Hi all! This is a bit of a new post format for me. Given that people often struggle to find time to read, and one of the times they can sometimes fit it in is during the Christmas holiday season, I thought I’d share my top 3 recommendations of books to read this holiday season.
1. Learning to Walk In The Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor
This is probably the book I’d recommend the most. It’s especially useful for those who carry a lot of darkness with them–anxiety, fear, despair, anger, depression or even just simple doubt. The book questions the simple Biblical interpretation of light=good and dark=bad, and draws the reader into an exploration of when dark=good in Scripture. It’s an excellent tool for finding divinity in darkness, and remembering that God is present with us in the dark–a good reminder this time of year when the nights are at their longest.
2. Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again by Rachel Held Evans
This is a wonderful love letter to Scripture, grouping several stories by theme and exploring the idea of Scripture as story. I found myself recalling The Truth About Stories by Thomas King often when reading this. I especially found the chapter on War Stories helpful, as War Stories in Scripture were often hard to reconcile or understand.
3. Talking Across the Divide: How to Communicate with People You Disagree with and Maybe Even Change The World by Justin Lee
This is another book about story, but used to reach people who for a lot of psychological reasons might not respond to cited sources and cold facts. It may be especially helpful over the holiday season when in close quarters with family members who you love but who may drive you crazy on occasion.
Dreamer's Blog 