It is hard to believe that our little Hud is a month old. April seems to have flown by. As we continue to bask in the sheer joy of being parents for the first time, I’d like to share with you what I'm reading, pondering and enjoying.

The last Monday or Thursday of each month I peel back the layers and share the things that had the greatest impact on me in the previous month. I hope the resources I share with you are helpful and brighten your day. If you do enjoy it, pass it along to family and friends.

Verse I'm Chewing On

“Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! —Psalm 37:1

Todd Wagner mentioned Psalm 37 in a talk this past month. I found it such solid gold, that I’m trying to memorize the first several verses. I’ve only nailed this first verse so far, but find it the perfect reminder not to value the same things as the world. I shouldn’t look at their lives and be envious of any part of it.

What I'm Reading

The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp, M.D. - We brought our son Hudson home from the hospital, and had to figure the sleep thing out. Fast forward a month, and he slept four hours between feedings last night. I call that a win!
The Story of Reality by Greg Koukl - Reality, or the way the world actually is, is the most compelling apologetic the Christian has at his disposal. It’s not a cooked up theory or tale. No, the Christian story fits and explains what we find in the real world. Greg Koukl makes this important argument in his new book The Story of Reality.
A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - You’ve seen the popular Sherlock starring Benedict Cumberbatch. Hannah and I have watched and rewatched the entire series many times. It’s great. I decided it was time to read the source material. I’m part way through and loving it.
The Reason for God by Tim Keller - I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve never read this modern classic from the mind of Tim Keller. It is a fine book covering much the same ground as Koukl’s Story of Reality, only in greater details and depth.
Romans 1-7 For You by Tim Keller - I’ve wanted to read this helpful resource for some time now. It was on sale for $2.99 this month so I grabbed it. I’m not too far in, but find it a helpful companion through the first half of Romans.

What I’m Listening To

Daddy Doesn’t Pray Anymore by Chris Stapleton - I stumbled upon the greatness of Chris Stapleton this month while sifting through Spotify’s endless cache of tunes. This song touched my heart in a deep way. In it, Chris describes a father who has been a faithfully committed follower of The Lord and how his son remembers it. “I remember when times were bad,” Chris sings, “he’d thank Jesus for everything he had. A good wife and three children and food upon our plate.” My prayer is that our son will be able to remark the same about how I lead and love him.
A Life That Lost Its Focus: Saul by Ravi Zacharias - I’ve listened to Ravi for several years now, and it never gets old. He communicates truth in a manner as entertaining as it is winsome. In this four-part series, Ravi takes a look at the life of Israel’s first king, Saul.
Lead Like Jesus: Leaders, Marriage and a Local Church - I’m so glad I clicked download on this bad boy! “People need to be reminded,” Samuel Johnson said, “more often than they need to be instructed.” He couldn’t have been more right. This episode was such a great reminder of the stakes in marriage, and a refresher course on why Hannah and I do what we do.

From the Internet

Calling Good People “Racist” Isn’t New: the Case of Ty Cobb - Growing up I obsessed over the legends and stories surrounding Ty Cobb. Who knew so many of the things I believed about this man, turn out to be wrong. If this is the case with Cobb, who else has history cast in a light resembling little of the truth?
A Quiz on the Atonement via Tim Challies - Tim published a helpful quiz on the Atonement in the weeks leading up Easter. If you’re unsure what Christians are celebrating on Easter Sunday—and every other day of their lives—it's worth your time to give it a shot. If all you want to do is measure how well you understand this important doctrine, like I did, that's ok too.
A handful of people via Austin Kleon - You can’t make everyone happy, and you shouldn’t even try. Identify the small number of people whose opinion matters to you, and make your stuff for them. That’s what I’m attempting to do with this blog; write and share things that a few people might find helpful. I hope a good number of others see and enjoy it, but at its core, a smattering of people are in mind with each new post. First of which is my wife, who’s good at telling me the truth.
The Income Tax Implies that Government Owns You - The 18th was national charity day, or as most of us call it—Tax Day. We send money pouring into the coffers of government this time each year. You may find this hard to believe, but it wasn’t always so. Once upon a time, American were free. They got to keep the fruits of their labor. Jeffrey Tucker presents a discussion we need to have about the fleecing of our pockets we allow every April.
Why I Love To Read via Randy Alcorn - Some people play golf, while others brew beer or coffee. Those are fine hobbies that bring immense joy, but they’re not the hobbies I’ve glommed onto. Instead, I read a lot. It’s my favorite pastime. Which is why I am excited and grateful for Randy Alcorn’s article this month. It served as the perfect reminder of the all important why behind picking up books.

