Nonfiction Roundup

I've been on a nonfiction kick in the last year. I read a lot of health books. I'm currently reading one called The Virgin Diet, which is not about throwing young maidens into a volcano. (Seriously, worst title ever, marketing folks. I keep the cover face down, I don't tell people about it. All because I don't want to explain the name. Though it's a good health/diet book. Virgin is the author's last name, God bless her.)  I really like the book, which is very similar to Paleo or Primal diets. Very easy read. But I'm a health book junkie. I like to read them while eating Cheetos.

I've read a handful of inspy nonfiction lately. I was really surprised at my favorite.

I enjoyed Steven Furtick's Greater. I didn't love it like I did his debut book, Sun Stand Still. He has a passion for people living big dreams, and I appreciate that. Furtick touches on things like hearing God's voice, getting in the word, taking chances, and basically getting out of the boat. He talks about how Satan loves to remind us of what we don't have to begin the goal/dream–like talent, money, age, resources. Loved the point that in the Bible so many didn't get what they needed to move their mountains until they actually began the process. They just began on faith. I underlined some “keeper” lines. Do you guys highlight or underline? I've found I have to have a physical book if it's nonfiction. If it's Kindle, I'll just end up ordering the physical book as well so I can mark all over it.  The book would make a great grad gift. It has quite a bit of repetition and filler, but still it was worth the read.

Women's ministry is a weird thing right now, isn't it? There is a big trend in pretty and fluff, and I dunno. Blogging is really shaping who we're seeing at the pulpit for the gals. I like the hard hitters from women who've been in the trenches.  Christine Caine is one of my newer favorite women's speakers. She's a total fire ball. I don't get the feeling she spent too much time agonizing over the matching of her scarf to her boots. She's a very enthusiastic speaker and really encouraging and inspiring. She comes from a past of abuse and now dedicates her life to saving girls/women in prostitution and sex trafficking. Her book Undaunted touches on that. The book wasn't quite what I thought it would be. It's less an inspy living book and more of a book in three parts–part biography, part teaching, part trafficking education. That's a lot going on in a book, but she has good things to say. I think mostly I like to hear her. She gets fired up when she speaks, and she's funny. If you go to iTunes, you can find her in some free podcasts. I've heard her podcasts from Elevation Church, as well as National Community Church out of D.C. Definitely worth the search.

I read Soul Detox from Craig Groeschel. I like him a lot. This is an easy read and Groeschel (or someone) has a nice, conversational writing style. Basically he lines up a handful of categories in which we could be screwing up–finances, entertainment choices (I skipped this chapter) (kidding), family time, etc. The book doesn't really present any new information, but more like it's someone sitting down and saying, “Hey, take a look at all the ways junk could be getting into your life. Do any of these sound familiar?” I have no junk in my life, so I had to pass it on to others. ; )

Finally, I read a book by an author I typically stay away from. But I cannot say enough good things about I Declare by Joel Osteen. While I admire Osteen's positivity, his hair makes me covet, and mostly he's not my pastoral preference. And yet, this book rocks on every level. DEFINITELY a great gift book. It's based on the idea that negative thoughts and words equals an underperforming life. “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”  So this book is kind of a devotional, with 31 short chapters, and every chapter being a new idea to ponder, with a declaration to say out loud or think on. This is one of those books I got as a download and after reading a few chapters had to order the physical book. I loved this book so much. Please get it. I type out his declarations and put them on my bathroom mirror. I obnoxiously text the declarations to friends. As a side note, you can still catch Osteen discussing the book and his mode of operation on the OWN Network on Sundays here lately. I think he's on March 31st.

What have you read lately? Doesn't have to be inspy. I could tell you about the biography I read on Janice Joplin that I was going to put in our jr. high library until I turned a page and met Janice's boobs…

Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 8 comments
christa - March 25, 2013

I would have stayed away from Joel, too. Interesting…

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Kristin - March 25, 2013

Besides craft books, I think I’ve only read one nonfiction book lately. It was Girl Singer, Rosemary Clooney’s autobiography. It was good at times (behind the scenes stories about Old Hollywood celebrities), but mostly it was pretty depressing. There’s a lot about her husband’s unfaithfulness and her mental health problems…it just wasn’t very enjoyable to read. And I totally kept forgetting who she was talking about when she mentioned her nephew George. =)

I have been reading a lot of fiction, though. I just finished The Giver quartet by Lois Lowry (I had only read The Giver before). I loved the last book- it was one of the most satisfying conclusions to a series I’ve read in a long time!

~Kristin

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Bethany Ellis - March 25, 2013

I’ve been trying to read more non-fiction lately, but I tend to not take the time to do it. I have recently finished Follow Me by David Platt, which was just incredible. Next up on my non-fiction reading list are Not A Fan & Gods At War by Kyle Idleman.

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Julie Jarnagin - March 25, 2013

I’m reading The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. Such a great book. The book is broken down into three parts – habits in individuals, habits in organizations, and habits in societies. It sounds dry, but it is sooo interesting.

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Jenny B Jones - March 25, 2013

it’s sad when much-loved actors/actresses end up having dark lives we didn’t know about.

Julie, The Power of Habit sounds really good to me.

Bethany, glad to hear Platt’s book was good! I like him a lot.

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Jenny - March 27, 2013

Just finished The Passion of Mary-Margaret by Lisa Samson yesterday. This was the 2nd time I’ve read it, and I may have loved it even more the 2nd time around. If you haven’t read it, please give it a go. I find Lisa Samson’s literary,quirky voice & style very refreshing and usually challenging to my faith. Started book 4 of Harry Potter last night. I know I’m behind the rest of the world, but I’m reading that series for the first time and loving it. Let’s see…also recently read a juv novel – Wonkenstein, which had some laugh out loud illustrations mixed with the story. I’m not sure how much I would’ve liked it minus the drawings.

I’m not a big reader of nonfiction (which is an amazing understatement), but I did read 3 biographies written for children with my 7 year old the other night on Marie Curie, Mother Theresa, and Anne Frank. Had read books before on the last 2, but I learned quite a bit about Marie Curie and decided I’m a bit behind on being a world changing woman 😉

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Ronda - March 30, 2013

Right now I am reading It’s All Too Much by Peter Walsh, which is timely because we are currently remodeling our master bedroom/bath/closet, and EVERYTHING from those rooms is piled in my family room. And believe me, this book is resonating! I’m trying to dejunk as much as possible and reorganize what’s left before it’s time to move back in. I’m also reading Lies Homeschool Moms Believe (and yes, I believe most of them :/) and Do You Dream in Color? which is the autobio of Laurie Rubin, a singer who was born blind. Interesting. And yes, I do usually read numerous books at once. 🙂

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Jessica Everingham - April 10, 2014

Craig Groeschel is great, and I heard my first Christine Caine sermon the other day. Good stuff!

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