As a chronic reader, I recommend books all the time in my monthly newsletter, and readers tell me this is one of their favorite parts of that email. Here is an ever-growing one-stop shop to find all the titles I’ve loved and recommended!
*This page contains Amazon affiliate links. That means if you purchase a book from this list, I make a very small commission which helps offset the cost of running my blog.
This page contains affiliate links which means that if you purchase any of these titles by clicking on the links/images, I receive a very small commission (and that helps keep this blog running!).
CHRISTIAN LIVING
Humble Roots by Hannah Anderson. I bought one for all the women in my life last Christmas. This was my favorite non-fiction read of 2017. I’ve not had a book stay with me quite like this one did. Her writing on functioning in the humility of Jesus has had a lasting effect on the way I think about my identity in Christ. Coupled with gardening stories, which I wouldn’t think would be my cup of tea (but I actually loved it!), this book is beautifully written.
Because He Loves Me by Elyse Fitzpatrick. This is one of those books I need to refer back to again and again. Knowing who you are because of Christ’s work on the cross is a huge piece of living in victory over fear and anger. Elyse has such solid theology; I would recommend any book of hers. Another one I really loved was Idols of the Heart (and that’s not just because my publisher is the one who published this book!).
The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer. We almost named our oldest son Aidan because my husband loves this book so much. I read it not long after we were married, but it’s definitely time for a re-read because this little book is chock-full of gold. “The way to deeper knowledge of God is through the lonely valleys of soul poverty and abnegation of all things. The blessed ones who possess the kingdom are they who have repudiated every external thing and have rooted from their hearts all sense of possessing. These are the ‘poor in spirit.'”
The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield. I’ve not read a book quite like this one. Rosaria is brilliant, of course, but she also is urgent, and I think both of those things come across in her written voice. This book was paradigm-shifting for me, which is not something I’ve said often of books. She weaves in a lot of personal stories about her life of radical hospitality in her neighborhood and among her church family, but beneath the stories is a robust theology of biblical hospitality, of welcoming the stranger into your home that they may become a fellow saint because of your home that bursts with the gospel in both word and deed. This kind of life is the offspring of a marriage of hospitality and evangelism. It’s simple, messy, and sacrificial. To sum it up, this book has ruined me in a very necessary way.
Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches by Russell Moore. I read this book after we adopted the first time, and yet it was still such an encouraging read. The chapter about Joseph, Jesus’ earthly father, was my favorite. If you’re considering adoption, have adopted, or want to encourage others in your life who have adopted, put this one on your list.
A Little Book on the Christian Life by John Calvin. I return to this book over and over and over. It’s convicting, refreshing, and applicable for any disciple of Jesus. It’s probably one that should be on every Christian’s re-reading list because it’s a good, concise reminder about what it means to follow Jesus in word, thought, and deed. It really is a concise, encouraging little manual on Christian living. I toyed with putting this under the theology section, but it is just so accessible, I’m leaving it here.
Seasons of Waiting by Betsy Childs Howard. If you’ve ever had to wait for something (that’s all of us, right?) then this book will resonate with you. The author uses the theme of watching and waiting as a parable throughout the book, and it’s powerful. She specifically addresses singleness, childlessness, transiency, illness, and errant children. She writes on what sustains us while we wait and how to live when the waiting is over. This is not a long book, but it’s one you need on your shelf. I got to meet the author at a conference this summer, and when we touched on the mutual subject of infertility, I knew she understood my history well.
Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest by Ed Welch. I’ve had several requests lately for books on fear and anxiety. This is my top, #1 recommendation. Accessible, relatable, and solid, this book addresses all sorts of fears with gospel hope. Ed Welch is a licensed psychologist and faculty member of CCEF, but he’s also a clear communicator and a strong believer. Keep this one on file! His chapter on fear and assurance of salvation is the best I’ve read on the subject.
The Promise is His Presence by Glenna Marshall. Maybe it’s poor taste to put my own book on this list, but hold on for just a second. I wrote this book for two reasons: 1) I lived and learned the message and was bursting to tell someone, and 2) I couldn’t find an accessible book on the presence of God that I would recommend to friends. So, I wrote one. Is God enough for you in your suffering or deferred hoped? What if the point of all our longings was to point us to the sufficiency of the One our hearts long for the most? Weaving my own personal story of longing and pain with the big story of the Bible, I share how the promise God has given in suffering is His very self, His presence with His people. The double narrative makes for a unique structure, and I hope to help you see how the promises of Scripture connect to your own life. “As we follow the story of our present God throughout the whole Bible, we can see that the answer to what we long for is found in His unchanging, constant presence. His presence with us gives us enough comfort for our sorrows, enough contentment for our deferred hopes, enough patience for our waiting, enough perseverance for our pain. He is enough!”
Suffering is Never for Nothing by Elisabeth Elliot. I’m nearly finished reading this book, and what a gift it is to the suffering Christian. Published posthumously, Elliot’s final book is a compilation of talks that she gave at a conference several years ago. Handling the subject of suffering with both grace and cutting honesty, Elliot points us to our wise, sovereign, trustworthy God. This isn’t a long book, and I think it would be an excellent gift to pass along to a friend walking through a difficult trial.
. Enough About Me: Finding Lasting Joy in the Age of Self by Jen Oshman. I consider Jen a friend (when you share an Uber together to a writer’s round table discussion that you’re both nervous about, that makes for good friendship material), and I consider her book a much needed message for the 21st century Christian woman. I don’t know about you, but I feel I’m being told through every media outlet, instagram post, and bestselling book that not only do I deserve every earthly happiness, but I ALONE am responsible for making that happiness a reality, no matter what. What a backwards message! You know what, we can do all the things: self-care, self-love, self-improvement, self-empowerment, but at the end of the day, we will never find lasting joy and peace at the end of the rainbow colored with self-focus. And this is what Jen unpacks so well in her book. We weren’t meant to fulfill our own heart’s desires. We weren’t meant to live for ourselves. We can chase dreams of happiness rooted in having and being and doing all we desire, but it won’t be enough if we’re not anchored in Christ and His kingdom. When we are rooted, built up, and established in Christ, we find purpose, fulfillment, contentment, and true, lasting joy. Our frail, sinful flesh could never provide what our souls need for satisfaction (and thank the Lord for that—what a hollow existence that would be!), but when we turn our eyes to Christ and fix our gaze on Him, we’ll find that meaning and joy in belonging to Him and fulfilling His purposes. This would be a great book club book!