We find ourselves nearing the end of yet another year. One in which I failed at two of my most ambitious goals, reading & writing. As the calendar turned from 2015 to 2016, I wanted to increase my intake and output of words. If you’ve been a reader of this blog for long, you’ll have noticed a definite drop in output. What you may not have noticed, unless you’re my wife, is that I have also failed to reach my reading goal for 2016. Perhaps I was a tad ambitious in putting together this year’s list by taking on several large volumes. Whatever the reason, I completed roughly half of my intention.

Within the 25-30 books I did complete however, were several gems I’d like to share with you. If you’re still looking for that perfect gift to place under the tree for the avid reader you know, perhaps this list will help you find it.

Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan - Classic works of literature can be boring, meandering messes. As I’ve sought to read all the books the collective “they” says I should, I’ve been bogged down by author’s use of language or pace. Not so with Bunyan’s masterpiece. Intermingled in this beautiful story of Christian’s journey are biblical truths that instruct the mind and comfort the soul. As Christian makes his journey from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City his trials and temptations show us a familiar picture and point us to the Way. Wonderful in it’s use of language, and stunning in it’s simplicity this classic is one I plan to revisit often.

On Writing Well by William Zinsser - This book now sits within arms reach of my desk. I often pull it down, flip through its pages and in so doing find exactly the help I need to finish my task. It serves as both an inspiration and a resource regardless of the project. If you have an interest in writing on any level, this book will guide you through rough seas and stormy gales until you’re safely home having created the best form of writing you can.

On Writing by Stephen King - This is the only Stephen King book I’ll probably ever read, but I’m beyond glad I did. King is both immensely practical and wildly entertaining as he brings you along for the ride of how he became the writer we all know. His memoir style approach to the subject of writing is as insightful as any other book on the craft and is a joy to read, even if you have no interest in writing at all.

Tactics by Greg Koukl - How often have you been in situations or conversations in which you felt the need to say something but weren’t sure what? In Tactics, Koukl gives you a game plan for discussing your Christian convictions with that often difficult cocktail of grace and truth. In this book you’ll learn how to frame a discussion gracefully and confidently. One of my favorite aspects of Koukl’s approach is that you can employ it from day one. There is no need to wait until you’ve finished the book to get in the game. He helps you turn any conversation into a discussion of significance, without being weird or strange.

Do More Better by Tim Challies - There are so many resources and books out there on the topic of productivity. In a culture obsessed with getting things done, we are always on the hunt for the next nugget or hack that is going to fix everything. In this crowded space, a work has to be especially great to stand out. It was a breath of fresh air then, to download a copy of Tim Challies’ Do More Better. In this short, but powerful book Challies helps us step back and see productivity rightly and build a system to steward your gifts, talents, time, energy and enthusiasm for the good of others and the glory of God.

Church History In Plain Language by Bruce Shelley - It’s easy to fall into the trap of focusing so much on the present and future that we forget to look at the past. What a mistake we make when we fail to consider our story and how we got here. While I haven’t quite finished reading this one, it has proven itself to be a great help already. Like most stories, this one starts with the beginning—the early church. After a very brief retelling of the life and ministry of Christ, Shelley picks up the trail of the rag tag group entrusted with carrying forth the good news of the gospel to the whole world.

Please note: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Should you complete a purchase using a link from this post, at no extra cost to you, I would receive a small commission on the sale.