Coram Deo ~

Looking at contemporary culture from a Christian worldview


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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS


Heaven on My Mind: Guest List Edition – TobyMac
*** ½

TobyMac’s Heaven on My Mind was one of my favorite albums of 2025. He recently released Heaven On My Mind – Guest List Edition, a seven-song expanded version of the album, comprised of six collaborations and a remix of the title song.

The seven songs on the Guest List Edition are:
“Heaven On My Mind” (with Forrest Frank)
“Lord It Feels Good” (with gio.) – the only previously released song.
“God Did It” (with Jamie MacDonald)
“Nothin’ Sweeter (Extra Sweet Version)” (with Jon Reddick)
“Oh My Soul (Psalm 103)” (with CeCe Winans)
“Campfire (That Very Love)” (with Third Day)
“Heaven On My Mind (Petey Martin Remix)”

Favorite songs:
“Heaven On My Mind” (with Forrest Frank)
“God Did It” (with Jamie MacDonald)
“Oh My Soul (Psalm 103)” (with CeCe Winans)
“Campfire (That Very Love)” (with Third Day)

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

  • More of this review and a review of The Resurrection of a King by Tommee Profitt
  • Music News
  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ “Praise the Lord Forever” by Phil Wickham and Pat Barrett

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BOOK REVIEWS and NEWS

BOOK REVIEW:
Tim Keller on the Christian Life: The Transforming Power of the Gospel by Matt Smethurst. Crossway. 347 pages. 2025 
****

Matt Smethurst writes that this book is not a biography of Tim Keller. He tells us that his aim is more modest – it is to synthesize and distill Tim Keller’s best teaching on the Christian life. The book seeks to show more than tell, to let Keller’s own voice feature most prominently and ring with coherent clarity.
Smethurst tells us that the book focuses on practical Christian discipleship—rather than Keller’s thoughts on more controversial theological or political matters. The target is Keller’s contribution to timeless, bread-and-butter aspects of everyday Christian living.
Smethurst writes that his aim in the book is to synthesize the master synthesizer. Drawing from nearly fifty years of sermons, conference messages, interviews, articles, books, and more, he works to draw out the best of Keller’s teaching where it shines brightest—biblical wisdom for everyday life.

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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Do You Have Regrets in Life?

As we strive to finish well in our lives, it’s helpful to look back on what has brought us to where we are, including the decisions we have made and the people who have helped us along the way.The process of looking back may occasionally lead us to feel some regret. These regrets might be very significant, such as who you married, or didn’t marry; how you raised your children; how you have handled significant relationships in your life; or perhaps vocational decisions you have made.
Perhaps you’re like Frank Sinatra, when he sang in “My Way”:
And now, the end is near
And so, I face the final curtain…
Regrets, I’ve had a few
But then again too few to mention
My guess is that we all have at least a few regrets in our lives. Continue reading →


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THIS & THAT: A Gathering of Favorite Articles and Quotes

  • Rest as Sleep in the Third of Life, Part 1. This article from Mark D. Roberts is Part 1 of a two-part article on “Rest as Sleep in the Third of Life.” He focuses on rest in the form of sleep and how sleep is essential for third flourishing.
  • God Measures Success as Faithfulness. Randy Alcorn writes “Regardless of whether we are successful in the world’s eyes, and whoever we do and don’t please, let’s seek to please the Audience of One, whose “opinion” is truth and is ultimately the One that matters.”
  • 13 Tactical Steps to Take in Your Battle Against Sin. John Piper writes “It is both relief and heartache to know that all true believers have sin remaining in them in this life.”
  • Don’t Be Ashamed to Be Old. Tim Challies writes “If the time has come for you to be old, don’t be ashamed of your age, for you are simply joining company with many of the grandest things in all the universe.”