A Small Book About a Big Problem: Meditations on Anger, Patience, and Peace by Ed Welch. This really is a small book! It’s comprised of fifty short readings, and the author strongly suggests that you only read one a day so that the content sinks in. Each reading will take you about 2-3 minutes to read, but boy do they pack a serious gut-punch. I highly recommend this book if you struggle with anger, a short fuse, impatience, or a critical spirit. It’s biblical but also practical. Written by a counselor, I feel like the author really has gotten to the core of my issues with anger.
Competing Spectacles by Tony Reinke. I so highly recommend this book! First of all, Tony has a great voice for an audiobook, so though I’m not ordinarily an audiobook person, I enjoyed his narration. When I think about the time I give to screens (television, social media, movies, news, online journalism, etc.), I have to consider quality, quantity, and internal processing. There will always, always be things that fight for our attention and affection, no matter how we try to pare down our digital intake, so the question is, what is the spectacle that is worth our life’s saturation? How do we live in a world with so many things competing for our attention (and so many things winning all at the same time)? Reinke gives a thoughtful, researched, encouraging, and captivating response from a biblical perspective. I think this is one of those books that everyone should read to help them consider what is behind all the media we ingest on a daily (hourly, minutely?) basis. This book is designed to be read in quick spurts as Reinke writes in sections rather than longer chapters.
Aging with Grace: Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture by Sharon Betters and Susan Hunt. I was blessed to read an advance copy for endorsement purposes. This is a book I will revisit over and over. I read it with tears pressing against my eyelids and a feeling of hope in regard to growing older as a follower of Christ. Our world does not value aging, but the Lord does. How do we flourish when it looks like our days are up and we’re just marking time until the end? How do we hold fast to Christ when we outlive those we love, when we’re encumbered with the physical maladies of aging and can’t serve as we used to? What gives our life value when, according to the culture, we’re past our prime? Aging with Grace answers these questions with beautiful, biblical encouragement that has helped me to look forward to the growth the Lord will continue to do in my life when my body wears all its days and years on the surface. Filled with both biblical and current life examples of women living out their later years in faithfulness to Jesus, you’ll see practical ways to honor Christ and serve His church as you age. I truly loved this book.
Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund. This book is a best-seller for a reason. If, like me, you grew up in the church and somehow adopted a view of God that led you to believe He has a grudging, stodgy kind of love for you, then this book will be paradigm-shifting for you. I’ve long struggled to believe that the Lord loves me, individually. Generally speaking, I know He loves me because He set His affections on me and chose to save me before the foundations of the word. But sometimes that knowledge doesn’t permeate the heart when you feel you should be less of a sinner than you currently are. I don’t know exactly when or why I began to view God as a disappointed grandfather who begrudgingly hands out quarters with a scowl on His face, but I’ve struggled to overcome that false belief for decades. What Ortlund helped me to see in Scripture is that the heart of the Son reveals the heart of the Father, and He is a Father who pours out love on me (me!) in a swollen, overflowing river that cannot be measured or contained. He doesn’t love me less when I sin. He draws me deeper into His love. The chapter that probably encouraged e the most was chapter 21, “He Loved Us Then; He’ll Love Us Now.” If you struggle to believe that you’re fully forgiven for the sins you committed after conversion, this chapter will right your flawed view of God’s love and forgiveness as explained in Romans 5. Truly, I’ll return to this chapter over and over again. Do you think that God begrudgingly loves you because He promised to but maybe perhaps doesn’t have much affection for you? This book is for you. Read it. Savor it. Believe it. The heart of the Savior and the heart of the Father pour out love and kindness and mercy in a stream so deep and wide, you cannot fathom its depth.
The New Reformation by Shai Linne. Do you feel pulled between the two “sides” when it comes to talking about racism within the church? Do you long for a “third way” that is biblical rather than political, humble rather than angry, and hopeful rather than nihilistic? This is your book. Thoroughly biblical, Christ-centered, poignant, convicting, and hopeful—I loved this book so much.
Rediscover Church by Collin Hansen and Jonathan Leeman. My pastors got a box of these books for free from Crossway. This book, I fear, is most needed by people who won’t read it. I’ll implore you here—if you’ve been on the fringes of church life, please read this book and see what a gift the body of Christ is for you (and you for them!). This is an accessible book on the importance of the church in the life of every believer. No matter how long it’s been, go back to church. Rediscover Church will help you see anew how vital the church really is to your spiritual growth and perseverance in the faith.
PARENTING
Treasuring Christ when Your Hands are Full by Gloria Furman. I read this book (and a few others on a similar topic) in preparation for writing a chapter for my second book. Concise, practical, and rooted in truth, you’ll find Furman’s book encouraging and relatable.
Give Them Grace by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson. This parenting book is by far the best one I’ve read. It’s also one I need to read time and time again. Gospel-centered parenting begins with gospel-saturated conversations.
Created to Care: God’s Truth for Anxious Moms by Sara Wallace. I had the privilege of reading an advance copy of this book, and I’m so grateful for it spoke to the very issues I struggle with the most in parenting. I teared up and laughed out loud while reading this. Here’s my endorsement: “From day one of motherhood I have vacillated regularly between sinful control and crippling fear. I’ve long struggled to trust the Lord without feeling like I’m failing my children. In her book, Created to Care, Sara Wallace not only shares these common mom struggles but points us to the cure: entrusting both our mothering and our children to God’s sovereign care. Rather then telling us to do more or be better, Sara teaches us how to move from sin and fear in motherhood to trust and confidence in Christ. I can’t think of a mom who doesn’t need this book.”
Risen Motherhood by Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler. I have never read a motherhood book like this one! There are no tips for potty-training or meal prep, no organizational tools for sleep routines or bottle feedings. No, Risen Motherhood addresses common mom struggles with only one form of methodology, and that is the application of the good news of Jesus to each and every challenge. In each chapter, the authors tackle a common parenting struggle by presenting the problem, dismantling the cultural response, and then walking through creation, fall, redemption, and consummation before offering some practical steps of response. Turning the reader to Scripture again and again, the chapters are rich with biblical wisdom. But the real gift of this book is the practice of gospel-centered thinking. I highly recommend this book and will probably give it as baby shower gifts from now on. I wish I’d had this book twelve years ago before I became a mom. Read my full review of Risen Motherhood at The Gospel Coalition!
THEOLOGY
God is the Gospel by John Piper. I’m currently working through this one bit by bit. God is the ultimate gift of the gospel. This book helps us understand that though the gospel has many glorious benefits, God is the gift, He is the point, He is the treasure. Such a weighty and good read!
