My bookclub

A few months ago, a couple friends and I started getting together every few weeks to read books. It started with titles like Blue Like Jazz, The Shack, and Why We're Not Emergent by Two Guys Who should Be. The first was a book I'd wanted to read, but hadn't made the time for. The second was a book I'd read but needed somebody to talk about it with. The third seemed a natural extension of hte first two. This month we tried Pilgrim's Progress. I loved it as a young adult, but we all decided it was a bit harder as an adult.

So next month, we're reading The Hiding Place. Have you ever read it? I loved it as a young adult. I can't wait to read it again and introduce my friends to this true story. Check it out below. I can't remember if this is from The Hiding Place or another of her books, but I remember a story she told about her father. She'd asked him about grace and how we'd know we'd have it when we needed it. He said it was like when he took her to the train station. When did he give her the ticket? When she needed it to board. And that's like God's grace. He extends it right when we need that. So true!

And if you like, let's read it together and talk about it at the end of February. Maybe you can participate in the bookclub via the blog. Let me know what you think!

The Hiding Place By Corrie Ten Boom / Random House, Inc When the Nazis invaded Holland, Corrie ten Boom's quiet life turned into a nightmare. Because she made her home a "hiding place" for Jews, she and her family were sent to a concentration camp. Refusing to despair, Corrie discovered how Jesus can turn loss to glory! This unforgettable story will move you to tears and to joy.

Why We're Not Emergent (By Two Guys Who Should Be) By Kevin DeYoung & Ted Kluck / Moody Publishers Pastor DeYoung and sports columnist Kluck thoroughly probe the emerging church from a theological and on-the-street perspective. Resourcing interviews, articles, books, blogs, and experiences, they carefully examine the movement's views on Scripture; the wrath of God; the place of Jesus; spiritual journey vs. pilgrimage; and more. A systematic, thought-provoking, and accessible "dialogue." 224 Pages. Softcover from Moody. Kevin Deyoung is the senior pastor at University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan, across the street from Michigan State University. Ted Kluck is the author of three books and has written for ESPN the Magazine, Sports Spectrum Magazine, ESPN.com, and several small literay journals.

The Shack By William Paul Young / Windblown Media "Mack" Philips took his three children on a family camping trip while his wife visited her sister. Just as they were about to leave the campsite, the two older kids decided to take a last canoe ride before heading home. As their canoe overturned, and Mack went to help them, his back was turned and the unspeakable happened. Mack's youngest daughter,Missy, was abducted by a known child predator. After a massive search, evidence of Missy showed up at an abandoned cabin. Although they never found her body, everyone knew the worst had happened. For the next four years "a great sadness" fell over Mack and his family, until a note from God showed up in his mailbox. What happens next will move you to a greater understanding of God's unfailing love for us all.

Blue Like Jazz: Non-Religious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality By Donald Miller / Thomas Nelson Can you love a God who doesn't make sense? Like Anne Lamott's Traveling Mercies, Miller's memoir-like collection of essays wrestles with the paradoxes of the Christian faith, describing his journey back to a culturally relevant, infinitely gracious Savior. A mind-changing perspective for those who believe that organized religion doesn't meet their spiritual needs.