Tried With Fire

I am thankful for... - A week with extended family over Christmas. We enjoyed one another's company and ate far too much food. I am especially thankful that my parents are still with us and how sacrificially my sister and brother-in-law serve them. - My daughter completed her Associate's degree this month and will be continuing her education at a local university after the New Year. She worked very hard, and I am very proud of her. As Providence would have it, a brother in our church will be her academic advisor, which is another blessing. - A pastor who stretches his congregation theologically and a local church that rises to the challenge. I am also thankful for a church where there is no dichotomy between sound doctrine and practical Christian living. - God who is immutable and impassible. This is a great comfort when the world seems to be in constant flux. This is also an unshakeable anchor for my soul in the coming year.

I'm going to jump on the 2015 book list bandwagon. The books are listed in the order they were read/listened: C.H. Spurgeon's Autobiography: The Early Years  (audiobook read by Robert Whitfield) - Spurgeon is my favorite dead theologian, and I loved hearing about his conversion and struggles to come to faith. My favorite line is "My mother said to me, one day, “Ah, Charles! I often prayed the Lord to make you a Christian, but I never asked that you might become a Baptist.” I could not resist the temptation to reply, “Ah, mother ! the Lord has answered your prayer with His usual bounty, and given you exceeding abundantly above what you asked or thought.”" The Democratization of American Christianity  by Nathan O. Hatch - A very interesting look at how the mindset of American Christianity was shaped by our culture. The Distinctiveness of Baptist Covenant Theology  by Pascal Denault - I am indebted to R.C. Sproul for opening up the beauty of Covenant Theology to...