Every year, I look forward to writing this post. As much as I enjoy reading books throughout the year, writing this post is taking a walk down memory lane, reminding myself of what I read and whether/why I loved them. (It’s the book equivalent to working through the 5 questions I’m asking myself about 2021.)
I have more titles here, some that I read and didn’t love; others that I read and enjoyed, but didn’t deem worthy enough to make it to the “Books I Loved” post. Below, in no particular order, I present to you 9 titles I read in 2021 and recommend to you:
Confronting Christianity by Rebecca McLaughlin
You should read this book. Here’s why: whether or not you call yourself a Christian, this book will help you evaluate some incredibly difficult questions in the light of the Bible and Jesus Christ. Questions like these:
Doesn’t the Bible Condone Slavery?
How Could a Loving God Allow So Much Suffering?
Doesn’t Christianity Denigrate Women?
Reading this book served to strengthen my faith. Here are some quotes:
“Suffering is not an embarrassment to the Christian faith. It is the thread with which Christ’s name is stitched into our lives.”
“Disagreement is not evidence of disrespect. Indeed, I debate hardest with the people I respect the most, because I take their ideas seriously. But our society seems to be losing the art of debate within friendships, and we instead surround ourselves with people who think like us.”
“Like every other element of the Christian worldview, however, the recognition that unborn babies are fully human and therefore infinitely valuable belongs within a much larger story, a story in which the most vulnerable are the most important, a story in which no human being is unwanted, a story in which all of us are sexual sinners and only Jesus has the right to judge, a story in which sacrifice for others is the only path to joy, and a story that ends—for those willing to accept the offer—with a marriage of such beauty and intimacy that it makes the best human marriage seem like a heart emoji compared with a Shakespeare sonnet.”
“If I want to appreciate the texture of the Scriptures, I need to listen to brothers and sisters who grew up in cultures closer to those of the ancient Near East than my own. Every culture has its blind spots. Diversity helps us all to see.”
Suffering is Never for Nothing by Elizabeth Elliot
This book was written based on some sessions she gave on the topic of suffering. These words were such a help to me, especially her definition of suffering: something you want and don’t have or something you have and don’t want. I think the definition is helpful because it levels the playing field. All of us have things in our lives like that, and God wants us to respond to each circumstance (no matter the size) by turning to him for help.
“If your faith rests in your idea of how God is supposed to answer your prayers, your idea of heaven here on earth or pie in the sky or whatever, then that kind of faith is very shaky and is bound to be demolished when the storms of life hit it. But if your faith rests on the character of Him who is the eternal I AM, then that kind of faith is rugged and will endure.”
“And I’ve come to see that it’s through the deepest suffering that God has taught me the deepest lessons. And if we’ll trust Him for it, we can come through to the unshakable assurance that He’s in charge. He has a loving purpose. And He can transform something terrible into something wonderful. Suffering is never for nothing.”
“There is, in fact, no redemptive work done anywhere without suffering.”
“I’m convinced that there are a good many things in this life that we really can’t do anything about, but that God wants us to do something with.”
Running Scared by Ed Welch
The ladies at my church read and discussed this book at the beginning of 2021 and we had a fantastic time learning what God says about fear. This book is an in-depth look at why we fear, specific things we fear (death, money troubles, people’s opinions, etc.), and Biblical truths to break the seemingly unending fear cycle in our hearts. I found it to be a perfect study post-2020.
Some favorite quotes:
“Your future includes manna. It will come. There is no sense devising future scenarios now because God will do more than you anticipate.”
“So your task is not to transform into a superficial, sunny optimist. It is to grow to be an optimist by faith. The kingdom is advancing; God’s reign is spreading; there will be justice; and when we belong to Christ, it will end with joy.”
“Whom do I trust? Where is my faith? Those are the questions that all worriers must ask, yet all of us already know the answer. Our trust is divided. We don’t put all our eggs in one basket—even God’s—because that’s too risky. Our trust might not pay off the way we hope. We are reluctant to simply say to our Father, “I am yours,” and stop worrying. Jesus knows this. Fear and worry reveal that our faith is indeed small. If you are looking to plumb the depths of worry, you can find it in your mixed allegiances. You trust God for some things but not others. You trust him for heaven but not for earth.”
I’d Rather be Reading by Anne Bogel
A kind friend gave me this book for my birthday and I laughed and nodded my head in solidarity through so many of the chapters. My favorite chapter: Bookworm Problems. And a favorite part from the chapter: “You accept that it’s time to cull your personal library. You lovingly handle each book, determining if it brings you joy. It does. They all do. You are full of bookish joy, but still woefully short on book space.” A light, easy, and fun read for any book lover.
