This post was written by: Sandy Wilda
It was a joy having Carolyn McCulley join all the women of KingsWay for the Radical Womanhood Conference last weekend! Carolyn is the author of Radical Womanhood: Feminine Faith in a Feminist World.
Throughout the weekend, Carolyn presented a historical overview of feminism as it relates to the Church and to biblical truth. She wove in her own personal journey from feminism to faith and offered practical encouragement to women making the same journey.
This workshop equipped the ladies in understanding how to graciously and effectively apply the gospel to the prevailing worldview in our culture. Knowing the history of feminism and its absorption into our culture is helpful for realizing how radical it is to living today according to God’s Word!
But the weekend was not “all work and no play”! The ladies enjoyed a “Construct Your Own Dessert” following the meeting on Friday night, and they kicked off Saturday morning with a pancake breakfast! Delilah - AKA Prize Girl - joined the ladies at different points throughout the weekend, spreading joy through her gift of giving! All in all, it was a memorable weekend.
Carolyn’s messages are now available online
Friday Evening: Men Are Not the Problem
Saturday Morning Part 1: Home Sweet Home
Saturday Morning Part 2: The Mommy Wars
As we go through our current “Adopted!” message series, some could be tempted to think that they can’t experience a right relationship
with their heavenly Father because they didn’t have a good relationship with their earthly father. But our earthly relationships never need define our heavenly ones. Check out this excellent counsel from David Powlison on the subject, “What if my father didn’t love me?”
A fuller treatment of the subject (as well as many other helpful topics) can be found in his wonderful book Seeing With New Eyes, and is worth your read as well…
Visioneering is the “engineering of a vision”. What’s the vision God has given you? How do you follow God in carrying out the vision? In Visioneering, Andy Stanley answers these questions in a simple, Biblical manner.
Sounds like a book for “leaders”, doesn’t it? Well, it is; but it’s not limited to them. Visioneering is for anyone who want to discover and pursue the purpose God has for their lives. It’s impacted me in every role I have: pastor, dad, husband, and man.
Are you a mom? A daughter? A co-worker? A boss? Have you considered the vision God has for you in that role?
Visioneering will help you do just that.
“It’s Not Fair!” by Wayne Mack
A couple weeks ago during fellowship group the guys were seeking to serve me in identifying some of what was gripping my heart related to a struggle I was having. One particular questions addressed how I saw the issue of fairness related to this issue. Following that discussion I came across this book by Wayne Mack. I was familiar with a couple of his other books including “Strengthening Your Marriage” which we have sometimes used in our pre-marital counseling and thought this one might prove helpful as well.
“It’s Not Fair!” examines that statement and the types of circumstances that often surround it, in light of several attributes of God’s character including His omniscience (all-knowing), wisdom, love, justice, and omnipotence (all-powerful nature). I found my self enlightened and convicted as I read the first couple of chapters and realized that I had been trying to separate the human agents from God’s activity. That left me unable to further justify my “frustration” with the situation while thinking that I was not grumbling and complaining against God.
By the next time our fellowship group met I was able to share some of the things God was showing me through the book as well as the difference those truths were making in my thinking and living. I’m so grateful for faithful friends to walk through the struggles of life, and for helpful, practical books like this one that point us to Scripture and seeing our circumstances in light of who God is.
Knowing how to respond to suffering is never easy. How many times has a friend disclosed a particular trial they’re going through and if you’re honest, you have no idea what to say? “Don’t worry. God is sovereign” is too trite. “Let me know how I can help” doesn’t really speak to the hurt they feel. So what do you say? Trust me. I’ve been in this spot many times!
Based on a recommendation from CJ Mahaney, I recently picked up Suffering and Sovereignty of God, edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor, and started reading chapter 7 by David Powlison. Powlison does an outstanding job helping us understand God’s heart to personally care for and comfort us in the midst of suffering. And he gives us practical suggestions for helping others connect truth about God to the real trials we all face.
If you’re like me and have limited time to read a whole book, buy a copy from the Book Shoppe and just read chapter 7. I highly recommend it! (You can also click on the image of the book to hear related messages and even read the book online!)
I’m thrilled to be able to pass along the following info about a sale Sovereign Grace Ministries is having during the month of February at the online store.
From February 1–28, at the Sovereign Grace store, you’ll find these prices:
* 23 books (including Worship Matters, Worldliness, and Living the Cross Centered Life): $7 each
* all CDs produced by Sovereign Grace Music (including Together for the Gospel Live, Psalms, Come Weary Saints, and Valley of Vision): $6 each
* all books in our Pursuit of Godliness series (Why Small Groups, This Great Salvation, and others): $4 each
But wait…there’s more!
