A Few Books...

I have a part-time job as a librarian.  I see just about all kinds of novels and biographies.....and the lack of many Christian books besides those written by "Christians" such as Joyce Meyer and Joel Osteen bothers me.  But I'm here to talk of good books - not those other things, so.....

Here's what I've been up to. :D

"Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World" by Bob Goff

In this book, Goff strives to tell us - "My little children, let us not love in word or in talk, but in deed and in truth." (1 John 3:18)  We say we love one another, but thoughts and feelings are not enough.  To love one's neighbor is to make conscious effort both in mind and in spirit to show by our words and especially our actions our love for the people around us.  This is the point central to Goff's book.  A quote for you - " 'You know what it is about someone that makes them a friend?  A friend doesn't just say things; a friend does.' ....Friendship creates a whole new economy.  When people realize there's no agenda other than friendship and better understanding, it changes things."

"Brazen: the Courage to Find the You That's Been Hiding" by Leeana Tankersley

This book is about self-discovery, daring to own your life and find your identity in a world of people that would rather mold you into someone of their own making.  I must say that I do not agree with all she says in the realm of theology, but - just take it all in with a grain of salt and you'll be fine. ;)  "Beautiful means being full of beauty.  Every time you observe beauty, you are filling yourself up with more and more and more beauty.  Someone who is beautiful, then, is someone who fills up on beauty in this world whenever and wherever she finds it - enjoying the sea, reading to her kids, holding hands on a hike, laughing till she cries, ingesting poetry like it's protein."

"I Kissed Dating Goodbye" by Joshua Harris

An excellent book on guy/girl relationships for either guys or girls to read.  Deals with many problems faced by young adults in our day.  "God has called me to live now, not four years from now.  He wants me to realize my full potential...right now, to be thankful for that, and to enjoy it to the fullest."

"Riley Unlikely: With Simple Childlike Faith, Amazing Things Can Happen" by Riley Banks-Snyder

This is the story of Riley, who at the age of thirteen took her first trip to Kenya.  She fell in love with this country and its hurting people, and knew she wanted to come back.  This book is the story of how she founded Generation Next - an amazing non-profit organization which provides education and medical assistance to the children of Kenya.  "...He's turned life as I anticipated it on its head, showing me that He can fill my aching heart in ways beyond my imagining.  If I could have glimpsed the plan that God had in store for me and for us and for Kenya, I'm not sure I would have believed it.  It probably would have seemed too huge, too complicated, and too masterful.  I probably would have thought of myself as too young, too quiet, too average, or too inexperienced to be part of it."

"The Broken Way: a Daring Path into the Abundant Life" by Ann Voskamp

This is a call to embrace people as they are even in their brokenness - accepting that there is a bit of broken in each of us - and that Christ will make beauty out of it.  It's about learning to live everyday in active sacrifice - daring to let our wills and desires be broken for the sake of another's good.  "You may believe in God, but never forget - it's God Who believes in you...Every morning that the sun rises and you get to rise?  That's God saying He believes in you, that He believes in the story He's writing through you.  He believes in you as a gift the world needs."