4 books I think you should read

My favorite tools for digging deeper in the faith

Buckle up, because you might not be ready to hear this, but we just passed the halfway mark for 2023. If you’re like me, that means you’re reflecting a bit on what the first half of this year has brought. 

I’m not much of a New Years resolutioner, but I am a habitual goal-setter. One of my goals for 2023 was to read more—specifically, to read at least one book per month. I love to read fiction (particularly fantasy) as entertainment and a hobby, but I also have an ever-growing list of nonfiction I want to tackle. 

If you’ve found yourself in my shoes, wanting to read more (or add more to your “Want to Read” shelf), I’ve got four recommendations that have been immeasurably impactful in my life and that I believe will help you dig deeper in your faith. They’ll convict, encourage, compel, and comfort you, helping you get closer to God in the process. What more could you ask for? 

1. The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis

“Never fear. There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened.” 

The first time I read The Great Divorce, I was a sophomore in college. I remember picking it up right at the end of a fall semester and having it finished within about two sittings. It’s a short read, yes, but it’s also just that compelling—I found it impossible to put down. 

Last fall, my book club decided to read The Great Divorce as a bit of a palate cleanse between some denser theological books. That second read—which, again, only took about two sittings—made me realize just how much the short story had impacted my thinking about life and afterlife. 

The fictional story follows an unnamed narrator and a cast of other characters on a journey from Hell to Heaven. Lewis’ depiction of Heaven, though not meant to be literal per se, is a glorious paradise dripping in glory. But, the lessons taught throughout the story aren’t meant to be saved for the future. Rather, the book is full of compelling reminders of the importance of walking in righteousness in the here and now. 

2. The Meaning of Marriage, Tim Keller

“Wedding vows are not a declaration of present love but a mutually binding promise of future love. A wedding should not be primarily a celebration of how loving you feel now—that can safely be assumed. Rather, in a wedding you stand up before God, your family, and all the main institutions of society, and you promise to be loving, faithful, and true to the other person in the future, regardless of undulating internal feelings or external circumstances.” 

I wrote a bit about this book in the immediate wake of Tim Keller’s passing several weeks ago, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t include it in this list, as well. As I shared then, The Meaning of Marriage, coauthored by Tim and his wife, Kathy, is an encouraging and instructional book intended to help both single and married people understand the sacrament of marriage from a Christian perspective. 

The primary lesson of the book is that the main problem in every marriage (and, I’ve found, every interpersonal relationship) is my own selfishness. That’s good news, because it means that, when something goes wrong, I have the power and responsibility to do something about it. I’m so thankful that I read this book before I got married, as I genuinely believed the mindset Keller teaches has saved us from countless pitfalls in these early years of marriage. 

But, I think it’s worth the read no matter what your relationship status—current or desired—is. The Kellers use the framework of Ephesians 5:18-33 to address topics like friendship, sex, gender roles, and singleness, always balancing unyielding, Biblical truth with Christlike love and grace. 

3. The Son Rises, William Lane Craig

“For the earliest Christians, Jesus’ resurrection was a historical fact, every bit as real as His death on the cross. Without the resurrection, Christianity would have been simply false. Jesus would have been just another prophet who had met His unfortunate fate at the hands of the Jews. Faith in Him as Lord, Messiah, or Son of God would have been stupid. There would be no use in trying to save the situation by interpreting the resurrection as some sort of symbol. The cold, hard facts of reality would remain: Jesus was dead and anything He started died with Him.”

I read Dr. William Lane Craig’s defense of the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection alongside a few friends in our weekly book club early last year. At 155 pages, it’s a quick but thorough investigation into historical evidence that supports the claim that the resurrection actually happened. 

The resurrection (which I wrote a bit about earlier this year) is the foundational event of the Christian faith. Without Christ’s literal, physical crucifixion, death, and resurrection from the dead, Christianity is impotent. Paul says as much in 1 Corinthians 15:14: “And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” 

Craig addresses popular arguments against the resurrection, like the theory that the disciples stole the body, or that Jesus didn’t actually die during his crucifixion. Then, he dedicates one chapter each to the main categories of evidence that support the resurrection: the existence of the empty tomb; Jesus’ post-mortem appearances; and the origin of the Christian faith. 

4. The Valley of Vision, various authors

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,

Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory. 

Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the pace of vision. 

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty,
thy glory in my valley. 

Less of a book and more of a supplement, The Valley of Vision is a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions that I was introduced to through my college ministry. 

Don’t let the cultural associations you may have picked up while reading The Scarlet Letter or The Crucible in high school English scare you away from this collection. It’s packed with short poems and prayers focused on worship, repentance, redemption, and other attitudes that serve as the perfect “springboard,” as the book’s editor puts it, into personal prayer. 

The prayers are not written in modern English, which can be a hurdle at first. However, I find the formal and incisive language to be so effective at focusing my mind and heart on worship. 

Now, LMK

What are you reading now? Which books do you recommend to everyone you know? Leave a comment and let me know!

And a recommendation:

The talk below contains a great overview of the evidence for the resurrection discussed in The Son Rises. Give it a listen whether or not you plan to read the book—it’s important information to know.

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