Summers can be a great time to switch gears and spend time chewing on some new ideas from a good book. The suggestions below are full of thoughts that still shape my thinking today, whether I read them a few months or a few years ago. If you are looking for something to help you make the most of your summer, try a couple of these.
I want to buy a stack of these books so I can hand one to anyone wrestling with the question: "what is God's will for me life." DeYoung takes this topic head-on, demonstrating his remarkable ability to de-mystify complicated topics, and offering a clear, persuasive, and workable answer to this anxiety causing question.
Few authors have influenced western Christianity (or me for that matter) more than Lewis. If you haven't read a book by him, you should. Whether it is the joyful logic of Mere Christianity, the serious fantasy of Narnia, or the perceptive imagery of the Great Divorce, Lewis sharp mind and full heart have treasure for anyone.
This book just might convince you that sharing the Gospel is not impossible, or even that complicated. In an age of polarizing opinions, Newman shares personal stories that show how responding to hostility with humility and honesty can open the door to genuine questions about what people think and believe.
Carson brings brilliance down to ground level, showing how every part if the Bible is God telling us about himself. If one of your summer goals is to grow in your understand of the whole Bible, this is my recommendation for you.
To those who think the concept of the Trinity is confusing, trivial, or interesting only to egg-heads like me, you have no idea what you are missing! In this short book Reeves conveys an infectious delight in the community within God, explaining how this unique characteristic is the reason only the God of the Bible can be a God of love.
Beware, this book is dangerous. Kesse's stories of Christian missions around the world will inspire and convict you, and your air conditioned room may begin to feel less comfortable. But this book isn't about you, it is about you participating in God being glorified from Kazakhstan to Sierra Leon, to your living room couch.
A Good Story
What we believe is shaped as much by stories as it is by reason. I think that's why so much of the Bible is a narrative. Reading stories (real or fantastic) is not just an escape, it has the power to shape the desires, values, hopes, fears, ambitions and affections of your heart. So take care what you consume, but don't be afraid, set out to find a story that will fill your heart with the goodness and heartbreaking beauty God has filled his creation with. If you need a recommendation, try the Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson.
