Aaron Armstrong's Blog, page 14

Reflecting on the year that was, looking ahead to 2023

Whether it’s because of cultural expectations or something else, as one year moves to another, many of us are prone to get a bit introspective. We look back, reflecting on the year that was as we also look ahead to the future.

Obviously I’m no stranger to this. I tend to ask a few big questions every year around this time:

Am I healthier than I was the year before?Where might the Lord be leading me (whether professionally, personally, and ministerially)? What am I genuinely excite...

Recapturing our awe of the incarnation

There is so much to be amazed by in the Bible. God’s mercy to Noah and his family, sparing them (and humanity as a whole) when he flooded the earth in judgment. God’s incredible patience to the Israelites in the wilderness. His pleas for his people to turn back from sin; to be spared the consequences that would await them.1

I could list dozens of other examples, but you’ve got things to do today. But even if you had the whole list in front of you (which we can summarize as the entire Bible), ...

The real secret of keeping the “Christ” in Christmas

‘Twas the last weeks before Christmas, and all through the house, all the creatures were stirring asking, “Is it Christmas yet?”

When my kids were small, they were super-excited about Christmas. Specifically, they were excited about presents. These days, they’re all teens and tweens so playing everything cool is the name of the game. But back then, it was all presents and candy and all kinds of stuff.

Even so, one of them—our oldest—was always quick to point out:

“Christmas isn’t just ...

My favorite books of 2022

It’s that time of year when every Christian bibliophile humblebrags about the books we enjoyed! While some might prefer an awards show or gala, others prefer to be less ostentatious and share a simple list. Since my gala budget didn’t return in 2022, here are my favorite books in article form. As always, my picks cross multiple genres and mediums. Some were published before 2022. Even so, I think they’re pretty rad. So, without further ado, here’s are my top picks.

My Favorite Books of 2022...

3 benefits of writing your prayers

When I was a brand new Christian, I wrote almost all of my prayers. I had stacks of journals laying around my bedroom. Every page was filled with praise and petitions, all in my signature chicken scratch that even I can barely read.

I don’t know why, but eventually I wrote in my journals less frequently. I still prayed, but most of them were out loud. Looking back, I can see that was a mistake. Speaking my prayers is a good thing, of course. But writing my prayers was (and remains) one of the...

5 Books to Prepare our Hearts During Advent

Advent is a season I am growing to love, but still trying to get a good handle on. I didn’t grow up around Christianity, so when I hear “advent,” I still think chocolate and calendars. Now that I am a Christian, I know Advent is about something more and better. It is about expectation and anticipation; preparing our hearts and minds to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

I’ve found that one of the best ways to do that is with books. Whether alone or along with other members of my family, Advent boo...

Have we failed if our child isn’t sure Christianity is true?

As our kids have grown from babies and toddlers, preschoolers to big kids, and now to teens and tweens, every stage has brought different blessings and challenges. When our kids were little, parenting was all about overt instruction: moral and obedience training that we often referred to as teaching them to people. As they grew we worked to introduce more complex reasoning and training to help them consider the “why” behind the decisions we all make. Now, we are more or less in the coaching stag...

The Psalm That’s Stuck on Repeat

I’m in a bit of a weird spot in my Bible reading at the moment. When it comes to reading plans, I generally stick to a tried and true approach. I call it the “start at the beginning, read to the end and start over again” approach. It’s a good method, and one I highly recommend.

But this past year—actually, the last couple of years—has been a bit more scattered than I would prefer. Some of it can be chalked up to the typical struggles we all face. Trying to get more than a verse or two read, ...

The difficulty of figuring out Martin Luther

“I have no idea what to do with Martin Luther.”

That was my first thought when Stephen McCaskell pitched me on the idea of writing a documentary about Martin Luther. Now, don’t get me wrong: Luther fascinates me. But he frustrates me, too.

The Two Sides of Martin Luther

Luther was hardly mild-tempered. Nor was he moderate in his positions. He was, for lack of a better term, an extremist. As a monk, he was fully investing in the monastic life. But that life failed to provide him the peac...

How do you encourage a love of theology in others?

Whenever my middle daughter and I are talking about a big complex issue, without fail, we reach a point when she gets annoyed with me. “Why do you always have to bring theology into the conversation?” she asks.

“Because I can’t not,” I respond. She doesn’t like that answer, and I try to be sympathetic. But I’m her dad. And a big part of my job as a dad is to help her know who Jesus is—and to help her see how what I believe affects how I see the world, my understanding of humanity, and where I...