Porch #134 🐣 A Very Early Spring Bookbag
the deep fulfillment that comes in immersing yourself in the stories of others + superb Kindle deals by Karen Swallow Prior . C.S. Lewis . Sarah Bessey . Timothy Keller . Jennie Allen . Annie F. Downs
“Reading is an exercise in empathy; an exercise in walking in someone else’s shoes for a while.”
- Malorie Blackman
Hey all my dear bookish friends … welcome to the March edition of THE BOOKBAG.
If there’s some kind of redemption in making your way through those endless, blustery, late winter weeks or being decidedly under the weather, it’d be that you’ve got plenty of time to immerse yourself in the captivating stories of others. This past month proved to be no exception.
I’ve got 5 reviews and scads of Kindle deals by some of our favorite writers for you to explore. But the best part of THE BOOKBAG is what you unpack in the conversation that follows … the books you’ve enjoyed, the books on your library wish list, and what’s currently residing on your TBR pile.
🛒 When you click on an Amazon link and then do your normal shopping, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Thank you for supporting my work here at Grace & Space.
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HOW TO WALK INTO A ROOM: THE ART OF KNOWING WHEN TO STAY & WHEN TO WALK AWAY
Emily P. Freeman
= discerning . empathetic . kind-hearted =
I’m waiting with bated breath for my copy to arrive in the mail. As a member of Emily’s launch team, I’ve been able to read excerpts and get a bit of a behind the scenes glimpse of the extensive, enthusiastic team work that goes into marketing a new volume.
I have a strong feeling this book will invite me to revisit some disquieting scenarios in my own life that are still tender to the touch years later. I believe you’ll find Emily to be a tender, perceptive guide and a masterful question-asker as you sift through rooms you’ve been in and out of along the way … and that you’ll gain surprisingly valuable decision-making skills for the days to come.
’Maybe you need someone to tell you that no matter how much you wanted something, prayed for something, or worked hard to get it, if the room no longer seems to fit, it’s good to begin to explore why. You are allowed to ask questions. You are allowed to reconsider. You are allowed to look around and to look again. I’m genuine in my desire to not tell you exactly what that ought to look like, what might come of it, or what you ought to do next. But what I can do is offer a framework for your questions and an arrow for your next right thing.’
(page 7)
CLICK HERE to see Emily talking about her brand new literary baby and how you can claim your FREE bonuses by this Friday, March 15th at midnight (eastern). BTW, these thank you gifts are exceptional.
Hardcover
Kindle
THE KINGDOM, THE POWER, & THE GLORY: AMERICAN EVANGELICALS IN AN AGE OF EXTREMISM
Tim Alberta
= comprehensive . insightful . courageous =
’Evangelical has become an impediment to evangelizing. The people to whom we are witnessing - our friends, neighbors, co-workers - are completely and categorically repelled by that word. They sense that it has nothing to do with the teachings of Christ and everything to do with social and political power. That perception must inform our reality.’
(page 440)
‘Through the eyes of televangelists and small-town preachers, celebrity revivalists and everyday churchgoers, Alberta tells the story of a faith cheapened by ephemeral fear, a promise corrupted by partisan subterfuge, and a reputation stained by perpetual scandal.’
Tim Alberta, an evangelical himself, carefully sifts ‘through the wreckage - pastors broken, congregations battered, believers losing their religion because of sex scandals and political schemes.’ The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory is impeccably researched, a mesmerizing, disturbing, deeply articulate, and informative collection of personal stories that present the reader with a clearer understanding of the current state of the American evangelical church.
Hardcover
Kindle
FIELD NOTES FOR THE WILDERNESS: PRACTICES FOR AN EVOLVING FAITH
Sarah Bessey
= candid . nurturing . hopeful =
Sarah’s work in this season speaks to the needs of those who find themselves on the outskirts of mainstream Christianity. She’s found her people, her home in ministry to the wanderers, the broken, the marginalized, the disillusioned.
No one writes a benediction, a closing prayer, like Sarah Bessey. And this one does not disappoint. I could sit and meditate on her words of blessing all day long. They’re that profoundly beautiful, yet speak to the daily struggles and joys that are part of our daily bread.
