Solid
Christian resources have become my love language in the last year. I am also a
girl who loves to write without an abundance of time. So, Consider the Lilies
is being revived (yet again) with bi-weekly resource
recommendation posts in hopes that I can share tools the Lord has used to grow
me, as well as keep the rust off the writing portion of my brain.
***Christian resources are a wonderful gift from the Lord to
stir our affections for Him, but they are not meant to replace corporate
worship and community with the local body of Christ. If you currently do not
have a church home in the Purcell area, please consider visiting Emmanuel Baptist Church. If you do not live
in the same area, please do not hesitate to reach out for help in finding a
gospel-centered church in your location.***
Follow
Twitter: Jackie Hill Perry
Can
you use emojis on blog posts? (No!) Because this girl is FIRE! Do not just stop at
Twitter. Follow Jackie on everything. She speaks truth. She is hilarious.
Enough said.
Instagram: Only The Gospel
Jamere
is a college friend who runs this account with the intent to bring posts
directly from Scripture to your Instagram feed. All the frilly, cute stuff that
fills our feeds is usually taken out of context and elevates you more often
than God. OTG’s posts are going to exalt Christ, point to the gospel, and make
you think. They may even make you slightly uncomfortable and that is a good
thing.
Facebook: The Gospel Coalition
TGC
is an organization that provides all sorts of encouraging and educational
Christian resources. They post several articles every day pertaining to a
wide-variety of topics.
Read
Bible: Charles
Spurgeon CSB
Y’all—it
has Spurgeon’s handwritten notes in it. That is so cool! Plus, the Christian
Standard Bible version is great!
Theology: The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer
I
was so excited to finally read this classic on the attributes of God at the
beginning of this year. I am normally a quick reader, but I had to really slow
down to digest each chapter. Favorite quote by far: “What comes
into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
Christian Living: Radical by David Platt
If
you have not read this, you are slightly behind. There is still time, so go
ahead and put it at the top of your list. It turns American Christianity on its
head. If that does not sound good to you, that is reason you should read it all
the more.
Motherhood: UnsuperMommy by Maggie Combs
I
read this book when my son was just a few months old in 2017. Maggie did an
incredible job attacking motherhood fleshly desires and concerns and replacing
the lies with Gospel truths.
Marriage: This Momentary Marriage by John Piper
One
of my best friends is reading this now per recommendation (well, if you call showing up at her house with a stack of
books when she really only asked for one a recommendation, then...). It dives into the mystery of marriage and what earthly
marriage represents spiritually.
I
like Paul Tripp A LOT. Even though I have not had a chance to read his two most
recent books, his parenting book was by far and away my favorite work of his
thus far. He also does a live simulcast conference on marriage or parenting a
couple of times each year.
Children’s Book: The Biggest Story--How the Snake Crusher
Brings Us Back to the Garden by Kevin DeYoung
It
is safe to say this may be my favorite children's book ever. I read it to
Rhettson in the womb and I am pretty sure we have read through it at least 20
times in his relatively short life. I have also been known to take it to bible
studies and read portions out of it. It is a must have, for children and
adults.
It
has been at least 7 years since I read this book, but I still find myself
thinking about it and talking about it often. Francine covers the women in the
lineage of Christ from a fictional standpoint and it is absolutely
fascinating.
Bible Study: James by Jen Wilkin
James
was my second Jen study that I completed one-on-one with a friend. I refer back
to the notes I took at least weekly. You are going to see Jen’s name A LOT on
my recommendation posts. She is a gifted teacher that graciously provides free
bible study and audio resources. She has several book studies to order, as
well. Like I said, she will be back (again and again and again).
Blog: Risen
Motherhood
Mama
friends—do yourself a favor and follow RM on Facebook to see their daily blog
posts. They post each mid-morning, so I usually have been covered in yogurt,
yanked at my own hair, and changed 2 diapers by the time I see it and need to
be reminded there is much more going on in my home than I realize.
Consider the Lilies Throwback: Isaiah 61
I
occasionally enjoy recalling the days where I wrote a little more often. Here
is a personal favorite from 2014.
Listen
Podcast: Pastor Talk
Skylar,
another dear friend from college, now pastors the church I attended in
Weatherford. He is joined by Trinity’s Worship Pastor, Larry, to discuss a wide
variety of topics through a Christian lens. You are made to feel as if you are
in the room discussing with them. They usually post on iTunes every Thursday.
Do not worry if it is not there a week, chances are I have already texted
Skylar to file a joint complaint.
Conference Session: A Matter of Life and Death by John Piper
I
probably should not start with the closing session of The Gospel Coalition
Women's 2018 conference, but it goes real well with this post’s song...plus,
WOW! Three pages of notes was still not enough.
Here is a
close look at who Christians were before coming to Christ and what we should
look like and continue striving towards afterwards.
This
song was recorded live at the conference mentioned above and has a real cool
story to go along with it!
Grow
Scripture Memory: How to Study the Bible Cards by The
Daily Grace Co.
Prayer: Weekly Prayer Cards by
The Daily Grace Co.
Journaling: Highlighter Set by The Daily Grace Co.
Bible Study Tools: Bible Study Cards by The Daily Grace Co.
The Daily Grace Co. is basically my new obsession, as you can tell. Men, everything listed above would be great tools for you, too. You can easily look passed the floral prints. ;)
Currents
I
am totally geeking out over this one, y’all! Currently, I am over halfway through and
will most definitely share more details about this gem soon.
Phone App: New City Cathecism
This
app is amazing! My app lives in the child version and has worked itself in our
morning routine due to the awesome songs for kids. We listen during morning
playtime. Rhettson likes to dance and Mommy memorizes the children's version of
the cathecism.
Kitchen Table: Daughters of Grace Bible Study by The DailyGrace Co.
This
is the first study I have purchased from TDGC. Wow! It is surpassing my high
expectations! Side note: The Daily Grace Co. has a Facebook group called
"Lamp and Light" where they complete online Bible studies together.
This is the study they are starting on August 7.
Thanks for checking out my first full list of resources! Let me know if you have followed, read, listened, or grown using anything mentioned before or after this post. If you have any specific questions about something or someone listed, reach out on social media!
At His feet,
~Madi
~Madi
