2018 Book List

I conquered 42 books last year! I also found some new favorites, and was excited to read a lot more historical fiction and fantasy. (Yes, I did read two books twice--partly because I forgot where events and quotes were and needed to reread them in order to review them properly. :P) What was your favorite book to read last year? I think mine was Outcast by Sutcliff and Nadine Brandes Out of Time series.

1. Seeds by Rachel Starr Thomson 
2. Where We Belong by Lynn Austin 
3. Beasts and Queens by Suzannah Rowntree 
4. Queechy by Elizabeth Wetherell 
5. Fawkes by Nadine Brandes 
6. Isaiah’s Daughter by Mesu Andrews 
7. A Lost Castle by Kristy Cambron 
8. Facing the Giants by Eric Wilson 
9. Shock of Night by Patrick Carr 
10. Refugees by R. A. Denny 
11. Paul, Apostle of Christ by Angela Hunt 
12. The Shattered Vigil by Patrick Carr 
13. Beloved Mess by Kimm Crandall 
14. The Wounded Shadow by Patrick Carr 
15. Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot by Mo Isom 
16. Miriam by Mesu Andrews
17. Return to Me by Lynn Austin 
18. Keepers of the Covenant by Lynn Austin 
19. A Lineage of Grace by Francine Rivers 
20. On This Foundation by Lynn Austin 
21. Outcast by Rosemary Sutcliff 
22. A Time to Die by Nadine Brandes 
23. A Time to Speak by Nadine Brandes 
24. A Time to Rise by Nadine Brandes
25. Auschwitz Lullaby by Mario Escobar 
26. Lady of Milkweed Manor by Julie Klassen 
27. Even Now by Karen Kingsbury 
28. Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury 
29. Through the Eyes of Hope by Lacey Buchanan 
30. A Cap for Corinne by Zillah K. MacDonald 
31. Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater 
32. Journey into God’s Word by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays 
33. The Girls’ Guide to Conquering Life by Jonathan and Erica Catherman 
34. Outlaw by Ted Dekker
35. Dig Deeper by Nigel Baynon and Andrew Sach 
36. The Return by Lacey Sturm 
37. Wayfarer by K.M. Wyland 
38. This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti 
39. River to Redemption by Ann H. Gabhart 
40. Jerusalem’s Queen by Angela Hunt 
41. Wayfarer by K. M. Wyland
42. Jerusalem’s Queen by Angela Hunt 

Happy New Year! // 2017 Book List

Happy New Year, fellow readers and writers! What are some of your favorite books from last year? What books taught you the most? I didn't read as many books as I hoped to, but I still managed to find many favorites and read some previous treasured stories. I also searched out some new genres and authors this year. Another one of my goals was to read more of my Kindle books, and I think I achieved this one. While I love to hold books in my hand and stare at the beautiful covers, I also recognize that some books I'll buy on Kindle first to see if they are good--and then I buy the paperback. Well, there are several new paperbacks on my wishlist now. ;)

