Somehow, the 2020 year seemed endless. After thinking through the year and writing my Christmas newsletter, I realized I had forgotten events that happened before the virus took control. Those things seemed part of another year, forgotten after the all-consuming Covid intruder stole our attention.
While the year brought many changes and restrictions, I did have time to read. I thought it'd be fun to look back over the list of the books I read in 2020. Do they fit into any kind of theme or underlying message I was unconsciously absorbing?
Here are the 27 books in the order read:
A Case of Blackmail in Belgravia- Clara Benson
This was a quick read mystery. I enjoyed it, but the ending note I had about the book says, "Then the story turns dark and pretty gruesome."
Allah-A Christian Response-Miroslav Volf
Volf is trying to make the point that Christians and Muslims have the same God. I'm not sure if I agree with him, but it did help me to understand that he isn't writing the book as a guide for how to bring Muslims to salvation, but rather presenting a perspective to consider that might help Christians and Muslims work together and appreciate their similarities. He brings up an interesting point that Christians don't object to believing that Jews and Christians pray to the same God.
Thirst-Scott Harrison
This was an inspirational memoir of the founder and CEO of Charity:Water, an organization that works to bring good drinking water to underprivileged communities around the world. Scott tells his story from his early years to being a night club recruiter to working with Mercy Ship and then to drilling wells in Africa. He was transformed by Jesus Christ. "Amazing story of how God uses this man and the work he is doing around the world. Scott has amazing gifts-passion, bullheadedness, determination, lots of energy and vision.
Who Am I?-Jeff Little (Read for a church wide study)
Hopefully, I've dealt with a lot of my insecurities by this time in my life, but there is always more that needs Christ's transformation. Jeff uses Bible characters to exemplify the common themes of our insecurities, Moses-feeling unqualified, Ruth-dealing with aloneness...
Total Truth-Nancy Pearson
A hefty read and very thought provoking. The author explains how we got from a culture of traditionalism to modernism to post modernism. There is now a fact/value split. Where once our personal preferences were overlaid on the foundation of public norms, scientific knowledge and facts that were binding on everyone, now our values and individual choices are solely judged and accepted as what is right by the individual's feelings or own experience. Religion is ok as long as it doesn't pretend to be knowledge. Quoting from the book, "Christians must find ways to make it clear that we are making claims about reality, not merely our subjective experience...Christianity is not an irrational, upper story leap, but a comprehensive truth that meets the human hunger for an overarching, consistent worldview. As Christians we are not offering a subjective private faith that is immune to rational scrutiny." There are certain universal truths of common sense. We are constructed according to God's image, live in God's universe and are upheld by His common grace that we all share.
Long Way Gone-Charles Martin
It's always a pleasant read when you've got a Charles Martin novel in hand. I never have to brace myself for scenes that violate my conscience, and yet he is not a fluffy religious fiction writer. One of my remarks on this book was, "There were some parts that were too unrealistic." Imagined life is sometimes like that. :)
Wish You Well-David Baldacci
Setting is in the VA mountains. A lawyer fights against big business to keep a property for a widow and her grandchildren. A different story for the author who writes a lot of spy mystery and suspense. Enjoyable.
Every Good Endeavor-Timothy Keller
We read this as an assignment for an outreach our church is starting for those who are lacking a job or want to get a better job. Keller explains how work was always God's design and purpose for his creation. Christians do his work. So what about the good accomplished by non-Christians? Since we are all made in the image of God we can look for the good and true in everyone, acknowledging that all Christians are subject to idolatrous tendencies. We humbly need to stay submitted to our Creator. It's that common grace theme again.
Burn Your Bed-Ed Speyers
Great biography of the author and his wife and their work in Suriname. Well written and very interesting.
The Faith of a Child-Art Murphy
This was donated to the church library. It was published in 2000. I chose not to add it to the library. There were some good things to say about recognizing where a child is at in their faith and how to encourage their faith. Not sure I agree with the emphasis on finding just the right time to have the child "saved". I think children are continually learning and their growth path is unique to each one.
The God of the Hive-Laurie King
Another good Sherlock Holmes and Mary Russell novel.
Following Jesus-Tanneken Fros
This is Tanneken's story. I enjoyed learning more about her life and how God has used her. "She is an amazing woman with a single heart for God."
Farenheit 451-Ray Bradbury
What if the quest for knowledge and reading books was taken out of a society? Not just not present, but considered the enemy and any violators would be hunted own, their houses burned and their lives likely over? Quote near the end of the book-"Someday the load [of books] we're carrying with us may help someone. But even when we had the books on hand, a long time go, we didn't use what we got out of them. We went right on insulting the dead. We went right on spitting in the graves of all the poor ones who died before us. We're going to meet a lot of lonely people...and when they ask us what we're doing, you can say, 'We're remembering.' That's where we win out in the long run. And someday we'll remember so much that we'll build the biggest...steam shovel in history and dig the biggest grave in all history and shove war in and cover it up..."
