July Book Briefs
I know I’ve said this before, but y’all, this is a great stack of books to check out. Especially from two of my Mount Rushmore of spiritual influences—Ortlund and Whitney.
Eat, Drink, and Be Merry: A Gospel Call to Bold Enjoyment by Ray Ortlund
I loved every paragraph in this book. This is Ray at his best. Gospel rich, profound, personal, crisp writing, compelling, focused on Jesus. Get this one.
“With a pastor's heart, Ray Ortlund invites readers to embrace God's strategy for facing reality and living well. Meditating on Ecclesiastes 11:9-10, Ortlund explains how following Christ here in this world is a nuanced mix of both suffering and happiness. Ecclesiastes is a gospel call to accept the suffering and to savor the happiness—and savor it boldly.”
Don’s books on biblical spirituality are so helpful, rooted in Scripture, and practical. His tips and advice in this new edition will encourage your walk with Christ.
“Simplify Your Spiritual Life is a natural companion and follow up to Whitney’s landmark book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Here he guides you through a garden of 90 ways to simplify your practice of the Christian disciplines, encouraging you to pick those that will help you grow closer to Christ and more like him.”
Praying in Pain: How to Know You’re Heard When You Haven’t Been Healed by Glenna Marshall
“Prayer is how we survive the grip of crushing pain. Sometimes there are no words. Buried in grief and pain, we don’t know what to say, how to pray. Glenna Marshall has been there. Suffering for over a decade with chronic pain, she has spent nights exhausted, frustrated, and, at times, prayerless. Praying in Pain is inspired by the words of the psalmists, fellow friends and saints of old, who understand loss, pain, and heartache.”
Authentic Masculinity: Leaving Behind the Counterfeits for God’s Design by Seth Troutt
“Do you know what it means to be a man? Our culture is confused. Sometimes the differences between men and women are overemphasized. At other times, we hear that the differences between men and women are merely social constructs. Bewildered or discouraged, you might be asking: ‘What should I aspire to as a man?’ Or, even better, ‘What does it mean to be a Christlike man?’ Authentic Masculinity answers our questions and gives us a biblical vision of manhood.”
I listened to Seth on the Knowing Faith podcast and it was outstanding. This is a message and book we need for our times.
“Leaving behind fear and politicization, this pastoral exploration of the end times shows us why Christ's second coming is a source of comfort, hope, and clarity, especially for those who are suffering. Rather than fixating on tribulation and the antichrist, this exploration of Christ's return reveals how, in the end, there will be justice for the wronged, renewal for the broken, abundance for the famished, and rest for the weary. Most importantly, our faith will become sight.
For anyone who is looking for hope and reassurance about the second coming and the end times (or just hasn't seen how they're relevant to life today) this book offers biblical answers and encouragement that will have you praying, ‘Come, Lord Jesus.’”
Great selections