None Like Him by Jen Wilkin. I read this in the summer of 2017. Wilkin gives a straightforward explanation of ten incommunicable attributes of God, why He’s different from us, and why that’s a good thing. Wilkin’s follow-up book, In His Image, works through ten communicable attributes of God and the ways He calls us to reflect His character on earth.
Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and His Confrontation With the World: A Study of Matthew 5-10 by D.A. Carson. I used this book as a commentary for part of my study through the gospel of Matthew in 2019. What I love about Carson’s writing is that it is so theologically rich while still being very readable to the average student of the Word (like me!). He ties together biblical themes so well while remaining true to the text. I have enjoyed and been challenged by this book as I’ve studied Matthew. Finding a commentary that’s actually an enjoyable read? That’s a true gift!
Hebrews commentary by Richard D. Phillips. I’m slowly working through this excellent commentary that was given to me by one of my publishers. I’m studying Hebrews with my Bible study group, and this book so helpful in my study. And, Phillips is just a good writer! There is nothing dry or academic about this commentary. I’ve heard that the Reformed Expository Commentary series is a favorite of many pastors, and I can see why! Phillips’ writing is engaging, accessible, convicting, and relevant.
Christ Centered Exposition in Galatians by David Platt and Tony Merida. I’m using this for my study on Galatians, which I’m writing for The Daily Grace Co. These little books are short but pack a mighty punch. You could read these along with your personal reading of a book of the Bible. They’re good at connecting the reader with application points and utilize discussion questions at the end of each chapter.
DISCIPLESHIP
The Imperfect Disciple by Jared C. Wilson. I loved this book so much. I need someone to read it so I can discuss it! Not your run-of-the-mill book on personal discipleship, Wilson has a gift for making you laugh in one sentence while piercing your heart with conviction in the next. His writing style is enjoyable, and he really packs a punch with his take on the Sermon on the Mount. Wilson addresses the different facets of personal “followship” of Christ and what that looks like in regular people who love Jesus but struggle with sin (that’s all of us, by the way). In the way that Jesus uncovers the heart issues in His Sermon on the Mount, Wilson gets to the core heart issues in the areas of Christ-following. You will not regret reading this book. It was one of my favorite reads of 2018.
Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible With Both Our Hearts and Our Minds by Jen Wilkin. This book should be on everyone’s to-read list! I read it with a group of women at our local coffee shop every Thursday afternoon, and we were all challenged and encouraged to seek the Lord daily in His Word. Jen helps us understand why we can’t claim to love God if we don’t know Him. We can’t know Him apart from His Word, so our lives should be structured around a close study of the Word. Filled with instructions and ways to study (and not to study!), you’ll finish this book with tools for Bible study and a renewed fervor to do so.
Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God by Tim Keller. I read this book in preparation for teaching a retreat on prayer and praying the Scriptures, and I cannot say enough good things about it. Keller committed to drawing only from Puritans and Reformers (old wisdom!) on the subject and practice of prayer. And while that might seem intimidating to some readers, it was so helpful to read about the practices of prayer in those who have gone before us in faith and life. Keller’s book is insightful, biblically sound, and incredibly practical. There are appendices in the back with patterns for prayer if you’re just setting out to commit a regular part of your days to prayer.
This Changes Everything: How the Gospel Transforms the Teen Years by Jaquelle Crow. Written by a teenager for teenagers, Jaquelle walks you through what it looks like to follow Jesus wholeheartedly when you’re a teen. I’m goign through this book with a young preteen girl I’m discipling, and I cannot encourage you enough to have your preteens and teens read this book. She explains the basics of the gospel, how it forms our identity, how to address sin, what spiritual disciplines can look like for teens, and much more. It’s such a gospel-rich and practical book! I definitely plan on having my boys read it when they’re old enough. The discussion questions make it easy to read with someone.
Everyday Faithfulness: The Beauty of Ordinary Perseverance in a Demanding World by Glenna Marshall. I’m listing my book here in the discipleship section because I wanted it to serve as a tool for both personal and group discipleship settings. Faithfulness and perseverance are evergreen topics, and I wrote this book for the everyday average Christian who longs to be faithful to Jesus for a lifetime. But how do we persist in the faith when our path of steadfastness is blocked with obstacles of busyness, suffering, indiscipline, waiting, dry spells, doubt, and sin? In this book, I will help you see how God has equipped you for faithfulness no matter what. Each chapter closes with a vignette about a woman I’ve known in my life whose everyday faithfulness encapsulates the gift of steadfastness God has given us as Christians. You can download a free discussion guide for group or individual study here.
. Growing Together by Melissa Kruger. This books serves as a helpful tool for mentoring/discipleship relationships, whether one-on-one or in groups of 3-4 women. Melissa gives readers a helpful structure for meetings and working through questions while taking us through basics of the faith. I think this would be great for women who are new to the faith or unseasoned in spiritual disciplines.
MEMOIR/BIOGRAPHY
Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. I recommend this book to everyone. It’s one of those books that should be required reading not just because of the historical significance but because of the way it demonstrates God’s ability to redeem even the most broken and battered hearts.This is the true story of Olympic runner-turned-WW2 prisoner of war, Louis Zamperini, whose fighter plane went down in combat. Spending weeks in a life raft wasn’t the worst thing that happened to him. A Japanese prison camp is where Louis was broken down until armistice. This story is so unbelievable; truth is definitely stranger than fiction. I always tell people, “Persevere through chapter 12!” The explanation of B-52’s isn’t so interesting to me, but it’s important to what happens in chapter 13 and following. You won’t be sorry you stayed with it. I read this book in 2015, and it still ranks as one of the best books I have ever read.
Food Saved Me by Danielle Walker. I’ve shared many of Danielle Walker’s recipes in these emails over the years, and as someone who has to be careful about diet because of autoimmune disease, her cookbooks have been such a help. I’ve looked forward to her memoir because though I knew about her U.C. diagnosis, I wanted to hear the whole story. She tells all in this memoir, and there are a few recipes included as well as stories from others who have benefitted from her recipes. If you’ve struggled to get a diagnosis or to get real help in the medical community, you’ll find yourself nodding along as you read Danielle’s story. Here’s my GoodReads review, with a few notes about the spiritual content.
Still Life by Gillian Marchenko. Gillian is a real life friend, but that doesn’t mean my opinion of her book is biased. (I read her book before I met her!) Her writing style is poignant, which makes for a very interesting read on the topic of depression. You don’t have to have depression to appreciate this book. It’s a helpful resource and beautifully written.
