"101 Leadership Insights" (Bob Phillips and Del Walinga)

TITLE: 150 Essential Insights on Leadership (Legacy Inspirational Series)
AUTHOR:  Bob Phillips and Del Walinga
PUBLISHER: Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2021, (176 pages).

How does one lead to inspire? How could a leader motivate another to improve and to do better? How do we go about discovering our own personality profile and leadership styles? What does it take to be a leader? What do we do when our leadership is challenged? How do we move from dealing with differences to learning to make a difference in the lives of people? How does one deal with criticisms? What does it take to be a forward-looking leader? How could a leader learn to distinguish between rights and responsibilities? What about avoiding burnout? How does one form a vision? What does it take to develop resilience in leadership? What about loneliness? How do we balance the different expectations on us? These and many more form the basis of this large volume of leadership insights. Filled with lots of famous quotes and illustrations, it is a fascinating look at the many different perspectives of leadership. There are chapters on leadership styles and behaviors to help us determine the most appropriate attribute for different occasions. Authors Bob Phillips and Del Walinga have given us a book filled with insightful advice and powerful examples of leadership. Knowing the highs and lows that come with leadership, they encourage us to learn and to keep on learning. 

"What the Bible Says about Divorce and Remarriage" (Wayne Grudem)

TITLE: What the Bible Says about Divorce and Remarriage
AUTHOR: Wayne Grudem
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2021, (112 pages).

One of the most crippling events in any human relationship is divorce. It breaks up the marital union. It tears families apart. It damages children's perception of the future of their own marriages. Worst of all, it dishonours the marriage institution as well as ridiculing the marriage vow: "For better or for worse." Of course, sympathetically speaking, there are legitimate reasons to break the marital bond. Rather than to throw a blanket no, Jesus's approach is to adopt a reserved exception to the norm. For Christians, the issue of divorce can become complicated especially when it comes to understanding what is the right thing to do ethically and theologically. With modern culture becoming more sophisticated, is the Bible's teaching on divorce still relevant for our times? A related matter after divorce involves the topic of remarriage. What are the circumstances where remarriage is allowed or disallowed? Other questions covered include:

• Are there any legitimate grounds for divorce? If so, what are they?
• How about spousal abuse as morally acceptable ground for divorce? 
• Are there other grounds for divorce that are not explicitly stated in the Bible?
• Is remarriage allowed?
• Can a divorced person serve in the capacity of a Church officer?
• What are the reasons for "no remarriage?"

"The Ignatian Guide to Forgiveness" (Marina Berzins McCoy)

TITLE: The Ignatian Guide to Forgiveness: Ten Steps to Healing
AUTHOR: Marina Berzins McCoy
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Loyola Press, 2020, (144 pages).
 

Forgiveness is more like a dance. Our first dance partner is God, followed by everyone else at a party. Then, regardless of wealth or social status, all come together to interact as people. The party is by invitation. The mood is celebratory. Call it a ten-step dance or as the author calls it, a "road map." Each step helps to till and loose any hardened soil of bitterness. Not only that, it helps one be more aware of the changes happening inside, to let God draw one closer to Him and His heart. Due to sin, forgiveness is never a default human inclination. That is why we all need God's help, and this book guides us in that direction. Based on the spiritual teachings of St Ignatius of Loyola, this book is a companion to guide readers through the fundamentals of prayer and especially the prayer of examen. After laying down some basic themes of Ignation spirituality, McCoy takes time to commit the book to prayer, praying the concluding prayer of pilgrims traveling along the Camino de Santiago (Way of St James). This is a reminder that prayer is a pilgrimage with God. Like a spiritual expedition, we prepare our hearts to encounter milestones, twists and turns, highs and lows, and all manner of terrain. She then launches into the steps proper, starting with three challenging questions:

"Posting Peace" (Douglas S. Bursch)

TITLE: Posting Peace: Why Social Media Divides Us and What We Can Do About It
AUTHOR: Douglas S. Bursch
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2021, (204 pages).

