We are already over a week into the New Year, with a whole year of reading stretched out in front of us. So many unread pages, so much curiosity to be satiated, learning to be entered into. I can’t wait!
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Monthly Musings: Read and unread pages
The past 2023 year was a wonderful year of reading. I entered into a new rhythm, with three books on the go at a time. Each month I read 1 devotional/spiritual formation book. Each month I read 2 ‘learning’ books. And each month I read, oh… maybe 4-5 books for enjoyment. Many of those were books written by someone from a culture other than my own as I so value their different view on the world. So it was a good year of reading. I thought I would share some favourites with you.
Spiritual formation:
The process of being shaped into the likeness of Christ for the sake of world witness.
Here are several stand outs that sat within this section of ‘read pages’ during 2023.
I stumbled upon Alicia Britt Chole’s Anonymous: Jesus Hidden Years and Yours a few years ago and SOOO appreciated her insights. So it didn’t take much to convince me to reach for her 40 Days of Decrease as a reading companion during Lent. So rich! Highly recommended! That, naturally, led to reading her 2023 release The Night is Normal, about spiritual pain. It holds deep wisdom. Hear more on
’s podcast.The other book is by one of my all time favourite authors, Eugene Peterson. I read Practice Resurrection as I was reading through the book of Ephesians, which it is based on. It was a joyful experience which challenged me to further lean into long-term fidelity with the church, despites her (our) many quirks and failures.
Learning:
The process of being changed in the area of knowledge, skills or behaviour through gaining knowledge or experience.
I have just finished Global Humility. The amount of ideas, reflections, insights and wisdom that I highlighted was a bit excessive, but it speaks to the meaningful offering that this book is. Please read it!
On any given day I am a Brené Brown fan, but Atlas of the Heart, which is about the range of emotions we have and how to best express them, is a wealth of research which can be applied to all of our lived experience. It is truly insightful.
I’ve already written about Leadership in the Way of the Cross in Shaped through Failure, so I won’t repeat myself. Just to say, if you haven’t read it already, please make room for it in this 2024 year.
Enjoyment:
The process of taking pleasure in something.
Over the last year or so a friend from days past, with whom I grew up in the Philippines, published a trilogy of teen fantasy novels. I have so enjoyed them. Thank you,
! See more of her work at .There are so many good books in the world, including these next ones. I’ve just finished The Dictionary of Lost Words. Yes! It’s as good as they say. Be ready for tears.
I accidentally discovered Kamila Shamsie as I was perusing my library app, and fell in love with her writing. Salt & Saffron and Broken Verses are just two of her many, beautifully written books, each one rich with Pakistani cultural insights and a unique view of the world.
Aussie author, Holly Ringland’s work is growing in popularity as her debut novel, The Lost Flowers of Alice Heart, is made into a TV mini-series. I really appreciated that book, but there was something about The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding that captivated me. Perhaps it was the combination of the emotional and geographic landscapes which caught my imagination. I so enjoyed it!
Finally, Aussie Trent Dalton’s Lola in the Mirror is a book which unfolds the pathos and beauty of broken and longed for dreams.
What about you? What book/s would you recommend? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section.
Do you know others who would appreciate these book ideas? Feel free to…
Those are the read pages. Here are a few unread pages, waiting around the corner.
N.T. Wright’s On Earth as in Heaven
Eugene Peterson’s The Contemplative Pastor
How’s this for a powerful quote early into this book? (So… some read pages!) Both powerful and challenging.
I am being subversive. I am undermining the kingdom of self and establishing the kingdom of God. - pg. 28
Curt Thompson’s The Deepest Place, which may have been recommended by Jonathan Rogers of
during one of his The Habit podcasts.- ’s How to Read the Bible Artistically
Any other
suggestions that I haven’t quite gotten to
Book News
I’ve got the proofs! In the next two weeks the team at SPCK and I will do the final check, and then… no more changes, additions, edits. The magic behind the scenes continues, but I - we - wait. With joyful anticipation, and a bit of trepidation, we wait.
A HUGE thank you to those of you who took advantage of Koorong’s sale and pre-ordered your book. (And special thanks to those who bought multiple copies. That’s amazing!) I’m so glad we get to wait together.
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I love reading posts from friends about what books they enjoyed! You’ve mentioned a number I’m not at all familiar with and I’m intrigued. The Chole book for Lent is particularly catching my eye....
In terms of spiritual formation books, one of my favorites was Philip Yancey’s revision and expansion of John Donne’s Devotions, called Undone. It’s definitely going to be a book I revisit (and perhaps tackle the original).
Hmmm... favorite fiction this year? I think I’ll go with Daniel Nayeri’s Everything Sad is Untrue. Just amazing, and a book that made me wonder if I could pull more from childhood memories than I’ve thought.
One thing I’ve realized is there are way too many books in the world for the time I have to read them.