Russ Allen's Blog, page 2

Joy to the World and a Deathbed Smile

I put my shoes on in the entryway to my house and looked around. It had all the signs of Christmas excitement. A nativity toy play set lay scattered on the ground, Christmas books were piled on the coffee table, and decorations hung prominently from the hearth, tree, and banister. The triumphant tune of “Joy to the World” was blaring from the bluetooth speaker in the kitchen. A most-fitting melody. I grabbed my coat from the rack and walked to the door. 

“Bye, everyone!”

My two-year-old daughter...

Real Men

A real man leads by serving

He does his best at everything

And never stops learning

~

A real man would rather call than text

He’s a gentleman to women

And makes his no, no, and his yes, yes

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A real man gives a firm handshake and looks people in the eye

He always walks with his head up

And isn’t afraid to cry

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A real man easily admits that he’s weak

He’s willing to ask for advice

And would rather listen than speak

~

A real man cares more about peo...

Celebration is Coming

Graduating Seniors,

This isn’t the ending that you wanted. It’s not just the postponed graduation or the cancelled events – it’s so much more. This was to be a season of enjoyment.

Community. Friendship. Recognition. Celebration.

Despite the noble attempts of others to re-create these realities in the midst of the current circumstance, there is a bitter taste that still lingers. Even in the best efforts to look ahead, be grateful, and say the right things, there is always the undeniable whisper ...

Don’t Date a Good Person

I wrote this blog post 5-6 years ago. It’s a bit unpolished, but wise.

Two days ago I got engaged to the godliest woman I’ve ever met.

I’m SO glad that I took my own advice! If you’re a Christian, you should too.   

 

If I had to guess, I’d say that most of you are reading this right now because of the title. I can’t blame you – it’s an attention-grabber. After all, it goes against everything that we’ve been taught ever since our first serious elementary school relationship.

Don’t date a good ...

When the Next Step Looks Like the First Step

When I became a Christian, I was called. I loved God because he first loved me. I would not have chosen to follow him without first hearing his voice. I was perpetually resistant before he first softened my heart. God opened a door to himself that I had, by nature, overlooked but could no longer ignore. When I became a Christian, I was called.

When I became a Christian, I saw. God had been working in my life for this moment all along. He had been shaping me, even in my rebellion. He had been pre...

The Most Important Easter Detail That You’ve Always Missed

The Easter story is a familiar one to both Christians and non-Christians alike. In fact, it is the world’s most famous story. Almost everyone has encountered the good news of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.

Each of the gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) provide various perspectives of this historical phenomenon. They all assert that Jesus was crucified on a cross, died, was buried in a tomb, and rose from the dead three days later. These events have been depicted in churches and ...

Book Review: “Paul: A Biography”

All that is known about the Apostle Paul exists in the few texts given to us in the New Testament. Yet N.T. Wright, in his biography of the famed religious figure, manages to fill almost 500 pages with insightful information about Paul’s life. Considering Paul’s monumental effect on world history, 500 pages may hardly be enough. And Wright’s work, although masterfully written, may hardly be adequate.

Wright’s pursuit of a historical book about Paul stands in stark contrast to the countless books...

An Incarnation Meditation

An incarnation meditation:

 

Before a manger sheltered him…
…He was our refuge (Ps. 46:1-3).

Before a star marked his location…
…He gave each one their name (Ps. 147:4).

Before the Angels told of his coming…
…He commanded their armies (Ps. 91:11).

Before the shepherds visited him…
…He was the Shepherd of his people (Ps. 95:7).

Before he took his first breath…
…He breathed life into us (Gen. 2:7).

Before he cried in the night…
…He heard our cries to Him (Ps. 18:6).

Before his mother consoled him…...

Book Review: “A Grief Observed”

C.S. Lewis’s A Grief Observed is a difficult book to read. It is not Lewis’s language, substance, or technicality that make the book difficult, however, but rather the way that it exposes Lewis as a man near the end of himself. Perhaps this is why the book was originally published under a pseudonym. In less than 100 pages, Lewis manages to not only express the nature of grief, but draws the reader into Lewis’s own state of grief.

Lewis, who remained unmarried for most of his life, found himself ...

Book Review: “The Glory of Christ”

R.C. Sproul’s The Glory of Christ is profoundly unoriginal and simplistic. And for these reasons, it is a fantastic book. Sproul, one of the great Reformed theologians of the modern era, allows his own thoughts and viewpoints to take a backseat to the biblical narrative. Progressing through Jesus’ life chronologically, Sproul sprinkles the New Testament stories with Old Testament connections, highlighting their significance. To Sproul, Jesus’ own glory is synonymous with the Father’s glory. Ever...