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Author Interview with Christina Fox

Posted on by Kim

This week’s author interview is with Christina Fox. She is the author of upcoming book, Sufficient Hope: Gospel Meditations and Prayers for Moms.

  • Tell us a little bit about yourself:

I grew up in Maryland, outside of Washington, D.C. I went to Covenant College in undergrad where I studied sociology and then Palm Beach Atlantic University, where I received my Master’s in Counseling Psychology. I met my husband at Covenant College, and we’ve been married 23 years. We have two boys, ages 14 and 11, both of whom I’ve homeschooled the last eight years.

My passion is to help women apply the gospel to their everyday lives. I have done that through discipleship ministry, teaching Bible studies, writing articles and books, and speaking at women’s retreats/conferences. I currently serve on the PCA’s national women’s ministry team as Regional Advisor of the Southeast and as editor of the enCourage blog.

I love writing, reading, traveling, hiking, and antiquing. I recently started taking seminary classes at RTS.

 

  • What inspired you to write this book?

I think writers often write the book they want to read and Sufficient Hope is that book for me. It’s the book I needed when I had my oldest son. Motherhood is a wonderful role and privilege and is filled with great joy, but at the same time, it’s also hard. It challenges us in our greatest weaknesses. It reveals our insufficiencies. It stretches us beyond what we think we are capable. And it’s there where the gospel meets us. I wanted to help moms see how the truths of the gospel—of who Jesus is and what he came to do—intersects with their everyday life as moms. Both in the joys and challenges, the easy days and hard days, the gospel is sufficient to give them hope. I also love to write prayers and I wrote gospel focused prayers for each chapter of the book, encouraging moms to pray through the gospel in their prayer life.

 

  • Do you have a specific spot where you enjoy writing most?

As a mom who wears many hats and is busy juggling multiple responsibilities, I write wherever I can. I do have an office where I prefer to write and where all my books keep me company, but I also write in a notebook while sitting on the bleachers during basketball practice or in a coffee shop or in the school room. I’ve learned to be flexible both in where I write and in how much time I have to write.

 

  • What book are you reading now?

I’m always reading multiple books at one time. Because I’m in a seminary class right now, I’m reading What is Reformed Theology by R.C. Sproul, Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church by Michael Lawrence, and Lectures on Calvinism by Abraham Kuyper. I’m also reading a forthcoming book about suffering for endorsement. I love mysteries and am currently reading a mystery that takes place in Italy. I’m also going through Tim Keller’s devotional on Proverbs with my boys.

 

  • What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

It’s an interesting question, because the two are related. My greatest fear in writing is that I would write something theologically wrong. The toughest criticisms have been when someone has either pointed out an error—and I get frustrated with myself for not spotting it—or when someone misread or misinterpreted something that I didn’t intend to say. I’ve learned to read and reread what I’ve written, looking for things that aren’t clear or things that could be interpreted different ways. That’s why I love and need my editors! The best compliment came earlier this year when a reader described me as “a female R.C. Sproul.”

 

  • Tea or coffee?

Coffee. I go to bed looking forward to it the next morning. I love dark roast from a French Press.

 

  • If you have a favorite book of the Bible, what is it and why?

I love the Psalms. The counselor in me loves how they give voice to our emotions and help us learn to bring our sorrows and fears to God in lament. I love their brutal honesty, their poetic metaphors, and how they remind me of the goodness and faithfulness of God. And I love how they point me to Christ, the One who meets and fulfills all the cries of my heart.

How can readers discover more about you and your work?

 

Excerpt taken from Fearing Others: Putting God First by Zach Schlegel

Posted on by Kim

Below is an excerpt taken from Fearing Others: Putting God First by Zach Schlegel.

DAY 1

We Obey What We Fear

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.” . . . Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.” (1 Sam. 15:22, 24)

Saul was Israel’s first king. His inauguration marked a key transition in the nation’s history—even though he was reluctant to accept the responsibility and even tried to hide from it! But God gave Saul his Spirit and promised him everything he needed in order to rule well. All Saul had to do was to fear God and obey his commands. If he did, God promised that “it will be well” (1 Sam. 12:14). Not too far into his rule, God called Saul to war against the Amalekites and told him to destroy everything. But Saul kept the best of the livestock for himself and destroyed only that which was worthless or of poor quality. This partial obedience was disobedience.

