Christian Shelves

It's unfortunate that in the world we live in, one of places that is meant to offer sanctuary can become the same place that disrupts it and steals it away from its members. The Church in Dark Times: Understanding and Resisting the Evil That Seduced the Evangelical Movement by Mike Cosper immediately caught my attention and kept it as it extols the need to critically evaluate what is happening in our churches today. Many thanks to Brazos Press  and  NetGalley  for providing a copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis We expect evil to appear in obvious forms: malice, cruelty, and contempt. We also expect to find villains at the helm of evil movements and organizations, leaders with dark impulses and motivations. But all too often, malevolence is more subtle, hiding behind our own best intentions. In The Church in Dark Times , cultural critic Mike Cosper unveils this dynamic in the growing crisis of abuse and other failures in...

I love that I had a bit of time last month to enjoy some Christmas novellas I had been waiting to dive into all year, including Love, Laughter, and Luminarias by Jaycee Weaver. Not only was this a fun book, but it helped make the Christmas season—and likely any season—even brighter with its fun story. Book Synopsis He has his books. She has her fandoms. They've always had their friendship. Could this be the season that sparks feelings neither knew were there? Surprisingly successful action-suspense author Garrett Wilson is struggling to write a summer novel in December. That is, until he witnesses his best friend, Nina, chase down a shoplifter and realizes that maybe his tough, attractive heroine might not be based solely in fiction. Geeky-chic Nina Trujillo finds herself contemplating a God she’s never believed in after her brush with danger taking down a thief. That one decision could change the whole course of her life, and quite possibly, her feelings for the one guy she’s nev...

Self-forgiveness is a funny topic for me because I don't actively practice or think about it, though I have wondered about it as a concept from a Christian perspective. For some reason, I've been coming across it more and more in Christian fiction lately. It seems to either be a plot device or a teaching that's shared with main characters who think they've done something unforgivable and cannot move ahead in their life. I'm sure I've seen it referenced before, so it's probably only sticking out in my mind right now after reading a slew of Christmas novellas over the winter break. Though this question has arisen from more current reading, I'm more curious about it as a theological question. I've seen read some books that denounce this teaching by stating that God alone forgives sin (Mark 2:7), which I can somewhat understand, though it's the teachers of the law who express this common belief, with Jesus correcting them about how the Son of Man can...

You might have seen me rave about The 80s Rom-Com Club by Mikal Dawn, Bell Renshaw, Jennifer Rodewald, Betsy St. Amant, Teresa Tysinger, and Jaycee Weaver not that long ago. Well, not only was I blessed to be able to get a copy of that book, but one of the authors kindly let me know that she expanded her original story quite a bit. I'm sure glad that I scooped up Sure About You by Jaycee Weaver in a heartbeat to read more about Pax and Isley! Content to be aware of : clothing-optional beach (nothing graphic portrayed and the characters are not implicated), situations of temptation, mentions of drinking Book Synopsis She'd had her future perfectly planned. Now? She's not so sure. Isley: Three things I love—quality food, eighties rom coms, and my custom-made planner. Three things I loathe—internet trolls, traveling, and Walter Paxton. Anita runs our online news site DFW Daily, and she’s dangling my dream job like the proverbial carrot. Now my weekend getaway to finally mee...

This is one of the books that I will need to get a print copy of due to how incredible its content was in helping me better understand some of the Bible passages it covered. Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes by E. Randolph Richards and Richard James is a must-read when it comes to cross-cultural knowledge and biblical application. Book Synopsis The Bible was written within collectivist cultures. When Westerners, immersed in individualism, read the Bible, it's easy to misinterpret important elements―or miss them altogether. In any culture, the most important things usually go without being said. So to read Scripture well we benefit when we uncover the unspoken social structures and values of its world. We need to recalibrate our vision. Combining the expertise of a biblical scholar and a missionary practitioner, Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes is an essential guidebook to the cultural background of the Bible and how it should inform our reading. E. Randolph ...

Now this is a a fun book that I have been intrigued by since its title was announced! Some Like It Scot by Pepper Basham contains the characteristic humour, charm, and delight that I've come to expect from the author, so it was a treat to read this just before the holidays. Many thanks to  Thomas Nelson  and  NetGalley  for providing a copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis She lives her life on the fly. His heart is double-knotted to home. Can two different souls create a life together? Popular travel writer and podcaster Katie Campbell roams the world collecting other people's stories. She's built a career as "Miss Adventure," known for saying yes to anything new--country, food, or experience--and predictably finding those adventures taking a downward turn into misadventures. Offered the chance to explore her ancestral roots through a three-week Edwardian experience, Katie finds herself immersed in the beauty and ec...