literary living
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Fall Reading 2021
Seeing as A Bookish Charm began as a book review blog, I thought I’d return to my roots and share a bit of what I’ve been reading this season. It’s an eclectic bunch of books, but that’s the way I like it, and I hope you will too! Eat this Book by Eugene Peterson: This Continue reading
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“Water, Water, Everywhere”
The value of poetry is often found in its ability to capture the core of nuanced situations. Prior to moving to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, I did some research on the area and was shocked to discover this article by The Gospel Coalition: It’s an article worth reading, at once eye-opening and encouraging. It lays bare Continue reading
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Desiring Disneyland
My university was situated within a short drive of Disneyland, a major selling point for many of us. I remember fellow students who were constantly complaining about tuition, but continued to spend massive amounts of time and money on Disney passes and products. Now, I enjoy Disneyland. Occasionally—because I am a musician and am sometimes Continue reading
author, christian, christian culture, christianity, Christianity today, church, church service, college, college students, contemporary christianity, contemporary church, contemporary worship, culture, Disney, disney magic, disneyland, Fantasy, ministry, ministry life, modern Church, sunday experience, word, world, worship production, writer, writing -
The Purest Literature
In Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers, Lord Peter Whimsey defends a woman accused of murder. In an ironical move, Sayers makes this woman a detective novelist which, oddly, works to her favor as Whimsey claims that this counterintuitively renders her unlikely to have committed the crime of which she is accused: “She writes detective Continue reading
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The Wages of Sin are the DMV
By far the most aggravating thing about moving cross-country is dealing with local government—the most troublesome of all being the motor vehicle department. After several mornings of battling baffling websites, decade-long hold lines, and paperwork with inexplicable spaces, I cried out in despair…and then, I had an epiphany. The DMV is a consequence of humanity’s Continue reading
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Late for Tea
Hi Readers, I’m in the midst of some bigger articles but wanted to pop on real quick and share a recipe with you that I’ve found really quick and easy in the midst of a busy season. Pick out your favorite mug Find a delicious English Breakfast tea Boil water Write whilst water boils Finish Continue reading
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Inverted Worship
During my time in the United Kingdom, I discovered that a large number of church musicians are not professing Christians. It was, perhaps, naive of me to assume otherwise, but I was shocked to find that many students at my university participated in church choirs while openly denying orthodox doctrine. I simply cannot imagine coming Continue reading
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Seeker-Friendly or Worth Seeking?
Do not look to be seeker-friendly; live so as to be worth seeking. Yesterday, as we drove home from a prayer meeting, my husband turned to me and said: “We found a gem.” I knew immediately what he meant. Prior to being led to this dear church, we did not know what our future in Continue reading
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Wedding Livestream
My wedding will be live-streamed beginning July 9th at 5:10pm GMT (It will also be available afterward, for those of you in distant time zones!) Continue reading
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Pruned: A Parable
In a garden in the desert there was a tree. She was beautiful, lush and healthy and growing with a swiftness unknown to most desert plants. She had been planted in good soil and her roots drank deeply from a nearby stream. One day, the Gardener was walking along the stream. As he went, he Continue reading
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The Sacrifice (Part 5)
The school nurse left Mrs. Mendall’s classroom with both mouth and eyes running. Worried and teary, she rambled on, around, and beside the point as she delivered the news that Bethany was not getting better. Resentment tore at Mrs. Mendall’s chest. How could the girl’s parents send her to school like that? She wanted Continue reading
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The Sacrifice (Part 4)
The alarm sounded unexpectedly, but the students filed outside, holding their ears or shouting, unfazed, across the hallways to friends from other classes. They were glad to escape the bland light and chill of the classrooms and to feel the morning sun on their faces for a few minutes. The teachers followed behind, twirling Continue reading
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Ryanne Molinari 