Healing What You Can't Erase by Christopher Cook

 

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
It happened. It was ugly. Awful. Traumatic. And here you are, broken and bleeding.

How do you deal with what you can't change? Is it possible to move on without keeping your victim status intact? Do you even want to?

Maybe you wonder if God cares about your future when he's allowed the past to be marked with suffering. Is he able to restore your heart, your compassion, and your trust?

If you want to heal, if you want a clear path forward, please get this. 

Integrating Psychology and Faith by Paul Moes; Blake Riek

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
Many Christians have been taught to scorn psychology as human babble. Yet many of us seek therapy for issues of childhood and healing from trauma and abuse. The perspective and training of the therapist is vital in aligning values and bringing wholeness to the client.

As a student of intercultural issues, the topic interested me in its scope of theology and worldview. Seekers of truth and meaning will find much to discuss in Moes and Riek's book. It encourages honest exploration of personal history, needs - met and unmet, and trends in psychology that can help or damage faith.

Its summaries of psychological trends and how they relate to theology are particularly useful. I recommend it to faculty and students, Christian and not, for its perspectives on various approaches to understanding and healing the mind and psyche can benefit self and others. 

Peace in the Dark by Jessica Herberger

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
 In a world of instant gratification and exceptions of a Pinterest or IG-able life, how do you deal with pain, loss, and suffering? Even more, how do you deal with waiting for rescue and life to resume? "Our days here are spent living in a broken place, recovering from a loss or a hurt, holding on to joy and hope, longing for peace, and navigating the in-between we find ourselves in."

In this look at the time between Good Friday and Resurrection Day, Herberger offers comfort and hope. My friends and I have been talking about the hardest time - when there's a promise ahead but we're waiting for God to appear, to open a door, or to release us from discomfort and death.

Whether you are grieving, waiting for a new season, or stuck in silence, this book offers ways to adjust and rest through such times - and offers confidence that you are neither forgotten nor abandoned. 

As a gift or solace for yourself, this is worth reading.

The Narrow Path by Rich Villodas

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
Wisdom is hard to find. Understanding and discernment? They're fragile in today's world. "Seek the ancient paths," says the scripture.

Villodas goes back to the teaching of Jesus to draw out universal principles of a good life - counter to the world's values and advice. Some of his insights will be familiar. Others will make you pause and take inventory of your own expectations. 

Well worth considering - where you are and where you long to be. Take this one along on a day or more of retreat and reflection.

The Songbird of Hope Hill by Kim Vogel Sawyer

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
Whether you think you've gone beyond redemption and salvation - or if think you're too good for the world - you'll enjoy this book. This love story of transformation, forgiveness, and new life gives hope that anything is possible.

You'll like the characters, find yourself cheering for a happy ending, and enjoy the descriptions. It offers the reader a chance to consider the effects of rushing to judgment and condemnation of others. In Ephraim and Birdie's relationship, there's joy and growth - and yes, that happy ending. 

Good for passing time in a quiet week, as a bedtime novel, or speeding along your commute.

Trust the Whisper by Kathy Izard

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
How do you know when God is speaking to you? How can you be sure that your purpose and path are the right ones? That you are being guided and led?

I liked the stories of how God has spoken to others. It gave me ideas of ways God has whispered to me in the past and brought life and light to my journey. It's a tale of progress in the faith, of understanding how ordinary life unfolds day to day. Sometimes we see the steps we are taking. Other times, we look back in wonder at how far we've come. 

If you aren't certain that God is a speaking and interacting One, if you think God is far away and uninterested in you, read this book. It will help you look at the voice and the voices around you - how the Living Word is present in and through you. 

Even After Everything by Stephanie Duncan Smith

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
Love is risky. We know that after the first disappointment, the first heartbreak. Yet are we willing to stay open to new people and fresh experiences when those things happen and those people crush our expectations (not in a good way ...)?

I came late to the Christian calendar, growing up in a low-Protestant environment where liturgy and church feasts were suspect. This book reconciles the human need for connection and being a conduit for living water with the reality of a broken world. 

Smith makes personal the idea of having hope amid distractions and disappointments. She offers stories and pathways to see life as abundant and glorious even in seasons of pain. She invites the reader to connect to the life of Christ and the life of others: of "joining" this unfolding of the Kingdom of God.

I enjoyed it. I recommend it to spiritual seekers, those distrustful of Christ's community of faith, and to those maturing and opening their hearts to the joy offered in the Body of Christ.

