Summer Reading Guide

Summer Reading Guide Summer time is here. No more waking up at 6 a.m. to make the kids lunches or driving back to school at 2:30 p.m. to pick them up. It is time to sit back, relax and crack open a good book. Do not know where to start? We have you covered!

1. Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine
Max Lucado provides an entirely different perspective on the hackneyed five-letter word, grace. Do you really know what it is? If not, then by the end of Lucado’s book, you sure will. Lucado uses biblical stories and modern-day accounts to explain exactly what grace is. Grace is an emotionally-charged and illustrative book that will touch your heart, soul and mind.

2. Where the Conflict Really Lies: Science, Religion, and Naturalism
Alvin Plantinga explores the superficial disconnect between religion and science by not only suggesting that religion and science are indeed compatible, but that science provides evidence for Christ. This brilliant University of Notre Dame professor and Christianity Today Book Award winner will have you seeing both faith and science in an entirely different light.

3. Love at Any Cost
Julie Lessman follows the story of Cassidy McClare, a Texas oil heiress without a fortune who moves to San Francisco, California near some relatives. Before she can even settle down, Jamie McKenna spots Cassidy and proceeds to attempt to marry her because of her wealthy reputation. The dissonance between perceptions and reality gives this love story a twist in which the two will ultimately have to rely on God.

4. Harvest of Rubies
Tessa Afshar follows the life of the prophet Nehemiah’s cousin Sarah as she struggles with being a female in ancient Persia. Successful, smart and lovely, Sarah has everything anyone could want in a woman; however, Sarah soon learns that she needs to prevent accomplishments from becoming her measure of self-worth.

5. Twelve Unlikely Heroes: How God Commissioned Unexpected People in the Bible and What He Wants to Do with You
John MacArthur’s book will complement your study of the Bible through his very applicable study of Enoch, Joseph, Miriam, Gideon, Samson, Jonathan, Jonah, Esther, John the Baptist, James, Mark and Onesimus. You will learn in great detail and depth about the kinds of people God uses to accomplish is work, and more importantly how he can use you.

6. Jesus Today: Experience Hope Through His Presence
Sarah Young’s book is a thought-provoking yet intimate devotional from the same author who you brought you the award-winning devotional, Jesus Calling. Written as if Jesus himself were talking to you, Jesus Today offers short devotionals that help you to meet with God everyday during your quiet time. Jesus Today was recently named the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (EPCA) 2013 Christian Book of the Year.

7. Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics
Ross Douthat gives you a scholarly narrative of how Christianity has molded itself to fit in with the popular heresies of the day rather than stick to its basic tenets. Douthat writes about how “bad religion” has crippled America and how it will lead to its downfall.

8. Promises to Keep
Ann Tatlock writes this story of maturation for young Rosalind “Roz” Anthony. Set in the sixties, Roz’s family moves to Mills River, Illinois in an effort to remove themselves from an abusive situation. Roz encounters the return of the previous homeowner, a new but unusual friendship with Mara Nightingale and many dangers as well. Promises to Keep is a Christy Book Award winner and was named as one of the top ten historical novels by Booklist Magazine.

9. Identity (Eyes Wide Open, Book 1)
Ted Dekker is the author who brought you Thr3e, Obsessed and the Book of History Chronicles. In Identity, Christy Snow and Austin Hartt are patients at St. Matthew’s psychiatric ward with largely missing pasts and unknown identities. As they embark to find out who they are, Dekker brings to light the question of who each of us are.

10. The Atonement Child
Francine Rivers details the fictional life of Dynah Carey, a character with the perfect life. Dynah has a God-fearing fiancé, loving parents and a nearly finished college education. But when Dynah is raped and left pregnant, everything changes, from her engagement to her faith. In this dynamic novel, Rivers takes you on an emotional rollercoaster in Dynah’s exploration of her faith in God.

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