I have always loved reading. This passion has been with me since I was little. Each summer, my mom would take me and my sister to the library each month and we would each get three to four books. I would fly through my books. My sister, on the other hand, would maybe make it through one. Literature has blessed me more than enough.
God uses literature in miraculous ways. One of the biggest forms of communication He gave us was a divine-inspired piece of literature written by men. The Bible has inspired and influenced hearts for generations. How much more can He also bless someone else to write words that can puncture our hearts with holy truth and love?
If you are looking for a new read or something to get you out of a "reading rut," here's a list of some favorite books from staff members here at Sunnybrook Community Church.
The Jesus I Never Knew – Philip Yancey
Philip Yancey peels back the layers of the person who is Jesus - the culture He lived in, the things we know to be true of Him, and gives new life and meaning to the words we have from it. It covers from the manger to the cross and gives grand new meaning to both the person and the Savior of Jesus. If you want to know who our Savior was, this is a great read to do just that.
-Lydia Miller, Creative Arts Pastor
Holier Than Thou – Jackie Hill Perry
Jackie Hill Perry explores the weight that God’s holiness holds. After establishing through Scripture that God is holy, Perry moves on to what this holiness means for us. Perry shares with her readers that God’s holiness makes it impossible for Him to sin, making Him the most trustworthy being there is.
- Sarah Perez, Family Ministry Assistant
A Praying Life – Paul E. Miller
(This one was a fan favorite and had two recommendations)
A Praying Life offers something for everyone that is easy to apply, and steps to begin weaving into the fabric of your daily life. Any relationship that we want to invest in requires one-on-one time. This is especially true in prayer... getting to know Jesus, the person and friend. This book equips and helps build a desire to have easy daily conversations with God.
- Rose Weber, Executive Assistant
Jesus says in John 15, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” Jesus gives this idea of staying connected to Him, like a branch is connected to a vine. One of the greatest ways we can stay connected to Jesus is by communicating, both talking and listening, with Him in prayer. In this book, Paul teaches us to pray biblically. He shares his relational experiences and gives advice practically on how to continue to press in and connect with God through prayer. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to not simply make prayer something that you do here and there, but an essential part of your whole life.
- Erich Erdman, Family/College Ministry Director
Am I Not Still God? – Kathy Troccoli
Am I Not Still God? is about God and suffering. It was so beneficial after my mom died when I was only 35. Kathy shares the story of some difficult circumstances in her personal life, but especially shares about her own mom’s death. God’s question to her resonates from the book of Job in the Bible. Whatever the circumstances, there is always hope to cling to God in the darkest times of life. Now I use this book as a resource for others who are grieving.
- Brenda Zahnley, Care Ministry Manager
Crucial Conversations – Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, and Switzler
Crucial Conversation gives people practical help to enter and have conversations that can be difficult. It also helps define what is at stake and why it matters. Tools and stories from this book have stuck with me for over 10 years.
- BJ Van Kalsbeek, Congregational Life Pastor
Now if you are like me and have a reading list miles long, enjoy a few books off of my TBR (to be read) list. These are books I have not read yet but have intrigued my interest!
Deeper – Dane C. Ortlund
How do Christians grow? Few question the call of the Bible to grow in godliness, but the answer to exactly how this happens is often elusive. In this book, Dane Ortlund points believers to Christ, making the case that sanctification does not happen by doing more or becoming better, but by going deeper into the wondrous gospel truths that washed over them when they were first united to him. Drawing on wisdom from figures throughout church history, Ortlund encourages readers to fix their gaze on Jesus in the battle against sin, casting themselves upon his grace and living out their invincible identity in Christ.
Enough – Elise Knobloch
Part Bible study, part cup-of-coffee-with-a-friend, Enough offers encouragement to those seeking to live life to the fullest, but not always feeling fulfilled. Author Elise Knobloch considers the ancient Hebrews’ daily gathering of manna—an amount that God defined as “Enough” for them—and reflects on how we can find contentment in God’s daily gifts as well. Using wit, biblical research, and a healthy dose of self-deprecating humor and sarcasm, Elise invites readers to allow their human authenticity to be the very space in which God’s glory shines the brightest. The Hebrews had much to learn about depending on their God, and perhaps we do too, as we seek to find our Enough in a God who offers exactly what we need.
Thirsting for Living Water – Michael J. Mantel
When a perfect storm of personal, professional, and natural disaster threw Mike Mantel into a dark night of the soul, he embarked on a journey through his own life and around the world to rediscover God's presence through the diverse body of Christ. In Thirsting for Living Water, Mantel invites readers to join him on this adventure and open their eyes to their own stories of God's faithfulness. It's an invitation to see where God is already at work: at home, among neighbors, and to the ends of the earth. Here is a story of the holistic gospel, driven by compassion, justice, and mercy, with Jesus at the center. Here is an inspiring vision of a unified, global church—in which each of us has a vital role to play.
In Weeping and Rejoicing – Paige Stitt McBride
In Weeping and Rejoicing by Paige Stitt McBride is a book written to equip and encourage those of us who struggle to shape our emotional lives according to the Gospel. Through eight chapters, you will be guided into a thoroughly biblical understanding of emotions and then consider how a variety of specific emotions—joy, sadness, fear, peace, shame, anger, and love—can be clearly defined, dangerously distorted, and slowly developed in our everyday lives and struggles. If you have ever struggled to understand how the gospel relates to your mental health and emotions, this book is for you.
Cover photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash