This past year I have read over 80 books. The fact that ebooks and audio books are so available increased the number of books that I read this past year. 29 of the books were ebooks and 3 where audio books. Apart from the Scripture, which I read through three times, here is my top five books of the year.
5. Flatland by Edwin Abbott. This little mathematical novel is over 100 years old and though I have known about it for years I finally got around to reading it. It is a delightful story about someone who lives in two dimensions and believes that that is all there is. When he is introduced to the third dimension by a visitor from the third dimension he challenges his guest to think about a fourth dimension. Like everyone in his two dimensional world the visitor will not believe that there is another dimension. I think there is a lesson here for us who think we have everything figured out.
4. Glorious Ruin by Tullian Tchividjian. This was a delightful find as it showed up as a free ebook. It is subtitled How Suffering sets you Free. This book by the grandson of Billy Graham is worth the read and he shows you that suffering is part of being a follower of Jesus Christ, part of our path to freedom, part of the Gospel.
3. The Covenant by James Michener. This massive novel about the Boers of South Africa really opened my eyes to the roots of apartheid. The Boers were convinced that they were the chosen people living in the promised land.
2. The Meaning of Marriage by Tim and Kathy Keller. This book which looks at marriage through the eyes of Scripture should be a must read for everyone getting married.
1. The number one book on my list is a surprise. It is an Old Testament commentary. Deuteronomy, Loving Obedience to a Loving God by Ajith Fernando. Though I have always loved the Old Testament and in particular I love the book of Deuteronomy this book brought Moses' words alive. What a great commentary and I would recommend it to any one who wants to preach or teach the whole counsel of God.
I have a few honourable mentions but I may mention them another time. I am looking forward to the surprises that God has for me in 2014.
As many of you have probably heard, our sweet new son,
James is coming home tomorrow. God has used this sweet little child to touch the
lives of countless people. Just when you think you're going to have a normal
child with no complications, and everything is rosie, God does something like
this and totally changes your focus. Life really isn't about the hustle and
bustle of life and the constan...t worries we face everyday. Sure those things are very
real but it's not supposed to be the object of our affection, Christ is. I have
been very much reminded of that this week. Although we have an extremely long
road ahead of us with many uncertain twists and turns, it's okay because the God
who showed himself to be all powerful this week will still be the all powerful
God in the future. We still may lose James in the weeks/months/years ahead but
he has always been the in the hands of God, and what better place is there to be
than that. I really want to thank all of you who have poured out your love, and
your prayers to our Heavenly Father for us during this extremely difficult time.
I would ask that you still keep us in your prayers as we walk down this road
with James. It's been said that God moves in mysterious ways, mysterious to us
maybe but not Him. I'm not perfect and as I have journaled this week with many
people, I'm thankful that people have been encouraged, challenged and supported.
God deserves all the glory for this. I'm reminded of the time when Jesus was
teaching some very hard sayings and many of His disciples turned back and left
Him. When Jesus turned to His original twelve He asked them if they too wanted
to leave. I love the answer Peter gave, "Lord, where else are we going to go,
for you alone have the words of eternal life." How absolutely true that is
!