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. I read this book in less than 24 hours. It is a short book, but that’s not the only reason I read it so quickly. Kalanithi was a renowned neurosurgeon who was diagnosed with aggressive cancer. Beyond neuroscience, Kalanithi had a true gift for writing. This book catalogues his mental battle with his approaching death, and though that sounds morbid, this book is beautiful. I’m not certain of Kalanithi’s spiritual state when he died, though he confesses his belief in God and Christianity at one point in the book. I still think his wrestling with the issue of death–and the fact that every person must grapple with death–is compelling. It’s an important and painfully beautiful read.
The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Butterfield. This book is so important! Butterfield takes us through her “trainwreck conversion” from a liberal, feminist, lesbian professor at Syracuse to a beloved disciple of Jesus Christ. She has such important things to say about reaching the LGBTQ community as well as the sufficiency of the gospel. This book really lays the foundation for her new book on hospitality, titled The Gospel Comes with a House Key.
The Crosswick Journals by Madeleine L’Engle. This is a beautiful set of memoirs chronicling L’Engle’s life growing up in theater, as a single woman writing in the city, as a wife and mother, and as a widow. I absolutely love L’Engle’s memoir writing, and it has been her recollections of struggling as a writer that has encouraged me so much in my work. These books are worth your time, although I am lately grieving the loss of A Circle of Quiet, which I’ve apparently misplaced. Two-Part Invention, is a stunning story of her marriage to Hugh and will make your heart ache. A word to the wise, however, L’Engle was a Universalist as well as a mystic, and as such I cannot recommend her for her theological views. If you want to study beautiful prose, though, she’s a great example.
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. I always assume that people have read this book and am surprised when someone hasn’t. This riveting story is about the Ten Boom family who were sent to a Nazi concentration camp for hiding Jews in their home during the Holocaust. Corrie’s memoir details losing everything while holding fast to Christ in the most dire of conditions as well as learning to love her very literal enemies. I call this a Christian classic that every believer should read.
) The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. Speaking of The Glass Castle, this is definitely one of my favorite memoirs. This is one of those books where you just need to open it and start reading. It’s a fascinating story, and well told. There’s a movie, I hear, but I’m afraid it will ruin the book for me. But if you’re like me, you’ll look up the author and her parents after you finish the book to see what they looked like.
John G. Paton: The Autobiography of the Pioneer Missionary to the New Hebrides (Vanuatu). I read this book years ago after hearing John Piper’s biographical sketch on Paton. The words spoken to Paton when he announced he would be going to Vanuatu were these: “You will be eaten by cannibals!” The suffering and persecution Paton experienced for taking the gospel to the New Hebrides is difficult to grasp, but the way the Lord was clearly with him is profoundly encouraging. Paton’s work in the New Hebrides has had a far, far reaching ripple effect for the spread of the gospel. This autobiography is riveting, and I don’t use that word very often. (Fun fact: Season 9 of the reality show “Survivor” was filmed on Vanuatu.)
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah. I read this book many years ago and am still haunted by it. Beah fled rebels only to be pulled into the government army as a twelve-year-old child in Sierra Leone. “This is how wars are fought now: by children, hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s. Children have become soldiers of choice.” This book is unbearably hard to read, but it’s not without hope. This is an important book.
Devoted: Great Men and Their Godly Moms by Tim Challies. I can’t say enough good things about it. It’s short enough that you could read it in an afternoon, or you could read a chapter each morning and finish in a week or so. I love biographical sketches, but this book was more than that. In outlining the life of each man from church history, we get a look into the profound influence of the mothers that poured love, truth, and biblical training into them. I read this while watching my boys play in the backyard, and I wept more than once. I was especially moved by the stories about Hudson Taylor, Christopher Yuan, and John Piper—their conversions and callings. I think what was most convicting to me was that prayerlessness is an enemy I must fight daily. We live in a culture that begs us to look away from Christ—to look at anything that might appear more appealing than pleading with the Father for the salvation and sanctification of our children. It is true enough that I will spend more time scrolling Instagram than praying for my children today (more to come on that in a later post). What pierced my heart in both the best and worst way as I read about these ordinary women is that they didn’t believe they could mother their children completely on their own. Perhaps physically speaking they raised them alone, but truthfully, they depended deeply on the Lord to move in the hearts of their sons. They viewed a huge piece of their responsibility as loving mothers to be intercession. If you’re a working mom, single mom, widowed mom, poor mom, educated mom, disciplined mom, struggling mom, or a spiritual like-a-mom mentor, do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this book.
A Change of Affection by Becket Cook. I listened to Becket’s testimony in a podcast interview, and in the middle of it, I paused the podcast, ordered the book off Amazon, and then hit “play” again to finish the episode. Becket’s testimony is amazing, but his explanations about following Christ after living an active life as a gay man were really helpful to someone who is trying to understand how to better dialogue with friends and neighbors about this topic. He’s funny and honest and poignant. I loved how literally everything in his life changed when he met Jesus. One warning: there is a section in the book that explains Becket’s history of sexual abuse as a child and some may find it to be triggering. Though it was very difficult to read, I think he was right to include this part. You may need to read with caution.
Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor by D.A. Carson. This is my husband’s favorite book on pastoral ministry and he talks about it so much that I finally just said, “Hand it over.” I read it last week, and I absolutely loved it. This is a biography of Don Carson’s father who pastored in Quebec in the 1940’s-1980’s. Don Carson is quite well known (my husband calls him “the greatest living theologian of our time”), but his father wasn’t. He was an ordinary pastor with a small church ministry. But he was faithful. And that’s what matters. This book is written through Don’s eyes but not through rose-colored glasses. He uses many letters and pieces of his father’s journals to tell the stories, and I was both convicted and encouraged in my ministry as a pastor’s wife. I would say it’s a must-read for pastoral families.
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson. I never learned about the American Migration in any history class, and I am perpetually stunned by the stories in this book. Wilkerson is a journalist, but this book reads like a novel. It is stunningly written. I mean, wow—to write with such deftness, richness, and warmth on such a difficult subject is a true gift. That said, I routinely set the book down for mental breaks. It makes me want to stand in the middle of the street and scream until I am hoarse. If you wonder why people are so upset because of racial inequality today, if you wonder why people can’t just get over slavery and Jim Crow laws, if you want to just pretend we don’t have a race problem in this country, you must, must, must read this book. Trigger warning: there is a lot of violence. I have had to skim some paragraphs because I just can’t let the details trigger some anxiety issues in my brain. Yet, I still believe this is a very important book. My husband will read it when I’m finished, and then I hope to perpetually loan it out. I usually get unsubscribes when I mention racial issues in my newsletters or on my blog, but I feel that choosing to look away is a privilege we should repudiate. As I’m raising two boys of color in this world, I’m thankful for voices from the past who help me understand the present and fight for a better future. Ultimately, our only hope is in the gospel of Jesus. We won’t see true reconciliation until we are with Him in heaven, but as Christians have always been charged to fight against oppression, the least we can do is practice listening and trying to understand. I think reading this book is a great first step to take.
