Coram Deo ~

Looking at contemporary culture from a Christian worldview


Leave a comment

A Prayer of Longing for Spring and Home

Our Father in Heaven,

On this morning, as we face yet another forecast of bone chilling temperatures, a wintry mix of freezing rain and snow and gusty winds, our hearts long for the freshness and new life of spring. Our hearts are heavy with the prospect of yet another day of grey skies, cold north winds, and trying our best not to slip on the ice as we walk our dogs.

But we know that you are faithful, and that following a long, dark and cold winter, spring will indeed come.

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

New life in our gardens is even now poking out of the cold soil. We look forward to seeing colorful bulbs, blooms on the trees in our yards and the freshly planted corn and soybean fields nearby.

Yes, so much better than spring will be our eternal home with your Son in the new Heaven and New Earth. And we are “almost home”:

Almost home, we’re almost home
So press on toward that blessed shore
Oh, praise the Lord, we’re almost home

Matt Boswell, Matt Papa and Lauren Papa

We long for that day when you will make “all things new”:

And he who was seated on the throne said,
“Behold, I am making all things new.”

Revelation 21:5

And so, we pray:
Come, Lord Jesus!

In Jesus’ precious name, Amen


Leave a comment

MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

Confessio: Irish American Roots – Keith & Kristyn Getty
****

The latest album by Keith & Kristyn Getty is a diary of hymns and songs that underscore the Gettys’ Irish American journey. In 2020, the Gettys spent ten months in Ireland, tracing their journey back to Northern Ireland and the Scots-Irish-American roots of their hymn writing. The album features guest artists such as Sandra McCracken, Alison Krauss, Dana Masters and Kirk Whalum, and a mix of new original songs, new arrangements of well-known hymns, and a remixed version of their most popular modern hymn “In Christ Alone”. It is beautifully produced by Ben Shive. The Gettys ended up recording enough songs for two albums, so they plan to follow up this album with another album Christ Our Hope In Life And Death, in the summer of 2022.

Below are a few comments about each song on Confessio: Irish American Roots:

Confessio – This song, inspired by the prayer of St. Patrick, was written by Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, Fionán de Barra and Matt Papa. The song features the incredible Getty band, including acoustic guitar, violin, bass, drums, and backing vocals.

Key lyrics:
We go homeward
Christ, be with us as we go
We go homeward
Christ, be with us on the road

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

  • More of this review
  • Music News
  • Song of the Week Lyrics ~ Jesus Christ is Born by Mac Powell

Continue reading


Leave a comment

BOOK REVIEWS and NEWS


Deeper: Real Change for Real Sinners by Dane Ortlund. Crossway. 193 pages. 2021
****

This excellent book by Dane Ortlund, author of Gentle and Lowly, is a part of the Union Series. A concise edition of the book, titled How Does God Change Us? is also available. My wife Tammy and I heard the author speak about the book at a seminar at the recent 2021 Sing! Conference.
Ortlund tells us that this is a book about growing in Christ, or using the theological term, sanctification. His resounding theme in the book is that the Christian life is at heart a matter not of doing more or behaving better but of going deeper.  He tells us that growing in Christ is not improving or adding or experiencing but deepening. Implicit in the notion of deepening is that we already have what we need. Christian growth is bringing what we do and say and even feel into line with what, in fact, we already are. The nine chapters of the book are not sequential steps in growing; they are different facets of the one diamond of growth.
The author tells us that the book is for the frustrated. The exhausted. Those on the brink. Those on the verge of giving up any real progress in their Christian growth, which could be the majority of us. He encourages us not to consume this book but to reflect our way through it. I found that to be a good approach. Much like Gentle and Lowly, I read this book slowly.
Among the topics covered in the book include self-despair, union with Christ, the Bible, prayer, the Holy Spirit, mortification of sin and the Psalms. Throughout the book the author shares quotes from figures from the past such as C.S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer, Martin Luther, Robert Murray McCheyne and others.