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

  • More interesting article links
  • Favorite Quotes of the Week

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FAITH AND WORK: Connecting Sunday to Monday

Faith and Work News ~ Links to Interesting Articles

  • Disagreeing Without Losing Your Soul: Gavin Ortlund, Apologist and Podcaster. Podcaster, pastor, apologist, and author Gavin Ortlund joins Dan on this episode of the Working with Dan Doriani podcast to explore what it looks like to disagree with charity in an increasingly polarized world. Gavin unpacks the difference between persuasion and manipulation, why genuine listening requires openness to being wrong, and how to hold theological conviction with humility.
  • 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 Unique Platform Has God Given You to Glorify Him? Randy Alcorn writes “Whether you are a grocery clerk, an assembly line worker, a salesperson, a nurse, a flight attendant, a stay-at-home mom, or a professional athlete, or whether you have a primary ministry of prayer or encouraging people, God has given you a unique platform.”

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

  • More links to interesting articles
  • The Top 10 Faith and Work Quotes of the Week
  • Faith and Work Book Review ~ Pastoring for Monday: Help Your Congregation Integrate Faith and Work by Matt Rusten
  • Quotes from the book Working for Better: A New Approach to Faith at Workby Elaine Howard Ecklund and Denise Daniels

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Lifelong Learning in Retirement

I’ve often written about life-long learning, a favorite subject of mine. I’ve written that where I worked continuous learning was encouraged, and we would hear “School is never out at State Farm”. But what about continuing to pursue learning after retirement? Don’t we already know everything we need to learn?

About a year ago, one of my pastors shared a postcard he had received from Birmingham Theological Seminary. The purpose of the postcard was to communicate about a new “Presbyterian Learning Certificate” program (now called the Certificate of Presbyterian Leadership).

The program consists of four seminary level classes: Continue reading →


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MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

Sing! From Generation to Generation (Live at the Getty Music Worship Conference) – Keith & Kristyn Getty and Friends
****

Keith & Kristyn Getty have been hosting Sing! The Getty Music Worship Conference in Nashville since 2017. After each conference, an album of songs that were performed at the conference is released. The artists on this album from the 2025 conference include Keith & Kristyn Getty, CityAlight, Fernando Ortega, Matt Boswell, Matt Papa, Cochren & Co, Sandra McCracken, Dwan Hill and the Choir Room and the late Jubilant Sykes.

Here are the songs included on the album:
Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven (Keith and Kristyn Getty)
Christ Our Hope in Life and Death (Keith and Kristyn Getty, CityAlight)
Trisagion (Fernando Ortega)

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

  • More of this review and a review of The Long Surrender (Live at RCA Studios) by NEEDTOBREATHE
  • Music News
  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ “Last Drink” by NEEDTOBREATHE

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BOOK REVIEWS and NEWS

J is for Jesus: Enjoying Who Jesus Is from A to Z by Alistair Begg. The Good Book Company. 64 pages. 2026
****

This book is the follow-up to respected pastor and author Alistair Begg’s children’s book C is for Christian: An A-Z Treasury of Who We Are in Christ. He writes that in this book he is going to tell the reader about the most remarkable person – Jesus –  who ever lived, and he is going to use 26 words to do it. While 26 words are nowhere near enough to describe Him – there could never be enough words to sum up His greatness – hopefully the 26 words Begg has chosen will help the reader see how amazing He is and how exciting it is to know Him.
Each of the words start with a different letter of the alphabet, beginning with “Advocate”. Begg offers a one-page reflection that explains in more detail how Jesus fulfills each word. He also offers a Bible verse, a colorful illustration by Emma Skerrat (who also illustrated the first book) to aid learning and memory, thoughtful discussion questions, and a prayer—making this book both engaging and spiritually formative for children and families.

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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A Prayer for Fall

Our Father in Heaven,

We thank you for the crisp cool fall mornings and evenings that we are looking forward to in the Midwest. It makes us aware of the cold winter weather that will soon be upon us. Before that however, we get to enjoy a colorful fall season, with joyful fall festivals, apple cider, pumpkins, raking leaves, and everything else that goes with this wonderful season. And we don’t forget to notice the beauty of the changing sunlight and lengthening shadows.
It seems like just last week that we saw the first signs of the green corn and soybean plants breaking through the fields of our rich Illinois soil. But it’s actually been much longer than that. Some of the fields are being harvested, and those that remain are brown, and will soon be harvested and laid bare until next spring. Continue reading →


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THIS & THAT: A Gathering of Favorite Articles and Quotes

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

  • More interesting article links
  • Favorite Quotes of the Week

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