Can you believe I actually read FOUR WHOLE BOOKS this month, even with a 5 month old?? Awesome. My reading role model has always been my mother; despite homeschooling six children, I never remember her without a book. I also remember finding her book journal once, asking her about it and having her tell me that after she had kids, she challenged herself to keep her mind active by reading classic literature. A few years ago, I started a book journal as well and it's both helpful to see what I've already read so I don't accidentally repeat books and interesting to see the patterns of what I've read throughout the years.
Here's what I've read this month:
Bringing Up Bebe - Pamela Druckerman
Very interesting book. It's written by an American woman who marries a British man living in Paris. As she writes their story of meeting, getting married, having one baby, then having twins and raising all three children in France, she describes several main differences between typical French parenting and typical American parenting. What keeps this book interesting is the fact that it's as much Druckerman's story as it is a treatise on cultural differences. I found myself identifying very much with what Druckerman describes as mainstream French parenting - babies expected to sleep through the night, children expected to eat like adults, children being strictly trained in manners and appropriate social behavior, parents not allowing the child to be the center of the home. I do wonder what the French actually think of her book; is she over-glorifying the results of French parenting? Is she overgeneralizing? Is French parenting really better or just different? I've asked a French friend what she thinks; if she's able to read the book and give me her perspective, I'll let you know.
Grace For the Good Girl - Emily Freeman
Another great book. I was drawn to it because I've always classified myself as a "good girl" who is very performance-oriented; the subtitle of this book is "Letting Go of the Try-Hard Life". I definitely need to let go of trying to perform to achieve God's approval, hiding behind a mask of perfection, fearing failure, and attempting to live up to a perceived expectation of constant strength from others. Freeman outlines many aspects of life in which we try too hard or live inauthenticly and then outlines what our biblical perspective on the Christian life should be. I will be referring to this book very often, and I even think I'll store it away as a possible counseling resource.
Why Christians Can't Trust Psychology - Ed Bulkley
I know...I know...sounds like a wacko alarmist title, doesn't it? I read this at the recommendation of my family life pastor when I asked for resources that explained the nouthetic approach to counseling. I can't say that I totally buy the arguments outlined within this book; some of it was slightly witch-hunty and alarmist and many examples of how terrible psychology is focused on the more bizarre aspects of the profession (nude therapy, anyone?). I found his arguments for Christians utilizing nouthetic counseling to be much more convincing than his arguments against Christians seeking psychological counseling. In general, I do tend to agree with the author's basic premises that the foundations psychology and psychiatry frequently do not line up with Scripture and that, while many of the "studies" are interesting and may provide practical technical tools, ultimately it is reaching the heart and having Christ transform lives that will be the key aspect of life change. I should note that my family life pastor also recommended a book defending Christian psychology - Gary Collins' Can Christians Trust Psychology? and I do plan on reading that at some point; however, my brain can only handle so much of the same topic at once before it starts to explode.
Crazy Love - Francis Chan
My brother Stephen has already begun a series of posts reviewing this book on his blog, so I won't go into too much detail on mine. The only thing I will really say is that my thoughts on this book were mixed. I know it's a hugely popular book, a New York Times bookseller, and that Francis Chan is also a big name right now. Lots of people love him and lots of people love this book. I can appreciate some aspects of this book - the call to be in awe of God, the call to not be complacent in our Christian life, the charge to examine our lives, the call to not withhold our lives from what the Holy Spirit might want to do with us even if it seems radical to others. I think that is a needed message for imany Christians. My problem is mainly with the foundational theology expressed within the book. For example, the most controversial quote within the book is most likely this one: "As I see it, a lukewarm Christian is an oxymoron; there's no such thing. To put it plainly, churchgoers who are 'lukewarm' are not Christians. We will not see them in heaven (p.84)." I disagree with that. I also have a problem with his examples of radical living for Christ. Not that I think it's wrong to be completely radical, but I think because his examples are so radical, that many people will miss the completely ordinary things that Christ is calling them to because they won't see them as radical enough for a committed believer.
So, that's it for this month.
Has anyone read those books? Thoughts?
What other awesome books did you read this month that you can recommend to me?
I know I have my own review of "Crazy
ReplyDeleteLove" but I wanted to take a turn to comment on your blog haha. In reference
to "Not that I think it's wrong to be completely radical, but I think
because his examples are so radical, that many people will miss the completely
ordinary things that Christ is calling them to because they won't see them as
radical enough for a committed believer.”