Reading List 2017

1. Hand of Vengeance by Douglas Bond (1/11)

2. Worlds Unseen by Rachel Starr Thomson (1/19) [Kindle]

3. Rise of the Fallen by Chuck Black (1/22)

4. Light of the Last by Chuck Black (1/26)

5. Burning Light by Rachel Starr Thomson [Kindle]

6. Coming Day by Rachel Starr Thomson (2 /5) [Kindle]

7. Abbadon’s Eve by Rachel Starr Thomson (2/11) [Kindle]

8. Come the Dragon by Rachel Starr Thomson (2/11) [Kindle]

9. Beloved by Rachel Starr Thomson (2/11) [Kindle]

10. A Sparrow in Terazin by Kristy Cambron (2/27) [Kindle]

11. The Real God by Chip Ingram (3/3)

12. Ella Dethroned by Brandon Barr (3/3) [Kindle]

13. Legend of the Celtic Stone by Michael Phillips (3/7)

14. An Ancient Strife by Michael Phillips (3/13)

15. The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson (3/21) [audio book]

16. Taerith by Rachel Starr Thomson (4/1) [Kindle]

17. Visual Theology by Tim Challies and Josh Byers (4/9)

18. Reap the Whirlwind by Rachel Starr Thomson (4/9) [Kindle]

19. The Called by Justin Price (4/17) [Kindle]

20. The Butterfly and the Violin by Kristy Cameron (4/28) [Kindle]

21. Between Heaven and the Real World by Steven Curtis Chapman (4/30)

22. Grace is Greater by Kyle Idleman (May)

23. War Room by Chris Fabry (6/21)

24. Egypt’s Sister by Angela Hunt (6/26) [Kindle]

25. The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers (6/26)

26. Embers by Ronie Kendig (7/5) [Kindle]

27. High as the Heavens by Kate Breslin (7/9)

28. A Name Unknown by Rosanna M. White (8/9)

29. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Written by Herself by Harriet Ann Jacobs (8/27)

30. Pendragon’s Heir by Suzannah Rowntree (10/1)

31. There and Back by George MacDonald (10/5)

32. Hitler’s Cross by Erwin Lutzer (11/10)

33. Lion of Babylon by Davis Bunn (11/13)

34. Rare Earth by Davis Bunn (11/18)

35. Strait of Hormuz by Davis Bunn (11/22)

36. Where the Wild Rose Blooms by Lori Wick (11/26)

37. Ruth by Ellen Gunderson Taylor (11/27)

38. War of Loyalties by Schuyler McConkey (12/6)

39. Whisper by Lauren K. Lotter (12/10) [ebook]

40. The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright (12/15)

41. The Trust Protocol by Mac Richard (12/31)


Short Stories and Other Readings
1. Kneeling at Bethlehem by Ann Weems (12/10) [ebook]

2. Noelle’s Gift by Amanda Tero (12/10) [ebook]

3. Peace, Be Still by Amanda Tero (12/10) [ebook]

Hoping for another year of good reading finds and many more books to add to my bookshelves! How was your last year of reading?  

2016 Book List!

I know we're three months into 2017 now, but I thought posting my book list might give you all some new reading material if you're searching! Have you read any listed here?

How many books did you read this year? Any favorites?

