What's on our bookshelves..and tables...and nightstands...and Kindle...

    In between the relationship parts of our ministry here in Lethbridge we make time for reading.  I love to tell people that if you don't have at least 3 books that you are in the process of reading, you really aren't trying.

    That being said, here are few of the things we are enjoying. As you will notice, I am a bit more of a light reader than Howard; I use it a bit more for relaxing, except for the Blackfoot Grammer book we are reading for the language class we are auditing at the college. Howard takes great notes on all the books he reads - call them Howard's version of Cliff Notes - and he would gladly share them with anyone who is interested with a glimpse of a book that you may not have the time to read.

I recently re-read all the Jan Karon Father Tim novels...in anticipation
of reading the newest book out - the story of the wedding of
Dooley and Lace.  If you don't know who that is, check out the books!

I get some great inspirational quotes from her books, two of my favorite being:
"I am broke. What I've found in being a priest is that we're all broken. Fallen is perhaps a more scriptural concept, but usually what fall gets broken, so it's all the same. "The upside is, he promises we'll be make whole in heaven. "til then, we keep seeking him, keep trusting him, keep letting him have his way with us. That's our job."

"Even with God in the picture, I still go though some hard stuff, and always will.
But he's in it with me, which makes all the difference."
Thanks Jan Karon for more that just a story.

For those who are dealing with any type of sexual
addictions. Howard is keeping this on the shelf for using in
counseling and recommends for pastors and laymen.

Howard has read both of these and I am working my way through them.
Ravi is always good to listen to, but a bit harder to read.
AWE by Paul David Tripp is good to read a chapter at a time
and think on what you read.

We brought one box of books with us, and the shelf is getting fuller,
Sunday School materials, books on the Blackfoot people, and ones
we wish to keep to read again.

Left at our house by a friend and it is on the TO READ list.

Found this cute book in a local library give-away pile - the pages are mostly blank
so I am going to turn it into a book on how God can help us stay calm in the midst of
whatever: 1st page: "Take your Time" - with someone lying in a hammock...

This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus. Revelation 14:12 NIV

Howard has finished this book, I am on chapter 3 - I don't often hear much from Howard
 while he is reading, but while reading A Scandalous Freedom by Steve Brown,
over and over again, he would say..."this is such a good book", or
"you've got to read this", or "they've got to read this".
So I started reading a chapter a day and it has given me a lot to think about
 along with a lot to pray about. Excellent read!

It has taken me a while - like my whole life - to get into the habit of
reading the Bible each day, but this version (on Kindle or hardback) has really helped.
It is worth the investment.
It is already divided into daily readings, and cumbersome areas
such as Leviticus and Numbers are grouped into topics with some
explanation to help tie it together.  

We have been given the opportunity to audit a Blackfoot language class on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons at the local university – 
no, we will not be able to speak hardly anything, but we are becoming better listeners. 
So we continue to wade through the textbook for this language
 which is one of the harder languages to learn.

And peeking from behind it is a sample of a book I want to take a look at in the future as the Librarian at Westminster Elementary school has beenreading this series to some of the older kids - as I volunteer there I get to hear some of thestory. A cross between the Redwall books and Watership Down. 




Proof - Finding Freedom through the Intoxicating Joy of Irresistible Grace

The title kind of says it all! It is on my to-read list, Howard has already finished it.This book and the book below On Being Presbyterian will be required reading for the training course for leaders at Amazing Grace Community Church. 

Pastor Rohan has been using it quite a bit lately in 
his Sunday messages: 
"What matters most in life isn't anything 
that you have done or can do.
 It's what God chooses to do for you 
through Jesus Christ" Proof

So many books, so little time....

What is on your nightstand or end table or Kindle that you would recommend to us?