Author Archives: hemilykim

Joining the 2020s: Acts2Books is now on Substack

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We had a good run here. Looking back at old posts and photos, I realized it’s been over 10 years, and some of the OG Bibliopolis crew has even graduated college and joined ministry team. It’s true, time flies like an arrow. But as we all know, fruit flies like a banana. My hope is that hopping on the Substack train I’ve been in denial about for a few years will help me finally write some of the posts I’ve had piling up in my Writer’s Queue of Good Intentions. I shan’t make empty promises, but Substackers promise the interface is so simple and elegant, the words will simply flow like a river. For now, you can find the June BOTM here. See you there!

May BOTM: Raising Gen Alpha

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Several people asked me recently for new recommendations on books about ministering to youth and children, and I told them I had nothing new for them. And the very next day I heard an interview with author Dave Boden talking about his new book Raising Gen Alpha: Helping Kids Navigate Everything from Anxiety to AI!

Boden is a former pastor and educator passionate about ministering to the next gen. I found the short book to be a helpful overview of some of the experiences that have shaped Gen Alpha, as well as highlighting some of the implications and opportunities for how we minister to them.

The chapters are organized according to the acronym ALPHA, which stands for Anxious-minded, Leading influencers, Pandemic-impacted, Hyperconnected, and AI-shaped.

Gen Alpha is generally thought to include those born between 2010 and 2025, so this is everyone from age 1 to about 10th grade or so. That means we’ve all got “Alphas” in our lives who we love and are discipling, whether as parents, teachers, mentors, aunties, or uncles.

April BOTM: The Story Behind the Song

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I recently read the book When God Doesn’t Fix It, by Laura Story. You might recognize her name, as she is the one who wrote the song “Blessings.” (She also wrote “Indescribable,” a well-known worship song from the early 2000’s.) I heard about this book during one of the Sisters’ Coaching & Soul Care Sessions, and wanted to recommend it to those looking for your next read.

The full title of her book is When God Doesn’t Fix It: Lessons You Never Wanted to Learn, Truths You Can’t Live Without. She writes honestly about the lessons she has learned through life taking unexpected turns, starting from when her husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor early on in their marriage. I don’t want to give away too much, but I was challenged and ministered to greatly to know that this song of hope and trust was written amidst deep and ongoing struggles and weakness.

Each chapter ends with a Myth/Truth pair, exposing some of the expectations many of us have of God or about life, and affirming the truth of what God can do in and through us even amidst disappointments and heartbreaking situations.

The book is faith-boosting, full of joy and even has some humorous moments. It’s not a dense book, and because the story is engaging, it can be a fast read for even more reluctant or “too busy to read” folks.