We are increasingly angry online. Anything could become an anger trigger, a point of contention, or an explosive rant. With more people stuck at home during the pandemic, this situation seems to be getting worse. With such high temperatures on social media, what if this is just the early stages of an even bigger problem? Can we do something about such divisions? How can we bring about greater unity and calm in the digital world? Could the online wars contribute to the growing polarization among different sides and opinions? Lamenting on the inability of people (including Christians) to speak the truth in love, author Douglas Bursch probes the ongoing social media heat and helps us find a way to cool down and to be peacemakers. Otherwise, things might very well become more polarized. The key thesis in this book is that Christians need to lead the way in online communications to be peacemakers. It is hoped that such efforts would lead to greater restraint, reconciliation, and restoration of goodness in our relationships. The author knows this the hard way. Having been a talkshow host who tries to bring conservatives, moderates, progressives, and liberals to the same table to remove contentious debates, he has experienced bitter feedback and disappointment as people use the platform to hurl their views down the rest. The verbal mudslinging spoke louder than his voice of moderation. Many of the comments he received were mean and harsh. Political infighting and social media seem to feed off each other, deepening the existing divisions and widening the cracks. He also learns that for talk show hosts to be successful, they have to hold a strong opinionated side. Staying in the middle ground hardly cuts it. 

"Keeping Christmas" (Allison Pittman)

TITLE: Keeping Christmas: 25 Advent Reflections on A Christmas Carol
AUTHOR: Allison Pittman
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2020, (128 pages).

Come each Christmas, modern people would associate the event with shopping and year-end festivities. Many would also go back to watching classic movies like "It's a Wonderful Life," "Miracle on 34th Street," "A Charlie Brown Christmas," or "A Christmas Carol." Why do we enjoy old classics? Is there any reason for celebrating Christmas the old traditional way? Perhaps, the answer ought to be another question: "Why not?" CS Lewis has warned us about "chronological snobbery" to remind us not to let the everything-new jettison the everything-old. Not all new stuff is great. Not all old stuff is outdated. There are many things that are timeless and helps us appreciate life. Great stories are always worth telling and retelling from generation to generation. The lessons of old are essential for guiding learners, both old and new. More importantly, the lessons are reminders of how we are the old made new. Based on 2 Corinthians 5:17-19, the 25 devotionals remind us of how Scrooge was a life that was transformed, one day at a time, until that eventful Christmas Eve. This book is an Advent devotional to highlight such timeless principles daily for 25 days prior to Christmas. 

"This Hallelujah Banquet" (Eugene H. Peterson)

TITLE: This Hallelujah Banquet: How the End of What We Were Reveals Who We Can Be
AUTHOR: Eugene H. Peterson
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: Waterbrook Press, 2021, (208 pages).
 

Eugene Peterson passed away on October 22nd, 2018. It seemed all so surreal that one of the most creative and eloquent evangelical voices had left us. Most famous for his work on giving us the paraphrase of the Bible, the MESSAGE, he has also written a number of bestsellers for Christians in general. His writings continue to be a powerful but gentle influence, giving us a fresh perspective on understanding the Bible. Taken from his series of sermons preached during Lent 1984 at Christ Our King Presbyterian Church in Bel Air Maryland, this book is based on the letters to the seven churches in Revelation. Each chapter follows a similar outline: 1) Part of Christ's character; 2) Strengths and weaknesses of the Church; 3) A promise to remember. The title of the book tells us that in spite of the warning messages that spell out judgment and doom, there are reasons for hope leading to the great hallelujah chorus in heaven. A keynote is that while Revelation often excites us about future happenings, we need to take a step back to reflect on the essence of Jesus' words to us. For all the cares and concerns we have about the future, very often the questions we ask are not the ones that truly matter.

"Covid-19 Helpers" (Beth Bacon and Kary Lee)

TITLE: COVID-19 HELPERS: A story for kids about the coronavirus and the people helping during the 2020 pandemic
AUTHOR: Beth Bacon and Kary Lee
PUBLISHER: Durham, NC: Blair Publishing, 2020, (36 pages).