Saul’s confession in 1 Samuel 15:24 shows us how the fear of man works. Why did he disobey God? Because he “feared the people and obeyed their voice.” According to the Bible, fear is more than feeling terrified. Our fear of man certainly includes that, but it also means revering people, needing them, or valuing their opinion so much that our decisions end up being controlled by them. We obey what we fear. As a result, our fear of others is a worship issue. Every human heart is always worshipping something; we were made for worship (see Isa. 43:7; John 4:20–24)! The question is, who we are worshipping—God or people?

Sprite’s slogan tells us, “Obey your thirst.” This soft-drink advertisement ends up being pretty theologically accurate. What we value indicates what we fear losing or never achieving. We can’t imagine living without it, so this fear directs our decisions and motivates us to act. Isn’t this what happens when the sports enthusiast prioritizes watching his team above attending church? Don’t we refuse to share the gospel with a friend because we fear how she’ll respond? Aren’t we reluctant to take risks for good things because we can’t bear the thought of being a failure? We thirst for and value something more than God in these moments. We obey what we fear.

 

Excerpt taken from Anger: Calming Your Heart by Robert D. Jones

Posted on by Kim

This excerpt was taken from Anger: Calming Your Heart by Robert D. Jones. It is currently 50% off (only $4.99!) from wtsbooks.com.

DAY 1

You’re Not Alone

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. (1 Cor. 10:13–14)

WE BEGIN OUR thirty-one-day journey with four assurances from God—assurances you need in order to fight against your anger.

1. You will face temptations and trials in this life. People and situations can make life hard and can tempt you toward anger. Don’t be surprised at this—God isn’t. He knows your struggles.

2. Your struggles are not unique. They are common. You are not alone. The path you now walk has on it the footprints of others. Others before you have been tempted to sinful anger. Scripture records scores of such people—some who succeeded and some who failed. Others around you, even brothers and sisters in your church, are tempted right now. More than thirty-five years of counseling have led me to this statistical conclusion: approximately one out of one people struggle with anger.

Moreover, in your struggle with temptation, you have examples not only in people before you and people around you but also in the God-man above you. Jesus was made like us (see Heb. 2:10–18) and was tempted like us (see Heb. 4:15–16) in every way. Your fully human Savior understands your struggles.

3. These temptations will not be too difficult for you to handle. Your faithful God will not let you be tempted beyond your ability to resist. He will not abandon, leave, or forsake you. As Pastor Warren Wiersbe put it, “When God puts His own people into the furnace, He keeps His eye on the clock and His hand on the thermostat. He knows how long and how much.”*1 Of course, this assumes that you are handling life God’s way—the way that this book will show you.

4. God always provides a “way out” amid these trials. “Good,” you might say; “that’s exactly what I need. I need a way to get out of this bad marriage or hard job or rising debt or chronic pain or . . .” But notice that God does not promise an escape from the temptation. Rather, he promises to enable you to “endure” it.

So what kind of “way out” does God promise? The next verse in today’s passage tells us. God promises to help you avoid idolatry—the sinful ways in which you are tempted to respond to the trial (including, for instance, anger). Apart from the Lord’s help, these temptations and sinful responses can take you down—all the way down to the point of turning away from the Lord. But as you focus on the Lord and handle your pressures his way, you can learn to live out his method of endurance.

*1 Jonathan Leeman, Reverberation: How God’s Word Brings Light, Freedom, and Action to His People (Chicago: Moody, 2011), 19.

 

Mother’s Day Gift Suggestions

Posted on by Kim

P&R has many books for women at all stages of life. Here is a list of a few of our women’s resources, and some that we thought might make good Mother’s Day gifts:

1. Letter to Pastors’ Wives: When Seminary Ends and Ministry Begins edited by Catherine J. Stewart

Pastors’ wives encounter special challenges as well as special joys. These letters from the seasoned wives of seasoned pastors provide empathy, wise counsel, and encouragement on a wide range of topics.

