Delighting Grace

The Freebie Round-Up #27

January 11, 2019January 11, 2019 Nitoy GonzalesLeave a comment

USsMH08 It’s the weekend and what better way to end the week than to indulge with these freebies. And if your new here to this post or you missed out other freebie round-ups, check the links to those post at the end of this article.

FREE “Young People Magazine” downloads – Solid biblical articles and news is what this magazine for the youth is all about. Download every issues from the Free Presbyterian of Scotland ever published for free.

wzOd8BW — Fresh blog post. Click the image to read.

FREE e-book “Book of Praise” by Dennis Teitsma – Do you want your church to sing the Psalms? Here’s a free e-book that will help you. Composed of instrumental accompaniment of 150 Psalms and 85 hymns, this will be a great resource for those who wants to sing the Psalms.

FREE online listen or MP3 of “Psalms of David” sung in Capella– Another music resource that can either be helpful in your church singing or for private enjoyment. This website has tons of music downloads that are absolutely free.

zOAJjta — Fresh post. Click the image to read.

FREE “AIM Magazine” download – Keep up to date on what how God is moving in the Aborigines group. Download this free magazine from Australian Indigenous Ministries and know their works and how you can help also.

FREE e-book “That They May Set Their Hope in God” by Justin Huffman – A free e-booklet that focuses on Psalms 78. Justin Huffman points out the duty of every believer to teach the gospel to the next generation that would set their hope in God.

WmUyJhs — Fresh blog post. Click on the image to read.

FREE e-book “God’s Good News” by Stanley D. Gale – Ive’d check this book and its awesome. It’s a free evangelism e-book that takes time to explain step by step the redemptive story to the gospel that soul needs. Save it for your ministry.

FREE digital download “The Attributes of God” video series by Steven J. Lawson – For a limited time, Ligonier Ministries is offering this free download. Get it while its free and Lawson is a great expositor.

VvhZcDo — Fresh blog post. Click the image to read.

Do you want more freebies? Check out these past blog post:

Freebie Round-Up # 26

Freebie Round-Up # 25

Freebie Round-Up # 24

Freebie Round-Up # 23

Freebie Round-Up # 22

Freebie Round-Up # 21

Freebie Round-Up # 20

Freebie Round-Up # 19

The Freebie Round-Up #26

January 4, 2019January 3, 2019 Nitoy GonzalesLeave a comment

Happy New Year! This is the time of the year that we are in restart mode. It’s as if all is brand new and what is left is a clean slate. So why not do some goal setting for 2019? Gear up for a surprise that is waiting around the corner. Who knows what you’ll find. But if you want to boost your spiritual growth and maturity, let these freebies help you. So dive in and check out these free stuff.

FREE e-book “Bible Study Blitz” – Written by LaRosa M. Johnson, the who dishes out Bible study tips videos at BibleStudy.Tips, this freebie will help you have that breakthrough in your Bible study struggle.

FREE e-book “Social Justice: How Good Intentions Undermine Justice and Gospel” by E. Calvin Beisner – This is one helpful free booklet on what really the Bible is saying about social justice. Beisner answers the common claims of the “progressives” that pushes “force grace”.

FREE “Clarion” The Canadian Reformed Magazine – You can download for free all the magazines issues from the present to way back 1973! In every issue it has articles, book reviews and news for you to enjoy.

FREE music, leadsheets, chords from Kenwood Music – Kenwood Baptist Church (lead by Jim Hamilton) offers two albums for free listening and free downloads of chord charts and lead sheets for churches who wants to sing these songs.

FREE e-book “Clerihews” from Theolatte – Dan DeWitt offers his free e-book just by signing up to his awesome blog.

FREE audiobook “Morning and Evening” by Charles Spurgeon – This a great way to start the year by picking up this great devotional from the Christian Audio. To get this freebie, create a free account first.

FREE e-book “Awe” by Paul David Tripp – This is one awesome book you shouldn’t miss. It’s worth the signing up and downloading the app to read this free e-book from FaithLife E-Books. Check my quote post from the book by clicking here and here.

Travel Time: Delighting Grace Interviews J. P. Leo Castillo of Shoestring Travelers

January 3, 2019January 3, 2019 Nitoy GonzalesLeave a comment

What do you want to start this 2019? Do you want to be adventurous and travel? Will it be cool if you pick up a camera and start photography? Or show your hidden writing skills and set up a blog? What if I told you you can do all of those things? Well your 2019 will be a spectacular ride! Delighting Grace recently connected with J. P. Leo Castillo, a travel blogger of Shoestring Traveler and took time to chat about blogging, photography and travelling.