This is a delightful children's book to describe the Covid-19 situation. The year 2020 has been devastated by the pandemic. Globally, every family has been affected one way or another. Travel has been strictly curtailed while lockdowns are happening in many major cities. From shopping malls to supermarkets, schools to workplaces, all of our social interactions are potential opportunities to spread the disease. We need to practice social distancing. Governments around the world have been scrambling for vaccines as a way to protect the medical infrastructure. Wear masks and avoid social gatherings. Why are governments going to such extremes to deal with this disease? Such things can be strange for a child. For the little ones, they might be wondering: 

• What is Covid-19?
• Why must I wear masks?
• Why can't I visit and play with my friends?
• What about a sleepover?
• Why are schools closed?
• What happens if I catch Covid-19?
• How do I protect myself or my friends?
• Why do I need to wash my hands with soap and water?
• Why do I need to sneeze into a tissue or my elbow?
• What is the right way to wash my hands?
• What are vaccines and why are they important?
• How does staying at home help with the battle against the coronavirus?

"J.I. Packer" (Alister McGrath)

TITLE: J. I. Packer: His Life and Thought
AUTHOR: Alister McGrath
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2020, (192 pages).

To many Christians around the world, he is known as the author of the bestselling book, "Knowing God." To North American evangelicals, he is known as the Puritan evangelical from England. To students at Tyndale, he was remembered as the theologian who impacted their ministry and preaching. For those in Regent College, he was their beloved professor, a friend of Regent's co-founder, James Houston, a scholar who is passionate about equipping the layperson for ministry. For budding authors, he was always willing to contribute a preface, a foreword, or a brief commendation about a book waiting to be published. In a richly informative and inspirational biography of Dr James Innell Packer, Oxford scholar Alister McGrath has written a beautiful tribute. It is a story of the life of a man that simply needs to be told, for the benefit of anyone considering ministry or theological education. In it, McGrath gives us wonderful snippets of Packer's life and most interestingly, some of Packer's most famous quips. His reminder about the value of old books as well as the three ways to engage tradition with theological reflection is worth the price of the book.

"After Evangelicalism" (David P. Gushee)

TITLE: After Evangelicalism: The Path to a New Christianity
AUTHOR: David P. Gushee
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2020, (243 pages).

Ever since the election of Donald Trump as the President of the United States, the terms "evangelical" or "evangelicalism" has been treated with disdain. Sometimes, it has also become a derogatory term. Such negativity could be traced even further back a few decades. The moment evangelicals dabbled themselves with politics, it marks the beginning of the end of the marks of evangelicalism. In this book, author David Gushee writes for those who "used to be evangelicals," including himself. Quoting a 2014 Religious Landscape Study by PEW Research Center, about 8% of Americans who used to be associated with evangelicalism had switched to another faith persuasion. Young people are among the largest groups leaving evangelicalism. The reasons are varied. It ranges from something as wide as accusations of bigotry to factors as narrow as personal offenses. Gushee even gives out a sample test of 25 references to do an evangelical test. He then begins with his personal story why he left evangelicalism. More details can be found in his book "Still Christian." Calling himself starting as a "center-left," he rebelled against various traditional practices of the Southern Baptist conservative colleges, the biggest being his stand regarding LGBTQ. In fact, he sees a growing number who reflected his stance as a post-evangelical. What comes after this cultural definition of modern white American evangelicalism? Gushee gives us a vision of a "New Christianity." He covers three broad topics: 1) Authorities; 2) Theology; 3) Ethics; and tries to answer questions like:

"25 Days of the Christmas Story" (Dr. Josh and Christi Straub)

TITLE: 25 Days of the Christmas Story: An Advent Family Experience
AUTHOR: Dr. Josh and Christi Straub
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2020, (128 pages).

