I get books. I get lots and lots of books. As you well know, once a month or so I like to try and thin the pile a little bit and distill it down to the ones I think may be of most interest to people like you. I hope you find at least some of them worth checking out!
Books Featured:
Jesus Wins: The Good News of the End Times by Dayton Hartman
Too often discussions about the End Times are fraught with wild speculation or discord. But a biblical view of eschatology places Jesus’ return and victory at the center. All Christians hold this hope in common. In Jesus Wins, Dayton Hartman focuses on this common ground to reveal why the way we think about the End Times matters. Christian eschatology should be rooted in biblical orthodoxy to inspire hope and greater faithfulness in the present age. That’s the point of eschatology after all! Drawing from his own ministry experience, Hartman testifies to the unifying power of Jesus’ victory.
Idols of a Mother’s Heart by Cristina Fox
Even good things can become idols if we give them central importance in our lives. Having children changes everything, and as mothers, we risk looking for life, purpose and meaning in motherhood. While being a mother brings its unique set of challenges, these years of raising children and helping them grow in the nurture and admonition of the Lord provide an opportunity to grow in our own Christlikeness as well.
Writing from her own personal experience as a mom, Christina Fox encourages mothers to prayerfully and thoughtfully examine their own hearts, and to let God use motherhood as a means of sanctification.
Split into three sections, the first chapter looks at the meaning motherhood; chapters 2–4 are about idolatry; chapters 5–9 focus on a few different idols that mothers might worship (not an exhaustive list, but a common few); and the final chapters are about facing idols, dethroning them, and turning our heart back to the One true God.
Holy Sexuality and the Gospel: Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by God’s Grand Story
Dr. Christopher Yuan explores the concept of holy sexuality–chastity in singleness or faithfulness in marriage–in a practical and relevant manner, equipping readers with an accessible yet robust theology of sexuality. Whether you want to share Christ with a loved one who identifies as gay or you’re wrestling with questions of identity yourself, this book will help you better understand sexuality in light of God’s grand story and realize that holy sexuality is actually good news for all.
Following Jesus: The Essentials of Christian Discipleship
Unexpected Blessings helps special-needs families move past the pain and confusion of their circumstances and slowly, firmly face the future with hope. Speaking honestly about struggles that accompany a variety of disabilities, Sandra Peoples shows readers how to
- let go of false beliefs that hold them back
- work through the cycles of grief
- focus on self-care and healthy routines
- understand disability based on what the Bible says
- rebuild a strong faith foundation
- create support systems for themselves and others
Filled with real-life stories and hard-earned wisdom, this book shines a light on the possibilities and blessings that come when parents see their new purpose in life–which was God’s purpose for them all along.
Images and Idols: Creativity for the Christian Life
God is the Creator of all things, and He created us in His image. Creativity is woven into the very fabric of our humanity. Therefore, Christians should value and champion creativity as a vital part of our image-bearing role. Instead Christians often don’t know what to do with creatives and creatives don’t know what to do with Christianity. On one side you have Christians who neglect or discount art, imagination, and beauty altogether. On the other, you have artists who make idols out of each of these good things.
Ryan Lister, a theology professor, and Thomas Terry, a spoken word artist and founder of Humble Beast, team up to help restore the connection between creativity and theology. Images & Idols is a theological and artistic exploration of creativity in the Christian life. It will help creatives build a strong theological foundation for their art, while challenging the church to embrace a theology of beauty and creativity.
These brief meditations have been collected from the third volume of Francis Grimké’s Works, entitled Stray Thoughts and Meditations, a diary written over the last twenty-five years of his life. Grimké’s thoughts on preaching display his gospel-centered piety, his wisdom, and his experience of eventually fifty years of pulpit ministry. Preachers from every Christian denomination will benefit from this African American Presbyterian voice of the early twentieth century.