My question is; do
we have a shortage of “radical” or “ordinary” believers? I would say, we have a
shortage of radical ones. I would say very few people need to be encouraged to
be ordinary, as that’s how we “ordinarily” act. That’s what gives it the title
ordinary…..there’s little need for a published book encouraging people to do
what they ordinarily do. People would read the book and respond with “Why did I
pay $12 for this book to tell me to be ordinary?” Not that there’s no value in being ordinary,
but usually people aren’t stuck in a pattern of living radically, they need
something to jumpstart them or motivate them to act that way. That’s why one of
the definions of radical means “drastic.”
I would agree that his
book may give people the impression that they can’t be radical enough to be
Christians. I’m ok with that considering the type of radical that I think the book is
referring to. He’s encouraging them to be “Christlike,” which is radical, and I
think everyone should feel that no matter how much we work towards being more
Christlike we will never be “Christlike enough.” I think that’s a healthy viewpoint
to have, it keeps Christ at the top.
I know I have my own review of "Crazy Love" but I wanted to take a turn to comment on your blog haha. In reference to "Not that I think it's wrong to be completely radical, but I thinkbecause his examples are so radical, that many people will miss the completely ordinary things that Christ is calling them to because they won't see them as radical enough for a committed believer.” My question is; do we have a shortage of “radical” or “ordinary” believers? I would say, we have ashortage of radical ones. I would say very few people need to be encouraged to be ordinary, as that’s how we “ordinarily” act. That’s what gives it the title ordinary…..there’s little need for a published book encouraging people to do what they ordinarily do. People would read the book and respond with “Why did Ipay $12 for this book to tell me to be ordinary?” Not that there’s no value in being ordinary, but usually people aren’t stuck in a pattern of living radically, they need something to jumpstart them or motivate them to act that way. That’s why one ofthe definions of radical means “drastic.”I would agree that hisbook may give people the impression that they can’t be radical enough to be Christians. I’m ok with that considering the type of radical that I think the book is referring to. He’s encouraging them to be “Christlike,” which is radical, and I think everyone should feel that no matter how much we work towards being more Christlike we will never be “Christlike enough.” I think that’s a healthy viewpoint to have, it keeps Christ at the top.
ReplyDelete-I re-copy and pasted this because it did it weird the first time...
I really liked the way he explained it in the last chapter because it seemed way more doable than all those wild examples in his portraits of the "obsessed". When I say "ordinary", I don't mean "complacent"...let me give you an example: I believe that God has called me to lead a small group women's Bible study (with a friend) as well as to pursue Biblical Counseling at our church and Dave and I will be leading a Community Group next year. This isn't terribly radical...it's probably not really surprising to anyone who knows me and my personality...but it is what God made me for and I am using the gifts He gave me. I think it's more important to simply open yourself up to the leading of the Holy Spirit and see what He wants you to do and then be obedient to that. It may not be "drastic" or "radical", but it is obedient and because you're being called somewhere, God will use you to be effective there. My concern is that when people are trying to see what God wants them to do, they will be focused on something radical and drastic and miss the "ordinary" and obvious thing that they are gifted for. For example, I would never want someone to think it isn't good enough to be heading up the ministry within our church of baking bread to give to visitors because it seems "cooler" and more demanding and exciting to move to Africa with only $2000 and adopt an AIDS baby. They should know that if that's "all" that God called them to do, it's awesome. Use your gifts, whatever those are, even if it's just spending Saturday evening setting up chairs for Sunday morning service and stuffing bulletins. And if you don't know what your gifts are, find out. There are too many people who aren't doing anything at all...I agree with you there...but I do also feel some compassion for those people because I've been in a place where I just felt like I couldn't find my niche or what God was calling me to.
ReplyDeleteI also feel like his emphasis on radical works (displayed in service, ministry and giving to the poor) was out of balance. I felt like he did not touch on the fact that the fruit of the Holy Spirit are also "radical works". We should be actively demonstrating love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc in ways that are very different than the world's ideas. If I, as a mother, am able to demonstrate peace within my marriage to a world full of suffering marriages...that can be seen as radical. I just missed that in his book and wished he would have included character qualities along with service and ministry and giving tasks as being radical.