Thank God it’s Friday
This is excerpted from my TGIF column at SOLA Network.
Articles From Around The Web
1. Sherene Joseph: Breaking Generational Patterns of Control in Our Parenting
“Our need for control often stems from fear—fear that God really isn’t good and that he won’t come through, so if we let go, everything will fall apart. But then we see Jesus. His words on the cross, “it is finished,” were not only about paying for our sins, although he absolutely did that. Additionally, his words remind us that the entire burden of making life work can be removed from our shoulders. We don’t have to earn his approval or secure our family’s future. He gave his Son for us, and he will give us everything we need.”
2. Esther Liu: When God’s Promises Feel Untrue
“I don’t know what will come of that journal entry and prayer. I imagine a few years from now, I may be able to look back and be able to see more of what God was up to—how even unanswered prayers and unremoved suffering can bear witness to his goodness and mercy. I don’t presume to understand it all today. But I ask God for more faith, and I ask others to pray this for me as well. And I wait. Today, impatiently. Tomorrow, perhaps a bit more patiently. I hope for what I do not see—that his promises are indeed true for me—and I wait.”
3. Cap Stewart: How Should Christians Evaluate Fictional Magic?
“As these examples demonstrate, the way fictional magic is employed or portrayed matters. When we watch these narratives, Christians should move beyond simplistic embrace or wholesale condemnation, instead opting to wisely evaluate the helpful and unhelpful aspects of a movie or show’s depictions of magic.”
Books, Podcasts, Music, And More
1. Sam Chan: The Missing Peace
“We have a basic need for completeness. We look for it in our work and play but never find it. In this Christmas reflection Sam Chan shows how Jesus offers the missing peace and wholeness we long for.”
2. Andrew Wilson: When Songs Undermine Orthodoxy
“Church songs need to be true, not necessarily catchy.”
3. Aaron Lee: Related Works
Book Reviews: Disentangled: Taming Your Thoughts and Feelings to Live Freely for Jesus by Jo Johnson, The Dreamer by Jenny Marcelene, The Biggest Story Advent by Kevin DeYoung. Listen to our TGIF playlist on Spotify. Join my Asian American Worship Leaders Facebook group.
Featured This Week On SOLA Network
1. Episode 17: The Sandwich Generation and How it Affects Parenting our Teenagers
In this episode of Asian American Parenting, Danny and Monica discuss the idea of the Sandwich Generation as Asian Americans, and how it particularly impacts us. They discuss the dual forces of feeling obligated to take care of one’s older parents, while also taking care of one’s own children and teenagers, and the impact that can have. They discuss hopeful ways that Asian American parents can navigate being the Sandwich Generation, as well as how they can seek their church and other community to support them.
2. SOLA Network: SOLA Magazines
“We have curated some of our content into thematic resources to serve you and your local church. We hope it will be a blessing to you, and are thankful to our many contributors who have provided us with quality content over the years!”
3. Aaron Lee: Hope in God: A Book Review of “Teenagers and Mental Health”
“In my earlier years of serving in youth ministry, when a student had something to share, there wasn’t much that a trip to McDonald’s and a boba milk tea couldn’t fix. Looking back, I can see that might not always have been the best approach—I didn’t have the tools to know how to truly help. Times have changed. In Teenagers and Mental Health, Monica Kim and Danny Kwon provide a valuable handbook for parents, pastors, and youth leaders.”
4. TGIF: Roundup for October 31, 2025
Teenagers and Sports: A Living Letter Being Read By All / Pagans and Paranormal-Seekers Need the Unchanging Gospel / ‘Every Adoptee’s Worst Nightmare’ / If You Had Written the Bible / Write Like a Tree: The Slow Habits of Christian Sub-Creation
5. SOLA Network: TGIF Subscription
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