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:
BOOK REVIEW ~ More of this review…
BOOK NEWS ~ Links to Interesting Articles
BOOK CLUB ~ Providence by John Piper
I’M CURRENTLY READING…. Continue reading


Leave a comment

Are You a Perfectionist? Is That a Good Thing?

Are you a perfectionist? I consider myself to be one, as do many other people. Is that a good thing, or not? First, let’s make sure we know what a perfectionist is. A dictionary definition of a perfectionist is a person who refuses to accept any standard short of perfection. Though realistically, we know that there are very few things in life in which we can actually achieve perfection, I have always tried to do the best job at whatever I’m doing, whether it is leading a team, giving a presentation, raising a puppy or just making the bed each morning. I try to “dot every “i” and cross every “t”, and do “completed staff work”, which is work that doesn’t require any additional revision. Appearance is important to me, so I wouldn’t think of going out in public without pressed clothes or styled hair. I try to do everything according to Colossians 3:23-24:

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Continue reading


Leave a comment

THIS & THAT: A Roundup of Favorite Articles and Quotes

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

  • More interesting article links
  • Favorite Quotes of the Week

Continue reading


Leave a comment

FAITH AND WORK: Connecting Sunday to Monday

Faith and Work News ~ Links to Interesting Articles

  • How Does the Bible Define a Hero? Because We Need True Heroes More Than Ever. Anne Bradley writes “It is through our work that we can make the greatest contributions to God’s kingdom. It is through the work of our hands that we offer our strengths where others are weak.”
  • Three Things to Consider Before Joining the Great Resignation. John Pletcher writes “perhaps you’re still contemplating a transition. Or perhaps your new transition isn’t as positive of a change as you had hoped. Here are three things to remember, whether you’ve already transitioned or you’re still considering a change.”
  • When Work Stinks. Greg Forster writes “We walk—we work—by faith, not by sight. We trust that God is at work in our work, even if we don’t necessarily see or understand what he’s doing.”
  • What Does Loving God Have to Do With Your Job? Steven Lindsey writes “I’m going to quickly cite 4 reasons why this comprehensive command to live in wholehearted devotion to God and love for your neighbor on a consistent daily basis throughout your life is not only possible but is, in fact, achieved mostly through your work.
  • Farming Flowers to the Glory of God. Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra interviews Jonathan Herb, asking what he’s learned from his employees, how the farm ministry fared during 2020, and if we should all move to the country to grow corn and chickens.

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

  • More links to interesting articles
  • The Top 10 Faith and Work Quotes of the Week
  • My Review of It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership. Written and read by Colin Powell
  • Snippets from the book Discipled Leader: Inspiration from a Fortune 500 Executive for Transforming Your Workplace by Pursuing Christ by Preston Poore

Continue reading


Leave a comment

Whatever You Do, Do It to the Glory of God

I realize that we are all in different stages of life as far as our callings and vocations. Some of us are early in our career, some in the middle, while others are toward the end of their careers and some are retired. What I want to encourage you with today is that no matter what you do, or who you do it for, to do it all to the best of your ability for the glory of God. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, the Apostle Paul writes “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”. In Colossians 3:23, he writes “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” Don’t miss this. He said “Whatever you do”. He doesn’t care if you are a CEO, sweep the floors at the airport, are a stay at home mom, a farmer, are retired or in a nursing home. In all of these situations it is “Whatever you do”.
I’ll use my mother in law as an example, because she’s one of my heroes. She suffered mightily with terrible pain for the forty-one years that I knew her. On top of that, she was widowed for the last 5 ½ years. But she regularly painted and created beautiful greeting cards for the encouragement of others. She also made dozens of blankets out of donated fabric to be used at a local pregnancy center.
Whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God. Continue reading