The Advent is the season of roughly four weeks prior to Christmas Day. Depending on the year, this season ranges between 22 to 28 days. The authors of this book use 25 days to average out the typical Advent season. Simply put, this book is about a story of a Bible character for each day of the Advent. Thus, there are 25 stories for each Advent day, leading up to Christmas. Children loved stories and adults never get bored listening to stories that are told over and over again. There are stories of prophets like Isaiah and Zechariah. There are stories of New Testament characters such as  Simeon, Elizabeth, Simeon, Joseph, and Mary. There are also days in which stories are told about the angel Gabriel, Bethlehem, the Manger, the Star, Egypt, Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh, and Nazareth. Each day begins with a statement of a character trait of the person, place, or element of concern. It ends with a life lesson as a result of the story told that day. This life lesson is also accompanied by a section called "Family Activity." This is for families to have their family time. The authors' intent is for parents or guardians to use this book as a way to introduce the meaning of Advent and Christmas to the young child. Through stories, the child gets to learn the relevance of the Bible narrative leading up to the birth of Christ. Christmas is a lot more than just singing about Mary's Boy Child or a Happy Birthday song to Jesus. There are many elements of faith that adults can teach the kids. The Bible is quite economical with details of Jesus' birth. This book fills in gaps in order to make the story more cogent and free-flowing. 

What I like about this book is its simplicity; teaching moment; and family time. The simple and brief stories allow time for parents and adults to be creative in their storytelling. Just looking at the pictures throughout the book is enough to trigger a lively conversation over the topic. There are no complicated maps to see or difficult names to pronounce. By choosing a person, a place, or a symbol each day, parents could help the child to focus on one thing or one person at a time. As for teaching moments, the authors place the character trait right at the beginning to prepare the reader for what is to come. Nowadays, Christmas has become more commercialized than ever. Children could readily remember the names of Santa Claus, the elves, and the reindeers, but what about the Bible truths? Our children are increasingly being educated by commercials, malls, TV programs, and shopping culture. This book is a needed corrective to educate the child on the true meaning of Christmas. For 25 days prior to Christmas, parents can use this book to teach their children in a fun, captivating, and educational manner. 

Joshua Straub, Ph.D. is a husband, dad, and recovering human. By trade, Josh is a speaker, author, and family and leadership coach.

Christi Straub is most famous as a wife and momma to two feisty kiddos. On stage, Christi is a speaker, author, marriage and wellness coach, and a podcast and TV cohost.

Josh and Christi Straub are speakers, authors, and marriage and leadership coaches. Together, they lead Famous at Home, an organization equipping families and leaders to be famous at home, so they can thrive on their stage. 

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of B&H Publishing Group and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"40 Questions about Biblical Theology" (Jason S. DeRouchie, Oren R. Martin, & Andrew David Naselli)

TITLE: 40 Questions About Biblical Theology
AUTHOR: Jason S. DeRouchie, Oren R. Martin, & Andrew David Naselli
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2020, (400 pages).

For many people, theology is already a difficult word to make sense of. Some delegate the work of theology to the academics or the learned community. Laypersons too have varied opinions and understanding of the word.. Throw in "biblical theology" and the confusion grows. For those who have been through Bible School, that is not the only term to grapple with. There are other terms like "systematic theology," "pastoral theology," "historical theology," "dogmatic theology," "practical theology" and so on. So what is "biblical theology?" Leave it to the professionals? Not really. Anyone keen in studying the Bible would benefit from the study of Biblical Theology. Put it simply, it is about the big picture of Scripture. Understanding this big picture would keep us from becoming too myopic when we interpret and apply what we learn in our Bible studies. This book helps make the complex terms understandable; the unfamiliar words recognizable; and any difficult concepts comprehensible. It makes the topic of biblical theology more accessible through a simple set of questions and answers. For some people, the word "theology" can itself be labeled as for academics only. This mini-catechism changes all that, showing us that Biblical Theology is for everyone interested in the Bible and what the Bible teaches. The forty questions are subdivided into five headings:

"Room of Marvels" (James Bryan Smith)

TITLE: Room of Marvels: A Story About Heaven that Heals the Heart
AUTHOR: James Bryan Smith
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2020, (192 pages).

