If the pandemic is going to keep us at home for much of this year, we might as well have some good books to pass the time! Here are a handful of the books coming out in the first half of 2021 that I can’t wait to read.
February
The Wisdom Pyramid: Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Truth World by Brett McCracken
“With the quick tap of a finger we can access an endless stream of addictive information―sports scores, breaking news, political opinions, streaming TV, the latest Instagram posts, and much more. Accessing information has never been easier―but acquiring wisdom is increasingly difficult. At a time when so much of our daily media diet is toxic and making us spiritually sick, The Wisdom Pyramid suggests that we become healthy and wise when we reorient our lives around God—the foundation of truth and the eternal source of wisdom.”
Preorder: Reformers Bookshop (AU/NZ) / Amazon (US)
March
10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (and Answer) about Christianity by Rebecca McLaughlin
“How can we believe the Bible is true? Why can’t we just agree that love is love? Isn’t Christianity against diversity? Backed by state-of-the-art research, personal stories, Harry Potter illustrations (warning: spoilers!), and careful biblical study, this book doesn’t dodge tough questions. Instead, it invites teenagers to ask their hardest questions about Christianity and to find surprising, life-giving answers.”
Preorder: Reformers Bookshop (AU/NZ) / Amazon (US)
Recovering the Lost Art of Reading: A Quest for the True, the Good, and the Beautiful by Leland Ryken & Glenda Mathes
“In today’s technology-driven culture, reading has become a lost art. With smartphones offering information at the tap of a finger, reading a book is often seen as a tedious and outdated activity. Christians are not immune to this problem, as many find it hard to read books―even the Bible―consistently and attentively. Recovering the Lost Art of Reading addresses these timely issues by exploring the importance of reading generally as well as studying the Bible as literature, giving practical suggestions along the way.”
Preorder: Reformers Bookshop (AU/NZ) / Amazon (US)
Ten Words to Live By: Delighting in and Doing What God Commands by Jen Wilkin
“The Ten Commandments are words about obedience and holiness―timeless in their importance and wisdom―spoken by God to a nation recently set free. Yet today these same words are often misunderstood, forgotten, or simply ignored. Wilkin teaches readers how the Ten Commandments come to bear on their lives today, helping them to love God and others, to live in joyful freedom, and to long for that future day when God will be rightly worshiped for eternity.”
Preorder: Reformers Bookshop (AU/NZ) / Amazon (US)
April
Extraordinary Hospitality (for Ordinary People) by Carolyn Lacey
“Generous hospitality is a significant way in which God works through our lives to bring life to others, yet many of us feel ill-equipped and overwhelmed at the prospect, especially if we don’t have big houses and we are not wonderful cooks! Carolyn Lacey encourages us to focus on the goal of hospitality, which is to reflect God’s welcoming heart, and shows us how we can all do that, regardless of our bank balance or living situation.”
Preorder: Reformers Bookshop (AU/NZ) / Amazon (US)
May
Ragged: Spiritual Disciplines for the Spiritually Exhausted by Gretchen Ronnevik
“When we mistake spiritual disciplines for to-dos, time slots on our schedule, or Instagram-able moments, we miss the benefits of Christ’s continual and constant work for us. In Ragged, Gretchen Ronnevik aims to reclaim spiritual disciplines as good gifts given by our good Father instead of heavy burdens of performance carried by the Christian.”
Preorder: Amazon
June
What God Has to Say about Our Bodies: How the Gospel Is Good News for Our Physical Selves by Sam Allberry
“In What God Has to Say about Our Bodies, Sam Allberry argues that the Bible has a lot to say about the body, and shows how the practical significance of Scripture’s teaching on this topic impacts how Christians should think and behave. Organized around three categories―what God intended for the body (creation), the impact of sin on the body (fall), and how God will redeem the body (redemption)―the book provides believers with a balanced and accessible theology of the body as they seek to glorify God in everything they do.”
Preorder: Amazon
edited: Just finished reading “10 Questions…” & loved it. And being a big Harry Potter fan, I appreciated the references tied into the book and addressing so many questions not just teens are wrestling with, but adults as well. I just got the Wisdom Pyramid, so that’s next on my list. BTW, which Hogwarts house are you in? I’m in Gryffindor.
So looking forward to the Harry Potter references! I’m a Hufflepuff 🙂