Kitchen Garden Revival by Nicole Burke
I ventured whole-heartedly into the world of raised bed gardening last summer and obeyed everything Nicole told me to do with fantastic results. I love how easy she makes gardening seem, even for beginners like me. Reading her book gave me the confidence to try things I knew almost nothing about and learn from my mistakes instead of feeling like a failure. If you want to learn more about backyard gardening, this is my top book recommendation for you.
Becoming Elisabeth Elliot by Ellen Vaughn
I devoured this book. As soon as I finished it, I knew I’d be adding it to this list of favorite books read in 2021. Sometimes I read missionary biographies and come to the end feeling like the biggest loser of a Christian ever because the book portrays the person out to be a super saint. This book is not like that. The author, Ellen Vaughn, includes journal entries from Betty Elliot so you’re constantly reading her own words, including her many struggles. Through all the struggles and victories, you can clearly see her vibrant love for God and her determination to pursue him with all her heart.
Some favorite quotes:
“Faith’s most severe tests come not when we see nothing, but when we see a stunning array of evidence that seems to prove our faith vain. If God were God, if He were omnipotent, if He had cared, would this have happened? Is this that I face now the ratification of my calling, the reward of obedience?”
“Sometimes we look at outcomes in this life, seeking the reassurance of a happy ending, and it’s just not there. What then? As Betty put it, His ways are “inscrutable.” So we have to rest, not in the peace of a pretty story, but in the reality of faith in a Person we cannot see.”
“Oh, how I pray for conforming to the acceptable will of God. I do not want to miss one lesson. Yet I find that events do not change souls. It is our response to them which finally affects us.”
Mrs. Dunwoody’s Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping by Miriam Lukken
This book is “fashioned after the traditional notes nineteenth-century Southern women penned as a record of all they knew and thought meaningful.” I was browsing through a used bookstore last week when I came across it. After it made me laugh out loud several times (trust me; I’m a joy to be around in a quiet bookstore), I decided it must be mine. Especially at the cost of $6. The book covers the topics of kitchen, laundry, marriage, health, and gardening. Advice ranges from things like “Always remember that being kind is more important than being right” to “Marigolds will prevent rodents” and “Never buy what you do not want because it is cheap.”
Wingfeather Saga (4-book series) by Andrew Peterson
I read the first book in this four-book series in order to satisfy my 12-year-old daughter’s pleas that I read it. I read the last three because I was hooked. Here’s the thing with these books: on one level, it’s a fantastic, gripping, action-packed adventure story. But Peterson also talks about love and loss, despair and hope, sacrifice, and living for a cause bigger than oneself. Both my 10-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter have read these, so we’ve had some good conversations about moments in the book and how they relate to real life. Highly recommend this series for both adults and children. Some favorite quotes:
“When you run out of hope, everything is backwards. Your heart wants the opposite of what it needs.”
“We all forget from time to time, and so we need one another to tell us our stories. Sometimes a story is the only way back from the darkness.”
Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren
Warren takes the regular, mundane things of life and shows how they relate to a life of faith. One of my favorite chapters was “Sitting in Traffic,” about how God uses the waiting times in our life (read: most of our lives) to make us who he wants us to be. Some favorite quotes:
“Everyone wants a revolution. No one wants to do the dishes.”
“The new life into which we are baptized is lived out in days, hours, and minutes. God is forming us into a new people. And the place of that formation is in the small moments of today.”
“We have everyday habits—formative practices—that constitute daily liturgies. By reaching for my smartphone every morning, I had developed a ritual that trained me toward a certain end: entertainment and stimulation via technology. Regardless of my professed worldview or particular Christian subculture, my unexamined daily habit was shaping me into a worshiper of glowing screens.”
“It’s easy for me to assume that the parts of my vocation that God cares about are the parts that I like.”
Bonus: One Line a Day Journal
(Some may argue that this should not be included in a line-up of books I read since this is technically a book I’m writing. They have a valid point, which is why I’m including it as an “extra.”) I started using this journal in July and am still going strong. This is journaling for people who want the benefits of journaling without spending 30 minutes a day doing it. I am most excited to have this in 3 years or so when I can look back at the entries I made the previous year. (P.S. I started this on July 27, 2021, so don’t feel like you have to begin on January 1st.)
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Aaaaand how about a little walk down memory lane?
Books I Read in 2020
2019
2018
2017