Leave a comment

MUSIC REVIEWS and NEWS

January Flower Deluxe Edition by Mat Kearney
****

Mat Kearney returns with January Flower, his sixth studio album, and first since 2018’s CRAZYTALK. The new songs are primarily relationship driven acoustic songs with a beat. His sprinkles in references to his faith throughout the album.
I really enjoyed this album. Below are a few comments about each song:
Powerless – This song was written by Kearney and Eli Teplin and produced by Robert Marvin. The song begins with acoustic guitar and then adds percussion and backing vocals. The song references beginning to work on the album in the desert when they encountered record rainfall. It is about losing control and being powerless.
Can’t Look Back
– This mid-tempo song was written by Kearney and Trent Dabbs, and produced by Kearney and Robert Marvin. The song, about a relationship, features guitar, keys, drums, backing vocals and a memorable chorus. There’s no future in the past and you can’t look back.
Grand Canyon
– This song, about a distance in a relationship, was written by Kearney and Eli Teplin, and produced by Kearney, Robert Marvin, Teplin and Gabe Simon.  The song features synth, guitar, percussion, keys and bass.
Pontiac
– This song was written by Kearney, Robert Marvin, Eli Teplin, Ruslan Rov and Rob Resnick, and produced by Marvin, Teplin, Rov. The upbeat song features keys, percussion, and has Kearney looking back on their relationship driving in her Pontiac.

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

  • More of this review and reviews of
    • Let It Be – Super Deluxe Edition – Beatles
    • Change the World (EP) – Ringo Starr
  • Music News
  • Song of the Week Lyrics – “Pass the Promise” by Keith & Kristyn Getty, featuring Sandra McCracken

Continue reading


Leave a comment

BOOK REVIEWS and NEWS

BOOK REVIEW:
In the Lord I Take Refuge: 150 Daily Devotions Through the Psalms by Dane Ortlund. Crossway. 417 pages. 2021
****

Dane Ortlund, author of Gentle and Lowly, writes that the purpose of this book is to foster communion with God amid all the ups and downs of daily life in this fallen world. The devotional content is meant to facilitate fellowship with God in the words of the Psalms.
In the Lord I Take Refuge includes the text of the book of Psalms, with a short devotional reading after each Psalm. The book works well by reading one Psalm and devotion each day. If you are looking for a good book to add to your daily devotional time, I would recommend this devotional on the book of Psalms.
Below are some of my favorite quotes from the devotional readings:

  • Will the trials still to come in our lives prove us to be deep-rooted trees, incapable of being blown over, or will they show us to be chaff, blown away by the slightest breeze?
  • Jesus allowed himself to be truly overwhelmed by his enemies. The result is that believers can be confident that every overwhelming experience they face is from a loving Father to help them.
  • When we are brought into the dark valleys of life as we journey through this fallen world, we have, and we need, one thing: God. And we can know that we have the Lord with us, moment by moment, because he sent his own Son to walk through this world’s sorrows.
  • Sin is universal. No one is exempt. But grace is universally available. No one need be exempt. All that is required is a trusting faith in Jesus Christ, the living embodiment of the salvation that came out of Israel.

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:
BOOK REVIEWS ~ More of this review…
BOOK NEWS ~ Links to Interesting Articles
BOOK CLUB ~ Providence by John Piper
I’M CURRENTLY READING…. Continue reading


Leave a comment

My Review of King Richard

King Richard, rated PG-13 
***

King Richard is based on the true story of Richard Williams, the father of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams. Two-time Oscar nominee Will Smith (The Pursuit of Happyness, Ali), does an excellent job portraying the at times stubborn, not necessarily likeable, and hard to understand Williams. The film was directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (Joe Bell), and written by Zach Baylin.
Richard Williams is married to Oracene “Brandy”, played by two-time Emmy nominee Aunjanue Ellis (Lovecraft Country, When They See Us). They live with their five daughters in Compton, though there is reference that Richard has other children from prior relationships. Both parents work hard to provide for their family. Richard works at night as a security guard and Brandy works during the day as a nurse. As parents they put their daughters’ future success first, be it in sports or otherwise. They make sure the girls do their homework and get excellent grades and the family is involved in the Kingdom Hall as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Continue reading