During February, we’re offering our normal free shipping in the continental US (library rate). But on all international orders we’re offering a discount of 50% on USPS First Class International shipping.
Why do we do this? Because we want to do whatever we can to make it easier for people to benefit from what we produce. We want to serve churches and individuals by providing biblically informed, gospel-centered resources at a low cost. We’d like to give it all away, but for now, that’s not financially feasible…
So we offer the February sale. Enjoy.
Depression: A Stubborn Darkness
Many won’t read this post. The topic scares them. I understand. It scares me too.
Depression is one of the most common and misunderstood trials that humans face. 
Chances are good you or someone close has wrestled with it on some level. Depression: A Stubborn Darkness will help you walk with those who are facing this enemy. It will help you care for others. That’s the first reason I’d recommend it.
CCEF puts out a lot of books about how the gospel interacts with the Christian life. Any one of them is worth the read, but Depression is the most accessible CCEF book I’ve read. Reason number 2.
Depression is meant to be read by people who are depressed. People who are numb, paralyzed, anguished. People who can’t get out of bed, who can’t put one foot in front of the other, who can’t figure out how to go on. Perhaps that’s you. Perhaps reading this book seems like too much. How can you read a whole book when everything is so dark? I don’t know. But I bet you can get through the first page. Perhaps God will meet that small (yet so big!) act of faith.
Game Day for the Glory of God: A Guide for Athletes, Fans, & Wannabes, by Stephen Altrogge
I originally picked up this book because I read a review of it a few months ago and I desired to better serve some of my friends who are local college athletes. But after reading the intro, it was clear that personally, I would gain much from reading this book that is only 111 pages long. I’m not a world-class athlete (according to others) but I love playing and watching sports. Altrogge served me well in this book by helping me to see sports as a gift from God, an opportunity to grow in character and the importance of humility. Altrogge discusses sports in the context of the Gospel and our hearts and I’m not aware of a better resource on the topic. This book would be a great tool for parents to go through with their children, coaches to read with their teams, or the individual athlete or fan to read.
I’m grateful for God’s forgiveness through Christ, because of the numerous times I have fought with sin while playing sports (arguing with refs, ejected from a baseball game, throwing tennis racquets). God has worked in my heart over the years and recently He used this book to help me see my heart more clearly and to enjoy the gift of sports He has given. It truly is an enjoyable read and I believe God will use it in your life.
The Prodigal God, Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith by Timothy Keller
After reading a favorable review from a source I wouldn’t have suspected to endorse this book I was intrigued and ordered a copy to check it out for myself. When it arrived I flipped through the table of contents and found myself suddenly shuffling it to the top of my reading list. I’m so glad that I did!
I have just finished the book and found myself encouraged throughout. It is a study of the story of the familiar parable of the lost son, but Keller derives the title from the definition of prodigal: “1. Recklessly extravagant, 2. Having spent everything” and applying it to the father in the story. The insights he mines (especially regarding the father and the older son) seemed to flip on the lights of an already familiar and favorite story, adding rich layer upon rich layer to what I thought I understood. His simple and straightforward explanations made me think “why haven’t I seen this before?”
I’m grateful for a fuller understanding of this wonderful passage of Scripture and found myself convicted and encouraged several times during my reading. Because it is accessible in length and engaging in style I don’t hesitate to commend this to anyone. This is the most grace filled and broadly helpful book I have read this year.
5 Paths to the Love of your Life
Edited by Alex Chediak
Countercultural dating? Courtship? Betrothal? Guided dating? Sometimes it seems there are as many models for moving from friends to lovers as couples in relationship. When it comes to premarital relationships, God doesn’t give us a tidy little practice to follow, but rather general principles to apply – principles like love, purity and honor. Yet somewhere along the line, principles have to translate into practice.
Here’s where a helpful book I recently read comes into play. It’s called Defining Your Dating Style: 5 Paths to the Love of Your Life, edited by Alex Chediak. The title is a little troublesome in the sense that our goal is to discern God’s style for our relationships. But the emphasis on your dating style is helpful in the sense that all of us need to do the hard work of figuring out how to apply God’s principles in the unique circumstances of our real relationships.
While I don’t agree with everything presented in the book, that’s kind of the point. Think of considering 5 different relationship models as spiritual exercise – an opportunity to stretch your discernment muscles and emerge with stronger convictions on how God is calling you pursue relationship with the opposite sex. If you feel lost in the dating/courtship debate, buy the book. Read it critically. And then talk with someone else about your thoughts and reactions. May God give us wisdom to apply his principles in every area of life!