Delighting Grace: How does it feel to be always on the top travel bloggers in the Philippines?

J. P. Leo Castillo: We were on a top 40 list of travel bloggers done by another blogger – it’s not an official recognition – so it wasn’t really that big of a deal but it still felt rewarding.

Delighting Grace: Tell us when did you and your wife started travel blogging?

J. P. Leo Castillo: Around 2011 if I remember correctly.

Delighting Grace: You go travel blogging with your wife. Is there some sort of advantage of bringing some than being alone in your trip?

J. P. Leo Castillo: Two is obviously an advantage. You get to help each other, there’s someone with whom you can share the joys and difficulties of a trip and there’s more wisdom with two collective minds when you need to make difficult decisions on a trip.

Delighting Grace: Great! I notice that some travel bloggers are young and alone in backpacking. Compare to them to you and your wife with advance in age. Do still deliver some edge in blogging despite of the age? How does your blog stand out among the rest?

J. P. Leo Castillo: There are advantages and disadvantages when it comes to age in traveling – the younger ones can go to places that may be too extreme for us, for instance. Our advantage as older people is probably that we have more resources at our disposal – generally speaking – to go on those trips. For travel blogging I’m not sure if age is an advantage or disadvantage as it depends more on the writing capabilities of the blogger.

Delighting Grace: As of this date, how many places did you visited here and abroad? Which one is your favorite?

J. P. Leo Castillo: Hard to count at this stage for local places. We’ve been to all the Southeast Asian countries plus China, India, Nepal, Pakistan and some Middle East countries. Only been to Europe once – Barcelona – and lived and worked in the U.S. for almost 3 years.

Locally, it’s hard to list a single favorite but rather a group of destinations – Romblon Island, Cuatro Islas and Kalanggaman Island in Leyte, Palawan (Port Barton, Coron and El Nido), Siquijor, Catanduanes, the Caramoan Peninsula (Camarines Sur) and Dumaguete City. Internationally it’s Vietnam and the Grand Canyon, Yosemite National Park, San Diego and the destinations along California’s Highway 395 in the U.S.

Delighting Grace: Wow. Can you share one travel story that you wont ever forget for the rest of your life?

J. P. Leo Castillo: A trip to the Khyber Pass at the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan which ended at the Afghan border in 2000, a year before the 9-11 attacks. This was an assignment from our Christian missions organization to see what we could do to reach the Afghan refugees then living inside Pakistan. I love history and the Khyber Pass is full of historical events from Alexander the Great’s time (300 B.C.) down to the Russian invasion of Afghanistan in the late 1970’s (and later the American/NATO operations in Afghanistan). Also got to meet the fierce but very hospitable Pashtun tribesmen who were cradling AK-47 assault rifles as part of their everyday life.

Delighting Grace: It feels like its taken out of a movie. Your photography is awesome. It goes well with the travel. How did you learn about photography?

J. P. Leo Castillo: My team leader back in the 1990’s for the SE Asian office of our missions organization made me the photographer of our team and gave me a film DSLR, then later a digital camera. It was then that I realized I had a knack for taking pictures. My photo compositions came out well even when I had yet to study composition. Later on I began studying digital photography seriously by going to photography web sites that offered free courses.

Delighting Grace: If someone wants to start a travel blog, what advice can you give to them?

J. P. Leo Castillo: Write from the heart. Write regularly. Use photos to draw in more interest to your story. Don’t write very long blogs.

Delighting Grace: As Christians how do we keep at awe to God as we look at His creations as we travel?

J. P. Leo Castillo: I think if you are in regular fellowship with Him you’ll appreciate His creation more.

Delighting Grace: Aside from the travel blog you are involved in outreaches, can you fill us out on that.

J. P. Leo Castillo: We start house/simple/organic churches, equipping people to disciple others in the process. Along with partners and people that we work with in the professional and business community. We support young people from needy communities with their education – providing school supplies, providing supplemental educational training and providing college scholarship. We also mentor those who want to start simple churches.

