Each week (give or take one or two here and there) I share three things I like – It could be a book, a movie, a podcast, an album, a photo, an article, a restaurant, a food item, a beverage, or anything else I simply enjoy and think you might too. You can find a whole pile of things, especially books, I like and recommend HERE.
1) The Mark of the Christian by Francis Schaeffer
This little book–and I do mean little–is one of the most profound pieces of Christian teaching I have read. Schaeffer was a deep and incisive thinker, and often his writing and teaching leaned philosophical and complex. He often swam in deep waters of art and culture. But in The Mark of the Christian, Schaeffer is crystal clear and understandable. It is a single essay on John 13:34-35, Jesus’ new commandment in which Schaeffer makes clear that the singular identifying characteristic (or “mark”) of a Christian is his love for his fellow believers. It is uncomfortable to read in a really good and necessary way. And, though it was written in 1970, it is more timely today than ever. I would recommend this book to every professing Christian.
2) High Sierra Rolling Carry On
Once upon a time I traveled multiple times a month for work. Most trips were two or three days, so I flew with only a carry-on bag. And I burned through them. Liners ripped out, telescoping handles broke (thanks, American Airlines), wheels fell off. And then one fateful and fortuitous Amazon Prime Day (back when they only did one a year and the deals were actually good) I found this bag at a reasonable price and pulled the trigger. My expectations were low, given that “High Sierra” sounds like the Walmart store brand of suitcases. But as you read this, after 8+ years of trips and travel, I am wheeling this suitcase through a state I do not live in, and it is still going strong. The zippers are intact. The wheels roll. And the liners are attached. It is truly and old reliable.
3) “Go Rest High On That Mountain” by Vince Gill
Vince Gill has one of the best voices to ever grace country music, and this might be his most magnificent song. He wrote it in honor of two men who passed away–Keith Whitley, another wonderful country singer, and his own brother. The original version is great, but the rendition Vince sang, with great emotion, at George Jones’ memorial service is probably my favorite.