The Secret Lives of Numbers by Kate Kitagawa; Timothy Revell

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
"I avoid math but I like stories." I can honestly start my review that way. Reading about the people and ideas that shocked and propelled the way people see the world was interesting. 

There are twists and turns at many points of history that open our understanding to what is there. There are dead ends and rabbit trails. I found the travels through thousands of years of mathematics fascinating. And, since I didn't stand in God's math line (but instead in his art and story line), you might really enjoy this as well.

Recommended for the curious and explorers.

Becoming by Beholding by Lanta Davis

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
I've enjoyed recent trends and discoveries in spiritual formation. It takes a while for a book to come to press so the ideas aren't completely new to me. 

This book highlights the mysteries of our faith: the beauty of art, the thoughtfulness of writing, the history in orthodoxy and orthopraxy. I was fascinated by the threads of care- and carefulness related to Christian beliefs and praxis.

If you are teaching, experiencing, or considering a spiritual director or spiritual formation, I recommend that you ponder these explorations and exercises. Caution is advised: stay close to the scriptures and examine what you read as you open your heart to experiencing God-with-us-in-Christ in new ways.

A Wondrous Mystery by Charles Spurgeon, ed. by Geoffrey Chang

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.

Christmas is coming - and with it come many reflections on the mysterious coming of Jesus, God-with-us. If you want light reading, skip this one.

However, if you want a deep dive into the theology and biblical purpose for the incarnation, you will love this book. Spurgeon examines who Jesus is and why he came. How did the events unfold? What are the effects and benefits of God coming among us?

If you've never heard of him, Charles Spurgeon was a Victorian-era preacher in the 1800s. He loved Christmas but didn't fuss about it at church. Instead, his preaching highlighted the beauty of Jesus' birth, life, death, and resurrection all year long. And from those sermons comes this book.

I'm glad the language has been updated - but the message is the same. He has come! Celebrate what he has done! Recommended.

Jesus, Make Me Fully Alive: 30 Holy Hour Reflections by Fr. Tim Anastos

★★★★★  The publisher provided a copy for review. 
Though its intended audience is young adults, this is very relevant for all ages. Most Western youth don't grow up as quickly or as solidly as in generations past: the plethora of choices in spirituality and work/vocation, and mobility in where to live and work make settling down harder.

It's an era of confusion and chaos: many voices challenge the Christian faith and rootedness in prayer and scripture. Fr Anastos assures us all that a holy hour - time set aside with God for meditation, prayer, journaling, and other spiritual disciplines - is not only possible. It is worthwhile.

The author offers counsel on intentionality, spending time, mindful focus on Jesus, and modeling our prayer life on the withdrawal of Jesus to commune with his heavenly Father. He stresses personal integrity and a willingness to engage God's presence.

Highly recommended for spiritual formation, no matter what your stage of life.

Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times by Elizabeth Oldfield

★★★★★  The publisher provided a copy for review. 
What happens when you mess up? Is life over if you've made bad choices or when you continue to fail? This hopeful story - told with humor and personal examples - is an encouragement to seek help daily as you continue your journey. 

You'll find advice on prospering even when you're not perfect. You'll be compelled to become your best self, who God intended you to be, with God's help. Oldfield shows how to manage and overcome personal and external challenges with the help of faith and discipleship. 

Highly recommended if you're in a season of conflict or confusion.

Walking the Theological Life by Timothy Gaines

★★★★★  The publisher provided a copy for review. 
With low expectations, I flipped to the first chapter and started to read. I was quickly engrossed in the stories and theology. Gaines' presentation of methods of exploring are simple yet profound. My husband is a theologian and teacher so the descriptions of joy and abandonment to learning about God felt familiar to his "I love learning about God and sharing that with friends."

"This is for every student starting Christian Thought 101 - and for every seminary graduate," was my gut reaction by the time I'd read a few chapters. 

I'm going to recommend it to coworkers and theology professors, to my fellow adventurers and Christ-followers, and to everyone who is curious about what draws Christians into a relationship with a personal God.

Each time I picked up this book, I read much longer than I had time for. I was pulled again and again into the wonder and mystery of God-who-wants-to-be-known. In a phrase: "Highly recommended reading."

The Justice and Goodness of God: A Biblical Case for the Final Judgment by Thomas Schreiner

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
How can we expect justice from the courts and other people and limit the justice of God? Schreiner examines the roots of our alienation from God as nations, groups, and individuals. He brings together the Jewish and Christian theologies of God's justice and the consequences of our separation from God - sins committed, good left undone.

