When Introverts Become Idolaters – Kim Shay has great words for us introverts, speaking to when our natural desire for alone time can become sinful.

Heart Broken – N. A. Winter asks, “What breaks your heart?”

The “layman” need never think of his humbler task as being inferior to that of his minister. Let every man abide in the calling wherein he is called and his work will be as sacred as the work of the ministry. It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular, it is why he does it. The motive is everything. Let a man sanctify the Lord God in his heart and he can thereafter do no common act.
– A. W. Tozer in The Pursuit of God

And David said: “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.
– 1 Chronicles 29:10-13

Have you entered this week’s book giveaway?

Five Words that Will Change Your Life – Congratulations to Jeff Goins and his wife!

10 Practical Ways to Love and Serve Your Wife – Ten great suggestions for husbands.

Eleven Ways to Hurt Your Local Church – Trisha begins a three-part series on our role in the church.

Competitive Mothering – Tim Challies takes a look at the darker, competitive side of modern mothering.

What C. S. Lewis taught me about enterprise and free markets – Jacqueline Otto takes a fresh look at a familiar C. S. Lewis quote.

Every relationship is victimized in some way when we seek to get from the surrounding creation what we were designed to get from God.
– Paul David Tripp in What Did You Expect?

Have you entered yet for your chance to win a free book?

Adrian Warnock and Rob Bell Debate Heaven and Hell – After Bell’s book, Love Wins, stirred up a ton of controversy, this is the perfect follow-up to find out, just what does he believe?

Has the Gospel-Centered Emphasis Gone Too Far? – “With all this talk about grace, are we becoming antinomians? Maybe we’ve taken the gospel for granted, but are we now over-reacting by taking holiness for granted?” (H/T)

Ten Years, Ten Lessons – Kevin DeYoung offers ten lessons he’s learned in ten years of marriage.

Young People’s Priorities – A survey reveals what public policy issues Americans aged 18-29 care about, as well as how we prioritize those issues.

A Life of Significance – Great words for reflection: are you living for achievements or significance?

15 Tips on Blogging from John Newton – Some fantastic tips on how to blog for God’s glory, all from a very unlikely source: John Newton.

I wish to testify that in my best moments I am not aware of the existence of the government. Though I respect and feel myself dignified by the principles of the Declaration and the Constitution, I do not remember a day when the thought of the government made me happy, and I never think of it without the wish that it might become wiser and truer and smaller than it is.
– Wendell Berry

Like Water to a Plant – Christine reminds husbands how important our words are to our wives. Encourage them well and do it often.

Bringing Our Parents Joy – N. A. Winter offers three suggestions for how adults can obey God’s command to honor our parents.

So You Want to Date My Daughter – Jared Wilson shares 12 rules he will give to any boy that wants to date his daughter. This is simultaneously humorous, touching, and instructive. I don’t agree with every point, but this is a good read.

How to Stay Married for 25 Years – Kim at Upward Call reflects on the day of their 25th anniversary.

A Fourth Option, Mr. Harris – InkSlinger tackles the oft-repeated “problem of evil” argument against God’s existence. Perhaps even more interesting than the excellent post itself is the sixty-three comments in which a number of voices debate this issue.

“Fundamentalist Christians constantly speak passionately about seeing the possibility of redemption in everyone, and no one bats an eye. But make this same point in the secular context of the criminal justice system, and rather than praiseworthy piety it is heard as liberal gibberish.”
– David Feige in Indefensible

Affected Preaching – Kim at Upward Call wrote a fantastic reflection on how the Puritans viewed preaching. This post was personally convicting for me, and it’s a great lesson in how we ought to listen to and meditate on Sunday sermons.

Advice for Bloggers – For you bloggers and aspiring bloggers, this is the best source of blogging advice I’ve found.

QW on Facebook – In case you didn’t hear, Quieted Waters finally joined the Facebook era. =) Now you can like Quieted Waters and keep up with the blog that way.

That Eye-on-the-Object Look – Dr. Veith shares a poem from W. H. Auden, in praise of vocation.

The Cross Offers a Glimpse into the Heart of God – Trevin Wax shares a timely, Good Friday meditation. Christ’s death reveals God’s heart.

Contrary to much of our present cultural emphasis that deifies personal choice, a biblical worldview begins not with human choice, but with a good and sovereign God who is not only the Creator but also the Caller. Here in the Genesis narrative, before humanity’s fall into sin and resulting corruption of the world and our work, we are given two bedrock truths regarding human work and vocation: We were created with an important stewardship in mind, to cultivate creation and to keep it; and we are commissioned by God to nurture, care for, and protect his creation.
– Tom Nelson in Work Matters

Here are this week’s links I found worthwhile.

Timeline: Obama Administration Actions Affecting U.S. Religious Freedom – Christianity Today’s list of all the Obama administration’s actions affecting religious freedom.

On the Hunger Games – Ink Slinger responds to one Hunger Games critic. That critic had trashed the story and argued Christians should not enjoy the books or movie. This response is fantastic and provides a great framework for how believers should think about The Hunger Games.

Study Guide Giveaway – Pete Wilson is giving away five copies of a DVD study guide for his new book, Empty Promises. Expect to see my review of the book soon.

Racial Profiling at the Elementary School – In the wake of the Trayvon Martin shooting, Megan shares a sad, true story.

The first service that one owes to others in the fellowship consists in listening to them. Just as love to God begins with listening to His Word, so the beginning of love for the brethren is learning to listen to them.
– Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Life Together

Logos March Madness – “Sixty-four authors face off for your votes in the Logos March Madness tournament. Discounts get deeper with every round an author wins, and the winner’s books will be discounted 75% off! Vote for your favorite authors and save big!”

The Super Men – Trisha praises her husband, her beloved, on his birthday, and she also encourages other wives to celebrate their husband for his strengths.

A Review of Ender’s Game – Here’s a great review of Ender’s Game, one of my fiction favorites. Pick this book up if you haven’t already. You won’t regret it.

Marriage is for Losers – Dr. Flanagan, a therapist, shares the one element that makes for a successful marriage. This is a great lesson, and there is a powerful metaphor in the middle of the article. (H/T Challies)

Trayvon Martin, Race, and the Gospel – John Piper advises Christians on how to think about the Trayvon Martin killing.

Routines on a Constantly Varying Schedule – Unclutterer, a great website for helping organize and unclutter your life, answers a question about how to get tasks done when your schedule is never the same week-to-week.

When I Don’t Feel Love for My Spouse – This is a serious issue, and this post from The Gospel Coalition is an important lesson for married people.

Grown-Cold Love – Dan challenges us to look closely at the Bible’s words about the Last Days. A tip: our inability to get along with others is a major sign.

Big Chair, White Hair – Christopher Smith writes about the responsibilities that come with leadership. This is a great call to respect our leaders in all areas of life.

[T]he biblical doctrine of vocation proposes that the whole of our lives finds meaning in relation to the sweet summons of a good God.
– R. Paul Stevens, The Other Six Days (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999), p. 112.