Reading for refreshment

[ June 29 ] As a longtime reader, I especially enjoy your book reviews and was thrilled to see you included Randy Alcorn’s decades-old novels. Readers who enjoy C.S. Lewis may also enjoy Alcorn’s Lord Foulgrin’s Letters, which is similar to The Screwtape Letters. —Steve McCully / Auburn, Wash.

‘We want the truth, wherever that leads’

[ June 29 ] The story of Kayla Mueller, held hostage and announced dead by ISIS but later reported alive, and her parents has deeply affected me. I have six sons and four daughters, all grown. I keep opening the magazine to Kayla’s picture. May the Lord bless and comfort Carl and Marsha Mueller. —Andrew K. King / Honey Brook, Pa.

I pray that this family will finally uncover the truth and that it is mercifully less horrific than they imagine. —Melissa Hodges on Facebook

This sentence in Mindy Belz’s column (“Freeing captives,” June 29, p. 32) really hit me: that even a 1 percent chance a child is still alive “might as well be 100 percent. There can be no rest.” She found words to express what God plants within the hearts of parents. —George Whitten Jr. / Greenwood, Miss.

A mess on the shelves

[ June 29 ] I am a youth librarian and agree that the LGBTQ presence is strong in the library community. But not all of our public libraries should be forsaken like a sinking ship. Searching “Max Lucado” produces 138 results in our online catalog, and my branch has monthly programming for homeschool families. —Darla Dykstra / Kansas City, Mo.

As a public-school librarian, I see what a mess the LGBTQ agenda is causing. It is very hard to find a book that doesn’t have at least one character that fits into the agenda. —Miriam Hubbard / Yakima, Wash.

I am a librarian, and we weed constantly to make space for new books. I agree that pushing political and liberal agendas on our kids is wrong, but I’m not sure the absence of a Max Lucado book is as ominous as Peterson suspects. —Tessa Faith Reynolds on Facebook

As a professional librarian, I understand the feeling that libraries have left their first love. But public libraries reflect demand, and many people with a Biblical worldview have checked out. Withdrawing from the fight is a losing strategy. Ask for good materials, use them often, and get involved. —William Johnson on wng.org

As a mother, I was so discouraged by the LGBTQ books in our local library. Childhood should be innocent of such content. —Kimberly Snell / Dawsonville, Ga.

When the fog lifts

[ June 29 ] Thank you for this story about the redemption of cult leader and murderer Jacques Robidoux. It was such an encouragement to see how what was so ugly has turned into a story of God’s transformation. —Martin Franke on wng.org

Such a tragic story. I grew up in a cult and experienced the mind control, manipulation, and fear tactics that take place in such groups. I’m still unlearning false beliefs and ways of thinking. I grieve for the baby and am glad the father is finding freedom. —Anne Atwood on Facebook

A ‘positive good’?

[ June 29 ] Abortions are child sacrifices to the gods of this age. The more the culture embraces the gods, the more it celebrates the sacrifice. —Rich Asper on wng.org

How like Israel we are. Twenty years until the showdown sounds about right. —Doris Heyns / Whiting, N.J.

A new old reality

[ June 29 ] Sophia Lee’s article about the rise of anti-Semitism in America highlights how far we have fallen from being a truly Christian nation. Perhaps we never were, or perhaps our pretense has caught the eye of God. It seems we are headed toward a most difficult future. —Paul Goeller on wng.org

Gospel hospitality

[ June 29 ] I really admire Rosaria Butterfield. She and her husband are teaching me how to relate to all kinds of people and yet share gospel truth lovingly. —Pam Schroeder on Facebook

Built-in advantage

[ June 29 ] After reading the article about the first biologically male NCAA women’s track and field champion and Democratic support for the “Equality Act,” I thought, “This is funny. Who could believe this?” But the fact that so many people do is frightening. —Bill Russell / Brighton, Mich.

Way too punk

[ June 29 ] Great article. I never thought I’d see a Christian metalcore band mentioned in WORLD. There is a lot of excellent but challenging Christian music out there, but it remains unpopular. It seems non-Christians don’t like anything remotely “preachy,” but Christians won’t try anything beyond the depressingly bland offerings on radio. —Andrew Royappa on wng.org

Long obedience

[ June 29 ] A beautiful follow-up. Too often I live in moments of obedience; how much better to live in long obedience. This morning I prayed for the Cooneys and praised God for His faithfulness. —Conni Gardner on Facebook

Not forgotten

[ June 8 ] Every issue is a feast for the eyes. Your cover image of an elderly man losing puzzle pieces of his brain compelled me to read the article on dementia. Thank you for the careful illumination of your carefully researched stories. —Doug Weeks / Syracuse, N.Y.

When Jesus said, “I was sick and you did not visit Me,” He could have been talking about patients with dementia. It is difficult, and becomes more thankless the longer it goes on, but it is a task the church must undertake. —Clarke McIntosh on wng.org

Correction

The name of John and Pocahontas Rolfe’s son was Thomas (“March 22, 1622,” July 20).

Clarification

Rolling cigarettes is not an official job assignment for Watered Gardens program residents (“Forge fires and watered gardens,” Aug. 3).

More letters, emails, and comments we didn’t have space for in the print edition:

A mess on the shelves

[ June 29 ] A handful of moms went to a “Teen Pride” event at our county library recently to observe. We found tables of sexual paraphernalia and literature, a raffle for chest binders, a safe sex presentation, and a strip tease drag queen show. We took videos. We may not be able to stop it, but we will broadcast it so people will know to speak up. —Beth Daranciang on wng.org

What an eye-opening and distressing picture. —Liz Watkins / Florissant, Colo.

Built-in advantage

[ June 29 ] This demonstrates that in the Democratic playbook, the LGBTQ agenda supersedes all others. —Kathleen Smith Manning on Facebook

Not only does this ruin competition for the women, it ruins it for those of us watching. Complete insanity. —Kate Dullinger Billings on Facebook

A ‘positive good’?

[ June 29 ] Yes, the new abortion rhetoric is frighteningly similar to John C. Calhoun’s defense of slavery. But the compromise on slavery was never sustainable because it was built on the lie that not all human beings are created in God’s image; one side was bound to insist it be corrected. Neither is the compromise on abortion sustainable, because it also is built on a lie. —Charles Newcomer / Denton, Texas

Waiting and waiting to rebuild

[ June 8 ] Having lived through Hurricane Carla in 1961 in Texas, I am astounded by how our view of government has changed. This article refers to the federal government’s responsibility to “help,” but why should those who live in the mountains or the plains cover the losses of those who choose to live on the coast for their own pleasure? Each geographical area has its own risk of natural disaster. —H.L. (Buddy) Roberts / Columbia, Tenn.

D-Day plus 75 years

[ June 8 ] Ken Jacobs and his wife are representative of the thousands of young men and women who went out following the war to all corners of the globe as ambassadors of Christ. My husband was a veteran, and God used the horrors of that war to lead many to dedicate their lives to taking God’s message of hope all over the world. —Polly Brown / Rochester, N.Y.

Bookmarks

[ June 8 ] Overused words that should be retired, along with “flourish” and “flourishing,” include “impact” and “impacted.” In medicine, “impacted” means severely constipated. Culturally, we are to be a Christian influence with gentleness and respect, not have an “impact” with a crash, bang, or severe blow. —Anne Huhtala / Park Rapids, Minn.

Rules for outrage

[ June 29 ] Some people seem to consider outrage a fruit of the Spirit. —Karen Opp LaBarr on Facebook