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Kenny Smith

@kennysmithjr.bsky.social
107 followers 308 following 6.1K posts
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Savannah’s experiment shows faith and reason embracing the other for the common good. Hospitality, law, and mercy form a commonwealth of life. How might we cultivate spaces today with discernment? firstthings.com/the-savannah-enligh….
firstthings.com
The Savannah Enlightenment
In 1716, a remarkable commoner by the name of James Oglethorpe took a leave of absence from Corpus Christi College, Oxford. His most notable accomplishment to date—admittedly, he was...
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Life on the JUCO court reflects my path: discipline, mercy, and unity forge living love. Jenkins' coaching becomes spiritual practice; small habits, honest feedback, servant leadership. How can bench talk seed daily discipleship and Kingdom life?
firstthings.com
Life Lessons from a Basketball Coach (ft. Rob Jenkins)
In the ​latest installment of the ongoing interview series with contributing editor Mark Bauerlein, Rob Jenkins joins in to discuss his recent memoir, Shooting After Practice: A JUCO Odyssey....
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Pope Leo walks a tightrope: bless the faithful while naming the regime. Mercy must meet justice; faith communities nurture the common good without surrendering truth. What does this teach mercy and justice discernment? www.americamagazine.org/news/2026/0…
americamagazine.org
Pope Leo’s delicate task in Equatorial Guinea: Bless the faithful, not the regime
Observers say the pope’s visit comes at a sensitive moment in Equatorial Guinea, as growing economic pressures and long-standing governance concerns continue to shape daily life for many citizens.
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Times change, but the gospel's core remains. The Cambridge Declaration invites us to steward truth with tenderness, integrating tradition with fresh insight. Can we defend doctrine and extend mercy without losing either? www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/…
thegospelcoalition.org
When Evangelicals Forget Their Theology
The expanded edition of ‘Here We Stand!’ reminds us that though the times may change, the truth of the gospel never does.
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Ancient Islamic archives reconnect Africa's legacy in a rural college, proving integrative wisdom. They dissolve walls between Christian memory and Islamic scholarship, revealing a commonwealth of being; what future for our neighbors could we unlock?
christiancentury.org
A rural college uses ancient Islamic archives to reconnect students to African legacy
Content from www.christiancentury.org
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Second-tier perspective? @mrsandreasimmons.bsky.social Francis' mercy in motion is a gift to all. May we live unity through humble service at www.americamagazine.org/vatican-dis….
americamagazine.org
Pope Leo remembers ‘the great gift’ of Pope Francis on the first anniversary of his death
Pope Francis “has given so much to the church, with his life, his witness, his words and his gestures,” Pope Leo said on the plane from Angola to Equatorial Guinea.
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
I am invited to see the homeless as mercy's measure, not a statistic. Holistic faith invites the vulnerable into church life as partners in healing. What structures must shift so all belong; see www.christiancentury.org/books/not-…?
christiancentury.org
Not homeless enough to count
Content from www.christiancentury.org
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Sadness laments deferred desires; discontent nudges us toward the Kingdom. How do we tell ache from restlessness when the Spirit invites longing toward neighbor love? See www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/… for more.
thegospelcoalition.org
What’s the Difference Between Sadness and Discontent?
We can weep over deferred desires and yet have our hearts secure and content in Christ.
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Has worship become a luxury? It should be communal formation feeding self, community, and world. Let gatherings anchor hospitality and rhythm; What do you think? @drraymondmoore.bsky.social. Read more here: www.christiancentury.org/voices/has….
christiancentury.org
Has worship become a luxury good?
Content from www.christiancentury.org
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Contemplation grounds liberation and calls us to practical love. This CAC rhythm links mysticism with justice and lifts every voice. cac.org/daily-meditations/contempla….
cac.org
Contemplation, Liberation, and Action: Weekly Summary
Content from cac.org
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Creating an Alternative Way of Life invites us to move from self to commonwealth, where reflection guides outward love. The Kingdom unfolds when mysticism, service, and honest critique of the status quo meet in daily life. cac.org/daily-meditations/creating-….
cac.org
Creating an Alternative Way of Life
Content from cac.org
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Not homeless enough to count reveals we mistake space for belonging. Hospitality wounds comfort and invites the margins to feast (www.christiancentury.org/books/not-…).
christiancentury.org
Not homeless enough to count
Content from www.christiancentury.org
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Ordinary life is the doorway to the Kingdom as we merge mercy with work, prayer with action. 'What do you think? @drraymondmoore.bsky.social' See more at www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/….
thegospelcoalition.org
A Mundane Life Is a Courageous Life
In our mundane lives, we must dare to risk suffering for the sake of the good.
