It is hard during the school year to be reading anything but textbooks! I can remember carrying the bags of books to WSU and wondering how I will ever have time to read anything else! Well, now summer is here!! The text books are gone!! BUT…don’t let that be an excuse to let your brain get mushy over the summer with endless hours of video games! Libraries and other groups have developed summer reading programs to encourage us to continue learning but too often these books smell of humanistic agendas or just like plain ol’ school. So, I would like to encourage you to do some reading this summer on matters of your faith. Use this time to take advantage of the break from textbooks and get your nose into some books that will build up your faith and encourage you in your daily walk with Christ your Savior. Here is a summer reading list of books that I would recommend you take along on your vacations or leave near the hammock this summer:

Don’t Waste Your Life - John Piper. This little book is a tremendous encouragement to not let your life slip by without a passion for the supremacy of God in all things. This book will help you live out Philippians 1:21 - “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

The Pursuit of Holiness - Jerry Bridges What does holiness look like? Well, it doesn't look anything like perfection! Bridges takes holiness out of the realm of the impossible and brings it into the real world of your daily life and decisions and will challenge you to obey God's command of holiness in your life.

The Practice of Godliness - Jerry Bridges What makes a Christian godly? In this encouraging book, Bridges examines what it means to grow in Christian character and opens our eyes to see how character formation truly affects the way we relate to God, to ourselves, and to others.

The Pilgrim's Progress - John Bunyan This is the allegorical tale of Christian the pilgrim on his journey to the Celestial City. Along the way, Christian encounters both worthy companions and dreadful adversaries. This stirring spiritual narrative still bears the power to challenge and encourage readers on their own spiritual journeys. A must read for all believers!

This Present Darkness - Frank Peretti This is my fiction recommendation for the summer. Although a fast paced fiction, this books gives a keen insight into spiritual warfare and the necessity of prayer! This book and its companion volume Piercing the Darkness will awaken you to the reality of spiritual warfare and encourage your prayer life! By the way…I don’t recommend the other Peretti books…it seems he moved from the reality of spiritual warfare to “Christian horror” which I don’t appreciate.

The Atonement Child - Francine Rivers This is Jamie’s fiction recommendation for young ladies to read. This novel boldly addresses the issue of abortion and brings to light the significance of God’s sovereignty and grace. It’s a decision that can push faith to its limits and a decision that will change more lives than we could ever imagine!