Here are this week’s best articles for you to read, in my humble opinion.

Up first, Michael Horton has written a fantastic piece for the Washington Post on just why Paula White praying at the upcoming inauguration is SUCH a disaster for Christians. I no longer identify myself as an evangelical precisely because of this election disaster, but if you don’t understand the Word of Faith movement, who Paula White is, or why her praying is such a bad thing, go read the article. Ignore the ads and the comments, as is the Washington Post.

(side note: I have never been given an election exit poll. I wonder if people had another option, or if it was like “evangelical” or “atheist,” and even nominal Christians didn’t want to lie, so they had to choose “evangelical.” Perhaps it wasn’t actually Christians that elected Trump, but people felt like they couldn’t identify as whatever else the choice was…)

Next, I wrote this piece about my food idolatry in September because of something Dr. Joshua Trock said on Twitter. This week he began the first of what looks to be a seven part series on The Theology of Health over at Pillar of Truth. This is a very well-written article that gives a strong case for stewarding our health well because our bodies are gifts from God. If you have even thought for half a minute of making healthier choices this week, go read this article. I cannot wait for the rest of the series!

Last year I began to follow Tim Challies on Facebook, but apparently it was after he published this article on the importance of eating dinner together as a family. I know that as the wife and mother, it falls on me almost all the time to get dinner on the table before Keith leaves for work, and some nights I’d rather just go out or order pizza and veg out in front of the television. But I don’t (although we do have pizza & movie night 2-3 Saturdays a month), for all the reasons Mr. Challies mentions.

Speaking of doing things when you don’t necessarily feel like it, read this if you’ve ever skipped church or thought about it. Highly convicting and a necessary read in this day and age of online “church” and community groups.

I have never heard of this woman before, or read any of her other articles, so please don’t click around and then come back and yell at me. But this piece, “Dear Women’s Ministry, Stop Telling Me I’m Beautiful” was a breath of fresh air for me to read this week. I have noticed quite the trend among Christian women to refer to one another by physical or mental characteristics (“this is my beautiful/pretty/stunning/gorgeous friend,” or “check out the article my brilliant/well-spoken/hysterically amusing/thoughtful friend wrote”). I am not advocating we introduce one another by our sins, but surely we can do better ladies. I loved her take on how women don’t need to hear how beautiful they are – they need to hear about how they are sinners in need of Christ.

(and that last piece plays nicely into my favorite Babylon Bee headline from this week)

Finally, I am not a huge advocate of art journaling in your Bibles, because typically the focus becomes less about Scripture and more about “look at me! look at what *I* can do!” But my real life friend and Bible study leader is guiding artistic women who have a desire to journal their daily readings in actually learning God’s Word *AND* creating a thing of beauty. Her study started Sunday, January 1, but she has set it up to start any Sunday. If you are at all interested in journaling your study, check it out!

I hope your 2017 has started out well and that you have an excellent weekend!!