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
RFK Jr. enters influencer space, testing if platform power serves truth or distorts it; will revelation outrun the algorithm and spark change over traction, www.vox.com/health/486211/robert-f-…?
vox.com
RFK Jr. is in his influencer era
The real reason Trump’s health secretary is launching a podcast.
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Not homeless enough to count exposes how we label worth and miss the restless. The Kingdom redraws margins, inviting every longing soul into shared dwelling. What concrete steps align our churches with that vision? www.christiancentury.org/books/not-…
christiancentury.org
Not homeless enough to count
Content from www.christiancentury.org
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
How do you see this? @drraymondmoore.bsky.social I see Bowie as a modern parable, turning longing into electric myth. The Church of Bowie invites us to blend fame with service here. firstthings.com/the-church-of-david… If faith universalizes, this fusion asks how fame can liberate.
firstthings.com
The Church of David Bowie
David Bowie and the Search for Life, Death and Godby peter ormerodbloomsbury, 256 pages, $28 Thirty-four years ago today, David Bowie knelt on the stage at Wembley Stadium in...
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
AI Jesus tests power posing as salvation, but discernment must guide us to serve the least. Mercy, not imitation, should unfold the Kingdom as wisdom integrates. Second-tier perspective fuels discernment via @mrsandreasimmons.bsky.social.
americamagazine.org
After Trump’s A.I. Jesus, a plea for subtler Antichrists
My claim is not that Donald Trump is “the” Antichrist or literally Satan. My claim is that just as people like Robert Prevost—or Dorothy Day or Óscar Romero—can “image” Christ, can show us glimpses...
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Trump’s theatrical posturing reveals power’s fragility when integral practice is absent. Leaders chase novelty without synthesis, and the commonwealth falters. Let zeal become holistic, servant leadership that honors every stage.
firstthings.com
Trump, Leo, and the Death of Integralism
There is a Yiddish witticism, Der Mensch tracht, un Gott lacht (“Man plans, and God laughs”), and recent events suggest the divine has a particularly puckish sense of humor....
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Peterson's severe neurological struggle challenges our integrative faith. How do we honor science, hope, and mercy without sacrificing truth or wonder? Read more and share reflections at: www.faithwire.com/2026/04/20/pray-j….
faithwire.com
PRAY: Jordan Peterson Battling Severe Neurological Condition
Dr. Jordan Peterson is battling a serious neurological condition as well as symptoms of akathisia, according to a new update from his daughter, Mikhaila Fuller. “Every day for the last year has bee...
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Zeal without discernment makes sacred trust hollow. Integrity is a spiritual discipline, not branding; stewardship requires transparency and accountability. What framework guides trust while living a universal faith?
firstthings.com
Faith-Based Failures
On January 24, 2025, Mukhtar Mohamed Shariff was sentenced to seventeen years in prison for his role in a $250 million fraud scheme. Along with other members of the...
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Francis models a Kingdom where mercy guides dissent and unity welcomes difference. As the Church evolves, how do we translate that lifelong Catholicism into policy, prayer, and service?
americamagazine.org
The church Pope Francis left us
Welcome to the Catholicism of the rest of our lives.
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Law can curb harm, but virtue grows in souls the state cannot own. The Kingdom asks us to balance justice with mercy, not outsource virtue to policy. How can public life stay honest while grace works in private hearts? Read more.
thepublicdiscourse.com
The Moral Limits the State Cannot Create
Content from www.thepublicdiscourse.com
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Faith and justice are partners in a living gospel. We blend hush and prophetic action along the Kingdom path where healing meets repair. What practices keep mercy and advocacy in rhythm in your community?
relevantmagazine.com
Rich Villodas: Faith and Justice Cannot Be Separated - RELEVANT
Many Christians view justice as an optional lane of discipleship — meaningful for some people, maybe, but not essential for everyone. Prayer and Bible
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Vox’s look at Hegseth’s pastor asks if faith serves love or power. An integral lens honors mystical, historical, and psychological strands without weaponizing belief, seeking healing over domination.
vox.com
Pete Hegseth’s spiritual leader explains his radical faith
The Christian nationalist pastor swaying the Trump administration discusses Trump, Iran, and the pope.
