5 books on my future reading list

Finally Alive

I love the way John Piper writes. There is such joy in it. I've learnt a lot from him and how to enjoy God and all he has made.

This particular book is about being born again.

Here's a quote from the author:

"When Jesus said to Nicodemus, "You must be born again" (John 3:7), he was not sharing interesting and unimportant information. 

He was leading him to eternal life... If he does that for you (or if he already has), then you are (or you will be) truly, invincibly, finally alive." 



The Queen's Handmaid

Tracy Higley is becoming one of my favorite Christian fiction writers. Her stories are powerful and gospel-filled. They take us back in history and don't shy away from spiritual warfare that is part of our world.

Goodreads describes this book here:

"Alexandria, Egypt 39 BC

Orphaned at birth, Lydia was raised as a servant in Cleopatra's palace, working hard to please while keeping everyone at arm's length. She's been rejected and left with a broken heart too many times in her short life.

But then her dying mentor entrusts her with secret writings of the prophet Daniel and charges her to deliver this vital information to those watching for the promised King of Israel. Lydia must leave the nearest thing she’s had to family and flee to Jerusalem. Once in the Holy City, she attaches herself to the newly appointed king, Herod the Great, as handmaid to Queen Mariamme.

Trapped among the scheming women of Herod’s political family—his sister, his wife, and their mothers—and forced to serve in the palace to protect her treasure, Lydia must deliver the scrolls before dark forces warring against the truth destroy all hope of the coming Messiah."

Introverts in the Church

I've had this book on my shelf for awhile and being an introvert, I'm looking forward to reading what the author has to say about introverts in the church.

Amazon says here: 

"Introverts are called and gifted by God. But many churches tend to be extroverted places where introverts are marginalized. Some Christians end up feeling like it's not as faithful to be an introvert.

Adam McHugh shows how introverts can live and minister in ways consistent with their personalities. He explains how introverts and extroverts process information and approach relationships differently and how introverts can practice Christian spirituality in ways that fit who they are...Discover God's call and empowering to thrive as an introvert, for the sake of the church and kingdom."

*Note - I have since read this book and you can read my thoughts HERE 

Mist of Midnight

I loved Sandra Byrd's 'Ladies in Waiting' series,which tell the fictional stories of the ladies in waiting of Anne Boleyn, Kathryn Parr and Elizabeth I, while also telling the true stories of these queens.

This new series is described here on Sandra's website:

"In the first of a brand new series set in Victorian England, a young woman returns home from India after the death of her family to discover her identity and inheritance are challenged by the man who holds her future in his hands...

...A captivating Gothic love story set against a backdrop of intrigue and danger, Mist of Midnight will leave you breathless."

This novel comes out in March of 2015.

Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch

I started this book awhile ago but only got a couple chapters in. I really want to get into it now and finish it.

I love British history, it's one of my favorites to read about. I think it's because my mom is from England, and so it's history is personal to me.


Goodreads says here of this biography:


"From the moment of her ascension to the throne in 1952 at the age of twenty-five, Queen Elizabeth II has been the object of unparalleled scrutiny. But through the fog of glamour and gossip, how well do we really know the world’s most famous monarch? 

Drawing on numerous interviews and never-before-revealed documents, acclaimed biographer Sally Bedell Smith pulls back the curtain to show in intimate detail the public and private lives of Queen Elizabeth II, who has led her country and Commonwealth through the wars and upheavals of the last sixty years with unparalleled composure, intelligence, and grace...
  
...Compulsively readable and scrupulously researched, Elizabeth the Queen is a close-up view of a woman we’ve known only from a distance, illuminating the lively personality, sense of humor, and canny intelligence with which she meets the most demanding work and family obligations. It is also a fascinating window into life at the center of the last great monarchy."