2. For the Love of Discipline: When the Gospel Meets Tantrums and Time-Outs by Sara Wallace

Written by a mom on the front lines, For the Love of Discipline takes short chapters to work through typical discipline issues from a gospel perspective. Along the way, Sara offers personal examples, teaches practical strategies, and shows how to pursue “discipline skills” every day. Moms will stop spinning their wheels in quick fixes and behavior management and find renewed strength in God’s own gracious shepherding and love.

3. God’s Mysterious Ways: Embracing God’s Providence in Esther, A Ten-Lesson Bible Study by Jane Roach

Using insightful commentary, application questions, testimonies, and hymns, Jane Roach walks readers through the compelling story of God’s providence in the book of Esther. As you work through this ten-lesson study, you will be prepared to see God’s hand in your own circumstances, to lean on him with wholehearted trust and worship, and to experience a new life of gratitude, peace, and joy.

4. The Faithful Parent: A Biblical Guide to Raising a Family by Martha Peace & Stuart W. Scott 

Parents and children need the help of the One who perfectly understands our need—God himself. Peace and Scott emphasize your family’s most important relationship: its relationship with God.  

5. Bible Study: Following the Ways of the Word by Kathleen Buswell Nielson

What is Bible study, anyway? This book highlights not a rigid set of methods, but a clear approach to Bible study that acknowledges Scripture for what it is—the very Word of God.

6. You Never Stop Being a Parent: Thriving in Relationship with Your Adult Children by Elyse Fitzpatrick & Jim Newheiser

Are your parenting responsibilities continuing into your children’s adulthood? Here you’ll be grounded in the guidance of God’s Word and reminded that your relationship with your adult children hinges on your relationship with God.

7. Hungry: Learning to Feed Your Soul with Christ by Rondi Lauterbach

Just like your body, your soul needs to be fed—but how do you satisfy it? Rondi Lauterbach shows us how to prepare true nourishment that meets our deepest hunger.

8. Revelation: Let the One Who Is Thirsty Come by Sarah Ivill

Revelation paints a breathtaking picture of the completion of God’s plan of judgment and salvation. Yet its perplexing imagery often scares us away! This expository Bible study gives us the confidence to interpret the mysteries.

9. God for Us: Discovering the Heart of the Father through the Life of the Son by Abby Ross Hutto

Does God feel far off and unconcerned—or even against you? Abby Hutto presents thirteen stories about Jesus from John’s gospel that dispel our distrust and confusion by narrating through Jesus who God truly is. She interweaves testimonials from modern-day believers with further Scripture and discussion questions to assure us that God is for us and longs to draw our confused, distrusting hearts to himself.

10. The Afternoon of Life: Finding Purpose and Joy in Midlife by Elyse Fitzpatrick

The Afternoon of Life is written for women in the middle years of their lives. As we age, we wonder at the many changes occurring in our lives. How do we make the necessary adjustments? How do we handle all this? Elyse Fitzpatrick shows us how our faith can be at the center of how we respond to these life changes. With humor, transparency, and biblical wisdom, she helps us see that God’s purpose in bringing us through this time is to glorify himself and sanctify us.

11. My Grandmother Is . . . Praying for Me: Daily Prayers and Proverbs for Character Development in Grandchildren by Susan Kelton, Pamela Ferriss, & Kathryn March

Pray for your grandchild’s spiritual development throughout the year with this guide that focuses on one character trait for each month. The daily lessons contain Scripture references, prayers, and activities.

12. Extravagant Grace: God’s Glory Displayed in Our Weakness by Barbara R. Duguid

Barbara Duguid uses the writings of John Newton to help us understand why even mature Christians can’t seem to shake off sin—and to make us joyous once again at God’s extravagant grace.