Delighting Grace: I think that goes along when you blog. As you look around and look back at what you have like talents specifically in our blogging we feel that kind of “advocacy” to help out people. Anyways, please invite them to check your blog and social media accounts for Shoestring Travelers.

J. P. Leo Castillo: You can find out latest adventure over our blog, Shoestring Traveler, follow us on Facebook and on Instagram.

Delighting Grace: Thank you Sir Leo for the opportunity. Looking forward for your next adventures!

The Freebie Round-Up #24

December 18, 2018December 18, 2018 Nitoy GonzalesLeave a comment

z8GyXA7 It’s two weeks to go and its Christmas day! All of us are busy and I know some of you are stressed out. We had our 2nd wedding anniversary yesterday and we had a movie date (the usual things me and my wife do). Also please pray for I will speak at a youth fellowship this Wednesday. May God’s Word touch the hearts of our church youth group. Anyways, its freebie time and I hope you’ll enjoy these free stuff!

FREE “Cornerstone Worship” mp3 and chord charts – From Tim Chester church these music are download ready for your music ministry. Some are written by Tim Chester himself.

FREE all digital downloads of “Church History” – A perfect gift from Credo Courses. You can download the digital video, audio, PDF workbook and keynote/power point of of their “Church History” Boot Camp. This freebie is one day only so grab it now.

FREE New Philosophy Course by e-mail – Sign up with this brand new course from 1517 Academy and you’ll learn about philosophy through the Christian lens.

FREE e-books on Counseling Ministry – Biblical Counseling Centers offers free 5 e-books that can help your church establish a counseling ministry. Would You Be a Good Counselor?, 5 Practical Worksheets, 5 Mistake Church Makes, 5 Things Church Needs and 4 Reasons Why Lay Counseling is Effective can be a valuable resource for believers who want to counsel.

FREE downloadable guide “Devotions for Christmas” – A free guide meditating on the Incarnation of Jesus, Fuller De Pree Center offers this freebie for this coming holiday.

FREE “You Are Exalted” EP by Hope Goodin – Another music freebie that you shouldn’t miss is this EP from Cross to Crown Ministries. It’s their first venture into the world of music recording and they hope all will enjoy their music.

FREE e-book “Answers to Pastors FAQs” by Warren W. Wiersbe – a comprehensive book loaded with advice from pastor to a pastor. David C. Cook offers this by signing up through e-mail.

Rivers and Robots Concert Experience!

December 10, 2018December 10, 2018 Nitoy GonzalesLeave a comment

It pays to check the IG Stories.

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Without it we might have missed the opportunity to watch Rivers and Robots live. I’ve been listening to them for quite a while but their newly released album, Discovery, got me hooked to this Christian indie band from Manchester. A combination of acoustic, indie folk and atmospheric sound (that’s the “Rivers”) with a bit live electronic (that’s the “Robots”) blended with Ogden’s smooth vocals creates this once a bedroom project into a 4 piece band. Later on I appreciated their early albums and Jonathan Ogden (the lead vocalist) solo EP’s. I’m into metal core right now (with bands like Wolves at the Gate, For Today and Memphis May Fire) and listening to Rivers and Robots (plus that IDM group, Tycho) are polar opposite of my diverse musical taste.

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Our preparation for the concert took us a month. First I bought 2 tickets from SM Batangas City (by early November, I grab one for Joan) since it’s so hard to get it online. I then check the location on Google Map because I’m not familiar with place. It’s near Magallanes which is the first provincial bus stop going to Cubao. Then the venue is part of Green Sun hotel. I told my wife that the concert venue has a hotel so she decided to book us a room with free breakfast buffet. We don’t want to go home that night after the concert, tired while travelling 70 miles back to home. We rather hit the sack right away after the show. This trip is my late treat for my wife’s birthday and as a gift to Joan’s 18^th birthday debut. We had her choose between having a debut celebration or going to a concert with hotel accommodation. Obviously she picked the later. Good girl!

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We hit early in the road to avoid traffic since it’s a Friday. We checked in the hotel about 3 PM, took some rest to prepare for the concert. Then it started to rain heavily. By 5 PM, we took a 5 minute walk to the nearest Jollibee to have our early dinner. Good thing the rain had stopped. Going back to the hotel, we first check the venue to see if people are already there. It was on the 3^rd floor of Green Sun. Well the folks who got the meet and greet tickets were still there so we headed back to our room and change our clothes. So by 6: 20 PM we fall in line to wait for 7 PM for the doors to open. The line wasn’t that long or overcrowded.

