Have you picked up a book, settled into your favorite comfy spot, and started to read--only to find yourself less able to focus and more easily distracted than you used to be? You're not alone. Many adults are discovering a problem with their reading abilities. It's a problem Leland Ryken and I explore in Recovering … Continue reading Recovering the Lost Art of Reading
The week of June 11 was one of those times when I wished I could be cloned so I could be in two places at the same time. Actually, it would have been nice to be in four places at the same time. The United Reformed Churches in North America (URCNA) and the Orthodox Presbyterian … Continue reading Oh, to be cloned, times two
William Boekestein, pastor of Immanuel Fellowship Church in Kalamazoo, MI, was recently appointed as the social media coordinator for Reformed Fellowship, publisher of the The Outlook. In his continuing task to help Reformed Fellowship build an online presence and engage meaningful internet discussion, he posted yesterday (October 20, 2016) a link to my article on Fiction's … Continue reading The Delight and Truth of Fiction
Protestants traditionally demonstrate an active work ethic, but many—perhaps particularly within Dutch Reformed circles—have more difficulty viewing leisure appropriately. At the annual fall conference of Covenant Reformed Church in Pella, IA, Leland Ryken, long-time professor and prolific author, guided attendees in developing a biblical view of vocation, work, and leisure. He addressed each of … Continue reading Thinking Christianly about vocation, work, and leisure
An article I wrote about why Christians should read fiction appears in the November issue of The Outlook. You can page through this online preview to read that article as well as a lovely review of my Matthew books.
In the Literary Study Bible's introduction to Psalm 64, editors Leland Ryken and Philip Graham Ryken call it the "prototypical" lament psalm, the "specimen in which the conventional elements stand out highlighted" with "vivid poetic texture and memorable imagery" (p. 815). An awareness of this psalm's lament construction and literary techniques helps us derive more meaning from David's "complaint" … Continue reading Complaint, Psalm 64
You say you're not a reader? Readers are made, not born. Like anything else, we learn to do it through practice. You read a lot or you want to read more, but you feel like you need direction? Look to the light of Lit! by Tony Reinke. The title is a clever play on words that intentionally … Continue reading Lit! An elliptical book review
My publisher, Reformation Heritage Books, reports that printed copies of my devotional, A Month of Sundays: 31 Meditations on Resting in God, arrived yesterday! You can order it here from Reformation Heritage Books for only $7.50! You can also order it here from Amazon for $10. Publisher's Product Description In today’s hectic and distressing world, demands and … Continue reading A Month of Sundays in print!
Glenda Faye Mathes 