If checking out inspiring weblinks was an Olympic sport, we like to think we’d at least help you take Bronze. Here’s this week’s seven… 

1) Real Lives – The Olympian – As the Olympics takes over our screens for the next two weeks, have a look at this interview with double Silver-medalist Debbie Flood about the difference her faith in Jesus makes to how she views her successes and disappointments. Perhaps this is a resource you could show at church or share with friends?

2) Let’s Teach Our Kids ‘Beautiful’ – So this has made us think about how we’re bringing up our little ones – as well as helping us to examine our own hearts: “knowing God isn’t a journey we begin once we’ve hit adulthood; it’s one we embark on the second we can see, and hear, and smell, and taste, and touch.”

3) Free ‘Explore’ Devotional Bible-Reading Notes for August – The Good Book Company are giving away the August edition of their Explore daily Bible-reading notes – for free! You can download the app from the App Store or Google Play straight onto your smartphone or tablet – and take it with you wherever you’re travelling. Once downloaded, head to the ‘Buy’ section in the app to get the August notes for free. If you’ve never used a set of Bible-reading notes, I think these are brilliant – give them a go!

4) John Piper’s Funeral Prayer for Family of 5 who died on their way to Missions training event – What do you say after a young Christian couple with three kids are killed in a car crash? More still, what do you pray? The Pals family, from Minneapolis, were on their way to a nearby training event as they prepared to move to Japan to be involved in sharing the gospel there. In a situation that is so tragic and seems such a waste of life, there can still be hope amidst the tears.

5) Stop Having Quiet Times – This is interesting. When did you last voice your prayers? “Our relationship with God isn’t meant to become so interiorized that we lose the words of direct speech. Close the door, take a walk, get in the car—and speak up.”

6) Radical: Getting to the root of extremism – Wow, this spoken word video is fantastic. Understandably there’s lots of talk about radicalisation and extremism kicking about at the moment. But should we fear being radical in itself? “Far more radical is the person who takes a bullet, who prays for the killer, who forgives the gunman. Those are the radicals which this world needs, and they follow the ultimate Extremist: Jesus, who gives His life for His enemies in radical love.” Watch and share.

7) Nissan Prank Team GB Olympians – I enjoyed this. Nissan try to convince our British Olympians that they should take advertising their latest car a little more practically. Some hilarious reactions…

On the blog last week:

• If you didn’t catch my interview all about Pokemon Go and how your church might be able to see it as an opportunity, then have a read of this.

If you like this kind of content, why not put your email address in the box on the top right and ensure you get the Refill delivered straight to your inbox every weekend?