Light Book Reviews from 2020

Horrible atrocities have been done in the name of Christ. This should not be. In Redeeming Power by Diane Langberg defines power, addresses the various ways power has been abused in the church, and shows how power can be redeemed. Power rightly used is Christ-like power. Power abused, however, is “power used for the control …

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Into The Light is a seven-week Bible study that addresses trauma and healing by looking at Scripture. Author Mary DeMuth helps the churches not only care for the survivors in their midst, but care for one another in general. This study provides a theological understanding of shepherding, care, the church, sorrow, lament, justice, and repentance. …

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You would think abuse would be easy to identify, but because of many dynamics of oppression including coercion, blame-shifting, manipulation, threats, and danger, it often takes patient care over time to identify domestic abuse. Abuse can be disorienting and distressing for victims and for those walking alongside. Because of this, many don’t venture into those …

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How much is a girl worth?  This question is both the title of Rachael Denhollander’s book and the lens through which she powerfully recounts the childhood sexual abuse she endured at the hands of Dr. Larry Nassar and the road to justice that she and many of her fellow survivors courageously forged.  Her story of …

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I first learned of John Mark Comer through his excellent podcast, “This Cultural Moment,” co-hosted with fellow pastor, Mark Sayers, on ministry in post-Christian cities. So, when I saw this bright orange Instagram ad for his book saying “How to stay emotionally healthy and spiritually alive in the chaos of the modern world,” I put …

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On a number of occasions, I’ve picked up a “spiritual disciplines” book, only to put it down in frustration a few chapters in—feeling wholly inadequate and squarely judged. I never felt that way while reading, The Praying Life by Paul E. Miller. Miller provides a humble, practical example of what it means to have a …

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As the coronavirus pandemic stretched across the globe, no one could ignore the reality of suffering. But recognizing the reality of suffering is not the same as knowing what to do with our pain, fear, and grief.  Mark Vroegop has learned, both from his own life and the lives of those he pastors, that the …

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Adorning the Dark isn’t a book about just writing, or singing, or any of the things you might associate with Andrew Peterson. It’s a book about creating—something which Peterson says every one of us was created to do. Through a collection of honest stories and personal reflections, this beautifully written memoir will open your eyes …

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