Although the following books are required reading for a class I'm taking at Calvary Bible College, I do believe they are not only beneficial, but perhaps even necessary for anyone involved in ministry. I also highly recommend them to every high school student. My favorite of the two is:

This book explains the approaches of some of the great apologists of the past and discusses, in detail, some of the many conflicting truth claims that are made not only in the world, but in America, and how to effectively communicate with individuals who assent to these truth claims. And by providing a wide range of methods, it allows the reader to choose which logical points will be most effective when trying to reach a particular audience. And the reason I recommend it to high school students is because it helps them see the logical validity of their faith. In today's world, many have erroneously concluded that faith and reason are two separate notions. By using various logical arguments, this book demonstrates not only the validity of the Bible, but also the logical aspect of faith. At one time, America was predominantly a Christian nation, but this is no longer the case. With human migration and increased worldwide communication, our students, and churches, are being inundated with perhaps every truth claim ever known to man. And sadly, many have been deceived into believing that Christianity can be merged with these various claims. (This has led to the "progressive Christianity movement") and although this book will probably not provide "saving" knowledge of the Savior, it can help our students avoid confusion. It also provides a systematic and logical method for testing the validity not only of the Bible, but also, the truth claims expressed within the Bible.

The other book I highly recommend is called:

This book helps the reader communicate effectively and intelligently with people from different cultures and belief systems and also helps students who encounter these variant truth claims to evaluate them logically. I recommend that both books be read simultaneously. A study on the life of St. Augustine would also be helpful. I am listening to Dr. Lewis' lecture tapes for "Testing Christianity's Truth Claims" while reading the book. I am not sure if these tapes can be purchased on-line, but they are very enlightening. They have a section talking about Augustine's life, his period of "rebellion" and "seeking" along with an explanation of the events that led to his ultimate conversion. When you evaluate the life of St. Augustine, you come to see that coming to faith is not an easy, "If you do this, then that" approach. Often, an individual comes to faith after an extended period of time where they have been exposed to logical arguments for the faith, authentic believers who can demonstrate the application of their faith, prayers of loved ones and obviously, an igniting and illuminating touch of the Holy Spirit.

On the lighter side:
With a box of tissues in my hand and a deep sorrow in my heart (You'll have to read the book to find out why!), I am now ready to set Keleigh Crigler Hadley's Preacher's Kids aside. An engaging, and at times, disturbing novel about a young teen trying to navigate her way in an often very confusing world, this book effectively deals with many of the tough issues our kids, and most specifically, the children of those who are involved in ministry, deal with. However, due to some of the content (homosexuality, STD's, drug-use and rough--not swearing, but more slang--language) I advise parental caution. Although this book deals with these issues from a biblical perspective, I would recommend it for more mature readers. Another highlight: the author, a PK (preacher's kid) herself, offers her email address at the end of the book, which could be a great resource for other teens struggling with issues similar to those presented in the book.

I recently finished A Surrendered Heart by Tracie Peterson and loved it! Set in the early 1900's, this novel brings the reader into a world of high-society, scandalous drama and heartfelt romance as Amanda Broadmoor struggles with two opposing forces: her deep desire to follow after her dreams, and her equally strong sense of familial responsibility and commitment. Born into a live of privilege, this daughter of  an unethical, money-hungry businessman, is willing to risk money, prestige, and even her very life, to help those in need. But when cholera takes hold of her tightly-knit community and sends her family heading for the safe and secluded islands, will Amanda abandon her mission, and her convictions? And at what lengths will her conniving father go to to see that his lovely little daughter remains at home?

I have heard some readers comment on the ending of the story (which I won't divulge), but I find the ending to be very realistic, as unpleasant as it may be to some, given the time period and the setting. Obviously in today's world, we could never imagine someone being betrothed, let alone to a hateful man, but I am certain this occurred much more frequently in America's recent past than we would like to think. I also enjoyed seeing the growth Peterson's characters exhibited through out the story. Over all, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance and a more "flowing"  or descriptive style of writing.

I am also reading Dr. Myra Perrine's What's Your God Language, and although I am only on the second chapter, Dr. Perrine has gotten me thinking. According to Dr. Perrine, God created us each with a unique spiritual temperament and we are most fulfilled spiritually when we worship God in our own way. Now, don't misunderstand. This does not mean worship your own God. This beings worship the one true God, the biblical God, in the way that He created you. For example, I connect with God best through music. Nothing can open my heart like a great praise song! But others may feel closest to God when they are walking along a beach or serving others. I think what Dr. Perrine is trying to do is help believers grow into "authentic" worship by removing preconceived expectations created by humans. Basically, I think the purpose of this book can be summed up in two statements made by the author:

1) Expanding on Hosea 6:3 "Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know Him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or    the coming of rains in early spring.", Perrine explains (on page xvii): "The Hebrew word used here (for know) is yada, which means 'to clearly understand by experience, to know as an intimate friend, to have relations with."
2) (on page xxviii) "Intimacy is growing in one's capacity to stand progressively 'exposed'--spirit and soul--in the presence of another with diminishing fear."

Kind of like marriage. When my husband and I were first married, I responded to him how I thought he wanted me to because I wanted to please him and somehow make him love me more, but over time (fifteen years later), I began to realize that his love for me was forever and unconditional, and so I let my defenses down and began to relax and enjoy our relationship. As a result, my love for him has grown and our relationship has deepened. I believe this is the point Perrine is trying to make: that when we are authentic and real with God, our love for Him will grow and our relationship will deepen.

I don't think I've ever read a "chic-lit before, and to be honest, I'm not sure if I even know what that means, but regardless of its genre, Sushi For One was a fun, quick read. A light-hearted story about a young Asian-American woman who desperately wants to please her traditional, although at times, confining, Asian family but has an equally strong desire to experience life on her terms. At first, I didn't think I was going to like this book, but as I began to get to know the main character better--an outspoken and yet insecure tomboy who seems to create chaos whereever she goes, I soon began to relate to this athletically-minded, belief-driven twenty-first century rebel. Although this book didn't inspire any sort of life-chane or spiritual growth in me, it was a clean, fun and easy read.