13. No Little Women: Equipping All Women in the Household of God by Aimee Byrd

Why are many well-intentioned women falling for poor—even false—theology? Writing to concerned women and church officers, Aimee Byrd pinpoints the problem, which lies especially in the way Christian women have been targeted by the publication industry. Aimee answers hot-button questions—How can women grow in discernment? How should pastors preach to women? What are our roles within the church?—and points us in the direction of a multifaceted solution.

14. Housewife Theologian: How the Gospel Interrupts the Ordinary by Aimee Byrd

Women who want God to be more than superficially in their lives can rise above the world’s expectations by becoming housewife theologians—finding true meaning and true worship every day. Great for journaling and for group discussion.

 

Author Interview with Robert Jones

Posted on by Kim

This author interview is with Robert Jones. He is the author of 7 P&R titles including his newest title, Anger: Calming Your Heart.

  • Tell us a little bit about yourself: where you’re from, family, job, personal interests, unique hobbies, what you do in your spare time, etc.

I grew up in central New Jersey, along the shore, in a single-mom home. The Lord saved me when I was a high school senior. I met my wife-to-be Lauren in college and we married in 1983 while I was an M.Div. student at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. After seminary I pastored for 19 years in WV and completed my D.Min. at Westminster Seminary. In 2004 we moved to Wake Forest, NC, where I taught at Southeastern Seminary for 12 years and also completed my D.Theol. (U. of South Africa). I left the pastorate because I love the pastorate, i.e., because I wanted the next generation of pastors and missionaries to excel in pastoral care and counseling since most seminaries underemphasize the importance of this ministry. In June 2016 we moved to Louisville, KY where I now teach at Southern Seminary and serve actively in my church, Third Avenue Baptist.

I don’t have much spare time, but when I do I love watching sports, playing chess, summer trips to minister in Brasil, traveling with my wife, and visiting my children and grandchildren that we left behind in NC.

 

  • When did you first want to write a book?

Not until I was well into my pastoral ministry and I was encouraged by professors and friends to convert my D.Min. project and preaching on anger into Uprooting Anger (P&R, 2006).

 

  • Have you always enjoyed writing?

I think so. I am thankful for some excellent teachers and professors—Christian and non-Christian—in junior high, high school, and college who taught me how to write and who encouraged me to try.

 

  • What inspired you to write this book, about this topic? 

In many ways, my reasons for writing both Uprooting Anger: Biblical Help for a Common Problem (P&R, 2006) and the 31-day devotional, Anger: Calming Your Heart (P&R, 2019) were the same: pastoral and counseling interactions with hundreds of people coupled with an ever growing conviction that Jesus through his Word and Spirit can forgive and change us.

 

  • What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?

Aside from an occasional person who rejects the biblical view of the heart and the gospel, I have been spared attacks; I’m my toughest critic. The most meaningful set of compliments came from a dozen or so women at a residential Christian group home who together read Uprooting Anger and mailed me a thick packet of handwritten thank-you letters. I read their stories with tears of sadness and joy as they described the Lord’s redemptive work in their lives and the impact of my book. Those letters are keepers!

 

  • Favorite sport to watch? Favorite sport’s team?

The Boston Celtics, the Green Bay Packers, and the New York Yankees, because they were the dynasties when I was a kid and therefore often on TV, and WVU, since you can’t pastor in WV for 19 years without becoming a Mountaineers fan.

 

  • Favorite food?

A half-dozen meals that my wife makes and Brasilian churrasco (BBQ) that she doesn’t make.

 

  • Favorite flavor of ice cream?

Chocolate Chip Mint (though I will also settle for Mint Chocolate Chip).

 

  • The Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia? Why?

I like both but lean to Narnia because I read the series to my sons 2.5 times when they were young, because my son and daughter-in-law have promised the exclusive and irrevocable rights to read them to my grandchildren, and because I still weep over “the deeper magic before the dawn of time.”

 

  • Tea or coffee?

To the disappointment of my coffee-shop owner son, neither. Give me Guarana Antarctica (Brasilian) or Mountain Dew Code Red.

 

How can readers discover more about you and your work?