Summer is always a great time to read.
This summer was the first we’d spent in New England for many years and the cooler temps at night, combined with the peace of a quiet house after the kids have gone to bed provided some great time for reading.
Here’s some of what we read this summer.
Haiti:
The Big Truck That Went By by Jonathan Katz
Jonathan Katz, former Haiti correspondent for the Associated Press, was the only full-time U.S. news reporter on the ground when the earthquake struck Haiti in 2010. This book is a truly riveting account of the initial aftermath of that disaster and the recovery efforts that took place in the months that followed. Katz offers a helpful look at some of the mis-steps taken by aid organizations small and large – a look that stems from a depth of knowledge of Haitian history and culture.
I found it hard to put this book down, both because of the subject and because it was so wonderfully written. Katz is a great story teller. If you’re interested in thr recovery efforts in Haiti, this is a must read.
The Comedians by Graham Greene
This 1966 novel by Graham Greene is a classic that was eventually turned into a movie starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.
The story is written from the perspective of Mr. Brown, an expatriate who inherited a struggling hotel in Port-au-Prince from his mother. It traces the adventures of Mr. Brown, his hotel guests Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Mr. Jones as they dodge the Tonton Macoute (the secret police of Haiti’s then dictatorship).
One thing I loved about the book is that it gives a peek into what Haiti was like during the dictatorship of Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier. Greene does a good job surfacing the ever-present tension that existed in Haiti during those days.
Discipleship:
Look and Live by Matt Papa
I’ll probably put this at the top of the list of books I read this summer. It’s a book we’ll be coming back to in the years ahead as we work to make disciples.
Look and Live is a book written for those who are serious in their desire to grow closer to Christ, but have trouble as they battle sin in their lives. There are a lot of books written about this kind of thing, but this book comes at it from a refreshingly different angle.
Rather than having you focus on striving harder as one battles the flesh, Papa says the secret is in catching a vision of God – of who He is in all his magnificence and grace.
This quote from the back cover sums things up wonderfully:
“The call in these pages is not to work or to strive, but to lift your eyes. You don’t need more willpower. You need a vision of greatness that sweeps you off your feet. You need to see glory.”
When we see God, and, in the context of the gospel, behold him for who he is – we are changed.
If you are wrestling with sin in your life, or if your walk with Christ has grown stagnant, we highly commend this to you.
The Bondage Breaker by Neil Anderson
This is a book about spiritual warfare.
Admittedly, this is an awkward subject. It seems people often respond to this topic in fear, disbelief or excessive interest. None of these are really best.
As Becca and I prepare to live in a culture that is influenced by voodoo, I wanted to read something on spiritual warfare that was balanced, practical and helpful. I had been hearing about this book for years from folks across the theological spectrum and the consistent line has always been: “you’ll not agree with all of it, but it is a must read on the subject.”
Instead of focusing on how to do a “power encounter” with the demonic, a common method for spiritual warfare in many Christian circles, Anderson focuses in this book on the importance of having a “truth encounter”. This is because at the core, Satan is a deceiver. As people believe his lies, they give him room for influence in their lives. “Truth Encounters” tackle this head on.
The essence of the strategy involves standing firm in your identity in Christ, while, in the context of the gospel, confessing and renouncing areas of sin (even hidden ones) in your life. As you do this, you remove the foothold the enemy used to gain whatever influence he had and he is forced to flee.
In the end, I found the line “you’ll not agree with all of it” to be true, but I also found this to be a tremendously helpful resource that I’ll be keeping on my shelf for future use.
Fundraising:
The God Ask by Steve Shadrach
This is a wonderfully practical book that first builds a strong biblical case for the legitimacy of fundraising for ministry and then provides an excellent, step-by-step model for how to do it effectively.
One of the things I liked about the book was that Shadrach tackles some of the fears associated with this process while encouraging you to courageously move past them in pursuit of the ministry the Lord has called you to do.
Although much of what he talks about is easier said than done, we found that this book, more than any other, helped us get our heads around the task of raising our support for Haiti and gave us a place to start.
Spirituality of Fundraising by Henry Nouwen
While The God Ask does an excellent job at preparing your hands for the task of fundraising, Nouwen’s Spirituality of Fundraising seeks to prepare the heart.
The content of the book was first delivered as an informal address to a foundation in September of 1992. The talk was recorded, edited and then published into this short little booklet.
Primarily, the book helps to make the shift from viewing fundraising as necessary to fundraising as ministry. He says:
“As a form of ministry, fund-raising is as spiritual as giving a sermon, entering into a time of prayer, visiting the sick, or feeding the hungry.”
That statement sure stretched our thinking on this subject. He goes on:
“Asking people for money is giving them the opportunity to put their resources at the disposal of the kingdom.”
And that is really, at the core, what this support raising journey is about for us.
At around 50 pages, this short little book is a quick read and has been a great help to us in putting this support raising process in perspective for us.
What books did you read this summer? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to check them out!
