April Internet Roundup

There are some months where the world passes right on by me and I don’t really pay attention to what is happening on the internet, read blog posts or articles. Then there are months when articles seem to jump out at me and scream to be read. Both of those scenarios are perfectly okay. I read when I have time and I don’t read when I don’t have time. There is no right or wrong way to be a consumer of internet information (unless that information is hateful, misogynistic, racist, mean, and stupid. Then the correct answer is to not consume it or be sucked into its disgusting vortex of fear-mongering and hate).

In April I ran across several articles and blog posts that I found exceptionally interesting and saved them for you, dear reader. So, if you feel so inclined and find yourself with some extra time with nothing better for your eyeballs to do, I have a few things you might like.

Amber Salhus is a blogger who has a knack for seeing the beauty around her and determination toward optimism. In this post she talks about being stuck in an in-between time, slowing down to enjoy the process even though the process may stink, and finding ways to bloom even though life and circumstances say it may not be time yet. http://ambersalhus.com/bloom-anyway/
On Good Friday Jen Hatmaker wrote a heart-wrenching post about her struggle with how the church has treated her. Once the evangelical’s golden child, the next minute she was their witch at the stake. For anyone who has felt marginalized or outcast by the church, this one will hit home. http://jenhatmaker.com/blog/2017/04/14/my-saddest-good-friday-in-memory-when-treasured-things-are-dead
The day after Good Friday, JHat was slammed once more on the internet for having the audacity to compare her suffering to the suffering of Christ on the cross. Sadly, those who were outraged at the comparison missed the boat entirely and the entire thing was lost on them. This post was an excellent follow-up to the slander. http://religionnews.com/2017/05/02/why-ill-take-courageous-jen-hatmaker-over-her-cowardly-critics-any-day/
I have several friends who suffer from various levels of anxiety. They have been on my mind a lot and I often wonder what it’s like to live inside their head. I want to know and understand them better so I have been reading a little more about it. Elli Johnson is a beautiful writer about mental health and faith. I really appreciated this post about her anxiety. http://thehippochronicles.com/mental-health/the-problem-with-anxiety/
Marisa Mohi is a friend of mine and pretty badass. She is funny and insightful and I can see her making an effort to live a life in which she is kind to herself and others. In this post, she offers encouragement to not feel like you have to do everything just because someone suggests it or dumps it in your lap. http://marisamohi.com/dont-carry-it/

There you have it, a teeny-tiny sampling of what I found interesting on the internet last month.

What did you discover that brought you joy or made you think critically about the world?