Sacred Ground Ministries

This summer has certainly been a full one, with unexpected and exciting transitions (more on that later), finishing up graduate school, and my internship. However, there is always time for reading. Reading is one of my most favorite things to do. It helps me learn, change my perspective, and be transported to a different world. I prefer a balanced diet of genres and try to read wide. Nonfiction books are lovely but if I don’t get a really good story in here and there, I get restless. I have not read as much as I normally do because if you didn’t know, graduate school requires a lot of reading all by itself. Nevertheless, I wanted to share with you five books I did read this summer that were simply fabulous and worth passing on.

I’m Still Here: Black Dignity an a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown

Part of me doesn’t know how to begin with this book because I feel so undone by it. This book is not the first wave effort to exhort the majority to value diversity but rather it exposes the still dark underbelly of schools, churches, and individuals who say they been changed but actually have not. It addresses what she (yes, she) calls “Nice White People.” This is talking about those of us (myself included) who believe that because we are not the openly and intentionally racist ones who are easy to spot that we are excluded from working through our own bias. She writes,

“Even more, if most white people are good, innocent, lovely folks who are just angry or scared or ignorant, it naturally follows that whenever racial tension arises, I must be the problem. I am not kind enough, patient enough, warm enough. I don’t have enough understanding for the white heart, white feelings, white needs. It does not matter that I don’t always feel like teaching white people through my pain, through the disappointment of allies who gave up and colaborers who left. It does not matter that the ‘well-intentioned’ questions hurt my feelings or that the decisions made in all-white meetings affect me differently than they do everyone else. If my feelings do not fit the narrative of white innocence and goodness, the burden of change gets placed on me.”

I have learned deeply from this book and would really encourage you that if you are confused or angry (on either side) of the discussion of race in our country and communities, this book will instruct you, challenge you, and change you.

The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield

This book was probably the most challenging to read simply because of how serious this call is and how far away I am. Although the reader is informed in the subtitle that what the author is proposing is radical, I don’t think I was prepared for how veraciously and deeply Rosaria Butterfield believes and lives what she is teaching. If you are not familiar with her, she is a woman with an incredible story of how hospitality from two Christians opened the door for her to receive the grace of Jesus Christ and forsake her sexual sin. Here is a link to her testimony. This book is a call to all Christians to not treat our homes as our own personal castles but rather as a gathering place for any and all to find community and meet with Jesus. All I can say about this book is to get your hands on it. If hospitality is a foreign concept to you or if you are committed to making it a bigger part of your rhythm of life, this will show you the way.

Everybody Always by Bob Goff

It’s hard to say which read was my favorite out of these 5, but this one is definitely near the top of the list. This book is full of beautiful and redemptive stories of what it means to simply love. It strips away the complexities and parameters we can sometimes tend to put around loving others. Although this is one of those books that every page could be soaked with highlighter and pen, here’s an excerpt I just loved:

“Perhaps if we spent a little more time looking at the Groom, we’d start seeing ourselves the way He does. To God, we look just terrific. Does our church have problems? You bet. But He continues to pick us to spread His love to the world. I’m not sure why. To be honest, I wouldn’t have. But He said He picked us, and that’s all I need to know to be a part of the celebration. We’re the bride of Christ, not because of what we look like but because of who we are trying to act like. That’s our church.”

The Sacred Enneagram by Chris Huertz

If you are not familiar with the enneagram, I would not recommend beginning with this book. A good place to start would be with The Road Back to You by Ian Cron & Suzanna Stabile. However, after a good handle on the basics of the enneagram, this book is such a worthwhile read. I have been interested in the spiritual disciplines since my time as an undergraduate at Moody when I was first introduced to them. As much as I love my protestant heritage, some of the richness offered by contemplative spirituality has been lost. This book brings that back into focus and gives specific suggestions tailored to your enneagram type. And, if you’re wondering, I’m a 6. So much of my life makes sense since understanding what that means.

All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

And last comes the fiction read. Much to the chagrin of my husband, my favorite genre of fiction (both books and TV) is historical fiction. I am sucker for a historical drama set in the Roman era, Medieval times, the American Revolution, WWII, or really anything. Nothing captures my attention more than meeting a character fully immersed in a bygone time. My fiction read here is no different. It is set in WWII in Paris and then the beautiful walled, coastal town of Saint Malo. This book introduced characters with depth and weaves together two separate stories that culminate in unexpected and breathtaking ways. 5 out of 5.

So there you have it, friends. All of these books have been great companions this summer. What are you reading? I’d love to hear your recommendations.

Until next time,