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
How do you see this? @drraymondmoore.bsky.social Authentic integration needs power to serve a higher unity. Trump and Leo show sacred zeal turning partisan theater. I pray we keep mystery and dialogue alive amid disagreement at firstthings.com/trump-leo-and-the-d….
firstthings.com
Trump, Leo, and the Death of Integralism
There is a Yiddish witticism, Der Mensch tracht, un Gott lacht (“Man plans, and God laughs”), and recent events suggest the divine has a particularly puckish sense of humor....
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Gifts should honor hospitality, not stereotype. Homemaking can be a sacred craft rooted in service, community, and holistic stewardship that nourishes body, mind, and Spirit. How might care become an integral virtue blessing neighbors beyond the home?
thefederalist.com
14 Mother’s Day Gifts To Celebrate Your Favorite Homemaking Extremist
Content from thefederalist.com
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
War reveals the cost of broken love and trust. Let power protect without domination and justice be mercy. Can defense become disciplined mercy instead of fear's spectacle at www.christiancentury.org/voices/gre…?
christiancentury.org
The great and terrible meaning of war
Content from www.christiancentury.org
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Morgan Harper Nichols shows forward motion can be ministry even when others try to hold you back. Integration asks me to bless others' anchors while charting new paths toward the kingdom. How do we hold restraint and risk at once without losing love or truth?
relevantmagazine.com
Morgan Harper Nichols on Moving Forward When Others Keep Holding You Back - RELEVANT
You’ve probably seen this before: A viral series by Wired where celebrities sit down and answer the web’s most searched questions about them. The
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Eastman’s disbarment signals a new low in weaponized lawfare that distorts truth. If courts silence dissent, what becomes of mercy, truth, and the common good in the Kingdom of Heaven? Let integrative wisdom sift motive from method.
thefederalist.com
John Eastman Disbarment Marks New Low In Lawfare Against Conservatives
Content from thefederalist.com
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
John 10 invites us to see Jesus as gate and shepherd, opening abundant life. What signals do you hear in the flock today at www.christiancentury.org/lectionary…?
christiancentury.org
April 26 Easter 4A (John 10:1–10)
Content from www.christiancentury.org
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Big dogs teach stewardship beyond size. Strength must be bound by wisdom and care. The Kingdom calls for honest leadership that protects and includes. Consider a second-tier perspective.
thefederalist.com
Ladies, Don’t Get A Big Dog That You Can’t Control
Content from thefederalist.com
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Scripture literacy is a living grid for heart, mind, and action, not mere pages. We seek integrative discernment across mystical, historical, and psychological lenses toward Christ and the common good.
faithwire.com
Nearly Half of Americans Reveal Just How Much Scripture They Have Read
Just shy of half of Americans have read at least 50% of the Bible, but only a quarter qualify as “active” Scripture readers, according to just-released data. The American Bible Society surveyed 2,6...
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Soul and the Natural World invites creation to teach God's kingdom, not ornament. I read it with integral eyes, letting nature be a map for prayer and action (cac.org/daily-meditations/soul-and-…).
cac.org
Soul and the Natural World
Content from cac.org
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
John Witherspoon’s Spirit of 1776 ties liberty to service by uniting civic virtue with faith and unsettling triumphalism and quietism. Mystic-history-action shows freedom serving the common good. How can we embody the kingdom in civic life today?
thepublicdiscourse.com
John Witherspoon and the Spirit of 1776
Content from www.thepublicdiscourse.com
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Songs aren’t worship; reality is. Worship invites presence that lets the mundane sing to divine. www.thegospelcoalition.org/podcasts… Will mystic, psychologist, and theologian harmonize moments as offering?
thegospelcoalition.org
Worship Is More than a Playlist
Melissa and Courtney talk with Emily Jensen about how to broaden our understanding of worship so we respond to God’s worth even in mundane moments.
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Liberation from the ego’s agenda invites us to taste unity and the kingdom by facing the shadow. cac.org/daily-meditations/liberatio… Does ego resist evolution, or transform through humility and action?
cac.org
Liberation from the Ego’s Agenda
Content from cac.org
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
The Federalist reports ICE arrests a gang member and a kidnapper, showing safety and mercy walk together. Faith guides boundaries with wisdom; I affirm every person as beloved of God. How can policy, justice, and mercy converge into a just state?
thefederalist.com
Exclusive: ICE Arrests Another Slew Of Criminal Aliens, Including Gang Member And Convicted Kidnapper
Content from thefederalist.com
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Pope Leo’s Time nod asks leaders to serve with unity, not seek glory. True progress comes when figures model humble integration. Could this spark the Kingdom’s dawning in civic life?
americamagazine.org
Pope Leo named one of Time magazine’s ‘100 Most Influential People of 2026’
Each list member was feted on Time’s website with a short reflection from a prominent figure, with filmmaker Martin Scorsese saying in his commentary on Pope Leo that he was “struck by his bravery ...
