You guys know I’m a sucker for a good book. This year I’ve read nineteen books and listened to eight. Listening to books (via the app: Audible) was new to me last year and became somewhat of a spiritual discipline. In the process, I learned that I enjoy listening to fiction, but for nonfiction I prefer seeing the words on the page. Anyone else?
Of all the great books I read, I’ve chosen my three favorite to share with you. I pulled the “About the book” section directly from Amazon, where I am a grateful affiliate. Each of these books would be a great read to start off the year.
The Unhurried Life by Alan Fadling
About the book: “Following the framework of Jesus’ earthly life, Fadling shows how the work of “unhurrying” ourselves is central to our spiritual development in such pivotal areas as resisting temptation, caring for others, praying and making disciples. ”
Why I loved it: My desire to live in this hurried world yet remain somehow unhurried in my walk and work with God drew me to this book. By using Jesus’ life as guide, this book showed me how to make space for God every minute of every day. It exposed my addiction to hurry and grew in me a desire for a slower, deeper walk with Jesus. I started 2016 with this book, and it was perfect for me in that season.
The R
est of God by Mark Buchanan
About the book: “Widely-acclaimed author Mark Buchanan states that what we’ve really lost is “the rest of God-the rest God bestows and, with it, that part of Himself we can know only through stillness. Stillness as a virtue is a foreign concept in our society, but there is wisdom in God’s own rhythm of work and rest. Jesus practiced Sabbath among those who had turned it into a dismal thing, a day for murmuring and finger-wagging, and He reminded them of the day’s true purpose: liberation-to heal, to feed, to rescue, to celebrate, to lavish and relish life abundant.”
Why I loved it: Sabbath is both a day on the calendar and an attitude of the heart. This book not only teaches life-giving truth about both but it also teaches how to apply the information to your everyday life. The Rest of God is equal parts inspiring and practical. I will use this book as a resource for years to come.
Beautiful Outlaw by John Eldredge
About the book: “Reading the Gospels without knowing the personality of Jesus is like watching television with the sound turned off. The result is a dry, two dimensional person doing strange, undecipherable things. But when we discover his true character-this man who made the wind, music and flying squirrels-suddenly all of the remarkable qualities of Jesus burst forth with color and brilliance like fireworks.
Breaking Jesus out of the typical stereotypes, BEAUTIFUL OUTLAW welcomes readers into the rich emotional life of Christ showing how they can experience the actual personality of Jesus in their daily lives in ways that will deepen their faith.”
Why I loved it: Beautiful Outlaw gives a stunning view of the humanity of Jesus. By highlighting many aspects of Jesus’ very human personality, this book will make you fall in love with Him like never before. I plan to keep this book on my night stand so that I can read it again and again.
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I’m starting 2017 with these four new books.
I’ll share more about these four after I finish them. Until then …
What are you reading right now?
I’d love to add your favorites to my list for 2017.
I just finished Peter Enn’s The Sin of Certainty and Paul Young’s The Shack and LOVED them both. Now, I’m reading Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton, Subversive Jesus by Craig Greenfield, and Dancing Standing Still by Richard Rohr.
I’ll add these three to my list. I’ve read Walking on Water and The Listening Life. Oh my stars. Both are so good!
My word for this year is LISTEN so as you can imagine, I’ve practically highlighted every page of The Listening Life. It is SO good!!