Presented through the eyes of Tim Hudson, the book begins with Tim going on a personal 5-day spiritual retreat in a secluded New England monastery. Tim is an established author. He shares with his spiritual director about the loss of his mother, his friend Wayne, and his young daughter Madison. He was at the point of losing his own faith in God despite previously writing books like "God's On Your Side." He describes the mundane daily activities like eating in silence; sitting in silence for hours in his room; pacing the floors; reading Scripture; eat, sleep; and dream. He asks questions about the efficacy of prayer. He seeks a personal voice from God. He tells of a dream about him even interacting with animals, seeing his barber friend Ernie, and various snippets of heaven. There Tim works through some theological struggles in his interactions. In heaven, he meets his old friend Wayne and continues with questions and curiosity about his life after death. These conversations reveal the deep friendship between Tim and Wayne. In heaven, Tim meets his great-grandmother, his mother, as well as his daughter. At his personal retreat, his spiritual mentor challenges him with snippets of spirituality gleaned through the wisdom of CS Lewis and Dallas Willard. He poses questions many of us would ask. Questions like:

"Hosea-Micah" (John Goldingay)

TITLE: Hosea-Micah (Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Prophetic Books)
AUTHOR: John Goldingay
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2021, (560 pages).

One of the reasons why people find the Old Testament prophets difficult to understand is the nature of the ancient language. Plus, the modern versions of Aramaic and Hebrew would differ substantially from the ancient versions. Apart from this, It requires interpretation styles that are outside the scope of modern scientific, deterministic, and utilitarian lenses. Putting it another way, we do not read the prophets like a science textbook, a problem-solving manual, or a practical DIY brochure. Apart from the symbolism and images, we also need to pay attention to the rhetorical emphases, the literary forms, and the contextual background. Once we establish a correct understanding of the theological intent of the authors, we could then build a bridge toward contemporary awareness and application. We cannot reverse it. Understanding comes before application. These series of commentaries focus on doing just that. There are four major prophets and twelve minor prophets. This commentary covers the first six minor prophets according to the conventional canonical divisions. As again, the labels 'major' and 'minor' do not reflect the level of importance. It refers to the length of the book concerned. It can also be understood as 'long' and 'short' books respectively. In this commentary, author and professor John Goldingay attempts to guide us through Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah with a few personal touches. He makes a translation of the earlier texts. He consults mainly with lexica, concordances, grammar, with minimal references to other secondary works. He also supplements his research with early Jewish and Christian interpretations of these texts, including Reformation authors, modern, and post-modern scholars from a selection of global perspectives. 

"How to Love the World" (Various Contributors, edited by James Crews)

TITLE: How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope
AUTHOR: Various Contributors, edited by James Crews
PUBLISHER: North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing, 2021, (208 pages).

Can gratitude be taught? Well, we can teach children to say "Thank You" when young, but that is no guarantee they will learn to be thankful when they grow up. The key question in this book of poems is this: "Are you happy to be alive?" It is a given that in the West, the pursuit of happiness is not only deemed a necessary purpose, it is also considered a right in itself. With experience and thoughtful reflections, the contributors to this collection of poems help maneuver ourselves along the rivers of hope through the vessels of gratitude. The beauty of this is that these poems come from a diversity of people from all over the world. There are artists, farmers, engineers, professors, speakers, teachers, medical professionals, etc, all trying their hand on writing poetry. There is a poem for many different circumstances to describe this journey toward hope via gratitude. Some of these are quite painful. Injecting hope can be a challenge but when expressed through meaningful words, it brings lots of comfort and peace. Though the poems are not categorized specifically, they are collected and separated by reflective pauses. In the necessity of joy, the poems teach us how to appreciate the small things in our daily lives. Even the humble dandelion can show us the way if we have eyes to see. In racially charged environments, sometimes we are tempted to look down even on our own skin colour, especially when we have been discriminated against. Joy comes when we willingly accept who we are and not to be derailed by the behaviour of others on the basis of skin colour. Just observing the love of a father to his son parallels the vision of angels watching over us. 

"After Trump" (Bob Bauer and Jack Goldsmith)

TITLE: After Trump: Reconstructing the Presidency
AUTHOR: Bob Bauer and Jack Goldsmith
PUBLISHER: Washington DC: Lawfare Press, 2020, (436 pages).