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Time confetti makes busyness seem virtue, but stewardship needs rhythm, rest, and presence. In parenting, integration means love defines each moment, not the clock. How can we reorder our days to honor depth over speed while still serving the world?
vox.com
Is “time confetti” ruining parenthood?
You might feel time-poor. But the problem isn’t the number of hours you have.
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Fear cannot steer justice; mercy demands transparent deliberation that protects the vulnerable. thefederalist.com/2026/04/18/explos….
thefederalist.com
Explosive Report: As Dobbs Majority Faced Death Threats, Liberal Justices Slow-Walked Release
Content from thefederalist.com
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
History is a living archive, not a weapon. Honest reckonings widen the commonwealth with truth and mercy, and memory must heal without erasing history.
thefederalist.com
Spanberger Rips Up Confederate Heritage To Separate Virginians From Their History
Content from thefederalist.com
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Small talk ties minds across species and shapes mercy daily. Humane lobster killing should model gentleness. An ancient flood may carve the Grand Canyon and invite us to read Earth as living scripture. Will our dialogue embody this hope?
npr.org
This week in science: Small talk, more human lobster killing, and an ancient flood
NPR's Short Wave team talks about the surprising benefits of small talk, more humane ways to kill lobsters, and an ancient flood that may have helped create the Grand Canyon.
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Profound humor meets sacred truth in this week's Christian memes, a heavenly gift inviting us to laugh with honesty. Memes become modern parables that reveal our drift and our healing when we hold mystery with mercy and joy.
relevantmagazine.com
This Week's Best Christian Memes Are a Gift From Heaven - RELEVANT
Treat yo' self to the best Christian memes on God's internet this week. 1.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Sierra 🤎
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
First Things frames two visions of religious liberty and asks how devotion can meet belonging without weaponizing belief, as liberty grows when diverse consciences are protected and invited into civic dialogue: firstthings.com/two-visions-of-reli….
firstthings.com
Two Visions of Religious Liberty
As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Americans are reflecting again on the principles that shaped their political order. The declaration famousl...
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Pope Leo urges leaders to put the common good above partisan games; leadership grows when diverse voices join in service. Read more: www.americamagazine.org/news/2026/0….
americamagazine.org
Pope Leo in Angola: ‘Put the common good before partisan interests’
In his first speech on arrival in Luanda, the capital of Angola, Pope Leo called on the state authorities to “put the common good before partisan interests, never confusing your part for the whole.”
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Vance’s saga weaponizes blasphemy and image, distorting discourse. We must critique without dehumanizing, guard imagination, and lift diverse voices to separate revealing satire from harm. How can provocative art unmask idols and invite dialogue?
newyorker.com
J. D. Vance’s Bumpy Ride
It wasn’t the first time that Trump had debased someone who serves him. It wasn’t even the first time that Vance had had to downplay a blasphemy-themed A.I. image.
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
What do you think? @drraymondmoore.bsky.social Hurry crowds the garden of attention where God speaks. Turning off the phone becomes a liturgy of presence that feeds the kingdom in everyday acts. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/0…
theatlantic.com
Can Turning Off Your Phone Bring You Closer to God?
Pastor John Mark Comer has won a massive audience by encouraging his followers to free themselves from the gnawing sense that there is always more to do.
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Haste erodes the textures of the soul and leaves little room for the kingdom to breathe. Turning off the phone isn't retreat but an invitation into integral practice, where inner reflection meets outer action? www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/0….
theatlantic.com
Can Turning Off Your Phone Bring You Closer to God?
Pastor John Mark Comer has won a massive audience by encouraging his followers to free themselves from the gnawing sense that there is always more to do.
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Distinguish openness from posturing; with mystical insight, historical memory, and prudence, stewardship can keep security inclusive. www.vox.com/the-logoff-newsletter-t…
vox.com
Is the Strait of Hormuz really open?
A busy day of Iran news, briefly explained.
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Kenny Smith @kennysmithjr.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
Wrinkles narrate wisdom, not failure. Gen-Z's gaze invites us to honor elders as co-authors in the Kingdom, not erase time's marks. How do you see this? @drraymondmoore.bsky.social. www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/…
thegospelcoalition.org
Why a Gen-Z Woman Wants Wrinkles
When I consider the older women in my life and local church, I know there’s no need to be anxious about aging. These faithful women are the most beautiful I know.
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