Book Rec Series 1-3

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Heeeeeyyyyy!! I often get asked about book recommendations. I thought I’d throw together a list of my current top 10, which then turned into a baker’s dozen. And by “throw together” I mean, obsess and agonize over, because narrowing all of the books I love down to my top 10 (or 13) favorites is next to impossible. I started working on that list but realized I just have TOO much to say.

Bri? Too much to say? No. That can’t be. Never. You’re thinking about the wrong person.

Oh, that’s so sweet of you! haha. But, yes, I know I have a lot to say. Sooooo – you’re going to get a series of book recs, three books at a time! Instead of my original idea of 10 or 13 all at once, you get 3. Why? Because I want you to love these books as much as I do. And it will be easier to digest if I just give you a few ideas at a time.

1- Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby and Claude King

• For Who: Anyone who wants to truly experience God’s movement in their lives. From the “beginner” to the more experienced Christian – there is something for everyone here!
• Group Study: Yes! I’ve done this as a work study at a faith-based pregnancy crisis clinic as well as in a Sunday school class. Both times were eye opening – SO much to learn! Recently, Lifeway developed an actual study to go with the book. Though I personally don’t have any experience with it, I imagine it would be a helpful tool: the leader’s guide can be found here and the study book can be found here.
• Reading Difficulty: This is a rather long book, so not for the faint of heart. However, the reading itself isn’t too difficult, I’d put this one somewhere in the middle, between an easy read and a hard read. Additionally, if you want something a little easier to digest, there’s a 365-day devotional that breaks the book down into daily bite size pieces – it isn’t exactly the same but still holds all of the main ideas (I’ve gone through it twice!). You can find that version here.
• Why I recommend it: No matter where you are in your faith walk, this book will help you grow closer to the Lord – as long as you let it. Theologically sound, wonderfully written, full of great metaphors and stories – you will walk away changed.
• Three of my favorite quotes:
  • “God wants you to live an abundant life (John 10:10). When God gives you a command, it is to protect you and lead you toward His blessings. He does not want you to miss out on the fullness of life He wants you to experience. God’s instructions do not restrict; they free you. God’s purpose is that you prosper and live…”
  • “My primary concern should not be, ‘What should I do with my life tomorrow?’ but rather, ‘What does God want me to do today?’ As you follow Jesus one day at a time, He will keep you in the center of God’s will.“
  • “If you want to be a disciple of Jesus, you have no choice. You will have to make significant alterations in your life…Until you are ready to make any change necessary to follow and obey what God has said, you will be of little use to God.”

2 – Everybody Always by Bob Goff

• For Who: Literally, everyone. I would even highly recommend this to people who don’t yet know who the Lord is.
• Group Study: Absolutely! I’ve read this together in a group setting where we discussed each chapter as we finished it. There is an official bible study with DVD included, here – but, again, no personal experience with it.
• Reading Difficulty: Easy! Justin and I are very different when it comes to reading. He needs a light, easy read, with tons of illustrations (visual and/or metaphors). There aren’t any actual pictures in this book, but Bob Goff is fantastic at painting a picture for you. Justin loves this book. I would certainly qualify this as an easy read – but, most definitely, still hits hard when it comes to the Gospel!
• Why I Recommend It: I cannot tell you how many times I have referenced the illustrations or stories in this book. It is, besides the Bible, probably one of my most recommended books because of this very reason. The illustrations stick with you, shape you, and open your heart at least a smidge more than before. I read this shortly before or during a season where I helped to launch a maternity home for pregnant young women, some homeless, some fresh out of prison, some recent addicts. The stories in this book helped me to see the women that walked through our doors with a different perspective. This book will help you love the people who are hard to love. It will peel away some of the misconceptions and assumptions we have about people. Mostly, it will help you love better. And, honestly, who doesn’t need that?
• Three of my Favorite Quotes:
  • “I’ve concluded we can be correct and not right…I do this most often when I have the right words and the wrong heart…I’m trying to resist the bait that darkness offers me every day to trade kindness for rightness…Arguments won’t change people. Simply giving away kindness won’t either. Only Jesus has the power to change people, and it will be harder for them to see Jesus if their view of Him is blocked by our big opinions.”
  • “Catch people on the bounce. When they mess up, reach out to them with love and acceptance the way Jesus did. When they hit hard, run to them with your arms wide open to hug them harder…Don’t just gather information about people who have failed big or are in need – go be with them. When you get there, don’t just be in proximity – be present. Catch them. Don’t try to teach them. There’s a big difference.”
  • “A lot of people think playing it safe and waiting for all the answers before they move forward is the opposite of dangerous. I disagree. If our life and our identity are found in Jesus, I think we can redefine safe as staying close to Him. Don’t get me wrong. Playing it safe and waiting for assurance in our lives isn’t necessarily bad; it just isn’t faith anymore. Playing it safe doesn’t move us forward or help us grow; it just finds us where we are and leaves us in the same condition it found us in.”
• BONUS: I actually just finished Bob Goff’s latest book, Undistracted. I can’t rank it as one of my favorites, but I still highly recommend it! Justin is reading it now, so I’ll let you know what he thinks soon!

3 – Story: Recapture the Mystery by Steven James

• For Who: Creative types! Steven James addresses the Gospel in a poetry like fashion with bits of short form poetry sprinkled throughout the book.
• Group Study: Honestly, I think you could turn just about anything into a study, kind of like a book club – but I’ve never done this in a group. The more artsy feel would require a unique group for a fit – but if you had the right people, it could be great!
• Why I Recommend It: First of all, it is different than most traditional Christian reads. But mostly, I wanted this on the list because it is a book I have kept on my shelf after multiple moves, multiple seasons of life, multiple “clean outs” where I’ve let some other books go (*ouch*), and so much more. For whatever reason, it resonates with my soul, as it did when I first read it as a teenager, and I always feel the need to keep it. Whatever that reason may be, I wanted to share the beautiful way that Story paints the gospel, with you.
• Three Four of My Favorite Quotes:
  • “i am drowning in awareness, / and yet never quite aware / that the chains i fashion every day / are the very ones i wear.”
  • “So God’s children became rational, realistic, reasonable, practical, pragmatic people who abandoned faith for sight and traded worship for religion.”
  • “It’s so absurd, this king of the galaxies lying in a feed box for animals, this Creator crying in a stable. Anyone can see at this point that the story isn’t man-made. Who would ever believe it? If I were making up a religion that I wanted people to believe in, I’d never insert stuff like this. Only God could tell a story this ludicrous and then claim that it is true.”
  • “judas betrayed you for thirty pieces of silver. / forgive me for all the times I’ve done it / for free.”

Happy reading friends! Never stop growing. Never stop following Him. Never stop voyaging.