The office of the US Presidency needs to be reconstructed. Whether it is due to the events with Trump over the past four years or not, reforms still have to be made. In fact, one should not simply blame Trump. Whether he was President or not does not eliminate the need to reform. Trump didn't create the problems. He merely exposed the weaknesses. The authors write: "Some of Trump’s excesses, and some flaws in presidential regulation, had been emerging in prior presidencies. But Trump’s particular brand of executive action has added significantly to past problems in ways that now demand comprehensive treatment." Key to this reformation is an adequate and appropriate accountability for the most powerful seat in the country. Such a seat needs to withstand whimsical personal misuses and blatant abuses. They propose four principles to guide any reforms:

1. Strong Presidency checked by constitution
2. Review Norms and Laws of the Presidency
3. Implementing the Golden Rule to Minimize Hypocrisy
4. Learn from History

"The Negativity Remedy" (Nicole J. Phillips)

TITLE: The Negativity Remedy: Unlocking More Joy, Less Stress, and Better Relationships Through Kindness
AUTHOR: Nicole J. Phillips
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2020, (176 pages).

In a broken world, how can we create more joy, less stress, and better relationships? How can we identify the negativity in us that threatens to create more negativity outside? Beginning with a confession of her own tendency toward meanness, author Nicole Phillips invites us to battle own own "inner meanie" and to put on kindness. Avoid the trap of thinking that the world is against us when it is simply this means deception within us that is saying that. Essentially, this book is about turning over a new leaf in terms of our own behavior. We might not be able to change other people but we can definitely change our own selves, especially on how to respond to any circumstances. We can curtail any tendency to be mean and to cultivate our ability to be kind. How do we do that? That is the main purpose of this book.

Phillips learned personally the power of kindness and how the capacity for kindness will never be exhausted. For those who finds that incredible or hard to believe, Phillips recommends that we learn to do some soul searching to discover the inner meanie in us. Nip that in the bud and we should be on our way to kindness. She gives scientific evidence on the benefits of showing kindness, how it releases feel-good chemicals in our body: Endorphins, Serotonin, Dopamine, and Oxytocin.

"Models of Evangelism" (Priscilla Pope-Levison)

TITLE: Models of Evangelism
AUTHOR: Priscilla Pope-Levison
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2020, (208 pages).

How do we do evangelism? What does it mean to be an evangelist? Are we all called to evangelize like the famous evangelists in history? What is evangelism? In this book that takes us back to the very basics of evangelism and the different methods in which we can share the gospel, readers learn biblical ways to share Jesus practically without compromising theological principles. The key thesis in this book is that evangelists come in all shapes and sizes; and we are all evangelists. All we need is to find the right combination of evangelism models and our own style of sharing the gospel. The author does that by first showing us a few real-life examples of the different models at work. In fact, the models were drawn out of these experiences. Each chapter beings with an anecdote following by a description of the biblical principles behind the method. Each model had at least two theological themes to anchor each model. The historical background helps us appreciate the past notable practitioners for simply wanting to reach people with whatever they know. I like the critical appraisal of  each model that points out the strengths and weaknesses of each method. At the end of each chapter, the author gives readers a chance to wrestle with five reflective questions. The eight models range from one-to-one personal evangelism to larger corporate events such as mass revival meetings and mass media. 

"Carry On: Poetry by Young Immigrants" (Various Contributors)

TITLE: Carry On: Poetry by Young Immigrants
AUTHOR: Various Contributors (Translated by Susan Ouriuo, Illustrated by Rogé Girard)
PUBLISHER: Toronto, ON: Owlkids Books, 2021, (36 pages).

Immigration is the lifeline of diversity. With globalization and travel, people are increasingly moving across continents with ease. Many have also emigrated from their birth countries for various reasons. Some are economic while others are plainly to escape from poverty or persecution. Some countries open their doors only to specific foreign talents to compensate for their lack of skills in that area. Others do so for humanitarian reasons. Having families in a foreign country is another factor. Not wanting to be separated from their loved ones, they put in the paperwork to bring them them over to be reunited in their new country of choice. For all the economic benefits to the destination countries, there are challenges of adaptation and integration. This is especially so when locals feel threatened and insecure due to the introduction of immigrants who were willing to work more for mich less. Locals fear that immigration would strain their welfare systems and social safety nets. Tensions could also arise due to language or cultural difficulties.