STOP PRETENDING—CRY OUT TO GOD: Paul Tautges provides some wise guidance for when our faith is tested. “Where do you go when unknown dangers threaten the well-being of your faith? Who do you turn to when loneliness threatens to swallow you alive—and whole—like a thick storm cloud envelops your house? What do you do when the chastening, training hand of God seems so overwhelmingly crushing that you fear you will not survive your present trial of faith?”

SHOULD WE WATCH FOR SIGNS FROM GOD? This is a really good answer from John Piper. “The Bible teaches the doctrine of God’s providence not in order to lead us away from the revealed will of God in his word, but in order to give us confidence that if we follow the revealed will of God in his word, providence will work everything together for our eternal good.”

MARGIN AND WONDER: I really appreciated this blog post by Kristen Couch about decluttering your life. “Margin is not only for shelves and drawers and homes. Embracing margin is a chosen way of living that often paves a path to wonder.”

12 FAITHFUL WOMEN (FREE E-BOOK): The Gospel Coalition are giving away an e-book each week through winter. This week we have '12 Faithful Women' written by various female authors. "Trials have a way of changing us, for better or worse. They can humble us or harden us. They can make us run to God or away from him. Perhaps your trials have resulted in a closer walk with him, or maybe he seems far away. Often, God strengthens our faith through the witness of courageous Christians who’ve gone before us."