The Vanishing Half-Brit Bennett
In light of the racial tension our country went through the summer of 2020, this turned out to be a very timely read. It's about two sisters who approach their almost white skin life very differently. One marries a white man, never revealing her background. The other marries a very dark skinned man.
Mildred Budge in Cloverdale-Daphne Simpson
Just a little Christian fiction read I had on my Kindle. It reminded me of Jan Karon's books. The protagonist is relatable and honest with an ordinary life lived alone, and full of surprises when it counts!
The Hate U Give-Angie Thomas
A book I chose to read to build empathy for our black population. It highlights the disparities they face in their normal lives. I don't want to lose this desire to be part of what it will take to have a country where all are treated equitably.
The House of Closed Doors-Jane Stein
Historical fiction. How out of wedlock pregnancy was handled in the late 19th century. A mystery. Clean and interesting read.
The Third Option-Miles McPhearson
A black man pleads with us to take option 3. Not one side or another, but both-honoring one another, waking in forgiveness and confession, living not in fear, but blessing others, recognizing God's design in each of us, to hold honorable assumptions about individuals and groups, to have grace with each other in conversations about race, accountable to each other.
The Beauty in Breaking- Michele Harper
Black medical doctor shares her stories of people she worked with and on in the ER. Not a Christian perspective.
Grace From the Rubble-Jeanne Bishop
"It's a story of forgiveness offered and how father's bonded over love for their children. Oklahoma bombing. Very touching and good."
When a Nation Forgets God-Erwin Lutzer
A pretty balanced view on the political scene. It calls God's people to repentance and being about the business of our heavenly kingdom.
Compassion and Conviction-Justin Giboney
Very timely read for how God's people are to engage in politics.Truth and Love should always guide our actions and decisions. We love others who disagree with us and seek ways to work together, without compromising our convictions. I outlined each chapter with the main points because I really want to understand how to get this subject right. This year has forced us to be engaged in politics, whether we wanted to or not.
Created for Connection-Sue Johnson, Ken Sanderfer and Dr. Johnson
The authors developed a therapy for couples-EFT, emotionally focused therapy. It's been successful in creating more secure relationships. Key questions is Are you there for me? A.R.E. accessible, responsive and engaged. Need to be safe havens for each other. Closeness to God and loving connection with others works in tandem. Feeling loved makes us kinder and more tolerant to all. Healthy dependency.
Dream With Me-John M. Perkins
I appreciate this author and his passion for bringing the church together to become that diverse body that will be around the throne of heaven in worship.
Before You Quit-Doug Gehman
"Perseverance in growth always requires trouble." Great book on endurance.
Beantown Girls-Jane Healey
WWII had Clubmobiles, hosted by girls, that traveled to different army camps and handed out coffee, doughnuts, cigarettes and good cheer. This is a fictitious story of 4 girls who went to serve in Europe.
The Unfinished Gift-Dan Welsh
Enjoyable novel. Wartime setting.
If you made it through to the bottom, here are some threads I see, that interestingly parallel with some of the events throughout the year. My note about the very first book, probably read in January, says "Then the story turns dark and pretty gruesome." Ummmm...Covid was on the way.
I already had a desire to learn more about loving those not like me, evident in the Muslim book I read early on. After George Floyd's death, I really wanted to build empathy for the black community. I appreciate the four books I picked for that purpose. The theme of learning how to work alongside those not like me was important this year when it came to politics, also. Justin Giboney's book and the Nation that Forgets God book were helpful in bringing balance about how to view the huge chasm between people surrounding the presidential election this year.
I believe we were set up for the extreme polarization that we saw among our legislators. Nancy Pearson's book, Total Truth certainly builds a case for how we as a culture let go of absolute truth and traded it for our own interpretations. How often did we hear about "fake" news? Lying became fashionable; our own president leading the way as one of the worst offenders. The term "alternate facts" was coined in this year. Is Farenheit 451 prophetic in how a society gradually devalues knowledge built on facts and holds no honor for the lessons learned in history? As we look at the future and wonder where a more progressive government will lead us, are we paving the way for left leaning policies because we've forgotten what it means to work together and not trust anyone outside our tribe? That fighting is the only way to get what we want because the other side is totally evil and not to be trusted? Will it matter that stories like the Oklahoma fathers, whose sons would have been considered enemies, can teach us how to offer forgiveness to one another?
Will I draw closer to those I love, so I feel safe when my fragility and insecurities leave me wondering who I really am? Because I'm just starting retirement, how will I find those good endeavors for my life, now that I'm not going to work every day?
The biographies on the list remind me that Godly people can inspire us to stay the course, and Mr. Gehman tells me how to endure so that I don't give up when the journey brings trouble. Covid was trouble, and it was good to be encouraged by his words.
Praise God for fiction books to lighten things up and bring a relief from heavy thinking and a brief reprieve from reality. I think my favorite in this genre was Mildred Budge. She made me laugh. I judged her as simple, until she was not, and she let me see how an ordinary life can make a difference.
I wonder what books I will discover in 2021?
