What I've Been Reading Lately

I'm linking up with my beloved Modern Mrs. Darcy again to write about what I've been reading lately. I finished quite a few books recently, most of which I loved, with one exception :)

At Home in the World by Tsh Oxenreider


I adored this travel memoir about the author's year spent circling the globe with her husband and three young children. After reading such an authentic account of both the joys and trials of spending a significant amount of time hopping from one time zone to another, I can say for certain that I never want to make an around the world trip with my kids. But I was inspired to do more adventuring close by  and to better appreciate the gift of home.

Hoot by Carl Hiassen


I read this book aloud to the kids, and while they enjoyed it, it wasn't really what I expected. I appreciated the basic premise of kids working to save endangered owls from destruction by a greedy corporation, but there was altogether too much bathroom humor, and at the end of the day I wasn't really rooting for any of the characters (unless you count the mostly invisible owls). Compared to the other read alouds we've done like Charlotte's Web, the Boxcar Children and the Chronicles of Narnia, this one just wasn't up to par.

Wired for Love by Stan Tatkin


This is one of the best books I've read on relationships ever, and I've read quite a few :)   It was a quick read with a light hearted tone and rich insights into the dance of long-term partnership. As a couple in which both people have insecure patterns of attachment, I learned a lot that I could immediately apply to our marriage.

Live Dead: The Journey by Missionaries Who Love the Arab World



I'm so glad I read this book. Each of its twelve chapters begins with a view into what daily life looks like for a missionary serving in a different Muslim majority city. You really get a feel for the sights and sounds of each place, and an appreciation for the diversity that exists across the Arab world. Though the dominant worldview is the same, life looks vastly different in the ultra-modern city of Dubai than it does in the remote and dusty desert of Muscat, Oman or the ancient citadel of Amman, Jordan or the colorful port city of Tangier, Morocco. Next you get to hear from the missionaries personally about how they have committed to tithe of their time, spending lavish amounts of time in God's presence each day. They map out exactly what they do abide with Christ in such a difficult context. Finally each chapter explains a value that the missionaries endeavor to embody as they seek to sacrifice everything for the sake of the gospel. This book was very inspiring in terms of my own walk with God and gave me a better ability to pray specifically for the people of the Arab world.

Other books I'm currently reading include I Am Malala (on audio, my first audio book!), The Benedict Option, and The Broken Way.

What have you been reading lately?






Comments