I started off this month strong, thinking I might catch up to last year's average of 10 or more books a month. Not! I got stuck in reading political books, and other non-fiction fare, and those dragged. So, this is where my list ended up this month:
59) Trouble in Paradise by Robin Lee Hatcher—This was a sweet story about writer Shayla Vincent and Rancher Ian O'Connell. Neither plan to fall for one another. Shayla has a novel to write, and Ian has been a widow for quite some time, but then they enter into a business agreement, and soon realize that there is much more between them than that. The problem is that they both see each other as trouble, interferences in what God wants for them. But what if what God wants for them is so much more? The author notes that this edition of the book is a rewrite of a book from her pre-Christian days, and it is a good one, incorporating the importance of seeking and following after the Lord first. I really enjoyed reading this book and was a tad sad when it ended.
60) Talking Across the Divide: How to Communicate with People You Disagree With and Maybe Change the World by Justin Lee–Author Justin Lee grew up evangelical and then came out as gay. Unwilling to give up either his faith or his sexuality, he began having conversations “across the divide.” In this book, he shares what he has learned (and is learning) about how to have productive dialogue. While Lee gives some examples from his own work, the book is largely about how to engage others in respectful dialogue, not with the intent to change minds, “but to allow your position to be heard on its own merits.” Lee gives practical tips on how to engage in such dialogue, how to plan for such dialogue, self-care during conflict, and more. This book is really a practical guide on civil discourse, one from which many could benefit in today’s very polarized world.
61) Failing America’s Faithful: How Today’s Churches are Mixing God with Politics and Losing Their Way by Kathleen Townsend Kennedy—Written in 2007 by Kathleen Townsend Kennedy, the first female lieutenant governor of Maryland, daughter of Robert Kennedy, and a Catholic, this book is a bit dated. Kennedy suggests that people want to go to and be part of church. I argue that this is no longer the case. Rather, the disagreements in the church about social justice issues, among other things, have driven people away, just as Kennedy predicted. This book is a bit outside my normal realm of reading, and to be frank, I did not agree with a lot of it. I do not agree that public service is necessary for faith, or that people are closest to God through it. I argue that works evidence faith, and that the Holy Spirit who indwells believers at salvation makes them close to them. Still, Kennedy’s criticism that the church emphasizes personal moralism over love for neighbor is apt. Her point that leaving the church will not help shape it or correct its lacks is spot on. Christians need to engage more with the world, and with politics, but from a place of love for God and faith first, which I think Townsend fails to fully nail.
62) Something Beautiful by Lenora Worth—Lucas Dorsette was orphaned at a young age. Willa O’Connor was given up for adoption. They meet on the Louisiana bayou and fall in love, but can they both overcome their heartache to have the lasting beauty of a long term relationship? This is their tale, and a beautiful one at that!
63) Lacey's Retreat by Lenora Worth—Whew! This book packs a punch of a story. It's titled “retreat,” but is more about political intrigue, plots to kill, and trying to find the true criminals before they find the ones trying to make things right. Lacey Dorsette York wanted no part of any of this, but then Gavin Prescott finds her in a church, begging her to help him as he struggles with a stab wound. This begins her time on the run, eventually taking Gavin home to the bayou, falling in love with him, and choosing to risk her own life to help him. I enjoyed this book, but it was a LOT more suspenseful than I expected!
64) Conscience of a Conservative: A Rejection of Destructive Politics and A Return to Principle by Jeff Flake—Former Arizona Senator, and now Ambassador to Turkey Jeff Flake is a bit of a controversial figure. He is known for crossing party lines, and many have called him out for doing so. In this book, he uncovers what he sees are the problems with partisan politics, what true conservatives are, and how politicians have come to care more for their positions than for the people they represent. Flake throws a lot of people (including himself at times) under the bus, and there are many thinly (and not so thinly) disguised critiques of President Trump. I will acknowledge that I really do not know politics that well, so a lot of what Flake wrote went over my head. Still, I think this might be an important read for people who call themselves conservatives, or think they know what conservatism is. Spoiler alert: true conservatism is a theory of government, not a political party, nor a religious stance.
65) This is Where You Belong: Finding Home Wherever You Are by Melody Warnick—Unpack. Find joy. These are core principles of this book. Reading a little bit more like a textbook than a life experiment (as it is touted), this book is a useful resource about place attachment and how to grow it. The author, Melody Warnick, practiced putting the principles of this book into place when she herself moved cross country to Blacksburg, Virginia. With “Love Your City” checklists at the end of each chapter, this book could be a helpful gift and/or guide for people in the midst of a move.
66) So Help Me God by Mike Pence—This is quite the tome, and an insightful one at that! It is not so much of a life history of Vice President Michael Pence (though there is a brief one), but rather a play by play of his journey to the White House, and his time in it. Pence makes his faith clear, starting each chapter with a Bible verse, and states time and time again that his identity is, “A Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order.” Pence serves as a foil to the brashness of President Trump in most of his recollections of his years in national government. Pence's commentary on the divisiveness of American politics and the vitriol therein are troubling, at best, and Pence humbly admits the ways that he played a part in this. His commitment to conservatism and not abusing his power stand out time and time again, not the least of which was when he chose to fulfill his duty certify the election vote count for his successor, despite pressure to do otherwise. In the end, Pence writes that he just tried to do his duty, so help [him] God. If only more elected leaders could say the same!
67) 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do: Take Back Your Power, Embrace Change, Face Your Fears, and Train Your Brain for Happiness and Success by Amy Morin—Psychotherapist Amy Morin has been through her fair share of griefs and struggles. She lost her mother to cancer, her first husband to an early heart attack, and her father-in-law to cancer. She could have allowed herself to wallow in grief, but instead she chose to practice and grow her mental strength. She defines mental strength as “your ability to regulate your emotions, manage your thoughts, and behave in a positive manner, despite your circumstances." Using case examples (probably made up, as sharing real examples would violate client confidentiality), Morin examines 13 aspects of mental strength, writing about them in tangible, accessible ways. Not a lot of what she shared was new, but her assertion that people pleasing is actually more selfish than saying, "No" gave me pause for thought. Overall, this book's broad overview of strategies that promote mental health is probably best for individuals not already in therapy. Individuals who are in therapy might benefit from a more complex discussion of what it means to be mentally strong.
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