Becoming Elisabeth Elliot by Ellen Vaughn. This is easily the best book I read in 2021. I’ve read many books by Elisabeth Elliot, but this one is all about her. I could not put it down, and when I finished it (after four plane rides), I wanted to start it over immediately. I’ve never read a book that left me longing for deeper intimacy with Jesus and a desire for obedience to God in all things the way this one did. Though it is a biography, it is well-written and reads more like a novel. The second installment, Being Elisabeth Elliot, is less a hagiography (the first one reads as such) and more the process of grief surrounding the loss of her second husband. Elisabeth’s metamorphosis as a writer, thinker, and Christian is interesting to observe through her journals. I was much frustrated by her third marriage and she regretted it immediately. You could see the red flags a mile away, and it broke my heart to see her so beaten down by the verbal abuse and rage of Lars Gren. Regrettably, he burned her journals from their decades of marriage, which is nearly unforgivable. I finished Being with so much sadness for Elisabeth .
FICTION
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger. I read this one in December, 2017, and though it took me a while to get through it, I really enjoyed it. The character development was so good that I missed the characters when I finished. In the spring of 2019, I finally read Enger’s latest release, Virgil Wander. This newest title definitely has the quirky, colorful character development I’m coming to expect from Enger, but I will admit that the story moved pretty slowly until about the last third of the book. If you like a meandering story with lots of details and a strong sense of place, you’ll enjoy Virgil Wander. I’m hard put to think of another writer who can turn a phrase like Leif Enger, so I can’t say the book wasn’t good. It was just a bit slower than I was prepared for. (Think more along the lines of Jayber Crow in a contemporary setting, if you’re a Wendell Berry fan.)
Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry. This is one of those books I felt like I had to read if I really wanted to be the well-rounded cultured Christian. I’ve read Wendell Berry’s poetry, but this was my first stab at his fiction. My advice is to settle in for a long, meandering read. It took me weeks to get through this one; I had to renew it a couple of times at the library, but I’m glad I finished it. I fly through fiction quite quickly and sometimes that means I forget what I’ve read or I mix up stories. But I guess the genius of this book is that I will never confuse it with another story, and the main plot line will always stay with me. Berry’s fiction style reminds me a bit of Marilynne Robinson’s in Gilead. Here’s what I love about Jayber Crow: I recently finished Nobel Prize Winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s book Love in the Time of Cholera, and all I could think was that Florentino Ariza was a schmuck who did not understand love and could not compare to the noble character of of Jay Crow. I can’t tell you how often Jayber Crow comes up in my conversation. It’s a long read, but I think it’s valuable.
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett. I read this book twice, and I’ll likely read it again. I’m a big fan of Patchett anyway (other favorites in include The Patron Saint of Liars and Bel Canto), but I thought the premise of this book was absolutely fascinating. Scientists visiting an Amazon jungle to study the native women while they chew on a tree bark that promotes fertility? That doesn’t sound like a plot line that would hold my attention, but Patchett’s writing is unbeatable in this book. The first time I read it, I nearly started sweating while reading her descriptions of the humid, bug-infested Amazon jungle. The setting is almost its own character in the book, so if you like books with a strong sense of place, you should definitely put this one on your to-read list. I freely admit that I bought an autographed copy at Patchett’s bookstore the last time I was in Nashville.
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles. Another long book, but I could not put this one down. It’s a story of friendship, love, and life in the 30’s in Greenwich Village. I really loved Katey’s character and the way she handles an upward move in society without losing herself. After I read Towles second book, A Gentleman in Moscow, I couldn’t decide which book I liked better until I put some space between them, and now I think Rules of Civility is my favorite. Don’t skip A Gentleman in Moscow, though! A man sentenced to life in a luxury hotel for his Russian “crimes” during the Bolshevik Revolution? What can you do with that premise? You’ll love it. What’s most fascinating to me is that Towles was an investment banker for years while quietly scribbling away on manuscripts. I’m glad he’s writing full-time now, but who knows how many people are going to work every day at jobs they tolerate while working quietly at their real craft in secret? I love that. The Lincoln Highway was his third book, and it was enjoyable. Read his books in order and look for Easter eggs along the way.
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. After reading this book, I went straight the library and checked out everything Morton has written. I don’t want to give anything away about this book, so I won’t give you the premise, but Morton is a fabulous storyteller. My other favorites of hers include The Secret Keeper, The Distant Hours, and The House at Riverton. Most of her books take place during World War II or around the turn of the century. Morton is English, and I love a story told in a British voice.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. This was one of my favorite fiction reads of 2018. Disclaimer: there are some adult themes and coarse language in this book, but the story is heartbreakingly poignant. The author paints a vivid picture of what long-term, chronic loneliness does to a person’s worldview, habits, and fears. At first you’re going to think Eleanor is completely strange, but she’ll endear herself to you through the author’s clever writing style. I don’t want to give too much away, but this was one of my favorite fiction reads of 2018. If you choose to go the audio book route, the author has a charming Scottish brogue, which works well as the book is set in Scotland.
Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss. One of the Risen Motherhood founders mentioned this book in her Instagram stories recently and a good friend of mine asked if I’d read it. I received a copy of this book from the Dean of Students at my alma mater when I was working there as a receptionist after I got married. I read it, then reread it, then read it again once a year until I lent it to someone and lost track of it. (I’ve not read it in about five years and really need to just bite the bullet and purchase another copy.) Stepping Heavenward is a fiction work about a young woman named Katherine Mortimer. Written in journal entries, you’ll follow Katherine through her teenage and adult years as she learns what it means to follow Christ as a woman in the late 1800’s. The writing is quaint but poignant, and though it’s an old book, there are timeless applications. I loved it so much that after my fourth or fifth time through it that I ordered a copy of the author’s biography and was gratified to see that some of the novel is autobiographical.
The Address by Fiona Davis. When you can tell a good story that intersects with actual historical events and places, you’ve got my full attention. I loved this book so much that I went to the library and read all the other titles I could find by this author. The Address is her best, in my opinion. Based upon a hotel style luxury apartment building on the edge of what would become Central Park, the Dakota was considered too far from the heart of New York City in 1884. (No one knew the city would spread so far and wide!) A head housekeeper from London is invited by the building’s architect to run the place, and that’s all I really want to tell you at this point. Disclaimer: there is some adult content in the second half of the book, but it is not predominant or graphic. When you’re done, you’ll wonder what you missed and want to re-read it immediately. Definitely a page turner!
