Christian Shelves

After reading I Choose Love by Chip Ingram , I knew that I had to read his earlier works on other fruits of the Spirit. I Choose Joy is the perfect complement to that book as it puts into practice the things that we encounter in life and how we can respond as believers while operating from a place of joy. Many thanks to Moody Publishers for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis Joy―our lifeline and strength through life’s suffering. C.S. Lewis said, "Joy is the serious business of Heaven.” Too often, however, joy is missing from our lives. When we look to Scripture, we see examples of early Christians thriving even amid hardship and persecution. How do we recapture that deep and stubborn joy? Pastor and author Chip Ingram takes us to God’s Word, helping us shift away from self-centered happiness and toward lasting joy found in God’s goodness. “Choosing joy in the midst of difficulties goes against all our in...

Happy release day to In Every Chapter , the second book in the Reluctant Romantics series by Morgan Taylor Giesbrecht ! Amnesia stories always make me wonder what memories I would lose and whether it would be possible to recover them. Paisley goes through such an experience, with her story taking us on an emotional roller coaster ride of feeling lost and arriving home. Many thanks to the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Content to be aware of : past domestic violence, military PTSD Book Synopsis Like my favourite bookish heroines, I found the love of a lifetime, except I can’t remember how… Paisley: My summer plans were simple. Kiss my husband, snuggle my dog, and create an elite reading list for the library. Losing seven years' worth of memories after near-death by window artistry, thanks to my klutzy nature? Absolutely not part of the plan. In one short day, I went from stealing kisses with Greyson to wakin...

I have to give credit to Joomi Kim, a secular BookTuber, for first alerting me to one of her challenges with contemporary novels (see timestamp starting at 22:25 ) where she notes that many of the books she has read are about authors or those in academia. While I found her entire video to be thought-provoking regarding contemporary literature, I seldom read enough secular books to be able to comment on them as a whole, so this isn't a commentary on what she has presented. The secular books I read are ones that usually serve a cultural purpose or are interesting enough for me to pick up, which is more rare when my TBR of Christian books keeps expanding. I've also chosen not to focus on those books on my blog or social media; although I try to keep up-to-date with broad trends on my own time, I'm not well-versed enough to add my perspective to that discussion on here. Rather, this is a springboard into the one point that she raised about authors writing what they know. It see...

I can't think of a better way to have capped off Asian Heritage Month  in Canada and Asian-American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islanders Heritage Month in the United States than with a story that is written and illustrated by an Asian-American Christian. Scent of Home by Christine Hwang Panzer is a children's book that evokes childhood memories and is a sweet way to share the concept of home. I'm grateful to  Nancy's Lit Lounge  for introducing me to this adorable tale! Many thanks to LLD Legacy Publishing for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Content to be aware of : use of The Passion Translation Book Synopsis Have you ever been on a journey, trying to navigate to an uncharted place, and encountered many things you never expected? That is how Momma Fox and her new son, Kit, feel as they are looking for Daddy Fox and their "scent of home." What will they encounter on their journey? Won't you rea...

Classical education has always appealed to me in that reasoning and fruitful living that contributes to society are meant to be admirable and achievable goals. Reflecting a world where cardinal virtues are esteemed, I love that The Pursuit of Character by Matthew Arbo arrives at this vision from a Christian perspective, providing a compelling case for why Christians need to recover this framework and way of life. Many thanks to Baker Books for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis What does it mean to live a good life? Know what makes for a good life Pursue character and meaning Recover the virtues that have guided Christians before us In today's fragmented world, we are encouraged to define for ourselves what is good. But this inevitably fails to satisfy. In The Pursuit of Character , Matthew Arbo argues that we can learn how to live a good life by recovering the virtues that have guided Christians before us....

Did I read this book twice within two weeks? Yes; it was that good!  The Light Rising Series  is likely one of my favourite Christian series this year and I'm thrilled that the second book is now available. Wild Light by Ivy Emerson is everything I hoped for, plus so much more in a book that is clearly Christian while taking readers on a wild adventure. Many thanks to the author for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis I’ve built my life on distance. Do the job. Keep it simple. Walk away. It’s safer that way— until she becomes the one person I can’t stay away from. I’ve built my life on independence. Protect the animals. Let the work be enough. Just me and God— until he becomes the one person I don’t want to lose. The sanctuary was supposed to be safe. It isn’t. Someone is hiding something… and the closer we get to the truth, the more dangerous it becomes. But even in the wild, light finds a way in. Wild...