BELOW ARE BOOKS THAT COME HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Stop by St. John’s Library in the Parish Hall during Coffee Hour on Sundays or during the week, Monday – Thursday 10AM – 3PM.
At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon
If you’re looking for entertaining summer reading, I invite you to enter the small town of Mitford, NC, which is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Jan Karon created this idyllic town full of saints and sinners and invites you in through the eyes of Father Tim, the Episcopal Village Rector. He is experiencing burnout after shepherding his small congregation for the past 12 years and seeking something to rejuvenate him. Readers, be careful what you wish for! Father Tim is “adopted” by Barnabas, a huge black dog who exhibits very interesting behavior when he hears scripture. In addition to having his life changed with dog ownership, he finds himself suddenly responsible for a hostile mountain boy named Dooley who only wants to return home to his mother and has a penchant for saying ain’t. There is love, adventure, mystery, and inspiration in this heartfelt story. The author, Jan Karon, is a North Carolina native who grew up on a farm in Lenoir, NC, where she developed her daydreaming and story telling skills.
Good Girls, Bad Girls: The Enduring Lessons of Twelve Women of the Old Testament by T.J. Wray
The author T.J. Wray explores the selected stories of women in the Old Testament through a new lens. Based on recent scholarly research done primarily by women, the author re-interprets familiar, and not so familiar stories in a new light. It is believed by many scholars that the women in the Old Testament represent Israel, a country that was very vulnerable to it’s neighbors to the north and south. Frequently heroes and heroines escaped danger through trickery or manipulation, traits often attributed to women in the Old Testament (think Deliah, Rebekah, and Bathsheba; tactics used by people who found themselves in precarious situations with limited power or authority. These traits were revered in ancient Israel. As you explore the stories of the twelve women, you will see them through the many layers of the complex tapestry of the ancient world and perhaps agree with the author that, despite the view that women were just the backdrops in stories, they were the story.
You Were Made To Make A Difference by Max Lucado & Jenna Lucado Bishop
The authors, a father and daughter team, wrote this inspirational book for teenagers. It is very teen friendly, starting each chapter with a short bible verse then expanding upon it with short stories and actual examples from teenagers. The format is less text bookish and more graphic novel/comic bookish. All of the stories focus on how each one of us is encouraged to change the world for better by living a godly life, yes, even in these crazy times. Questions are answered and there are plenty of illustrations to reinforce the message. The aim of the book is to instill confidence in young people and to empower them to use their God given talents to make a difference in this world. It can be large or small, all that matters is that it touched someone else’s life in a positive way. Max Lucado has been a minister since 1978 and is well known for his inspirational writings. Jenna Lucado Bishop is an inspirational, currently focusing on girls as part of the Revolve Tour. Her passion is to share the love of Jesus with as many teens as possible.