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Once they ushered us in the Eye (sounds like Illuminati stuff!) we were treated to a spectacle of 360 degree proportions! I haven’t seen something like it (the band was surprise also). Walls turned into canvas as it projects some artworks and videos related to Rivers and Robots. But we are more interested on where we will sit. I ask the ushers for their opinions but my wife suggest we should seat near the stairs of the stage. It’s free seating as the ticket indicates so since we are early to come in we get to choose the best ones. The place is not a big concert hall as we expect so anywhere you sit you’ll be close to the stage. That It gives this intimate feel to the concert. Not bad for us who got the 500 peso ticket.

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As we look around, people are filling up the seats but there are still vacant seats when the show started. We estimate 400 people in attendance. It took 1 hour and a half for the show to begin (why that long Becca Music?!), and since some of the concert goers are eating their dinner on their seats as they wait for the band, I decided to go back to our room to get some bottled water and our raisin bread because we started to feel hungry. But soon as I got back to our seats, the band enters in and took the stage. People starts to clap and cheer as each of them climb up on stage and took their instruments. They’re ready to give us an awesome night!

They open their show with Dreams, the first song in their latest album then followed by the second song also on that album, Call Your Name. The repertoire consists of mostly their new album and few of their earlier songs:

We Will Overcome

Be Still

Author/Perfector

Satify

My Refuge

Fall Down

Brighter than the Sun

Boldly I Approach

Burn For You

Acoustic set– The Bridegroom and White as Snow

Home

Provider

Overflow

Lift Up My Eyes

Shepherd of My Soul

Know You More

Foveremore

The crowd favorites were the first two songs, Provider and Lift Up My Eyes. Jonathan sang two solo acoustic that made the whole venue went pin drop silence.

The 1 hour and 30 minute show ends with the song Waiting for You. With its catchy and happy vibe it launches us in feel good mood. After that, that was it! It’s a wrap! We trying to cheer them back to stage for an encore but they didn’t. One whole set with no breaks and no front acts. Anyways the show was a blast. What more can we ask for. The band was amazing! Even as I write this (after 3 weeks) I can still feel that performance. Listening to them in Spotify is one thing and it’s another level to see them live. My wife and Joan are now hardcore fans of the band (my wife’s” fall into sleep” music is Jonathan Ogden’s EPs and Joan listens to Discovery while doing her chores).

After the show I approached a familiar face to say Hi. Its pastor Kit and his wife. We had our pictures and talk for a moment. Would love to chat some more but I told my wife and Joan wants to go to our room because they’re so sleepy. Another familiar face we met (by accident) is Phoebe, daughter of author Marlene Legaspi-Munar, in the elevator going down to the lobby.

Before we go to our room I check them in the hall to their rooms. No soul found. I think all the guests (including them) are now sleeping. So we went inside to call it a day.

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The next day, me, my wife and Joan lost all hope to have pictures and get the CD signed by the band. But as we check out of the hotel that morning so sad and a Grab taxi is waiting for us outside, all of the sudden we saw Jonathan walking at the lobby. That was after I decided to go to the bistro to check if they are having breakfast. Nathan was there so I ask for a signature and a picture. Coming back to see my wife and Joan, Jonathan was at the lobby (I think he’s shot a part of their video blog) going to the bistro to have breakfast. Wow talk about providence! We took the opportunity, have pictures and got the CD signed. I wish to go back to that moment because I have lots of things to say to Jonathan. The only words I was able to say was “Are going to have breakfast?” I should have said something else! Anyways, we went home so happy and with a new appreciation of the band. Thank you Becca Music for bring the lads of Manchester to the Philippines! And to Rivers and Robots God bless you as you reach the world with the music and the gospel! Hope to see you soon!

The Freebie Round-Up #23

December 10, 2018December 10, 2018 Nitoy GonzalesLeave a comment

It’s three weeks before Christmas and I hope you had your Christmas fellowship in your church. Well if not, me either. Yesterday we planned for it and praying that all will be smooth. Also we are setting our small groups goals for 2019 that will not just benefit our group but the church as a whole. Anyways, its freebie time and I hope you’ll enjoy these free stuff!

FREE printable Inductive Bible study worksheets and companion cards – Risen Motherhood offers this cool downloadable freebie to help you make much of your busy Bible study time. And while you’re out there check their podcast.

