Win-Some Women

Committee’s Favorite Books – October, 2009

Meg:

The Case for Christ Student Edition by Lee Strobel with Jane Vogel

In the 1980s Lee Strobel wrote The Case for Christ, and it very quickly became a best seller.  Now it has been revised into a student edition, and it’s just remarkable.  I was a teacher for our church confirmation class this year, and we used this book as a discussion starter at our overnight retreat with our eighth graders.  Lee Strobel was educated at Yale Law School, and an award-winning journalist with the Chicago Tribune.  Jane Vogel has been involved in youth ministry for over twenty years.  These two have teamed up to edit this Christian classic into 116 pages presented in webpage fashion familiar to our youth.  Want a great stocking stuffer for the young people you love…this is it!

The Reason for God by Timothy Keller

The subtitle of this book says it all, Belief in an Age of Skepticism.  This New York Times best seller was authored by Timothy Keller, the famed pastor who planted a church in the middle of Manhattan.  Now that Redeemer Presbyterian Church serves over 6,000 attendees in five services, has a host of daughter churches, and is planting churches in large cities throughout the world.  Listen to these words of Rick Warren the author of the renowned The Purpose Driven Life; “This is the book I give to all my friends who are serious spiritual seekers or skeptics.”  I suggest that you and I should do as Pastor Warren does…and before you give it to your friends, you should read it too.

The Jesus Way by Eugene H Peterson

I seem to read at least one Eugene Peterson book a year, and this one did not disappoint me…and it won’t disappoint you.  I’ll warn you this is no light bit of Christian fluff.  This book will challenge you to reread and think, and a serious reader will be rewarded.  Early on Peterson quotes the words of St. Catherine, “All the way to heaven is heaven, because He said, ‘I am the Way’.”  From that premise the author goes on to study the spiritual lives of Jesus’ contemporaries and compares them with the spiritual life of Jesus, “the Way” and challenges us to emulate, indeed to live, the “Jesus Way.”  It’s a blessing to read because it not only gives the reader the spiritual challenge but also deep insights and spiritual tools to live this “Jesus Way. ”

Lorraine:

The Power of a Praying Husband by Stormie Omartian

The power of a praying husband is for the husband to pray for his wife.  It’s a wonderful way for a woman to feel covered and loved when she knows her husband is lifting their marriage and petitions up to One who can really change things.

Crystal:

The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian

This book has given me the tools it takes to be a prayer warrior for my husband.  Each chapter has a different aspect of his life that ends with a prayer to pray for him and scriptures to ponder.  This book is kept on my nightstand so I can refer to it when needed.

Becky:                                                                          

Satan’s Dirty Little Secret by Steve Foss

If you’ve ever experienced a profound sense of spiritual warfare in you life (don’t we all!), this book puts great perspective on how Satan works.  Keys to understanding will give you total victory.  I think this is a must read for parents of young children to help you equip your kids as they grow into all God has for them.

Discovering God’s Answers to Life’s Ultimate Questions by Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz

The Bible starts with a bang!  I’m enjoying my church Bible study of this book that surprises me each week with the answers God laid out for us in the book of Genesis.  He had us covered right from the start!

Hannah:

Become a Better You by Joel Osteen
I caught this book on the run.  By that I mean I listened to the book on CD - mostly in my car.  I loved it, because so often the frustrations of life weigh heavy in the free moments of the day.  The things that impressed me the most were – keep pressing forward, be positive toward yourself, develop better relationships, and form better habits.  Instead of reviewing the negatives it helped bring my thoughts above the circumstances.