Category Archives: Christian Books

Find recommendations and reviews of Christian books, past and present!

Wisdom From the Wemmicks – Pt. 2!

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After Alex shared about her experience reading Max Lucado’s Wemmicks books, she decided to share some of the books with her life group. They read You are Special and You are Mine, and had a time of sharing about the gospel truths and life lessons they drew from the books.

Here’s Kaylin, one of the juniors in Klesis at Berkeley, with another plug for the wonderful children’s books:

This was one of the most memorable life group times. I was struck afresh by how the gospel is so simple that it can be presented in a children’s book, while I often make the gospel unnecessarily complicated. I found the Wemmicks and Punchinello’s story to be true to our own world, and was able to draw wisdom that achievements and material possessions are just stars, dots, boxes, and balls. Their story reaffirmed that I am not special because of anything I do, but the fact that I am the Maker’s. The gospel was so clear to me as I was reading the book and I was warmed by Eli’s love towards Punchinello. These books are so good; they are truly layered and deep! After life group, I went on amazon to find the whole collection to read to my baby cousins. 🙂

A limited quantity of the entire collection will be available at the bookstore soon! Perfect gifts for the holidays. 

Recommended Reads: The “Christian Heroes: Then & Now” Series

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They’re everywhere, but you might have written them off as kids books. I’m talking about the Christian Heroes: Then & Now series from YWAM publishing. There are 44 books thus far. What many people find so great about these books is that they are short and very readable. The books say they are for ages 10-100! So if you’re getting back into reading (or never did much of it before), they are a great way to ease into say, the Winter Reading Challenge. They’re also good to read with your children during your reading times. You can inspire them by reading a Christian biography and spend time reading together – a win-win!

51nod2zql7l-_sx324_bo1204203200_It’s so challenging to distill an entire life into a couple hundred pages, but I love the way the author creates a thematic narrative thread to present the life of a Christian hero in one cohesive story. While it might leave out details, these books are a great starting point to learning about missionaries and other Christian workers, many of whom I had never heard of.

My favorite I’ve read so far is the one about George Muller. It starts with a bang (literally), and you meet young George Muller and his money-loving ways. In fact, he’s a “with friends like him…” kind of guy who only cares about himself. So it is all the more powerful a testament to the power of the gospel when you see how God transforms him into a man who gives his life to care for orphans, solely dependent upon God to provide for every single need, and in such a radical way.

I’ve taken an extremely informal poll of some people (this is *not* the way to collect or present data!), and here are their top 10 biographies:

  1. George Muller
  2. Gladys Aylward
  3. Sundar Singh
  4. Isobel Kuhn
  5. Amy Carmichael
  6. Lottie Moon
  7. Adoniram Judson
  8. D.L. Moody
  9. Hudson Taylor
  10. Ida Scudder

We’ll be getting a whole shipment of many of the biographies, so be sure to stop by the Book Fair to pick up one or two or seven. 🙂

Which ones are your favorites? 

Reading Snapshots:Spiritual Toddlers

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We haven’t had a Reading Snapshot in a while. This one comes from the youngest Sammy at Gracepoint Berkeley church, who happens to be reading one of my favorite Christian books.

sammy-fong

Sammy intently reflecting on the purpose of life: to see God in the face of Jesus Christ.

We Would See Jesus is a Christian classic, and in my opinion, a MUST READ. (It is written by the same authors of The Calvary Road — another must read.) It is a simple yet profound book that has ministered to me at different points throughout the years. So many times we lose sight of Jesus even in the midst of our service of Him. This book simplifies and clarifies what we muddle when we stray from focusing on seeing Jesus alone.

It is currently available at our book fair, and a great choice to read over winter break if you’ve never read it. Or even if you’ve read it before! I read it every few years, and like all good books, I’ve found that it speaks to me in new ways. And if notice in the picture above, the book is rather short, if that motivates you. But don’t be fooled by how short it is; it packs a spiritual punch!

Have you read We Would See Jesus?  Which part is your favorite? I love the chapter about Jesus as the Way.