2016 Book List

1. Grace Triumphant by Alicia A. Willis
2. Grieving: Our Path Back to Peace by James White [Kindle]
3. Kingdom’s Dawn by Chuck Black
4. Not recommended.
5. David: A Man of Passion and Destiny by Charles Swindoll
6. Soul Friends by Leslie Parrott
7. Burning Light by Rachel Starr Thomson [Kindle] (book 2/3)
8. Dorie: The Girl Nobody Loved by Doris Van Stone
9. Pendragon’s Heir by Suzannah Rowntree [Kindle]
10. Behold the Dawn by K.M. Weiland [Kindle]
11. John (St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary) by R.C. Sproul [Kindle]
12. The Gospel of John: Believe and Live by Elmer Towns
13. Jesus is the Christ by Leon Morris
14. Dreamlander by K.M Weiland [Kindle]
15. The Methuselah Project by Rick Barry [Kindle]
16. Streams in the Desert for Graduates by L.B. Cowman
17. Grace Triumphant by Alicia A. Willis
18. Fully Alive by Larry Crabb
19. Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible by Wayne Grudem, C. John Collins, Thomas R. Schreiner
20. A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis
21. Ben Hur by Lew Wallace
22. Grasping God’s Word by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays
23. 12 Extraordinary Women by John MacArthur
24.  A Man Called Outlaw by KM Weiland [Kindle]
25. Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye? by Carolyn McCulley
26. Worth Living by Mary DeMuth
27. Behold, the Lamb of God by Russ Ramsey [Kindle]
28. Rescuing the Gospel by Erwin Lutzer
29. Storming by K.M. Weiland [Kindle]
30. Not recommended.
31. Girl Defined by Kristen Clark and Bethany Baird
32. Lion of Babylon by Davis Bunn (book 1/3)
33. We Two Alone by Ruth Hege
34. The South Sea Whaler by W.H.G. Kingston
35. A Path through Suffering by Elisabeth Elliot
36. Terrorism, Jihad, and the Bible by John MacArthur
37. Why Trust the Bible? By Greg Gilbert
38. Heroines of the Cross by Publishers of Christian Literature
39. Heather and Snow by George MacDonald [Kindle]
40. Aesop’s Fables translated by George Fyler Townsend [Kindle]
41. Healing Ruby by Jennifer H. Westall [Kindle] (book 1/3)
42. Exile by Rachel Starr Thomson (book 1/5)
43. Hive by Rachel Starr Thomson (book 2/5)
44. Attack by Rachel Starr Thomson (book 3/5)
45. Renegade by Rachel Starr Thomson (book 4/5)
46. Rise by Rachel Starr Thomson (book 5/5)
47. Breaking Matthew by Jennifer H. Westall [Kindle] (book 2/3)
48. The Power of Together by Jim Putnam
49. The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
50. The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A’Kempis
51. Back to the Cross: Surprising Truths from Shanghai by Angela Oltmanns [Kindle]
52. Can I Be Sure I’m Saved? By R.C. Sproul [Kindle]
53. By Divine Right by Patrick W. Carr [Kindle]
54. Her Mother’s Secret by E.D.E.N. Southworth [Kindle] (book 1/3)
55. The Master’s Garden by Joyce A. Scott [Kindle]
56. Words that Sting by John Stang [Kindle]
57. The Temple and the Tabernacle by J. Daniel Hays
58. Hope Prevails by Dr. Michelle Bengtson
59. When God Doesn’t Make Sense by James Dobson
60. 7 Women by Eric Metaxes
61. Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Quereshi
62. 20 Things We’d Tell Our Twenty-something Selves by Kelli and Peter Worrall
63. The Doctor by Ralph Connor
64. Heart to Heart by Rachel Starr Thomson
65. The Dating Manifesto by Lisa Anderson [Kindle]
66. Speaking of Homosexuality by Joe Dallas
67. Intended for Evil by Les Sillars
68. Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper
69. When Others Shuddered by Jamie Janosz
70.  Cloak of the Light by Chuck Black

Short Stories (not novels/books)

1. Coffee Cake Days by Amanda Tero  [Kindle]
2. Journey by Rachel Starr Thomson [Kindle]
3. Debt of Mercy by Amanda Tero [Kindle]
4. Of Men and Bones by Rachel Starr Thomson [Kindle]
5. Magdalene by Rachel Starr Thomson [Kindle]
6. The Fox Went Out by Schuyler McConkey [pdf]
7. The Angel Knew Papa And The Dog by Douglas Kaine McKelvey [Kindle]
8. The Dairyman’s Daughter by Legh Richmond [Kindle]
9. Cross Purposes and The Shadows by George MacDonald [Kindle]

Wrestling Prayer by Eric and Leslie Ludy

"God's concept of prayer is far more like picking up Ulysses's massive sword and swinging it with all the fire and ferocity of a desperately crazed warrior. God's version of prayer takes territory. It doesn't sit at home and clip spiritual coupons; it heads off into enemy territory to fight. Samson picked up the jawbone of a donkey and single-handedly slew a thousand Philistines, and we are supposed to pick up the jawbone of prayer and wreck untold spiritual havoc upon the enemy camp."

~Eric Ludy

My sister gave me this book for my birthday this year, and I finished reading it two days ago. Eric and Leslie Ludy write about how the Lord showed them what prayer really is: a pasionate communion with God. A passionate communion. Not just passion and emotion, and not just writing up a list of wants and needs to ask God about. They detail prayer that the evangelical world today does not know. It's the kind of prayer that the men and women of past church history demonstrated. The people who spent hours on their knees pleading for the souls of others before the Throne of Grace. 

