2024 in books
I believe that books are a great way of furthering Christian education and development. In a world so saturated with Christian literature, getting lost in the weeds can be easy, and I sure have a time or two. But I enjoy the journey of growing in my reading, and I wanted to take some time for those who might be interested, to highlight three books that really helped me in 2024.
The first book I want to highlight is “Wild at Heart” by John Eldredge. This book came out the year I was born, but its wisdom and insight felt as if it were written to me now. I found it so impactful in fact, I read it three times. The subtitle for the book is “Discovering the Secret of a Man’s Soul,” and it helped me put language to different areas of growth I wanted to step into yet didn’t quite know how to. As a discipler of young men myself, I felt much more equipped to be able to support my male students and co-staff in their walk with the Lord and navigate their journey of masculinity. This being said, I think there are many aspects of this book that would be valuable for a woman to read as well. The book has a counterpart written by the author and his wife called “Captivating”. There is also a sequel book called “Fathered by God”.
I was able to read most of the work of author and pastor John Mark Comer this year, and a book of his I found myself returning to was “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry”. The phrase “ruthless elimination of hurry” in my research was actually coined by JMC’s mentor’s (John Ortberg) mentor, Dallas Willard. This book highlights the danger of the busyness and rush that so easily ensnares Christians and calls us back to the lifestyle of the Sabbath. In my work, I have many different hats and can find my soul easily restless with all the things I have to do, and although I know my experience isn’t a unique one, JMC wouldn’t say it is a lifestyle that is supported by the bible. I have made intentional steps over this last year to create rhythms of sabbath and rest so that I may pursue excellence in the work that I do. I am excited to continue to apply the challenges of this book and I’d be curious to see if you are as challenged by this book as I was.
The last book I wanted to highlight was “The Leadership Paradox” by Denny Gunderson. I have found myself very interested in the idea of leadership over the last couple of years, and I have steadily been given more opportunities to lead as well. However, I have found myself at an interesting crossroads with the idea of leadership and the reality of leadership. I knew in some ways that it would happen, but I wasn’t sure how. I processed the idea of my leadership a lot this past season. This book by Gunderson helped me navigate and solidify my thoughts on the opportunities I have been given to take on more responsibility and allowed me to see what it is to serve people by looking at how Jesus served people. If you are in a position of leadership or influence, I’m aware there are a million books to read on the topic, but I’d be surprised if this quick read didn’t help you in your journey.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope it was helpful for you and gave you a bit more of an insight into my life and the books that helped me grow.
