raising babies, I would clap my hands and say with great enthusiasm, “You are doing real ministry right now! Real ministry is not only ahead of you when you do a podcast or complete an in-depth line-by-line Bible study on the Minor Prophets. I know it feels like a lot of wiping, but you are bearing God’s image and raising children to bear his image. You are promoting life and doing good work in the space God ordained for you. And it matters.”