Everything I Read in January 2024

Continuing the downward trend of number of books I have read, but sharing anyway since you readers seem to enjoy my book reviews:

1. Fire On the Track: Betty Robinson and the Triumph of the Early Olympic Women by Roseanne Montillo—I wanted to like this book. I didn't! Starting with a planet crash, and then working backward to tell the tale of two time Olympian gold medalist Betty Robinson (and the first US female track and field Olympian), parts of it read like a novel. I enjoyed learning about some of the other early Olympic women, including Babe Didrikson, Dee Boeckmann, Stella Walsh, and Helen Stephens. When the book started pushing ideological values, though, I started to lose interest. Reading the author’s assertion that sexual abuse led to one Olympian discovering that she was lesbian outraged me. I really wanted to read an inspiring book about female athletes! This book left me frustrated that the author was unable to let the powerful stories of these women stand alone, and instead, subverting their stories for her own agenda. Next!

2. Called for Life: How Loving Our Neighbor Led Us Into the Heart of the Ebola Epidemic by Kent and Amber Brantly with David Thomas—Kent Brantly went to Liberia because of compassion, and he served there with compassion. When despite precautions practiced, he contracted Ebola, he prayed to be faithful in life or in death. This is his story, as well as the story of his wife Amber. It is an inspiring story of a man determined to keep caring for others, before, during, and after his diagnosis and miraculous recovery. With details not just about why and how Brantly became a doctor, but also his continuing impact of the field of medicine, this is an inspiring, encouraging read. Warning, though: Brantly is a doctor, and as such, writes with medical details that may leave some squeamish. The book is still worth reading, but calls for that caveat.

3. Between Heaven & The Real World: My Story by Steven Curtis Chapman with Ken Abraham—What a powerful book from music powerhouse Steven Curtis Chapman! Chapman’s wife Mary Beth shared her story years ago, and now he shares his. He shares of growing up trying to fix things, of his whirlwind college romance with his wife, trying to find his way in the music world, losing his daughter Maria, and more. Through it all, he traces the adequacy and faithfulness of God in the real world. This is both an inspiring read, and one that can cause readers to consider their own lives in light of eternity. I highly recommend this book!

4. Choosing to See by Mary Beth Chapman with Ellen Vaughn—I thought maybe I had read this book, but maybe I have not. Whatever the case, it was a blessing to see Mary Beth Chapman's story of grief, and her awareness of God's presence in it. A musical book, with each chapter citing lyrics from her husband Steven Curtis Chapman's songs, this autobiography walks readers through the early days of Chapman's life, as well as the early days after the loss of her precious daughter Maria. Complete with blog posts from the years after Maria's death, this book if full of raw, honest vulnerability. Chapman testifies not to having things together, but rather to choosing to look for and see God in the mess. Truly, this is a beautiful read.

5. The Year of Living Happy: Finding Contentment and Connection in a Crazy World by Alli Worthington—This is a really great devotional! I started it last year after a friend gave it to me, and found the bite-sized daily readings and journal questions just right for me. While I am sure I could glean more from this book with more time and study, what I got from it was not a wordly sense of happiness, but a desire to get more rooted in God and live out his will for me. Connection to Him and His purpose is what ultimately brings not only happiness, but joy! The author gets this, and I appreciate her balanced look at this important topic.

6. For the Glory: The Untold Story of Eric Liddell, Hero of Chariots of Fire by Duncan Hamilton—This book took me a while to get into, and I was already interested in the story because of books my mom read to be growing up and the award-winning film Chariots of Fire. The Olympics training description seemed needlessly tedious. Reading about Liddell’s perseverance in difficult and often grisly circumstances during his stint as a Chinese missionary, and then in a Japanese concentration camp, however, kept my attention. Though the author of this biography does not seem to fully recognize it, it is clear to me that Liddell relied on his faith in the Lord in all of his doings. Liddell died of a brain tumor at age 43 years, 37 days. Though the author hints that he believes Liddell could have survived had he not been in the Japanese concentration camp, it is clear from the epilogue and interviews with Liddell’s wife and daughters, that they believe this, too, was for God’s glory. Both sobering and inspiring, this is a great book for anyone who can endure its first flagging pages.

What could I do to read more? 

-Use social media less (a big one, and one that seems hard, as I use social media a lot when I have low brain power; I would need more bandwidth to actually engage in reading during this time, or at least I think so). 

-Walk more. (I often read while I walk.) 

-Stay at home more (so I have more time to read). 

-Read shorter, easier books.

Right now, I am not willing/able to make these changes. (Read that reading is not as big of a priority for me right now/what I want to read is meatier and harder to read.) Therefore, I am choosing to accept and even celebrate the few books that I have read!