Prata Potpourri: Angels, Gift Guides, Fave worship songs (worship song reviews too), Advent Guide for Homeschool moms, more!

By Elizabeth Prata

The earth is beautiful. I’ve seen such glorious scenes over the years. I treasure them. Some I’ve seen far (Tuscany…that light!). Some I’ve seen near- like the other morning in my front yard:

Enjoy the scenes around you. Even if you live in a city or a place where beauty seems scarce, look for it. There is always something beautiful from God’s creation around, even in the meanest city or lowest county.

Today I bring you some links I hope you find interesting or instructive. This first one is a favorite theme of mine- angels. I don’t think we talk about them enough. We talk more about the UNholy angels AKA demons than we do the holy angels! They are ministering spirits sent to help us and enact the providences of God. They are so active and present both in the heavenlies and in our own lives! From CARM, Are there different kinds of angels in the Bible?

Darryl Dash writes that We know of our enemy’s plans: “In 2 Corinthians 2:11, Paul wrote that he’d acted “that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.” Paul’s logic is remarkable: we know the way Satan thinks, but we’re often still outwitted by him despite this knowledge. Our problem isn’t a lack of information. Our problem is that we fall into Satan’s traps despite knowing what he’s doing.”

The Well Watered Woman has a series of gift guides, each essay aimed at a specific demographic. This one is Gift Guide for Readers and Learners. The previous Guides are inside this one.

Stephanie Anderson at Randy Alcorn’s Eternal Perspective Ministries asks the frequently asked question, How Can I Keep Trusting God If He Hasn’t Answered My Deepest Prayers?… and answers it. God is still God through the car crash…the cancer diagnosis…the loss f the baby…the unemployment…

Pastor Gabe Hughes wrote about his Top 10 Favorite Worship Songs on the CCLI top 100. Hymns are so refreshing, aren’t they! All that doctrine filtering into your ears while you hum along. He also reviewed the top 10 praise & worship songs of 2022! Check it out.

Randy Alcorn fleshes out a question he was asked in an interview: Will We Have Regrets at the Judgment Seat of Christ? saying, “Everything these verses say is true. And yet…there are other true things also revealed in Scripture, which we must strive to reconcile with them. For instance, Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done” (Revelation 22:12, ESB). Did Jesus really mean that “each one,” including believers, will have his or her works evaluated, to see if they are worthy of reward?”

Becky Aniol at G3 Ministries wrote an Advent Guide for Homeschool Morning Time or Family Worship: Free Download. I love freebies, don’t you? Anything from G3 is going to be worthwhile.

Women Encouraged interviewed Katie Faris for their podcast and the theme was “He Will Be Enough.” Synopsis- “In today’s episode, Bethany talks with Katie Faris about her book He Will Be Enough: How God Takes You By the Hand Through Your Hardest Days. Listen in to this conversation as Bethany and Katie discuss the Faris’s story of running to the Lord as they faced a difficult diagnosis in their children and how the Lord has met them and been trustworthy in the midst of pain and trials.”

I vividly remember reading the book All Quiet on the Western Front in high school, now 45 years ago. The book has been made into a movie several times, and this month is no exception. Here, World reviews the latest adaptation of the book into film with their review. “Anti-war artistry – Netflix has released an adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front, a beautiful film that pushes an anti-war message.”

Dr. Lisle at the Biblical Science Institute muses on the part of the verse from(Matthew 28:18-20 that says All Authority is given to Jesus- for example, “These verses should be a constant source of joy and comfort for God’s people, particularly in difficult times. And yet, there are two misconceptions that might prevent us from enjoying the blessings of Christ’s reign.  Some believers seem to think that Jesus really meant to say, “All authority will be given to me in heaven and on earth (sometime in the future).”  In light of the evil of our present age, it is tempting to think that Christ’s reign is something that is entirely future, rather than being a present reality.”

Good Cheap Eats will help you Plan Thanksgiving on a Budget, something we definitely need, with some turkey prices upwards of $60!

If you were touched by the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, if you watch The Crown, or are interested in The Royals at all, here is Country Life UK with an opinion piece on What sort of man is King Charles III, and what sort of king will he be? I still can’t get used to saying ‘King” or even getting used to the idea that the royal baton has passed from one hand to another.

It’s the holiday season! Enjoy!!