The 12 Best Books I Read in 2020
/I try to read 2-4 books each month and review them in my monthly newsletter. Here’s are 12 of the 36 I read in 2020! If you enjoy these, make sure you’re signed up for my email list and you’ll get my reviews hot off the press! (These reviews have been literally copied and pasted from my newsletters.)
The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath by Mark Buchanan
I read this first as a library book, then listened to it, and finally got my own copy so I could underline, star, and write notes in the margins. I forced myself to sit in a chair, and put my feet up the past four Sundays and read. I was sad when the book ended! The writing is poetic and personal, but not sappy or self-focused. Here are a few quotes:
From the introduction: "I want to convince you, in part, that setting apart an entire day, one day out of seven, for feasting, and resting, and worship, and play is a gift and not a burden..." p4
The book isn't legalistic, but liberating. Mark's (can I call him Mark??) golden rule of Sabbath is this: "Cease from what is necessary. Embrace that which gives life." p 129
"The rest of God - the rest God gladly gives so that we might discover the part of God we're missing - is not a reward for finishing. It's not a bonus for work well done. It's sheer gift. It's a stop- work order in the midst of work that's never complete, never polished." p 93 Yes!!! These words give us permission to rest despite everything unfinished.
Mere Christianity by CS Lewis
This was at least my 5th attempt at reading this Christian classic! In contrast to The Little Book of Hygge, it was not simple and fun. It took effort and concentration, and sometimes re-reading sections. But I'm glad I got through it. A few favorite quotes:
"Do not waste time bothering whether you 'love' your neighbor. Act as if you did...When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him." p175
"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." p183
"Give up yourself, and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you will save it. Submit to death, death of your ambitions and favorite wishes every day, and death of your whole body in the end: submit with every fiber of your being, and you will find eternal life. Keep back nothing... Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead. Look for yourself and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. Look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him, everything else thrown in. p298
Need I say more?
A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul Miller
This book on prayer is challenging me without making me feel like a miserable failure. It's reminding me of the power and simplicity of prayer, and the longing in my heart to truly connect with God. I'm about halfway through, and so far, it's one of the best books on prayer I've read. (I haven't read many books on prayer though).
From the back cover: "PRAYER is simply you - a child of a good Father - making conversation with Him the rhythm of your life. For most of us, prayer is so hard that unless circumstances demand it, we simply do not pray... If prayerlessness marks your life, this book is for you."
"Instead of hunting for the perfect spiritual state to lift you above the chaos, pray in the chaos." p60 Doesn't this sound like something we all can relate to?
Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts by Jennie Allen
Jennie Allen is one of my favorite authors and her latest book did not disappoint! She reminds us in her gentle, yet straightforward way, "We have a choice." The emotions that threaten to devour us, can be tamed with biblical thinking. Filled with scriptural truth and practical applications, Jenny teaches her readers to "take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ." (2 Cor 10:5)
She explains the spiritual, mental and physical blessings of reigning in our thought life. She uses science to explain what happens in the brain when we change our thinking patterns (I love when scientists confirm what God's word has been saying for thousands of years)! She shares openly her own struggles and God's grace in her battle to keep her faith.
Not a Fan Updated and Expanded: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus
by Kyle Idleman
SUPER CHALLENGING book for all who want to live as followers of Jesus and not simply fans. The message is serious and convicting, but the author writes with humor and authenticity. While it's easy to read, it's hard to apply. I highly recommend this book if you want to deeply evaluate your relationship with Jesus.
“So in case someone left it out or forgot to mention it when they explained what it meant to be a Christian, let me be clear: There is no forgiveness without repentance. There is no salvation without surrender. There is no life without death. There is no believing without committing.”p35
1 Peter: A Living Hope in Christ - Bible Study Book (Gospel Coalition)
by Jen Wilkin
I recently completed this study, in 1 Peter, with a group of women in my church and I cannot recommend it enough! If you can watch the videos, and participate in a small group discussion, even better. I can't think of a book of the Bible that is more encouraging during these uncertain times. My most recent post reflected things from this study. If you're looking to dig deeper into God's word for strength to endure trying times, do yourself a favor and get this study.
Letters to the Church by Francis Chan
When I finished Letters to the Church I had two major takeaways I hoped would stick with me.
1. Sometimes, when I go to speak at a women's event I freak myself out thinking, "I need to Bring It! I need to show up with something impressive and powerful. Chan reminded me that the BEST thing, the ONLY thing I need to bring that will be powerful and transformative is the Word of God.
