Although middle grade literature is probably my favorite, I also read a good bit of adult books, mostly about parenting and Christian living. I had a hard time classifying some of these because, for example, some have Christian authors but are not overtly Christian in the actual book. I ended up just picking my six favorite. These were all re-orienting for me and ones I have continued to think about, even months later.
Grow Wild - Wow. This was really eye-opening and paradigm-shifting about how our bodies need to move more and in different ways (e.g. not just "exercising" but using our hands for different tasks and sitting on the floor instead of in chairs all the time). I read this after hearing part of an interview with the author on the 1000 Hours Outside podcast. I had to read it quickly because someone else put a hold on it at the library. I took notes and will probably need to read it again. We're testing out what it's like not to have furniture in our living room, and I'm planning on having some chair-free days in our homeschooling. And she gave even more evidence to be outside more!
Every Body Matters - Wow. I was already a fan of Gary Thomas; I've read "Sacred Marriage" and "Cherish" and both have made an impact on my marriage. This one was the awakening I needed to start taking care of my body, here as I approach 40 and my metabolism slows. I had always been able to eat whatever I wanted, and I'm realizing that I have a problem with overeating, even though I'm not technically overweight. I listened to the audio version (which the author narrates), but I often had to pause and go back to be able to take notes on my phone. And this was the first author that I actually listened to portions of it at 0.5 speed so that I had time to take notes on what he was saying. It's a little early to say, but right now, I view this book as life-changing for me. I hope it affects the trajectory of my life heading forward. I don't want to become healthy just for the sake of being healthy -- I want to be "useful to the Master, prepared to do any good work."
All Things New - My husband tried to get me to read this book when it came out years ago. I finally read it during a recent solitude retreat. In this Covid year, I've found myself a bit melancholy about getting older and all that is wrong with the world. This book was just what I needed to reframe my perspective. I find myself now thinking and dreaming and talking about the Kingdom. As Christians, our destination is heaven but also the new earth that will be similar to what our earth is now but in a redeemed, restored glory. I'm thankful for this new way of seeing!
Another Gospel? - I included my full Goodreads post here, but this was just what I was needing! I've found myself in a season of doubt and deconstruction (though not knowing this term at the time) but ultimately resolving to follow Jesus as best I know how, throwing myself on His mercy, and upholding the Bible as the Word of God. I ended up reading a book that was what I now know to be progressive Christianity, and Alisa helped shed light into this dangerous movement.
Here were some of my takeaways:
-Faith is not a blind leap in the dark. Biblical faith is trust based on good evidence.
-Churches should be safe places to engage in intellectual side of faith for doubters or they'll find sympathy from the progressive camp who thrive on reveling in doubt, like a badge of honor to bask in, rather than an obstacle to face and overcome
-A study found that many youth group graduates left the faith because at some point, they had doubts but were dismissed
-“The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid.” -GK Chesterton
-We don't get to completely redefine who God is and how he works in the world and call it Christian. We don't get to make the rules and do what is right in our own eyes and yet call ourselves followers of Jesus. The only option is to do it his way or not at all.
-Help my unbelief. Doubt TOWARD Jesus. Move towards Him. Ask for help.
Born Again this Way - I'm SO glad a friend recommended this book to me! I've been stuck not knowing what to think/how to proceed with our culture's increasing fascination with and celebration of homosexuality. And, though I've thought at length about it, I still thought there were only two options: either homosexual individuals have to find an "affirming" church that doesn't believe their behavior is sinful OR they have to "pray away the gay" and not be gay anymore. This book presented another alternative: people who struggle with same-sex attraction can choose to live a deny-yourself kind of life, and even if the struggle never completely goes away, they can find freedom. (I feel awkward in even writing out these thoughts -- the author did a much better job of explaining it!).
I'm glad I listened to the audio with the author as the narrator. She, an intellectual/thinking/Yale person, explained with marriage imagery why homosexuality isn't God's design (beyond the normal Bible verses against homosexuality). It was really good for me to hear and process, as a married, straight woman.
The Call of the Wild + Free - This is me. Oh, how I feel the call to be wild and free! I quit my teaching job to homeschool our boys during this pandemic, and I've struggled to find my footing in the homeschooling world. But this book is me. I want to be about nature, play, story, and curiosity. It gave me permission to do homeschooling differently than I ever expected.
Other Parenting Books I Loved:
The Read-Aloud Handbook - I was happy to find this book in a Little Free Library. I had read several books that referenced this one but was glad to finally read the original. Lots of things I knew but also lots of great things to ponder. Gave me extra motivation to continue reading aloud to my boys every day!
Adventuring Together - This book is right up my alley. I enjoyed reading about Greta's experiences adventuring and was inspired to take more steps into adventuring as a family. This is the book that gave me the courage to take our boys camping while my husband stayed home.
Let Them Be Kids - This was so, so good. It was right up my alley. I listened to the audio on hoopla, and I found myself pausing it often to take notes. Some great reminders and suggestions and things to think about. Definitely have some action steps to take after reading this.
One of my favorite parts was at the end about living what I say.
If I say too much technology is bad, am I constantly scrolling?
If I say kindness matters, do I berate my husband when he doesn't do something the way I want?
