Coram Deo ~

Looking at contemporary culture from a Christian worldview


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BOOK REVIEWS and NEWS

BOOK REVIEW:
Thirty Second Theology: Questions and Answers to Build Your Faith by Sinclair Ferguson. Christian Focus. 164 pages. 2026
*** ½

Sinclair Ferguson is a respected Reformed theologian. He has written books at a level for seminary students, lay persons, and some for children. Some years back, he wrote a book similar to this one for children, titled The Big Book of Questions and Answers. He writes that Thirty Second Theology is a more grown-up version of those questions and answers, geared not for children but for teenagers. Although each question and answer will take only about thirty seconds to read, you can certainly think on the answers for much longer. Each question also includes a short verse to memorize, along with related readings from the Bible.

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:
BOOK REVIEWS ~ More of this review…
BOOK NEWS ~ Links to Interesting Articles
BOOK CLUB ~What Is Wrong with the World? The Surprising, Hopeful Answer to the Question We Cannot Avoid by Tim Keller
I’M CURRENTLY READING…. Continue reading →


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My Approach to Reading

I’ve always enjoyed reading, most likely getting my love of reading from my parents, both of whom loved books, though neither my brother nor sister are big readers. My wife Tammy enjoys reading, so on a nice summer evening in Illinois, with the sun going down, mosquitoes biting, birds at the feeder, and crickets chirping, you might just find us out on the patio with the glow from our Kindle and iPad screens illuminating our faces.
I expect to read about 50 books this year. How many books you might read will depend on a number of factors, such as your love for reading and the amount of time you have available for reading.
Here are 6 thoughts on my approach to reading: Continue reading →


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My Review of the Movie “Coyote vs. ACME”

Coyote vs. ACME, rated PG
***

Coyote vs. ACME is an entertaining film that blends animation and live action, based on the lovable loser Wile E. Coyote. The film is directed by Dave Green, and written by Oscar nominee Samy Burch (May December), James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy), and Jeremy Slater, adapted from a 1990 New Yorker article by Ian Frazier.
We are told that this film is “based on a true story”. After years of misery pursuing the speed demon known as the Road Runner – Wile E. Coyote, a longtime consumer of ACME products, is at home nursing his latest wounds, when he sees an ad for a law firm, and decides to sue the ACME Corporation, which is owned by Foghorn Leghorn.
Wile E. enlists the help of a law firm specializing in personal injury cases (called Avery, Jones & Maltese, a nod to three of the Looney Tunes’ chief architects, Tex Avery, Chuck Jones, and Michael Maltese), headed by Kevin Avery, played by Emmy nominee Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth, 30 Rock), whose specialty is getting small settlements for cartoon characters who have had limbs and such blown off  by faulty products. Kevin’s niece Paige Avery, played by Lana Condor, is his intern who recently graduated from law school.

This won’t be easy for Coyote. ACME is a huge organization, with plenty of money and a corporate attorney named Buddy Crane, played by Emmy nominee John Cena (Heads of State, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?). Kevin doesn’t have any motivation for taking on ACME and his law school classmate Crane. Will Coyote be able to get justice for being the victim of faulty ACME products? Is there more to the story?
The enjoyable film has nostalgic cameos by Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, Tasmanian Devil, and many more.
The film includes humor, some heartfelt moments, violence and some minor adult language.
Having grown up watching the Coyote’s fruitless pursuit of the Road Runner, we really enjoyed this film, which creatively uses cartoons along with the live action.


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Announcing the Release of Our Book Use Us Up, Lord! Finishing Well for Our Good and His Glory

We are excited to announce that our new book Use Us Up, Lord!  Finishing Well for Our Good and His Glory is now available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions!

Here’s a description of the book:
We all want to finish well in life. But what does finishing well actually look like? Is it measured by external things like wealth, status, power, prestige, leisure and comfort?  Or is it more like stewardship, sacrifice, serving others and living flat out for God?
Consider this book to be your companion on your journey towards completing a life well-lived. At times the journey will be pleasant, and at other times very hard, but we will walk beside you along the path.
The book will take you from retirement to glory, and what you may encounter along the way. We address subjects such as retirement, stewardship, relationships, calling, learning, being “used up” for the Lord, care for the body, looking back on our lives, loss, suffering, aging, legacy, end-of-life decisions, dying in faith, and more.
At the end of each chapter are helpful “Questions for Reflection” for you to go deeper with the material in that chapter.

Here are a few excerpts from the book’s endorsements:
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My Review of the Movie ~ Never Stop Chasing

Never Stop Chasing
***

Never Stop Chasing, a documentary, directed by Ken Cole (Tornado Chasers), follows extreme meteorologist Reed Timmer and his crew as they intercept violent tornadoes. Cole is a filmmaker and meteorologist who has worked alongside Timmer for more than two decades. The film has been described as a 20-year reckoning with obsession, loss, and the relentless pull of violent weather.
Reed Timmer is probably today’s best-known storm chaser. His maverick persona and armored storm-chasing vehicle, the Dominator 3, directly inspired the character of Tyler Owens, played by Glen Powell in the 2024 summer film Twisters.
Timmer, who has a Ph.D. in meteorology, has spent two decades chasing storms. He brings an intimate insider’s perspective to a story that is as much about grief and mortality as it is about adrenaline. Continue reading →


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My Review of the Movie Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Spider-Man: Brand New Day, rated PG-13
***

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is an exciting and entertaining action film. Due to the action violence and adult language, it would be best for teens and older.
The film, which follows 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, was directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (The Glass Castle, Just Mercy), and written by Emmy nominee Chris McKenna (Community), and Emmy nominee Erik Sommers (American Dad!). The film had an estimated budget of $225 million, and after two weeks had already grossed $1.7 billion worldwide.
Dr. Strange’s spell erased Peter Parker, played by Tom Holland, (also in the theaters in his role in The Odyssey), from the memory of everyone who loved him, particularly MJ, played by two-time Emmy winner Zendaya (Euphoria), and his best friend Ned Lees, played by Jacob Batalon.
Peter has been living an isolated life ever since, which is what he wanted. He wanted the world to forget he ever existed. After Aunt May’s death, played in flashbacks by Oscar winner Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny),  he didn’t want to endanger the lives of anyone else he cared for. Continue reading →


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THIS & THAT: A Gathering of Favorite Articles and Quotes

  • What About Pet Idolatry? Randy Alcorn has a forthcoming book in which he provides a biblical view on animals and pets. Here he answers a question about idolizing pets.

  • Is the Devil Real? During a live Clearly Reformed Q&A Event, Kevin DeYoung answered a range of questions presented to him by attendees.
  • Obedience Will Never Ruin Your Life. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the question “What would you say to a young single woman, a Christian, who is secretly considering an abortion because it would make life easier? This is where I find myself right now, and I never imagined it would happen to me, yet here I am, shattered and scared.”
  • Who is Jesus? During a live Clearly Reformed Q&A Event, Kevin DeYoung answered a range of questions presented to him by attendees.

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

  • More interesting article links
  • Favorite Quotes of the Week

Continue reading →


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FAITH AND WORK: Connecting Sunday to Monday

Faith and Work News ~ Links to Interesting Articles

  • Called to Lead. My book Called to Lead: Living and Leading for Jesus in the Workplace is available in both a paperback and Kindle edition. Read a free sample (Introduction through Chapter 2).
  • What Can We Learn from the Repair Shop? Russ Gehrlein writes “I pray that you will see the work of restoration that is done by others (or yourself) in a new light. My desire is that ordinary Christian workers experience God’s presence at work every day and that they remember that their work matters for eternity.”
  • A Leader Worth Following. My new book A Leader Work Following: 40 Key Leadership Attributes and Applications to Masteris available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions. Read a sample of the book (found under the book cover in the above link).
  • Hints of Hope: A Conversation with Steve Garber. On this episode of the Faith & Work podcast, enjoy this conversation with Dr. Steve Garber as he explores the profound connection between story, vocation, and faith, using Tolkien’s hobbits and biblical narratives to illustrate how understanding our meta-narrative shapes our life’s purpose and resolve.

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

  • More links to interesting articles
  • The Top 10 Faith and Work Quotes of the Week
  • Faith, Work and Leadership Book Review – The Secret: What Great Leaders Know and Do (4th Edition Revised and Expanded) by Ken Blanchard and Mark Miller
  • Quotes from the book Working for Better: A New Approach to Faith at Workby Elaine Howard Ecklund and Denise Daniels

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When is it Time to Leave Your Job?

Nobody likes to face the prospect of looking for a new job. What a hassle that is, and a major disruption to your life. But there are times when it becomes necessary to do so. What are those times? Here are six that I can think of:

  • Conflict with supervisor. Probably the key relationship you have in the workplace is with your supervisor. If that relationship is positive, that is a good thing. However, if there is conflict and stress in that relationship it can spill over into other parts of your life (family, church, etc.). If you have unresolved conflict with your supervisor, you may need to change jobs.

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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

The Boys of Dungeon Lane – Paul McCartney
****

This is the twentieth solo album by Paul McCartney, and his first since 2020’s McCartney III. The album is named after a road in the Liverpool suburb of Speke. As a boy, McCartney used to wander down Dungeon Lane to look at birds.
The album was produced by Andrew Watt (Rolling Stones) and McCartney. McCartney handled most of the lead and backing vocals along with playing most of the instruments. The album also featured Ringo Star on lead vocals, drums, and tambourine, Andrew Watt on acoustic and electric guitar, synths, and tape loops, Chrissie Hynde and Sharleen Spiteri on background vocals and Mike Davis on trumpet. Orchestration and arrangements were by Ben Foster and Giles Martin.
The album offers varied musical styles from love song ballads to rockers. About half of the songs has McCartney nostalgically looking back on his life.
Overall, the album is a wonderful collection of songs about hope, love, living for now and remembering the past. It’s a sonic treat that sounds better with each repeated listening, and my favorite album of 2026 thus far.

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

  • More of this review and a review of In Christ Alone – Sing! Hymnal at the Piano
  • Music News
  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ Running to a Runaway – Phil Wickham

Continue reading →