A wooden sculpture of Yoda stands next to a tree trunk and on a porch.

Have you listened to the Humble Skeptic podcast yet? In the first episode, Shane explores faith and doubt through an investigation of his dad’s account about being in Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” bar.

Application is key when reading the Bible.

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🎵 Listening to Copper State, an Arizona-inspired, jazz-country album from Arthur Vint & Associates released today. It’s great. (HT: Tucson Sentinel)

Christianity Today says that Crossway and the Gettys are working on a new hymnal. Hymnworks is helping according to its website.

While working on my upcoming sermons for 1 Samuel this morning, I heard a new version of the Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto released last month by Chloe Chua and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. As I’ve been preparing for those sermons, I’ve been thinking a lot about how to read narratives well. So it caught my attention when I read in the Apple Music notes that Chloe Chua describes her role on the violin in the pieces on this album as that of a narrator telling a story.

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What do you you mean when you say “I forgive you”? What commitments should you be making to the other person?

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NASA Guide to Air-filtering Houseplants infographic by lovethegarden.

A comprehensive infographic titled "The NASA Guide to Air-Filtering Houseplants" explaining the benefits of various houseplants in purifying air and their effects on human health."

Sunset at the Cortaro Equestrian Center.

A group of horses stand in a fenced dirt area near a trough filled with algae-covered water, power lines and mountains are visible in the background at sunset.
What are you missing when you read a good translation of the Bible instead of the original? This is hard question to answer, but biblical scholar J. P. Fokkelman gives the best answer I’ve read.

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Interesting stat regarding the recent Arizona primary elections: “Statewide, there were 131 races with only one candidate, which comes to about one-fourth of all the seats that were up for grabs in the primary elections.” (Tucson Agenda)

Finished reading: Bridge-Building Apologetics by Lindsey Medenwaldt. Audio available on Libby. 📚

A simple chapel with a red roof stands among saguaros and lush greenery in a rugged desert landscape and under a cloudy sky.

See how one of the most important rooms in America has been decorated over the years. It’s hard to choose a favorite.

Edinburgh Theological Seminary is currently offering a great set of classes for less than $65.

  • David Nixon: Unashamedly Christian
  • Zachary Purvis: The Parables of Jesus: What Are They and Why Are They So Misunderstood?
  • Daniel Sladek: “Bizarre Food” or Spiritual Feast? Understanding Leviticus

Open to anyone, the Saturday Courses are an excellent way of gaining more than would normally be offered in church on Sunday whilst being less demanding than a full-time theological course.

And if you’re not in Scotland, you can take them online.

Finished reading: Christ-Centered Biblical Theology: Hermeneutical Foundations and Principles by Graeme Goldsworthy. Solid read. I have a better view of the Davidic Covenant now. CCBT is best for those familiar with the BT field. If you are a beginner, check out From Eden to New Jerusalem. 📚

Good news: Apple Maps is now available on the web.

Amazing time-lapse video of a storm forming over Tucson. Watch for when the rain starts to fall.

From Psalm 137:1

The rest of the psalm describes why they wept, including the sorrow caused by a brother. I’ll be preaching on these topics this Sunday.