‘As you wander through the wilderness I pray for altars to surprise you, places where you encounter the wild goodness of the Spirit’s comfort and the feathered strength of God’s love. May you sense the shelter of that love, the gathering of that love, even when the path feels lonely at times. I pray that you would be surprised by streams in the desert, nourishing and clear-to-the-bottom water for your soul that reminds you over and over again of all the ways the sacred is still hiding in plain sight …’
(page 218)
Hardcover
Kindle
THE BOOKBINDER (of Jericho): A NOVEL
Pip Williams
= vibrant . tender . riveting =
’It was an Oxford World’s Classics edition. Similar to the one we owned and similarly worn from constant handling. There was a difference between a book that was regularly opened and a book that was not. The smell, the resistance of the spine, the ease with which the pages turned. This book felt a little like ours, but I knew it would fall open on a different scene, and that the pages with creased corners or worn edges would not be the same pages Ma had read over and over.’
(page 469, large print edition)
Hardcover
Large Print Paperback
Kindle
THE LISTENING LIFE: EMBRACING ATTENTIVENESS IN A WORLD OF DISTRACTION
Adam McHugh
= smart . witty . profound =
Some of the most compelling insights from our recent Listening Life Book Club -
Session 1
’I am pretty consistent in prayers of supplication for those I care about, but not at all good about taking time to listen to God’s voice on a regular basis. I sometimes think, “How would I feel if someone I loved always came to me with requests but never hung around to hear my heart?” This is a place where I truly need to grow!’
- Cyndi Bailey
Session 2
’This quote spoke to me: If we submit the deepest parts of ourselves to our listening, we have reason to believe that God will reveal deep parts of himself to us. I want that!’
- Mary Geisen
Session 3
’I don't usually take the time to think about what the person who is sharing is "risking" by sharing with us. Just using that word means it isn't easy for them and they are putting part of themselves on the line by sharing with us. It opens them up to our response and how we react to what they are share. I will have to be more aware of that in the future!’
- Marilyn Davidson
Paperback
Kindle
KINDLE READS ON SALE - scroll down on the right side of each Amazon page & click on the link to get a free sample delivered right to your Kindle!
Nothing to Prove: Why We Can Stop Trying So Hard
Jennie Allen - $7.99
Healing is a Choice: Ten Decisions That Will Transform Your Life & Ten Lies That Can Prevent You From Making Them
Stephen Arterburn - $2.99
Jesus Feminist: An Invitation to Revisit the Bible’s View of Women
Sarah Bessey - $1.99
Round Robin: An Elm Creek Quilts Book
Jennifer Chiaverini - $2.99
Understanding People: Why We Long for Relationship
Larry Crabb - $2.99
Let’s All Be Brave: Living Life with Everything You Have
Annie F. Downs - $2.99
Scouting the Divine: Searching for God in Wine, Wool, & Wild Honey
Margaret Feinberg - $3.99
How Marriages Succeed or Fail: And How You Can Make Yours Last
John Gottman - $2.99
Forgive: Why Should I & How Can I?
Timothy Keller - $4.99
Hope in Times of Fear: The Resurrection & the Meaning of Easter
Timothy Keller - $4.99
One Tuesday Morning/ Beyond Tuesday Morning (9/11 Series)
Karen Kingsbury - $2.99
Yours, Jack: Spiritual Direction from C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis - $1.99
Praying God’s Will for Your Life: A Prayerful Walk to Spiritual Well-Being
Stormie Omartian - $2.99
Real Relationships: From Bad to Better & Good to Great
Les & Leslie Parrott - $3.99
Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream
David Platt - $4.99
Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More: Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist
Karen Swallow Prior - $2.99
The Rose Code: A Novel
Kate Quinn - $1.99
I Promise: How 5 Commitments Determine the Destiny of Your Marriage
Gary Smalley - $2.99
A Spectacle of Glory: God’s Light Shining Through Me Every Day
Joni Eareckson Tada - $3.99
God Tells the Man Who Cares: God Speaks to Those Who Take Time to Listen
A.W. Tozer - $5.99
Church: Why Bother?
Philip Yancey - $3.99
The Question That Never Goes Away
Philip Yancey - $3.99
Dear Jesus: Seeking His Light in Your Life
Sarah Young - $.99
Let’s gather ‘round and talk about our reading lives … or if you want to sit quietly and soak up the conversation, simply click on the little comment link below a time or two in the days ahead. You’re sure to meet book lovers just like you … and gather up a few titles worth your time.
Linda
Linda, these are great reviews and recommendations! I'm jotting some of these down.
Thanks so much for sharing these with Sweet Tea & Friends this month sweet friend.
Sending Happy and Blessed Easter wishes to you and your family.
You've curated a fabulous list, Linda. Tozer has been on my "too read" list but I haven't know where to begin. Thanks!