Prata Potpourri: My friend is reading a bad book, Does God do miracles anymore? Depression, a painful weaning, more

By Elizabeth Prata

I love the ladies who change out their home decor to match the season. Lots of women at this moment are swapping out their beach themed front door wreath for a fall leaves or pumpkin decoration, laying tablecloths with harvest colors, and mulling over whether to put together a cornucopia as they stow away their jar of shells and dried starfish. I really love when ladies decorate.

It's not my thing, though. I am of the mind where when I move in to a place, I look at the empty room. I decide in practical fashion its highest and best use considering the plug locations, windows, light, and size of my furniture. I set it up, and it stays like that forever.

This is the extent of my decor: I set up a table fan in the summer and I take it down when fall comes and put the tissues in its place. See, there are two seasons at my house; hot, and cold & flu season. To be honest though, I cry when I read the Bible, pray, and watch sad movies. I go through a lot of tissues.

I'm excited the fall season is here in Georgia, my adopted home state. It's been cooler during the day and delightful at night. The AC is off. We are predicted to have a few more days of temps in the upper 90s but those will fade away soon enough. The heat is sputtering out now. The worst is over.

I'm even more excited at my adopted home country and its imminent appearing to my tired-of-this-world eyes. But until then, the Lord's will be done, and may the seasons change smoothly.

Here are a few items I found interesting this week.

Mike Riccardi at The Master's Seminary asks Can I Adapt the Gospel Message to Make Evangelism Easier?

My friend Savannah Rae writes wonderfully about a painful weaning

Shona Murray, wife of biblical counselor David Murray says she never understood depression and burnout until it happened to her.

God still performs miracles. Josh Buice explains that adherents to Reformed Doctrines believe this and why it's often a spurious charge that we don't.

I don't have a smartphone. I only bought a flip phone recently for safety because I drive an old car that sometimes breaks down. Like the only person sober at the table watching friends slowly get drunk, I see smartphones as a sad trickster. Here, US photographer Eric Pickersgill has created "Removed," a series of photos of people holding phantom phones that have been removed from their hands to show us how disconnected we really are nowadays. Also of interest, Tony Reinke's book 12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You.

I always wonder how to broach the subject to a friend who is reading a bad book. Here Rick Thomas addresses this in a clear and helpful way. How to Respond to Bad Books and Those Who Love Them

Al Mohler explains that Jesus did descend into hell, and explains from scripture, and tells why the statement is included in The Apostle's Creed. 3-min video. He Descended into Hell

"Keep the positivity coming my way. I need as much as I can get."

This lady is someone of whom I am unaware, but a Facebook friend posted this 9-minute video of a woman on Youtube whose channel was about makeup and fashion. She is a British lady who in recent days discovered that she has a terminal brain tumor and only a short time to live. Her video is titled "My Final Farewell". She does not appear to be saved, and it's a video of her final goodbye to her subscribers.

I can't hide it anymore. If any of you see me out and about, I won't be my glamorous self. At the end of the day, the glamour, the makeup, all of that...doesn't matter anymore."

Heartbreaking to discover that your life's passion was only striving after wind. At the end of the day what DOES matter? This woman appears not to know. We know. THE GOSPEL. Salvation from God's wrath and eternal life in glory with the Glorious One, Jesus Christ. As you go about the day, remember what really matters.