If I say faces are more important than screens, do I look at their faces?
If I tell them to get off their tail to have an adventure, do I?
Affirming and convicting and encouraging all at the same time. I plan on revisiting my notes often.
Mere Motherhood - I'm new to the homeschooling scene, having quit my teaching job during the pandemic. It was great to read this book from someone a little further down the road to help me appreciate these days. I like that her homeschool was pretty low-key but that she read A LOT with and without her children. I have half as many boys as her but could relate to many of her boy stories.
Other Adult Nonfiction Books I Loved:
Mother to Son - I loved this! Jasmine is an excellent writer and dealt well with lots of hot-button issues. We're both boy moms who grew up in majority white churches, but her perspective is very different from mine. I'm trying to read more books from people of color, and I'm glad I stumbled upon this one!
Be the Bridge - I finally got around to reading this book. Very eye-opening and thought-provoking. I would love to join a Be the Bridge group to continue having these conversations. The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry - Really really good and needed. It's crazy how much this book still applies to me even on the tail-end of a pandemic that has slowed everything down. I don't hurry from place to place much these days, but I could so relate to the feeling of not being enough, not doing enough, not reading enough. In some ways, this book made me feel worse (telling me to simplify but then also giving lists of things to do). I've already started practicing some things like intentional slowing, making complete stops, single-tasking, setting a specific time to check e-mail. As a new smart phone user, this was helpful for me to set some limits.
Love Does - I rated this as a five because of how much I enjoyed reading it. Yes, Bob is outlandish and well-off, and most of his shenanigans are off-limits for the average Joe like me, but I enjoyed reading about his adventures. As another reader mentioned, I was inspired in a vague way -- not sure how it applies directly to me (although it does make me want to be more spontaneous and go live in another country someday). It's hard to believe that all these stories are true -- almost like how a stand-up comedian uses jokes based on the truth but you're never really sure if all parts are true. I do think these stories are true, but I told my husband that even if one of them happened in my life, that would crazy. But for him -- they've all happened! Anyway, I'm rambling, but I did enjoy the stories and most of the principles he learned from the experiences.
Liturgy of the Ordinary - I'm very much in the thick of "the ordinary" -- trying to live with Jesus at the Center but aware that it's easier to feel like He's at the Center during the more "spiritual" times of my day. I listened to the audio of this, and I already know that I will want to listen/read again. So many good concepts, especially the chapter on rest (since that's most fresh on my mind). Going to sleep is a "confession of our limits and of God's limitless care for us." Can we as Christians be known as "a people who embrace our limits with joy and zest?" So, so good!
What They Meant for Evil - I stumbled on this book when searching for books on Africa to read with my sons for homeschooling. I didn't read this to them (although we did do When the Stars are Scattered, which I highly recommend), but it was one that kept me up reading at night because it was so compelling. And I loved her Christian faith sprinkled through. I realized partway through that she is the same age as me. So in 1991 when she was seven and on the run and headed to a refugee camp, I was in a comfortable home attending first grade at a wonderful public school with a supportive family and no threat of any type of violence in my peaceful small town. It's just mind-boggling the disparity between our childhood experiences. But I want to read more books like this to give me more perspective. I would love to start helping with a local refugee ministry once this pandemic settles down. Excellent book!
The Case for Faith - I had read this mostly in 2020 but realized that I never actually finished it, so I read the last two chapters a year later. The chapter on doubt is one I’ve read 3 times and will continue to return to it. A ringing line from the conclusion is “In the end, faith is a step of the will: God will give us what we want.” This book re-affirmed that although not every question can be tied up with a nice bow, there is “plenty of evidence upon which to base a rational decision to say ‘yes’ to God.” I continue to press into Jesus, the best I know how.
Hide This in your Heart - I'm passionate about Scripture memory, so this was right up my alley! I joined a Zoom group that was studying this book. There were some good insights and tips in the front half of the book, and I memorized the verses from the second half of the book along with my group. I appreciated the emphasis on justice and the marginalized and also on how to apply these verses.
Other Adult Fiction Books I Loved:
A Daughter's Devotion - My uncle sent me three MacDonald books, and on a recent solitude retreat, I finally had time to dive into one. It didn't take long to become engrossed in the characters, and I'm glad I started underlining (and starring and circling stars!) along the way because there were so many rich ideas to ponder. I've never read fiction like this. Looking forward to reading more!
The Screwtape Letters - Finally! I don't know what took me so long to actually finish this book. I've started it several times. This time, I listened to the audiobook, which was fantastic. I do have to remind myself that things are the opposite of how I usually think of them. Now that I've finally finished it, I plan on re-reading (re-listening?) in the future.
The Great Divorce - My uncle has recommended this book to me numerous times, and it has sat on my shelf for months (thanks to the library's automatic renewal system). I had a hard time getting into it, and I wasn't sure exactly what would be happening and if I was ready for it. The library gave me a notice that someone had put a hold on the book, so suddenly, it was time to buckle down and read it. And wow, so thought-provoking, even if just from someone's imagination. I found myself wishing I could underline multiple times. I'll probably be pondering some of the encounters for awhile.
Here were some of my other lists from 2021:
