(Some readers had trouble seeing the book covers. Text links were added.)
Technically, I suppose this is not a Writing Friday update, at least not on the surface. But writers are also readers. Voracious ones. I don’t get to read enough. But between writing, working, homeschool, and church, I managed to squeeze in about three dozen books in 2017. Granted, some of them are FOR writing or homeschool. Directly or indirectly, they deeply influence what I write both here and in fiction. I thought I’d share a few with you. (And I love book lists.)
Mark Buchanan, The Rest of God
Sabbath is one of my favorite areas of study and if you’ve been around very long you may have picked up on that. Mark Buchanan is one of my favorite writers. I have his book, The Holy Wild in the queue for 2018.
Ruth Haley Barton, Sacred Rhythms
I started this one on retreat in 2016 but didn’t finish it until this year. It’s a short book, but best digested in small bites. Invitation to Solitude and Silence is up this coming year.
Elyse Fitzpatrick and Dennis Johnson, Counsel from the Cross
I read a lot of counseling books. In fact, they take up at least three shelves in my office. When my son got his reading list for his Introduction to Psychology class, I had half of them already. (I made him promise to let me read the other two when he finished.) Inevitably, the things I learn find their way into the mouths of characters like Phil and Donna Shannon or Neil Craig. This book reinforces the fact that there is no healing apart from the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline
I “finished” this one right after retreat this year. I’m still reviewing and pondering. Because we understand at our core that our salvation comes by grace, we shy away from anything that challenges us to work or to discipline ourselves. But we know from all kinds of experience that we don’t improve at anything without practice and effort. Our spiritual growth is no different.
What did YOU read that impacted you this year?
I do love book lists! Thank you for sharing yours. I have read half of these and quickly purchased the Sabbath book to add to my three list in 2018.
I read Deep Work this year. In fact I started my year with this book and I think it added the color I needed for the entire year. The author’s premise is to read voraciously and then take time to think deeply about what you read. It is how our brains are wired to work. I bought this for my son in law for Christmas.
I read Unashamed by Christine Caine. The focus is that we have no shame in God. I read this at the same time as I read Fight Back With Joy by Margaret Feinberg. Great combination. They complimented each other nicely. I read these on my fall retreat.
Now I am looking for my word for the new year. It has been Hope for two years. I feel I am being nudged to change it. I am thinking Flow maybe. Paula, do you choose a word for your year?