In a world that demands a happy ending to every fairytale and universal salvation for every person, this book will be neither popular nor accepted.  The idea of God as sovereign Creator and moral center goes against the liberal norm - until we are harmed by others' actions. (In which case we demand punishment for the perpetrators.)

Well thought out and researched. I may disagree with finer points or come to other conclusions, but I want a good and just God to be ruling the universe. Better to have an all-knowing Creator telling me what to do and meting justice than fickle and bribable humans.

Team Coaching Edge by Alison Grieve; Jenni Miller

★★★★★  The publisher provided a copy for review. 
Here's your much-needed textbook, whether you're a leader, coach, or communications student. This is the guide for coaching teams in non-profits, religious organizations, and businesses. There is enough information for self-guidance but this would be useful in the classroom as well as giving guidelines or acting as a reference manual in professional coaching settings.

It's good enough that I gave a heads up and the cover picture to friends who are professional coaches. That should tell you something. They're excited to see it published, as am I.

Friend of God by Rusty George

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.

If you've let others define your identity and limit your dreams, you're in trouble. But you already know that. From his pastor's heart, George offers you biblical  hope for a renewed mind and personal security in Christ.

This study from John's gospel, his epistles, and the book of Revelation affirms that you are an integral part of God's plan to save and love the world. He is pleased to be your Father and gives you the freedom to make good decisions, live without comparing yourself to others, and have an eternal destiny.

The forty lessons will encourage you and remind you that your unique design is purposeful and you are the beloved of God.

Rediscovering Christmas by AJ Sherrill

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
The story of Christmas is a very famous one. It is retold each year with additional traditions: 3 wise men, a barn with a manger, an indifferent innkeeper, angels singing, and more.

When you peel back the layers of myth to the original story and its meaning for us today, you can gain a new understanding of the gift of heaven, God with us - Jesus.

Sherrill offer biblical studies, explanations, and practical exercises. Take these suggestions for entering into the true meaning of transformation by a messiah beyond the mere celebration of a baby on a Christmas card. Get a copy before the next holiday season.

When Faith Disappoints by Lisa Victoria Fields

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.
We have many expectations of how life will go. When we follow Jesus, we may have suppose that all will be well. We may assume that suffering and uncertainty are over and God will give us happiness and prosperity without stress.

And when life isn't perfect or smooth, we may blame God for his lack of protection or provision. Whether we are interested in power, lose our purpose, or feel restricted by God, we may find our faith a disappointment.

Fields offers hope that the God we belong to loves us, has our best interests at heart, and is guiding our journey. With scripture and interesting stories, Field provides reassurance that faith is worthy the pursuit and staying the course. Each chapter ends with a prayer.

Whether you are doubting your commitment, straying from your Christian heritage, or uncertain if following Jesus is worth it, read this first.

What if you're right? by Emily Colwell

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review
Colwell writes with empathy and integrity about her exploration of sickness and need, beliefs and worldviews. While you may not agree with her current state of faith or her conclusions, the journey is an interesting one.

Scripture tells us that each person is uniquely shaped in the image of God with purpose and meaning. Often the people around us try to shame and shape us into their own image. I was blessed with parents who affirmed that God was amazing and able to handle questions and doubts. Human life was a great adventure and there was a reason for the way I was made.

"Don't let anyone put you in a box," was my dad's reoccurring warning.

In this book, Colwell chronicles her journey as a doctor and adviser from the viewpoint that she gets to decide who she is and who she is becoming. I'm heartsick at the direction she's going (the universal god-squad) but interested to see how her life will be shaped by honest enquiry in the future.

The Joy of an Uncluttered Life by Joyce Meyer

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review.

How do you function when there are multiple demands, many people tugging at you, and lots of things to maintain? 

"Everyone" has probably heard of Joyce Meyer, a high-capacity female pastor with a global reach. If not, this will be a good introduction. She's got a lot of irons in the fire and a lot to say, but somehow she manages to find balance. How? Be keeping the most important things as the core and not focusing on trivia and distractions.

You can do the same. If you feel like your life is too full, Meyer offers 100 days of finding freedom by evaluating what is true, noble, and right and shedding the rest. Each practical snippet highlights a scriptural principle that will anchor you in what matters most: loving God and loving others.