Every summer, I have a stack of books that I take with me for my holidays.  Some are just for pleasure.  Others pertain to an area that I want to study further.  Still others are to sharpen my mind.

Good books feed the soul.  And when I travel, I want to be refreshed in body and soul. So if you’re heading out this summer, consider picking up a copy of one of these great books.  I have some extra copies for the first person who asks!

Christopher Ash, Zeal without Burnout.  I read this book last year just before I went on my sabbatical.  Many people lose their zeal for God not because of compromise, but because they are exhausted.  There were sentences in this book that gripped my soul and made me think about how to pace myself for the long term.  Filled with practical encouragements and wise tidbits, I began thinking more intentionally about my sleep, rest, friendships and overall well being.

Donald Whitney, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life.  To renew my soul, no book has helped me like this one.  Plotting a course for spiritual growth isn’t easy, but Don Whitney shows how we can seek God’s grace through scripture intake, worship, silence, solitude, journaling, and so much more.  If you want to grow, this book will give you practical ideas on how Christ can be formed in you.

Andrew Pettegree, Brand Luther.  To celebrate 500 years since Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the door of the Wittenburg Chapel, many books have been published.  But what this book does is show how the movement we call “Protestantism” grew in the soil of the printing press.  If you are interested in history and technology, you’ll get a little window into why our world is the way it is today – both religiously and technologically!

And for me, I’ve got some good books that I’ll be reading, including:

Ben Sasse, The Vanishing American Adult: Our Coming-of-Age Crisis—And How to Rebuild a Culture of Self-Reliance.  This senator from Nebraska warns that over-protective parents and well-meaning government programs have shaped a generation that is ill-equipped to survive the highly competitive global economy.  With the instability of family, jobs, friendships, and worldview, Sasse encourages some classical Protestant relief – hard work, learning through reading, seeing poverty and need, and caring for your body.

Andy Crouch, The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place.  Crouch encourages families to think about how technology shapes us and reminds us that we should have clear goals as to what we will become, using technology to aid us rather than merely shape us.

Brent Waters, Just Capitalism. This book looks at economic globalization and examines how people flourish as people work for the good of others.

Marilynne Robinson, Gilead. This 2004 Pulitzer Prize winning novel tells the tale of three generations, from the civil war to the 20th century and how they wrestle with spiritual realities despite their time and location.

Do you have a good book you’re looking forward to reading this summer?  Let me know!  And above all, make sure you’re in the best book, the Bible.  Keep opening those pages and asking God to speak and show you more of Christ!

 

Happy reading!

~Pastor Andrew

 

 

 

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