Aaron Armstrong's Blog, page 30

Links I like (11/1)

3 Destructive Effects of Comparison

Michael Kelley:

Thanks to social media, our “Jones’s” are anyone, anywhere, at any time. We have at our fingertips the means of comparing our lifestyles, our children, or the lighting of our framed photos with millions, the vast majority of whom we’ve never met. So while we have always had the compulsion inside us to compare ourselves to others, the difference is that we now have the ability to compare ourselves to a far greater extent than we ever have before. Not only tha...

Sensitive Subject Matter, Bad Book Covers, & Audiobook Narration

With Dave still off doing something, Jennifer Brogdon returns to take his spot and class up this show. Listen in as we discuss:

How men and women might process the difficult elements of Beartown differentlyPoor choices in cover designs (or when bad covers happen to good books)The right speed and cadence for audiobook narrationDave’s favorite new author

This week’s indie-bookstore shout-out goes to Lemuria Books in Jackson, MS. If you live near Jackson, or you’re passing through the area, be sure to check it out.

A few of the books referenced this week: Where the... BooksnarrationDave’sbooks)ThedifferentlyPoor

Links I like (10/25)

We Are Not Omni-Anything

Allyson Todd:

The first couple took the gift of perfect community with God and sold it for a curse. From that day until now, and for every day until Jesus returns, we roam the earth, searching for anyone and anything to fill the God-shaped hole in us.
We long for community, and we long to be like God. We want omni-autonomy and omni-presence in our relationships. Omni-autonomy is our desire to be individuals, not bound by another, and wholly separate from others. We want to be like...

Dentistry vs Writing, Teaching International Students, & a New Definition of Procrastination

Dave is off doing something (no one is really sure where he goes), but we’ve got a special guest! Jennifer Brogdon steps in to replace him talk different kinds of humor, teaching international students, and a book she read the day before recording this episode. Listen in as we discuss:

Male vs female humorHow Jen’s passion for dentistry led her to be a writerWhich Leif Enger book you should read firstHow we best use our reading timeHow reading plays a part in teaching international studentsA new definition of procrastinationJen’s initial thoughts on Beartown A few of the boo...procrastinationJen’sstudentsAtimeHowfirstHowwriterWhichhumorHowbut

Links I like (10/18)

Tolerance Trouble

Jim Elliff:

To this day, religious leaders are often the most outspoken advocates of aberrant sexual tolerance in the churches. Tolerance, which is expected for the various amoral opinions and practices of those within the band of authentic churches, is stretched to include sinful behavior that is obviously (and sadly) indicative of an unregenerate state.

Tolerance on this level is the new gospel.

Brothers, We Are Not Talking Heads

Erik Raymond:

Dear brother pastors, why have we become so compelled to let everyone know what we think...

state.Tolerance

Coming Soon: Epic Devotions!

A few months back, my most recent major project, Epic: The Story That Changed the World, released to a great deal of positive response. Well, in just a few short weeks, Epic is going to have a new kid brother: Epic Devotions: 52 Weeks in the Story that Changed the World!

[image error] Family Devotions Through the Big Story of Scripture

Epic Devotions takes middle-grade readers through the big story of Scripture in 52 weekly readings with relevant discussion and application questions. Like Epic before it, this book is an excellent way to help...

Neighborhood Library Boxes, Balanced Diets, & Leadership Book or Captain Picard

We’re back in the studio with another jam-packed episode of the show. Listen in as we discuss:

Which three literary characters would we bring along as part of our own Fellowship of the Ring (that aren’t part of the Fellowship of the Ring)If Neighborhood library boxes a good thing, and if people use themHow to balance your diet of brain candy and more substantial booksA book you we didn’t want to endAnd who said it: a Leadership Book or Captain Picard

As always, it gets weird, but it’s good....

Links I like (10/11)

What’s the problem with the problem of evil? Why (More Than Ever Before) You Need to Read Deeply

Greg Bailey:

We know countless more “bits” of information, both important and trivial, than our ancestors. . . . [But] inundated by perspectives, by lateral vistas of information that stretch endlessly in every direction, we no longer accept the possibility of assembling a complete picture. Instead of carrying on the ancient project of philosophy—attempting to discover the “truth” of things—we...

Workshopping Gladwell Book Titles, Talking to Strangers, & Middle School Bullies

We finally got the three of us back in the studio, which can only mean one thing: more censorship than I would have thought possible! Listen in as we discus:

How Barnabas is settling into his new role at ImmanuelWho we were in middle school (and which kid in The Sandlot were we)If Malcolm Gladwell is insufferable (or if it’s just his fans)If Barnabas should read Talking to StrangersTitles for a future Gladwell bookOur decision to read a book by a certain controversial figureWho pulls off a m...

Links I like (10/4)

In Abuse Cases, Don’t Trust Your Gut

Hannah Anderson offers a challenging review of Malcolm Gladwell’s latest.

Is Scripture clear? How we helped our children transition to “big” church

Nicole Lino:

Our motto is “train and model.” Training and modeling requires sacrifice (Rom. 12:1). In order to train and model worship of the living God to my children, I must be willing to put their spiritual well-being before my own. For a season, I will not hear every word of the sermon. I will not hav...