Mailbag

Unglamorous grace 

May 8—Laura Weieneth/Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Wow, threading a needle indeed. But I’m glad these churches are stepping up to the task of ministering to repentant sex offenders and other ex-felons. May God give them wisdom and grace, and may others follow their lead.

More than a buzzword

May 8—Robert Hellam/Seaside, Calif.

Thanks to Sophia Lee for her interview with Diane Langberg. I remember one day breaking down into uncontrollable tears (and I am from the generation of boys who were strictly taught never to cry) when a fellow teacher told me a relative had sexually molested her daughter, one of my favorite students.

Profound foolishness

May 8—Jack W. Westall Jr./Asheville, N.C.

Thank you, Janie B. Cheaney, for the courage to write such opinions. I hope it is not too late. “Leftist ideology” grows in popularity daily—at least in the media, academia, and mainline Protestant churches. This secular religion creates and promotes division and racial animosity.

Quick verdict for Chauvin

May 8—Howard R. Killion/Oceanside, Calif.

I’m troubled that the judicial authorities did not move the trial out of a city already gutted by violence and did not sequester the jury, especially when U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., threatened more violence if the “wrong” verdict resulted. Derek Chauvin may indeed be guilty, but trial by mob rule taints this verdict.

Playing against politics

May 8—Glenn Verbrugge/Cadillac, Mich.

Evangelicals do not have to contest the transgender female athlete battle alone. Even lesbian tennis star Martina Navratilova said allowing “men who decide to be female” to compete as women is “insane and it’s cheating.”

Blessed disappointments

April 24—Craig Boyd/Summit Point, W.Va.

Marvin Olasky’s column was a tremendous encouragement to this 57-year-old man struggling with what to do with the rest of his life. I have been reading Marvin’s writings for many years and wanted to let him know that his work makes a meaningful difference in readers’ lives.

Catharine Branch/Litchfield, Conn.

Olasky’s column reminded me of my own walk and of God’s perfect economy, one that does not waste a single step on the circuitous route we seem to follow and sometimes forge on our way to eternity.

Cadets conquering COVID

April 24—Charles L. Harris/Solomons, Md.

It was great to read that the sharing of the gospel is accepted at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy when it is often rejected elsewhere in the military.

New and improved website

Scott Randolph/Eliot, Maine

Thank you for updating your home page. It more cleanly gets me to your articles with their Biblical perspective.

Sherrie Irvin/Sterling, Va.

I like the design of your new website: very modern, bright, and interesting. But would you add a way to pause or go back to rehear something during the playing of your podcasts? 

Barry Pannebaker/Dillsburg, Pa.

Because of your website’s new format, I ended up discovering and listening to The World and Everything in It podcast for the first time.

Corrections

The Minneapolis couple living next to a barricade near the George Floyd site are Keith and Bethany Beyer (“Neighborhood barriers,” June 5, p. 46).

Andrea Palpant Dilley is online managing editor for Christianity Today (“Anchors for those who drift,” June 5, p. 63).

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

But ... the design

Anna Li Jessop/Roslyn, Pa.

First, let me say how much I love WORLD, its mission, its execution of that mission, and nearly everything about it. After subscribing for the past 15 or more years, I can say I will keep on subscribing, but—there’s always a “but,” isn’t there?

As a layout and design professional of a bygone era, I have cringed every time I have opened the magazine since its most recent “redo.” I keep reading and will continue to do so, but it is painful. The font choice for headings, as well as the use of all caps, are so difficult for this old woman to read. I have to grit my teeth and squint my eyes just to get through it. Not to mention, I keep hearing the admonition to “never use all caps” over and over in my head. Yes, I understand the necessity for visually shaking things up to keep things fresh, and I am good with that, but not at the expense of readability.

Thanks for indulging the griping of an old woman with a relatively minor complaint about a fantastic magazine.

A grateful reader and listener

Rebecca Herges/Moorhead, Minn.

As an elementary school student, I received one of WORLD’s weekly newsletters for kids, which began my love for reading news stories as well as my love for WORLD. As I grew up, I would read my parents’ WORLD Magazine, even asking them to save old copies for me when I moved away. A few years ago, I “graduated” to my own subscription and still love to receive each issue. As I’ve grown older and had kids of my own, I’ve realized even more how much I appreciate WORLD. It is so refreshing to read “real” news stories that speak to the reality of our world while keeping a Biblical, bigger-picture perspective on life. It’s so refreshing to read actual journalism that is forthright and truthful. It is like breathing a breath of fresh air each time I read the magazine.

Within the past year, I started listening to The World and Everything in It and receiving The Sift daily emails. Both have been such a blessing to me: The Sift because I can get the day’s news in a nutshell without wasting time surfing the internet and the podcast because of its unique stories and audio format I can listen to while driving or doing household tasks. It is so much fun to hear from some of WORLD’s writers and get to know them beyond their articles. I even love how each day has its own “theme.” I never would have thought I’d enjoy hearing about current Supreme Court cases or economics! In May, I had tears streaming down my face when it was announced that Megan Basham was leaving. Obviously, I’m sad to see her go, but it was also a reminder of how WORLD is really like a family—one of which I am truly thankful to be a part.

Thank you for all you do, for your excellence in journalism, and for being a huge blessing to the many readers and listeners like me who haven’t taken the time to write. May God continue to bless your ministry in every way.

Reminders to pray

Becky Alonzo/Hoschton, Ga.

In December, when WORLD first reported on the conflict in Ethiopia, I remembered my friend, a dear sister in Christ who is from Tigray, where most of the conflict is occurring. That month, we had one of our occasional phone calls. She now lives in the United States but had not heard from her family back home. I promised to pray.

Recently, I called her again, but I wasn’t ready for the outpouring of grief that came from her heart: An older brother in Ethiopia died, the family fled their home, but communication is sporadic, little girls and women are being raped, food is scarce and people are starving.

After we hung up, a thousand thoughts churned in my mind. Why had I not remembered Ethiopia’s ongoing conflict in prayer? Thankfully, I knew a little because of listening to The World and Everything in It. But what about the dozens of other countries in similar straits? What other immigrant communities are grieving losses that no one else seems to notice? Most of all, I thought of the importance of being informed so we can pray and reach out. Each news item is about real people: mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, our neighbors, our friends. So thank you for faithfully informing us so we can kneel to pray, call someone who might need it, speak up for the hurting, and love our neighbors better.

Letters and Comments

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