#books

Biographies for People Who Have Never Read a Biography

In recent weeks I’ve encountered a number of people who have never read a biography. While there’s no law commanding the reading of biographies, there are certainly many good reasons to make them a regular part of a reading diet. Today I want to offer just a few suggestions and recommendations for people who are approaching biography for the first time, or for the first time in a long while. Three Tips I’ll begin with a few suggestions for getting …

What Are The ESV Scripture Journals All About?

You’ve probably seen something recently about the ESV Scripture Journals. According to the publisher, they “pair the entirety of individual books of the New Testament with lightly lined blank pages opposite each page of the biblical text, allowing readers to take extended notes or record insights and prayers directly beside corresponding passages of Scripture. Individual volumes feature one book of Scripture in a thin and portable format—great for personal Bible reading and reflection, small-group study, or taking notes through a …

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New and Notable Books for February

I get a lot of books in the mail and once a month or so like to sit down and tell you about some of the especially notable ones. So here they are: the new and notable books for February. Typical Woman: Free, Whole, and Called in Christ by Abigail Dodds Why I Love the Apostle Paul: 30 Reasons by John Piper Sola: How the Five Solas Are Still Reforming the Church by Jason K. Allen Mere Calvinism by Jim …

Comforting Quotes for Those Who Are Suffering

Without a doubt, the most impactful book I read last year was A Book of Comfort for Those in Sickness. I’m sure its significance was partly due to some medical struggles I’ve been having recently, but also simply because life is full of difficulties. We all go through difficult times in these difficult lives in this broken world, and a book like this one delivers comfort rooted in the Comforter. I’ve collected some of my favorite quotes from the book, …

The Collected Best Christian Books of 2018

For the past couple of weeks my RSS feeder has been humming with list after list of the best books of 2018 (or, if not the best, the favorite books of 2018). It seems that just about every avid reader I follow is eager to share his or her picks for the year that was. I love these lists and decided I’d compile them to look for patterns and repeats. Here, then, are the collected best Christian books of 2018. …

The 2019 Christian Reading Challenge

Do you love to read? Do you want to learn to love to read? Do you enjoy reading books that cross the whole spectrum of topics and genres? Then I’ve got something that may be right up your alley—the 2019 Christian Reading Challenge. Whether you are a light reader or completely obsessed, this 2019 Christian Reading Challenge is designed to help you read more and to broaden the scope of your reading. How It Works The 2019 Christian Reading Challenge is …

New and Notable Books for December

Are you still looking for that elusive perfect Christmas gift? Or maybe you’re just looking for something to read over the holidays. Here are some of the new and notable books that arrived on my doorstep recently. There might just be something here for you or for someone you love. Here’s the complete list: Reformed Preaching by Joel Beeke The Whole Counsel Of God by Richard Gamble Always in God’s Hands by Owen Strachan In the Year of Our Lord …

My Top Book Reviews of All-Time

It’s a question I’m asked often: What are the top book reviews you’ve written? I take that to mean this: Which of the reviews you’ve written have been read the most? I suppose it’s not surprising that the most popular book reviews are all for books I disagreed with in various ways. Here’s the top-five. The Shack by Paul Young. I guess this shouldn’t be any great surprise since The Shack is one of the bestselling Christian books of all-time. …

New and Notable Books for November

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! Face to Face with Jesus by Randy Alcorn Diehard Sins by Rush Witt Pornography by Deepak Reju Grief by Bob …

Why Anne of Green Gables Is One of My Favorite Novels

I suppose it’s not a “manly” thing to admit, but Anne of Green Gables is one of my favorite novels, and one I read often. I am drawn to the character Lucy Maud Montgomery created—a quirky child who sees the world through a lens that is pained, optimistic, zany, childlike but still mature beyond her years. It’s a pleasure to see reality (and fantasy and the sometimes thin distinction between them) through her eyes. I’m drawn to the way Anne …