Clouds

Swirling masses of water and dust particles.
Gray. White. Dark. Light.
Small. Fluffy. Towering. Thunderous. Ominous.

The clouds above us promise relief front he sun’s scorching rays.
The clouds above us threaten to unleash nature’s fury.
Blessings of rain. Torrential judgments.

Puffy like cotton candy. Wispy as paint strokes.
Water droplets. Ice crystals.
The clouds above us remind us that the weather is ever-changing.

The clouds above us remind us that God sovereignly cares for us.
Even the variableness of the weather is under His control.
He holds all things together.

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What does it look like to follow Jesus? I’ve written a book that walks through the Letter of 1 John and offers practical guidance for spiritual growth. Pre-order it here!

Grace Upon Grace (31-Day Devotional).
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What I’m Currently Reading

I work part-time in an office, and during the school year, I teach two days a week in two different homeschool groups. I teach science and social studies for middle and high school.

During the summers, this means that my schedule is a little more free (although, I do some online teaching throughout the summers). One of my big goals each summer is to prepare for whatever classes I am teaching the following school year.

This summer, I am doing a lot of reading as I prepare for the coming fall, and I wanted to highlight some of what I have been reading.

One of the classes I am going to be teaching is on J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis and their world from 1900-1939. My students will read The Hobbit in the fall semester and Out of the Silent Planet in the spring semester. Beyond those two books, we’ll also be talking about events andchanges in the world during the first part of the 1900s. As part of my preparation for that course, here are some of the articles I’ve been reading:
- Propaganda and Caricature in the First World War
- We work with shells all day and night': Irish female munitions workers during the First World War

I have more resources on C. S. Lewis linked here and more on J.R.R. Tolkien linked here.

I’m also going to be teaching a class at my church this fall covering Baptists in America. I’ll be writing more about this class as we get closer to September, and I am planning on posting the recordings and some resources for that class here on my blog this fall. In preparation for that class, here are some of the articles and books I’ve been reading:
- Baptists in America: A History by Barry G. Hankins and Thomas S. Kidd
- Becoming Baptists: Conversion in Colonial and Early National Virginia
- The Black Atlantic Missionary Movement and Africa, 1780s-1920s
- South Carolina Baptists, the Primitive-Missionary Schism, and the Revival of the Early 1830s
- White Protestants and the Civil Rights Movement in Kentucky



I’ve also been hosting a book club for the paid subscribers to my substack. We’ve been reading through all of C.S. Lewis’s Space Trilogy. I’ve also been doing some background reading to help me add to our discussion. Here are some of the articles I’ve been reading for that:
- Law and Disorder: Two Settings in "That Hideous Strength"
- Merlin, Magic, and the Meta-fantastic: The Matter of "That Hideous Strength"
- “The Packed Reality of Heaven”: C. S. Lewis’s Imaginative Re-education of the Modern Pilgrim
- Paradise Retained
- Paradise Retold
- Prometheus on Perelandra: The Inversion of the Satanic Hero in C.S. Lewis's Perelandra
- Space Ship and Grail: The Myths of C. S. Lewis

I regularly highlight what books I am reading in my monthly newsletter. You can find all my recommendations saved here.

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I’ve written a book on the Letter of 1 John! Pre-order it here!

Looking for some encouragement in your walk with Jesus? I’ve written a devotional book designed to remind you of God’s abundant grace.

Connect with me on Instagram, Substack, and Pinterest.
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Spine Labels - Set 81

spine labels
noun (plural) - a collection of odds and ends that are as random as reading spine labels in a bookstore

London Mini City Cross Stitch Pattern

Jane Austen Gift Set of 6 Magnets Book Spines

Cranberry-Orange Pound Cake

Visit the Real Yorkshire of All Creatures Great And Small

The Great Outdoors - 500 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle

Blue Tile Tray

Teacup bookmark

Pride and Prejudice Chamomile Tea

Richard Scarry bunting

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I’ve written a book on the Letter of 1 John! Join my launch team!

Looking for some encouragement in your walk with Jesus? I’ve written a devotional book designed to remind you of God’s abundant grace.

Connect with me on Instagram, Substack, and Pinterest.
My reading recommendations. My merch store. My Etsy store.

Growing in Love - Available for Pre-Order!

My new book is now available for pre-order! You can pre-order it here.

Fruit trees bear fruit. That is what defines them. Also, fruit trees are known by the kind of fruit they bear. Apple trees bear apples; pear trees bear pears; and orange trees bear oranges. We can determine how healthy or unhealthy a fruit tree is by the health and abundance (or lack thereof) of the fruit on the tree. We can get an idea of what nutrients the tree has or is lacking by the state of the fruit on the tree.
John writes the letter of 1 John to help his audience take a look at their lives — at their fruit — and evaluate how healthy they are spiritually.

Here are some reasons why to pre-order the book:
* Pre-orders help with Amazon algorithms and will put the book in front of more eyes in the days to come.
* Pre-ordering a book locks you into the lowest price (you won’t be charged until the book actually releases).
* You will be eligible for some bonuses only available to those who pre-order the book.

Get the pre-order bonuses here.

What are the pre-order bonuses?
You'll get two postcards, a sticker, free desktop wallpapers, 3 months of a paid subscription to my Substack newsletter, and an entry into the giveaway mentioned below!

The winner of the giveaway will receive the items pictured below: a green mug, apple-themed washi tape, bookmarks, and honey spoons. The winner of the giveaway will be announced on August 6, 2024.

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Looking for some encouragement in your walk with Jesus? I’ve written a devotional book designed to remind you of God’s abundant grace.

Connect with me on Instagram, Substack, and Pinterest.
My reading recommendations. My merch store. My Etsy store.

Who Has Seen the Wind?

Who has seen the wind?
Neither I nor you:
But when the leaves hang trembling,
The wind is passing through.

Who has seen the wind?
Neither you nor I:
But when the trees bow down their heads,
The wind is passing by.

- by Christina Rossetti

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I’ve written a book on the Letter of 1 John! Join my launch team!

Looking for some encouragement in your walk with Jesus? I’ve written a devotional book designed to remind you of God’s abundant grace.

Connect with me on Instagram, Substack, and Pinterest.
My reading recommendations. My merch store. My Etsy store.

June Desktop Wallpaper

Desktop wallpaper for June 2024. Click on the picture for a full-sized version.