The winter months, and especially January and February of 2019, allow me time to settle down in my comfy recliner with a blanket, a dairy-free cup of Chai tea latte, and my stack of accumulated books. I’ve had a chance to complete several of them, so I thought I would share their titles and a brief review of each one. The categories I usually read include prayer, leadership or Biblical studies, spiritual formation, and of course keeping up with sisters in Christ who also write Christian fiction.
The Category of Prayer
Whispers of Rest
This book by author Bonnie Gray came to me from one of my worship volunteers. It is designed to be used as a devotional and follows a forty day format. Six sections complete the structure of the book highlighting the reader as the “Beloved.” Section one offers readings around the theme of Being the Beloved. Section two is about Choosing as the Beloved. Section three’s theme is Dreaming as the Beloved. Section four’s theme is Healing as the Beloved. Section five is about Daring as the Beloved. Section six teaches Shining as the Beloved.
Each day’s reading is a combination of poetry, Scripture, prayers, and reflection questions. At the end of each reading is a “Beloved Challenge” inviting the reader to journal on a topic related to the daily theme.
If you are looking for a devotional book that helps your recognize God’s still, quiet voice inviting you to bask in his beauty, peace, and intimacy, this book may be a good fit.
Whispers of Rest is published by FaithWords.
Living the Christian Year
This book by author Bobby Gross is right up my alley as a disciple and as a worship leader. It teaches how the rhythm of the liturgical calendar, as observed in the church year’s celebration of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, and Easter, gives us a way to join the stories of our lives with God’s larger story.
The book is divided into sections according to the seasons. The first section focuses on the Cycle of Light and includes the seasons of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. The second section focuses on the Cycle of Life and includes the seasons of Lent and Easter. The third section focuses on the Cycles of Love and includes the summer season known in the church year as ordinary time.
I appreciate this book because it gives a full explanation of the meaning of each of these liturgical seasons. The author shares the history behind their development, and also makes the connection of how these seasons relate to our lives and our experiences in faith.
Each section of the book offers devotional readings, one per week, that apply the theme for that season to our own spiritual formation. Laid out in a similar format to the order of worship we follow in a church service, each devotional contains a wealth of Scripture and prayer to assist a personal approach and response to God.
After spending time with the material in this book, the reader will gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the liturgical seasons, and will also grow in a willing and devout response to God’s workings in their life.
The Category of Biblical Studies
Two sets of commentary series have become very helpful to me as I create Bible studies for my friends at Christian Opportunity Center. We’ve been progressing through the New Testament, spending approximately nine months in each book. Now that we have finished Matthew and Mark, we’ve been studying the book of Luke since Christmas.
One set of commentaries is The Biblical Imagination Series by Michael Card. He is a musician/theologian like myself so I enjoy his creative storytelling style. An easy read as far as commentaries go, these books offer background on the gospels and weave Michael Card’s own thoughts with sections of Scripture. His insights have led me deeper in my understanding of the gospels. He brings up ideas about character and culture that are unique from a more academic style commentary.
The second set of commentaries I rely on is the Christ Centered Exposition series authored by the team of David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida. These men have done a great job developing commentaries that balance solid academic material with sound doctrine in an easy to read format. Each chapter in the commentary parallels a chapter in the Bible. It begins with a clear outline and ends with reflection questions to use as application points or as discussion with a group.
If you are a Bible teacher, youth group leader, or a volunteer in any capacity in your faith community, both of these sets of commentaries are practical, easy to understand, and written in such a way as to deepen your faith and offer you an encounter with the living Jesus.
The Christ Centered Exposition series is published by B&H Publishing Group.
The Category of Spiritual Formation
The Path Between Us
This book by Suzanne Stabile is a study of the Enneagram. I was curious just what the Enneagram was when others around me said things like, “I am a seven, or “I am a nine.” Having no idea what they meant, I did some investigation and discovered this book. It is designed to explain the nine Enneagram types and how they behave and experience relationships. I developed greater insight into how my family and colleagues function, leading me to be more gracious in my responses to them. While reading this book, the light bulb will go off while you think, “Oh, so this is why so-and-so acts like they do!” The revelation I appreciated most was the moment my own light bulb went off. “Oh. so this is why I act like I do!” Aha. The study of the Enneagram gives me some things in my own character to work on.
The reader gains deeper insights about their personality and about the personality types of others so that they can have healthier, more live giving relationships.
The Path Between Us is published by InterVarsity Press
Invitation to Retreat
Founding president of the Transforming Center, Ruth Haley Barton writes on the topic of spiritual formation. Her other books cover the topics of prayer, group discernment, meeting the challenges of leadership, and building spiritual practices into daily life.
This book, I feel, is her most vulnerable work yet. In it, Ruth is bravely honest about the workings of her own heart, leading her to the need for extended time away with God. The 12 chapters in this book explain what a personal spiritual retreat is, how to plan a retreat, the experience of prayer while on retreat, and the continued benefits after going on a retreat.
True to her style, Ruth offers simple exercises to practice while also giving encouragement based on her own experiences.
Even if you’ve never been on a retreat before and the idea makes you a little uneasy, Ruth guides you through the experience making you long for more.
Invitation to Retreat is published by InterVarsity Press
The Category of Christian Fiction
A Borrowed Dream
This book by Amanda Cabot has all the qualities I enjoy in fiction: small town atmosphere, interaction with children, and main characters who desire to influence lives for good. Catherine Whitfield is the town’s school teacher. Austin Goddard is a doctor living under a secret identity of a rancher. They work together to help a boy on a neighboring farm and develop a relationship.
The title for the book comes from the theme of Catherine’s dream to someday visit Paris. A young lady with a mysterious past comes to town dreaming of the same thing. Austin decides to come out of hiding and help her, making these dreams come true.
A Borrowed Dream is published by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
It’s alway interesting for me to red your blog
Is the book you published on sale at The Sanctuary?
Thanks for sharing your reads😊😊😊
Hi, Mary Ann. Thanks for the response! The Sanctuary does not carry it, but The Eagle’s Nest in Oskaloosa has been keeping it in stock.