Every Good Endeavor (Dutton, 2012) Timothy Keller begins Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work by asserting the importance of recovering the idea of vocation- that all human work is not merely a job, but a calling in which we share God’s providential love with others as “the fingers of God”. Pastor Keller […]
God is Closer Than You Think (Zondervan, 2005) Pastor John Ortberg’s premise in writing God is Closer Than You Think is that the story of the Bible primarily is about God’s desire to be with people. The author notes that the Bible’s most frequent promise is “I will be with you.” God becomes a living […]
One Thousand Gifts (Zondervan, 2010) Ann Voskamp’s contemplative and thought-provoking book One Thousand Gifts chronicles her e-mail challenge from a friend to write a list of 1,000 things she loved, a quest which would enable her to view the totality of her life through the gaze of her seeing inner soul’s eyes upon a saving […]
Author Bill Hybels is the founding and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, IL. Bill’s first whisper came to him while in 2nd grade, after listening to his teacher read the Old Testament account of Samuel and Eli(1 Samuel 3). His teacher then gave him a poem entitled “Samuel”, in which […]
Glorious Ruin (David C. Cook, 2012) Author Tullian Tchividjian (cha-vi-jin) currently is the senior pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, succeeding the late D. James Kennedy, and the grandson of evangelist Billy Graham. Pastor Tchividjian’s expressed sincere hope for Glorious Ruin is “to explore how the reality of human suffering, in all its forms, might relate to the […]
The Life You’ve Always Wanted-Expanded Edition (Zondervan, 2002) John Ortberg’s stated goal of The Life You’ve Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People is to help us grow spiritually. Yet it is important to realize that “spiritual life” is not just one more compartmentalized aspect of our existence. “Spiritual life” refers to every moment and […]
In the Eye of the Storm (Thomas Nelson, 1991) Comparing storms that stir up the Sea of Galilee with little or no warning to the adversities that devastate our lives, author Max Lucado states that such storms create doubts, questions and demands. As a result, we lose our joy and our song. When God, in […]
King’s Cross (Dutton, 2011) Author Timothy Keller is the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan and the man Newsweek Magazine has called a “C. S. Lewis for the twenty-first century”. Pastor Keller’s stated purpose in writing the book is “to try to show, through his (Jesus’) words and actions, how beautifully his life […]
Fear Not Tomorrow, God is Already There (Howard Books, 2009) The title of Ruth Graham’s book is taken from a framed print belonging to the author’s mother. When Ruth received the print from her mother during a particularly unsettling time in her (Ruth’s) life, it provided momentary clarity to Ruth’s situation. However, maintaining hope and […]
Fearless (Thomas Nelson, 2009) Early in his book Fearless, author Max Lucado concisely establishes the premise for his discussion of fear: “The promise of Christ and the contention of this book is simple: we can fear less tomorrow than we do today.” Fear is not willing to share our heart with happiness. When fear moves […]
The Necessity of an Enemy (WaterBrook Press, 2012) Pastor Ron Carpenter Jr. begins The Necessity of an Enemy: How the Battle You Face is Your Best Opportunity by asserting that God not only causes you to triumph over adversity, but positions you for your greatest moment. Specifically,God often assigns enemies as a catalyst for you […]
Getting Rid of the Gorilla (Standard Publishing, 2008) Getting Rid of the Gorilla: Confessions on the Struggle to Forgive is Brian Jones’ second book, following Second Guessing God. Written in Brian’s unique style, this book is a frank and honest discussion of the author’s own lengthy battles with anger and rage. Brian intersperses his account […]