Tech
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Sometimes, Just Receiving is Okay
“Share.” “Retweet.” “Post.” The calls to action on social media are there constantly. Each time we see something beautiful, experience something exciting, or even have an opinion on some matter (big or small), we are encouraged to send it out into the digital world for any and all to see. And there is nothing wrong with that. It is fine to share a picture of a gorgeous sunrise, a fun outing with your family, an exciting moment in life, or even just a thought on some pressing matter. However, what if–just every so often–you decided not to share it? At first, that sounds almost like an unchristian attitude, doesn’t it?…
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Get This Book: “12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You”
[Note: All Amazon links in this post are affiliate links. We receive a very small kickback for you using the link, but we were not asked to write this review in any way. This is our personal review of the book.] It has been quite a long time since I reviewed a book on our site, but this book has to be one of the most helpful and practical books I have read in a long, long time. 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You is practical because it does not simply say, “you’re spending too much time on your phone–now stop it!” Instead, Tony Reinke uses a tremendous amount…
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The Christian’s Social Media Checklist
Social media is a constant in our lives. I sometimes wonder if future generations are going to wonder why half of our words started with a “#”! We spend hours on Facebook, Instagram (or, for you cool kids, “insta” or “the gram”), Twitter, and a host of other smaller platforms. There is so much good that can be done through social media, as we are able to share Bible verses, links to good articles (maybe this one? hint, hint), ideas of church activities, and more. But with the good also comes a lot of bad. False information. Arguments. Biting sarcasm. Even idolatry, as we post far more about some earthly…
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3-Minute Book Review
Recently, I started doing something on YouTube that you might enjoy. If you enjoy reading, I hope you will take the time to check out my video series called the “3-Minute Book Review.” The title is exactly what these videos contain. In each episode, I take about 3 minutes and simply talk about a book that I believe a good number of people will find interesting. That’s it. The book reviews have two purposes: First, of course, is to encourage you in your search for materials you might want to read or to buy as gifts. I do not claim to be an expert on every type of book, but…
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“Following the Messiah” : A Great Free Resource You’ll Want to Watch with Your Family
(Screenshot from Appian Media website) Not long ago, I was informed of a series of videos that is available online for free, and I was told that they were high-quality. Always on the lookout for ideas for our family Bible time, I checked into them. Earlier this week, we finished watching the 10 videos as a family, and we all think it is one of the best things we have ever done for our family Bible time. The video series is called “Following the Messiah,” and is produced by Appian Media. These are high-quality, rich-content videos that you will both enjoy and learn from. Produced with fantastic quality, “Following the…
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One Major Problem with Social Media (and How to Work on It)
Social media, like so many other things, is not good or bad. As is often pointed out, it is all in how you choose to utilize this tool. It can be used for a lot of good (such as sharing this article with others…hint, hint), but we also know there is a great deal of bad to be found there. This post is not about the bad that is on social media. Instead, it is about a problem with how too many people consume social media, and a major problem it leads to. It is this: you are comparing yourself to someone else’s highlight reel. How many people scroll through…
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Some Very Early Thoughts on Owning a Disney Circle
Photo: Circle Media I know we are late to the game, but we finally bought a Circle from Disney for our house. As our kids get older and the use of devices just seems to go up, we knew it was time (past time, to be honest) to get something to help protect our family in various ways online. If you aren’t familiar with Circle, there are two different kinds to know about. The type we bought simply pairs with your home’s WiFi router and covers all devices that are connected to that WiFi.The Circle “Go” is a paid system (month-by-month) that covers all devices no matter where they are.…
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Are We Violating Hebrews 13:2 on Social Media?
Hospitality is, unquestionably, a Biblical subject. When we read the Old Testament narrative, we should be struck by how God’s people were to be welcoming and showing care for people. That concept did not change with the coming of the New Testament, however. The New Testament Church is required to be hospitable. It is interesting to me that the book of Hebrews contains one of the strongest statements about this subject in the entire New Testament. This epistle was written to Christians who had come out of that Old Testament law and, thus, would have known the emphasis on hospitality that was present there. Now, the writer is urging them…
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What are You Talking About?
The midterms are over. As I write these words, it is election day, but as they are being published, midterm election day is behind us. College basketball has started (thank goodness!). College football, the NFL, the NBA, and the NHL are all well underway in their seasons. Halloween is behind us, but Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming right up. On top of that, I’m sure there are new movies and new albums and new books being released that I just don’t know about. There is so much to talk about. There is so much that drives our larger conversations. We put in our two cents on Facebook. We share articles…
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But Did I Do What They Asked Me To Do?
If, like me, you are on Facebook, hardly a day goes by without it happening. In fact, on many days, it happens multiple times. The specific situations may be somewhat different, but the request is the same. It might be that the person posting on Facebook or somebody close to that person is very ill. Maybe a relative or close friend has passed from this life. It might be that some sort of economic reversal has taken place. Maybe somebody is traveling. A new chapter may be getting ready to open in somebody’s life. I think you get the idea. While the specifics may be different, there is a common request. That request is, “Please pray for…