Must read post: The Quotable Round-Up #100, A Trip to Boosale (Revisited and Updated), 5 Questions A “Bible Only” Proponent Should Ask, 5 Questions A Biblicist Should Ponder,

FREE music, lyrics, chords, sheet music from Songs for Saplings – Here’s a ton of music resources that will help your kids memorize Christian doctrines. “Questions with Answers” series is like a catechism set in music. And its absolutely free.

In case you missed these: Collecting the Past: Delighting Grace Interviews Caleb of Log College Press, Accessible Apologetics: Delighting Grace Interviews Jason L. Petersen, Squad Goals: Delighting Grace Interviews Theron St. John, Tested by Time: Delighting Grace Interviews Dr. Isabelo Magalit.

FREE ebook “Something More” by Theron St. John– If you read the book review of the book or my interview with Theron St. John and you want to have a digital copy of his great book, just click here on this link and request a copy of it. Don’t forget to tell him that Delighting Grace posted it as a freebie.

FREE mp3 and hand outs “Resolving Everyday Conflict” seminar – This 8 session seminar was produced by Trinity Bible Church and now they’re offering the mp3, videos and PDF handouts for free.

*In case you missed these : 5 Christian Podcast You Should Be Listening Right Now, 7 Awesome Ways to Learn Church History Online for Free, 7 Short But Excellent Christian Books I Have Read, 5 Important Things to Do Before Starting to Read A Book, 3 Essential Reasons to Re-Read Your Favorite Book

FREE digital audio downloads of all courses – Credo Courses goes all out this Christmas season by giving all their audio downloads of all courses free. It’s free till Christmas day so grab all of the freebies.

FREE ebook “10 Truths to Set leaders Free” from Revive Our Hearts – Leaders should know the lies about ministry and see the truth that will make them free. This freebie shows us to focus on the truth as we go forward in ministry.

FREE ebook “Luke 1-12 For You” by Mike McKinley – Luke wrote a more detailed account of Christ birth and this free e-book explores not just the life of Christ but the joy of the promise of God through the gospel.

Want more freebies? Check these previous round-ups!

The Freebie Round-Up #22

December 3, 2018December 3, 2018 Nitoy GonzalesLeave a comment

dn2ajmv1 What are you doing as preparation for Christmas? What things do you do to prepare your hearts for this coming holiday? If you ask me I’m reading an Advent devotional by John Piper and Tony Reinke’s #IsaiahChristmas Bible reading plan. Are you doing that too? I think it really helps you more in appreciating what Christmas is all about and focusing your eyes to our Savior. Anyways, its freebie time and I hope you’ll enjoy these free stuff!

FREE ebook “The Promises of God” by R. C. Sproul – Posting this on my Facebook account got quite a clamor. If you missed that on my FB, be sure to get that here.

*New must read post: The Quotable Round-Up #100, A Trip to Boosale (Revisited and Updated), 5 Questions A “Bible Only” Proponent Should Ask, 5 Questions A Biblicist Should Ponder,

FREE audiobook “The Confessions of St. Augustine” from Christian Audio – This classic book is a must read for Christians but rarely does it go to the reading list of the believers. Thanks to Christian Audio its now free to download and listen to all this month of December.

FREE digital audio of “The Resurrection of Jesus” by Gary Habermas – It’s back and its free courtesy of Creado Courses. Evidential apologetics still matters even to a presuppostionalist like me.

FREE ebook “Big, Bold, Biblical Prayers” from Truth 78 – Want to pray for the next generation? Truth 78 prepared this free prayer guide to help you focus your prayers to the next generation.

FREE ebook “Empire of Dirt” by Douglas Wilson – So OK I was wrong in the last post about his ebook being the last freebie. Wilson was generous this whole November and I hope (…I hope) there are more to come. Click here to get the freebie.

FREE special edition of “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens – To lit the coming seasons, Trinity Reading Forum offers this free classic novel with a special introduction by literary scholar Karen Swallow Prior.

FREE ebook “Emmanuel: Readings for the Advent Season” from Morning by Morning – Another Christmas freebie that will prepare your hearts for Christmas. This freebie focuses on 10 classic Christmas hymns that proclaims Jesus Christ birth and His second coming.

Want more freebies? Check these previous round-ups!