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. Known more for The Nightingale than anything else (which is an exquisite book), Hannah wrote this compelling book about life in Alaska in the 70’s. The Allbright family moved to Alaska after father and POW, Ernt, made a rash decision to get away from “the system” in the lower 48. Told largely from the point of view of the Allbright’s 13 year old daughter, Leni, this family drama spans several years and explores Alaskan frontier living, abject poverty, narcissistic paranoia, family loyalty, and domestic abuse. The themes are adult in nature and at times difficult to read, but the book is beautifully written. If you enjoy it, make sure you check out Hannah’s earlier novel Winter Garden. I was pretty ignorant about life in Russia during WW2, before reading this book, and this contemporary novel takes you back to the war through the eyes of a survivor. It’s a stunning book.
) Still Alice by Lisa Genova. I read this book a few years ago, and I still think about it sometimes. A 50-year old professor is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s, and this story is told from her point of view. Watching my grandmother live with this disease for six years before her death, I know the realities of Alzheimer’s all too well, and yet, there was something so very compelling about reading from the mind of the patient as things got cloudy, confusing, and blank. This is a tough read, but it’s worth your time. It’s well told. (This book has been made into a motion picture, but I haven’t yet seen it.)
Lisette’s List by Susan Vreeland. This novel is everything I want a book to be. World War II, rural village in France, female protagonist who is holding the farm together while her husband is gone to war, and paintings that must be found and kept from the Germans. You’ll be able to picture the village and the French countryside, and you’ll love the characters. This one is going on my re-read list.
Call the Midwife Set by Jennifer Worth. If you like the show, which is beautifully done, then you should read the books. They are grittier and more depressing than the show because, well, that’s real life in London’s East End in the 50’s and 60’s. Trigger warning: there are a couple of stories that Worth tells about serving as a midwife to an area that employed prostitutes. Some of that material is frightfully hard to get out of your mind and still haunts me years after I read the books. Technically, these books could go under the memoir section since they are based upon Worth’s journals and real life experiences. But they read like novels, so I’ll leave them under fiction.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. This book is so quirky and funny and sad and real. I don’t know why I put this one off so long, but I loved it. Ove is complex and odd, and I just loved the move between time periods to really understand why he was the way he was. Let me give you the premise in a nutshell: Ove an older man who has lost his wife and just wants to end his life because he misses her so much. But, his annoying neighbors and a really weird cat keep interrupting his attempts to end it all. This is not the sort of premise that normally draws me in, so just trust me on this one. This book is a gem. I sobbed for the last forty pages. I enjoyed it so much that I might be willing to watch the movie even though it’s not in English and I’ll have to read subtitles! (Note: there is some language and definitely some views I don’t agree with, but overall it’s a story worth your time.)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer. I have a confession to make. I tried to read this book last year but just couldn’t follow it. It’s an epistolary novel, so the story is told only in letters. I couldn’t keep the characters straight (there were a lot!). But then, I broke every book-to-movie rule I’ve ever had, and I watched the movie on Netflix. It was excellent!! SO GOOD! And, when I tried to read the book a second time, it was so much easier to follow. Still, I think the movie might actually be better than the book, and I can’t believe I just said that because it’s almost never true! I remember the first epistolary book I read in college called Evelina by Frances Burney, and I loved it because of the style, so generally speaking, Guernsey should have gone down a little easier for me. I’m glad I gave it a second try, though! It’s a beautiful story.
The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher. Well, I found the novel of my dreams. Rich in character development and with strong sense of place in the Cornish and Cotswold settings, The Shell Seekers clocks in at 530 pages of beautiful story telling. Even at that length, I didn’t want it to end, and you can be sure that I will be headed back to my library this week to check out every Rosamunde Pilcher novel they have. If you like Kate Morton, you’ll enjoy Rosamunde Pilcher’s novel, The Shell Seekers. Though there isn’t the mystery element, there is a strong similarity in writing style, back and forth in time period story telling, and endearing British voice. Given that Pilcher wrote more than thirty years ago, I can’t help but wonder if Morton was influenced by her. The Shell Seekers meanders through the story of a woman named Penelope–her early and late years–the daughter of a renowned painter who held on to her father’s most famous painting throughout her whole life, much to the chagrin of her disillusioned children. But this book is more than that. World War 2 is the setting for a good chunk of the novel, so if you’re a historical fiction fan, you’ll enjoy this. I don’t want to give too much away, but if you’re looking for a good, long book to get lost in, this is the one.
Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. I don’t normally jump on bandwagon reads. I’m regularly resistant to trendy things, but when the library called the other day to tell me I was next on the list for this book, I grabbed it quick. I read the whole thing in 24 hours. It’s been a long time since I’ve done that! Set in the undeveloped marsh land of the Carolina coast in the 1950’s-1960’s, the story follows a young girl who is abandoned to raise herself in a primitive existence of solitude in the marsh. Ever lonely for companionship but destined for a solitary life as “the marsh girl,” Kya must work hard to survive. I really don’t want to give any spoilers, so I’ll be careful to say that the story takes a hard turn when she makes her first friend. Later, a crime is committed (though you read about it in the first chapter), and I was kept guessing until the end.There is some unsavory content in a couple of places, but overall the book is beautifully written with descriptive language that will make you want to observe the world around you much more closely. I highly recommend.
A Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline. I read this book not long after it debuted, and I knew it would go on my re-read list. Kline masterfully combines history with fiction to tell us the story of the woman who was the subject of Andrew Wyeth’s famous painting, Christina’s World (which you’ve likely seen without realizing there’s a story behind it). Set on the coast of Maine, this novel is incredibly atmospheric. I remember descriptions of how the salty wind blowing off the sea sanded down the paint on the house, which is its own character in this book. Bringing Wyeth into the story, Kline tells us about his relationship with the subject of his most famous painting, and how Christina is tied to the house on the coast no matter how much she might like to escape. It’s haunting in a salty, wind-off-the-ocean kind of way. That scene in the boat—I still remember crying when I read it the first time. I love books that tell a story about a piece of art. If you do, too, you’ll love this book. I visited the Wyeth museum in Port Clyde when I was in Maine with my husband for our 20th anniversary and I felt such kinship as I viewed paintings from various members of the Wyeth family in the setting where they came to life.
Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry. I read Jayber Crow a few years ago and while I thought the writing was lovely, I didn’t love it enough to consider reading it again. It was so long. Just so forever long, and because Berry’s novels are not plot-driven (but rather literary fiction), even a short novel in this style can feel long. Well, Hannah Coulter has long been lauded as his best novel by people in my circle of readers, so I finally gave it a shot. And guess what? I loved it. It definitely lives up to the hype. It was interesting to read Berry’s writing in a first-person female voice. I read the first 75 pages in one night. There are a few paragraphs on grief and love and marriage that I had to pause and reread several times because they were just so beautiful and so, so perfectly worded to describe what he was communicating. I kept thinking, “Well, yes, that is the perfect way to say that.” Again, this is not a plot-driven book and definitely a work of literary fiction, but it’s still worth your time. It’s a life summary, simply put. Hannah Coulter reflects on her entire life: childhood, marriage, widowhood, remarriage, parenting, farming, and widowhood again. It’s beautiful and simple and true.
This Tender Land by William Kent Kruger. My, how I loved this book. The story takes place in a Minnesota town at an orphanage/school for Native American children taken from their reservations during the Great Depression. Two newly orphaned brothers find themselves constantly at odds with the abusive superintendent and manage to escape with two other children. They set out on a canoe to ride the Gilead River toward freedom. Think Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn meets Leif Enger’s Peace Like a River, but with a bit of a darker edge. It’s beautifully written. I finished the book in about three days, and wow—what a reading experience! While it is not a distinctly Christian book (and there is some language), the book is as contemplative as it is suspenseful. Reading it with a Christian lens will help you think through what people on the edges of nominal Christianity might think about what you believe.
Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan. I’ve seen lots of buzz about this book, and it went on my to-read list not long ago. I was gifted this book at a conference last month, and it did not disappoint. Told in the first-person narrative of Joy Davidman, this fictionalized account of the relationship between C.S. Lewis and his wife was captivating. I finished the book wondering how much of it was true, of course, and longing to know more about their marriage. A fair warning—Joy was married when she began her correspondence with C.S. Lewis and because many of their letters were destroyed between 1950 and 1956, you’re left to wonder when the actual romance began. In the book, Joy’s marriage is a shambles. Her husband is an alcoholic who cheats on her repeatedly, but it wasn’t easy for a woman in that day to just take her children and walk away. And there was always the allure of “what if we could make it work?” Mostly this story is an internal struggle between faith and love. Did Joy worship God or C.S. Lewis? I found the writing to be compelling, the story to be interesting, and the character of C.S. Lewis to be both puzzling and endearing. If you’re interested in the life of C.S. Lewis or are a fan of his prolific work, definitely give this book your time. You’ll love all the references to his work throughout.
A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner. I love books that flash back and forth between time periods, and this book does that well, moving between 1911, 2001, and present day. Two female characters are linked by a mysterious scarf of rich and vibrant fabric. We follow the lives of these two women, one a nurse on Ellis Island in 1911 and one a fabric expert who survived 9/11. How in the world do these characters connect? That’s the beauty of this story, and if you’re like me, you’ll be turning pages quickly to find out. This book is clean but contains some brief descriptions of peril that may be triggering for some. (Don’t let the cover photo with the woman fool you. I have the edition with the blue background and orange marigolds on it which I much prefer.)
Above the Bay of Angels by Rhys Bowen. I grabbed this book before my local library closed to visitors, and I knew it would be just the perfect escapist read. Set around WW1 in England, we follow a female protagonist who falls from the London elite class through no fault of her own. She gets a job (in a really interesting and questionable way) as a cook for the Queen. If you are a foodie, you’ll love the the minutiae of cooking in England in France during this time period. This book is also really, really clean and free from questionable content—something that’s hard to come by in contemporary novels. I really loved this book and didn’t want it to be over. If you read and like it, be sure to check out Bowen’s other novels (also set around WW2): The Tuscan Child and The Victory Garden.
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. This book is absolutely spellbinding. I could not put it down. I don’t even want to give you the premise, but if you like Kate Morton novels for their gothic, cold, British mystery feel, then definitely pick this one up. This book is for those who love mystery (but not as a genre), books, and powerful storytelling. (Trigger: there is one unsavory chapter near the beginning with some immoral behavior that are lightly described, but there is nothing like that afterwards.)
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michelle Richardson. I started reading this because my local library is having a book club discussion on it in a few weeks. I read it in about 5 days. Joining two fascinating and true subjects into a page-turning plot, the author explores the Women’s Packhorse Librarians of the 1930’s and the Blue People of Kentucky, both of which were found in Appalachia. The author will satisfy all of your “is this true?!” questions in the appendix at the back of the book. Well written with characters you love and characters you love to hate, this book was excellent. Five stars from me on Goodreads. The sequel was equally enjoyable.
The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali. This book gets high ratings everywhere I look. In addition to its stunning cover, the story is pretty great. The story takes place largely in Tehran, Iran in the 1950’s and chronicles the tragic parting of a young couple right before they are set to marry. I didn’t know about the political situation in Iran in those days or what came after the prime minister was ousted and democracy was abolished. Rich in detail about Persian food and cooking, this book is a sad love story with a unique window into Iranian life both in Iran and on American soil. Really beautifully written.
CHILDREN’S
God’s Very Good Idea by Trillia Newbell. Oh, how I love this book! We are a multi-ethnic family, so I’m always on the lookout for diversity in the books we purchase for our boys. But, to find a book about diversity with a thick gospel thread woven around it? YES, PLEASE. I don’t care who you are–you need this book in your life. Newbell explains how God’s beautiful idea for diversity was corrupted by sin, but that the Church should strive to fight for racial unity while we wait for the redemption of diversity in heaven where we’ll all worship together: people from every tribe, tongue, and nation! This a book you MUST read to your kids!
The Radical Book for Kids: Exploring the Roots and Shoots of Faith by Champ Thornton. My son was given this book on the occasion of his baptism, and what a neat gift it is! It’s like The Dangerous Book for Boys, but for kids who are following Christ. The chapters are diverse and fascinating: The Bible in One Sentence, What do Do When You’re Angry, How to Make Your Own Sling, Can You Prove that God Exists?, How to Pray, How to Make Pottery, Knots You Can’t Untie, Grasping the Gospel, and so many more! Filled with gospel-rich instructions and practical life skills, this book will keep your attention as much as your child’s! I’d recommend it to ages 8+ (but a 10 year old would read it better independently).
