I had the privilege of interviewing Drew Hyun over email about his new book, Beautiful, Disappointing, Hopeful: How Gratitude, Grief, and Grace Reflect the Christian Story.
Joel To is an ordained pastor and spiritual director with 20+ years of experience. He is also the Executive Director of SoulRoots, a spiritual formation ministry he founded in 2023. He shared Beyond the Grind: Prioritizing Your Soul Care.
Keep in touch on X and Instagram. For more, check out my Asian American Worship Leaders Facebook group and TGIF Playlist on Spotify. This newsletter is one of the many ways you can stay connected with SOLA Network. Find us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
Aaron Lee, Editorial Curator
Enter our giveaway! Thanks to author Katie Faris and Crossway for providing, in partnership with @diveindigdeep, SOLA Network, and FCBC Walnut. 1 winner will receive this beautiful book.
In Every Hour I Need You, Katie Faris offers a powerful and deeply encouraging collection of thirty devotional meditations that connect the dots between who God is and what it means to walk through everyday motherhood. With personal stories, theological depth, and gospel-saturated wisdom, Faris invites moms—and really, any reader—to lift their eyes from their own inadequacies and fix their gaze on the sufficiency of God. Read my full review.
ARTICLES FROM AROUND THE WEB
1. Yi Ning Chiu: Keeping house in hostile places
Notes on parenting in an embattled nation.
2. Tom Sugimura: Three Ways to Help the Parents of Teens
The bible provides practical wisdom and encouragement for counseling the struggling parent of teens.
3. Caleb Davis: Know Jesus Like the Disciples Did
Jesus is not physically present, but by His Spirit, He leads us into real fellowship with Him through His Word.
Our Books and Reviews page is your one-stop resource for all of your reading needs. It features Asian American authors and issues, recommendations, and interviews.
BOOKS, PODCASTS, MUSIC, MOVIES, AND MORE
1. Eva Chou: China Closed Christian Bookstores. Digital Publishing Grew in the Vacuum.
As Christian books struggle to get published, ministries offer free e-books to equip the church.
2. Brett McCracken and Ivan Mesa: Are We Scrolling Ourselves to Death?
In this podcast, Brett McCracken and Ivan Mesa discuss the changing world of technology, how it competes for our attention, and how Christians should engage with something that has proven to be so addictive. They address how who we are is formed by what we give our attention to and how we should think about our capacity as humans in a world of AI and overwhelming technology.
3. Aaron Lee: Related Works
Book reviews: Titus: Displaying the Gospel of Grace (Bible study) by Courtney Doctor and Hunter Beless, God’s Masterpiece: An Adventure in Discovering Your Worth (children’s book) by Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Listen to our TGIF playlist on Spotify. Join my Asian American Worship Leaders Facebook group.
On Kindle Now! A Letter to the Asian American Church. The collective voices in our book argue that there is underappreciated beauty, diversity, joy, benefit, and place for the Asian American church. Asian American leaders need to joyfully embrace the call to serve the Asian American church, not only for the emerging generation but for the broader church. Find a sample, links to purchase, and a free discussion guide at sola.network/book.
FEATURED THIS WEEK ON SOLA NETWORK
1. Aaron Lee: Gratitude, Grief, Grace: An Interview with Drew Hyun
This book was really born out of a desire to give one resource that would be a memorable way of understanding how the Christian story relates to the common human experience of beauty and disappointment, while meeting our deepest longings for hope and grace.
The three words – Beautiful, Disappointing, Hopeful – speak to the Christian story and the experience of us all, which is why I find Christian faith so compelling.
2. Joel To: Beyond the Grind: Prioritizing Your Soul Care
In ministry, cultural worldviews and values can deepen our commitment to serving God and our communities—but they can also lead to unhealthy patterns of overwork, burnout, and neglecting our own souls.
Yet, God does not call us to be heroes or martyrs for our churches, communities, or families. He calls us to be faithful stewards—not just of our ministries, but of our very selves. Rest, renewal, and Sabbath are not luxuries; they are acts of obedience.
3. TGIF: Roundup for April 18, 2025
The Resurrection Challenge / Mercy of God in the Miscarriage of Justice / Nine Habits of a Pastor Who Raises Up Pastors / Preaching Takes Practice: Piper and DeYoung / Ins Choi, the Accidental Preacherman
4. SOLA Network: TGIF Subscription
Get our TGIF installments delivered straight to your inbox for free every Friday. Join today so you never miss out.
General disclaimer: Our link roundups are not endorsements of the positions or lives of the authors. Header image by Wenhao Ruan on Unsplash.
Aaron Lee is our Editorial Curator. Aaron also serves as the Social Media Officer of First Chinese Baptist Church of Walnut in California’s San Gabriel Valley, home to the largest concentration of Asian American communities in the United States. Visit him online at DiveInDigDeep.com.