Disclaimer: Just because I found these books engaging and helpful does not mean I endorse everything written by the author.
Leighton Ford, The Attentive Life: Discerning God’s Presence in All Things.
Structured around the components of a monk’s day, the author shares what he learned at key moments in his life, prompting readers to reflect on their priorities and how they might better position themselves to live for God’s glory.
Lots of good insights, with plenty of practical steps you can take to work through your emotions. I recommend working through this book slowly, and answering the questions scattered throughout to get the most out of it.
Tod Bolsinger, Tempered Resilience: How Leaders Are Formed in the Crucible of Change.
Though I didn’t agree with everything in this book, the overall point was helpful: Leading people through change requires persevering through a failure of nerve (you can’t cater to the least mature and least committed people in your family or organization) and a failure of heart (you can’t turn back once you’ve initiated change and people start throwing a fit). Take ownership and finish what you start. Don’t let your life be controlled by the sin you see in others.
Michael John Cusick, Sacred Attachment: Escaping Spiritual Exhaustion and Trusting in Divine Love. Cusick looks at how our attachment to our primary caregivers often affects our relationship with God. I found certain sections of his work immensely helpful.
Ross D. Inman, Christian Philosophy as a Way of Life: An Invitation to Wonder.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It made me realize how beautiful the Christian life truly is. (Note: Unless you have a background in philosophy you will likely struggle to understand certain concepts in this book.)
Adam Young, Make Sense of Your Story: Why Engaging Your Past with Kindness Changes Everything.
Two key takeaways from this one. First, Young shows that your particular struggles in life are not random. There’s a backstory to it. We should all be asking ourselves, Why do I struggle with ___________? Let your struggles make you curious. Secondly, our idolatries are rooted in our woundedness. Your idolatry is not random. Your addiction to porn is not random. Your addiction to high achievement is not random. Your attraction to toxic relationships is not random. Your people-pleasing tendencies are not random. “There is a linkage between your captivity (idolatry) and how your heart has been broken.” Get to the bottom of it.
Matthew Barrett, ed. On Classical Trinitarianism: Retrieving the Nicene Doctrine of God.
This gem is a massive academic achievement chock-full of all kinds of theological goodness. What the authors make clear is that arriving at, and confessing the Nicene Creed, requires a certain hermeneutic (that is, an interpretive approach to Scripture), along with a specific metaphysical and theological framework. The reason this is a significant claim is because it makes clear that a bare affirmation of the words of the Nicene Creed is not enough. We must also affirm the Nicene Creed’s theological and metaphysical presuppositions.
Donald Miller, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: How I Learned to Live a Better Story. Ask yourself this question: If your life were a movie and you were the hero, what would the hero in your story do? Go and do that. Live that way.
This was the best novel I read all year, and I can honestly say, it changed me. I loved it. I want a friend like Theo. I want to be more like Theo.
A beautifully written book that captures the heart, mindset, and temperament of Eugene Peterson. While I do not agree with Peterson on all of his theological or moral stances, I appreciate his overall approach to pastoral ministry.
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