The Big Picture Story Bible by David R. Helm. We researched children’s Bibles when our oldest son was born, and what we love about this version (and why we give it as gifts so often!) is that the biblical narrative is told from page one with an eye on the coming of Christ. The Forever King was always coming, He came, and He is coming again. So many children’s Bibles tell both Old and New Testament stories independently from one another and mostly as moralistic tales. But this Bible highlights the promise of Jesus throughout the whole meta-narrative. The Jesus Storybook Bible does this well, also, but The Big Picture Storybook Bible is still our personal favorite. Additionally, the characters are not all white but include diverse skin tones, which we appreciate. (Let’s all keep in mind that our Savior was Middle-Eastern, not a white European!)
Looking for a Moose by Phyllis Root. This is just one of those fun, well-crafted children’s books that our family has loved. After you read it the first time, you’ll immediately go back to the beginning and read it again looking for all the things you missed the first time around. Again, we love the diversity in skin tones in this adorable book.
New City Catechism for Kids. In the interest of full disclosure, we’ve just starting using this with our kids, and the handy little app does all the work for us as well as provide an accompanying song to each question/answer. Very catchy and easy to remember. If, like me, you didn’t grow up in a liturgical church or you’re not accustomed to catechizing your children, that’s totally okay. The practice of catechesis has been lost in a lot of Protestant denominations. I grew up Southern Baptist, so catechism wasn’t a word I ever heard until college. But there are some great options out there for teaching big truths to our kids in simple ways. The New City Catechism really captures the heart of the statements from Calvin’s Geneva Catechism, the Westminster Shorter and Larger catechisms, and especially the Heidelberg Catechism, according to Tim Keller. It’s only 52 statements rather than some of the lengthier catechisms, and I think that’s pretty handy for getting through all of the New City Catechism in one year. (It’s also a steal at just $2!)
Don’t Push the Button by Bill Cotter. This is another just-for-fun book, and I can’t get through it without my three-year-old belly-laughing hysterically. We always have to read it again immediately. No spoilers, but trust me–your preschooler will love it.
God Made Me AND You by Shai Linne. If you enjoyed Trillia Newbell’s children’s book on a biblical celebration of ethnic diversity, you’ll love this book. There’s an accompanying song on Shai Linne’s album, “Jesus Kids.” My oldest son is a Shai Linne music fan, so we’ve anticipated this book for a while. The author works from Acts 17:26, “God made from one man each nation on earth,” showing that we all have the same origin and that God made each of us in His own image. We’re encouraged to celebrate our differences in both skin color and physical abilities, and to understand how sin breaks our relationships with one another. In sending Jesus, God reconciles us to Himself and to one another, so we can praise God for our differences because we are brothers and sisters in Christ.
Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. This middle-grade novel would be perfect for your older elementary studentor young middle schooler. Melody Brooks has cerebral palsy, but her mind is just fine. Actually, it’s more than fine. She’s brilliant, but because this fifth grader is non-verbal, no one knows how smart she is. When she is given the freedom of communication, everything changes. This book is heart-warming, and will challenge your child to learn empathy and to engage with children who are differently-abled. I read this book in one day. I loved it.
Wherever You Go, I Want You to Know by Melissa Kruger. I was not expecting to cry when I read this book, but mercy, once I got to “the page” (you’ll know which one when you read this book), I could not turn off the tears. This book is beautifully illustrated (we so appreciate the diverse skin tones!) and captured my five-year-old’s attention with all the potential professions he might have one day. But the core message of “what I want you to know” is what every Christian parent should want for their kids. Melissa captures it so poignantly. This is an easy 5/5 stars and should be on the bookshelf of every Christian family.
Any Time, Any Place, Any Prayer by Laura Wifler. Teaching children the concept of prayer can be difficult, especially if you’ve got a child who doesn’t have that ongoing internal dialogue that can be turned to prayer. Laura does a great job explaining the what and how of prayer in an engaging way. Such a sweet book!
BOOKS ON WRITING
The Memoir Project by Marion Roach Smith. This has been, by far, one of the best books on writing that I’ve read. Her formula for telling a difficult story and focusing on an object was paramount in my life as a writer. (Ex: “This is a story about a fight with my spouse and I’m going to tell it with a broken vase.”) It’s a short, quick read, but she gives examples for every bit of instruction. Writers, you should have this one one your shelf.
On Writing Well: the Classic Guide to Writing Non-Fiction by William Zinsser. This is such a helpful book, though I will admit Zinsser is hard on people with my kind of writing style. He absolutely wants you to cut everything that might be superfluous, and sometimes I have a bit of an issue with that because of the way I write. Still, there’s always room for me to cut and keep my voice, so I try to keep Zinsser in my head. I love his voice in this instructional book, and I genuinely grieved when I looked him up and found that he has passed away.
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions for Writing and Life by Anne Lamott. This books was assigned reading in one of my college classes. I have a degree in creative writing, and I think this book should be on the short list of to-read books for writers. I prefer not to use her terminology for first rough drafts, but it does make a lot of sense (I say, tongue-in-cheek).
Blogging for God’s Glory in a Clickbait World by Benjamin Vrbicek and John Beeson. I had the pleasure of endorsing this excellent resource for bloggers and aspiring writers. Here’s my endorsement: “Writing for online, public consumption is a tricky thing for Christians. We fight pride when pageviews soar and when they tank. Throw in tech problems, networking, and unfriendly algorithms, and it’s easy to lose sight of our purpose in writing. Blogging for God’s Glory in a Clickbait World offers a primer for launching a blog and a heart check for sustaining it. Immensely practical and engaging, this book is for bloggers of every age and stage. Though I’ve been blogging for nearly two decades, I finished this book with renewed purpose to make much of Christ in my own small corner of the internet. Blogging for God’s Glory is a book I’ll recommend over and over to aspiring writers.”
ADVENT
O Come Let Us Adore Him by Paul David Tripp. This is the devotional we’re using for our advent readings this year.
Song of the Stars by Sally Lloyd Jones. I don’t want to give too much away, but reading this children’s book is one of my favorite Christmas traditions. Written with the same poignancy as The Jesus Storybook Bible, this book captures the beauty of the incarnation with stunning simplicity.
Just Nicholas by Annie Kratzsch. IF you’re looking for a way to move away from Santa traditions or need help explaining why Santa has become a big part of our holidays, look no further. This illustrated book gives an engaging historical account of Saint Nicholas while pointing us to Christ. This book can help you explain to your children why Jesus is the point of Christmas, not Santa.
Remarkable Advent by Shauna Letellier. Previously published as an e-book, you can now get my friend Shauna’s lovely advent devotional in hard copy! I love Shauna’s gift for taking familiar Bible stories and helping us “see” them again for the first time. We’ve used this devotional for our Advent readings in the past and likely will again.