Eric writes with passion, the passion given him by a powerful God through the power of prayer. The kind of prayer that doesn't sit back and nonchalantly watch God "allow" things to happen, but the kind of prayer that fights the battle against the spiritual powers of Satan. I love how this book takes many of the Old Testament characters (like David and Joab) and really details the lives of these men. Eric mentions the 37 men who were considered David's Mighties. The men who never gave in to the enemy, who never yielded ground, who would not turn from their commander, and who dared to do the reckless in God's strength. Only 37 of them in the thousands that numbered David's armies, yet they were some of his closest confidants, and they knew how to fight. 

Leslie gives three key ingredients for prayer: 

1. Praying God-prayers. Praying how God wants us and commands us to pray. Not just how we think or feel that we should. 

2. Praying with complete confidence (aka--faith). Doubt, suspicion, fear, and hesitancy are faith-killers. Remember it takes faith as big (or small ;) as a grain of mustard seed to move mountains--except that this culture doesn't exactly expect prayer to work miracles. 

3. Praying until the answer comes. This, too, takes faith. And perseverence and tenacity. It takes spiritual fortitude to keep asking when we don't see anything happening. Just because we don't think we see anything changing, doesn't mean that God isn't working. And sometimes your prayers aren't meant to change your circumstances or change the intesity of the battle. Your prayers might be what is necessary to change you. 

Like Jacob wrestled with God...

"Most of us have never even come to Peniel. We do our praying and our Christian thing in our own cunning and strength. But Peniel is the place where spiritual things truly get done. It's the place of wrestling, and that indimidates many of us. It's the place of holding on until the day breaks, until the victory is achieved--and that sounds tiresome. But this is the great secret to answered prayer." (Leslie Ludy)

Prayer also takes self-examination, as Leslie and Eric speak of. They knew they could not honestly face a holy God with known sin in their life, and as the Lord brought sin to their attention, they repented. Keeping a clear conscience between you and God is vital in a Christian's prayer life. As the authors put it, our Lord is a fearless Commander who gives no quarter to sin, and if we're going to be named among the mighty prayer warriors then we must be willing--no, not just willing, but desirious--for God's spiritual purging of our lives. 

The Ludy's also write about the power of prayer in our physical lives. It is not uncommon for them to spend hours praying through the night. Sometimes praying instead of sleeping. You would expect this to tired them physically and mentally, but prayer fuels their bodies as well as their minds and they would not give in until they were certain of victory through prayer. The Lord blessed them for their perseverance and gave them strength above and beyond what they thougth they had. They gave no ground to their flesh, and the weapon of prayer yielded a mighty victory. 

What does your prayer life look like? Is it a passionate communion with God? A spiritual tenacity that doesn't let go even when weariness sets in? Or is it just a to-do list for God so that maybe He'll supply the things we need and want? Is it a prayer in faith that claims the promises in Scripture? Or is it a half-hearted cry hoping that God will notice us sometime? 

***** 

All hell is vanquished when the believer bows his knee in importunate supplication. Beloved brethren, let us pray. We cannot all argue, but we can all pray; we cannot all be leaders, but we can all be pleaders; we cannot all be mighty in rhetoric, but we can all be prevalent in prayer. I would sooner see you eloquent with God than with men. Prayer links us with the Eternal, the Omnipotent, the Infinite, and hence it is our chief resort...Be sure that you are with God, and then you may be sure that God is with you.”

~Charles Spurgeon

Our prayers should be insistent. There comes a time, in spite of our soft, modern ways... when we must wrestle.... The Bible recognizes such a thing as storming heaven. 

~Cameron V. Thompson

As long as we have unsolved problems, unfilled desires, and a mustard seed of faith, we have all we need for a vibrant prayer life.

~John Ortberg

Groanings which cannot be uttered are often prayers that cannot be refused.

~C.H. Spurgeon

**Thanks for the book, Hannah. It's a great one. :D