2. Though I know the Bible tells us that we will endure suffering, I was reminded of the number of verses in the New Testament which emphasize this truth. "The call to follow Christ is the call to joyfully endure suffering in this life for the promise of eternal blessings in the next." (I don't know the page number because I listened to the audiobook.)
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer
This book felt like a compilation of the best books I’ve read over the past two years! (Cal Newport’s Deep Work and Digital Minimalism, Mark Buchanan’s The Rest of God, and Joshua Becker’s The More of Less to name a few.) John Mark Comer encourages us to do the hard work of choosing slowness to take back our souls from the world’s grip.
Quotes:
“With hurry, we always lose more than we gain….To walk with Jesus is to walk with a slow unhurried pace.”
“We are distracting ourselves into spiritual oblivion.”
He not only echoes the problem I feel in my own soul, and observe in our culture at large, but gives practical solutions and encourages believers to win their lives back with the following practices: Silence and Solitude, Sabbath, Simplicity, and Slowing.
The Gospel of Ruth: Loving God Enough to Break the Rules by Carolyn Custis James and Robert L. Hubbard
I’m always up for reading a book that might encourage a little “rule-breaking” ; ) ! Carolyn Custis James does a great job weaving the Biblical account of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz, with the lives of modern-day readers. Her insightful knowledge of the book of Ruth, and passion for the Gospel of Jesus, made this a fabulous read. In preparation for my teaching on Ruth and Naomi, I thought this book was a great resource. Even if you’re not typically a reader of non-fiction, you may want to pick up The Gospel of Ruth.
From the back cover:
“Within this age-old story is a map to radical levels of love and sacrifice, combined with the message that God is counting on his daughters to build his kingdom. The Gospel of Ruth vests every woman's life with kingdom purposes and frees us to embrace wholeheartedly God's calling, regardless of our circumstances or season of life.”
Adorning the Dark: Thoughts on Community, Calling, and the Mystery of Making by Andrew Peterson
This book is for everyone who desires to create beauty in the world. Andrew Peterson is a master storyteller. If you don't know him, he's a singer/songwriter/author who embodies humility, authenticity, and creativity. I love his music. It's kind of folksy (think James Taylor or Dan Fogelberg ). You may know him by the song, “Is He Worthy?”
Adorning the Dark is both a personal account of Andrew Peterson’s journey and a creative manual for artists of all kinds, who also dream of “adorning the dark” with the light of Christ.
The Knowledge of the Holy: The Attributes of God: Their Meaning in the Christian Life by A. W. Tozer
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” - A.W. Tozer
If you’ve never read Tozer’s The Knowledge of the Holy, you're missing out on one of the best classics on the attributes of God. This is probably my 4th time reading this book (over 20 years), and it won’t be the last. Tozer always challenges me to seek to know God more truly and deeply. In doing so, I am at once comforted, awed, humbled.
In Isaiah 40:9, the prophet proclaims words of comfort to his people. And the comfort starts here: “Behold your God!” The rest of Isa 40 is a detailed description of the glory and grandeur of God. As God gets bigger, we get smaller. And I think that’s the point. If you need some comfort or are feeling overwhelmed with life, or just plain tired of focusing on yourself and your problems, I highly recommend reading (or listening to) The Knowledge of the Holy.
All the Light We Cannot See: A Novel by Anthony Doerr
Anthony Doerr's novel is beautiful and compelling. He weaves together the lives of two young people navigating the devastation of World War II. Parts of the book are hard to read, and there is some language, but the storyline and the writing are beautiful.
From the back cover: "Marie-Laure lives in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where her father works. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel."
"In a mining town in Germany, Werner Pfennig, an orphan, grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find that brings them news and stories from places they have never seen or imagined. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments and is enlisted to use his talent to track down the resistance. Deftly interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner, Doerr illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another."
BONUS book review: Shattered Dreams: God's Unexpected Path to Joy by Larry Crabb
It's been about 10 years since I read this book, but it's still one of my favorites. Larry Crabb traces Naomi's story and powerfully illuminates the narrative of joy that comes through suffering.
From Amazon… “'Shattered dreams',” writes Dr. Larry Crabb, “are never random. They are always a piece in a larger puzzle, a chapter in a larger story. The Holy Spirit uses the pain of shattered dreams to help us discover our desire for God, to help us begin dreaming the highest dream.”
As for my 2020 favorite books, you’ll notice a vast majority were “Christian Living”, which is a great genre, but I need to expand my horizons and read more novels and memoirs. If you’ve got any good ones to recommend, I’d love to hear your suggestions! What’s a favorite you recently read?