One of my goals for 2020 is to read 45 books this year. That equals 3.75 books per month. Some months might have two books, others five, others four or one or whatever. But either way I’m confident in my goal and excited to share what I read. Here’s what I read in July:

1. Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin. To say that Jen Wilkin is one of my favorite authors is an understatement. She is brilliant and wise and an excellent teacher. Really, her only downside is she thinks she’s only capable of teaching women. She’s not! Everything she’s ever said in any of the books I’ve read has been applicable for men and women. Women of the Word, or as I would rename it, People of the Word, gives a helpful and systematic approach to Biblical literacy and studying the Bible. It’s what I would call hermeneutics-lite or hermeneutics for the lay person. If Fee & Stuart scare you, read Jen Wilkin. This book reminded me of my love for Scripture and provided helpful approaches in leading others into learning to love the Bible as well! I did dock points for her not writing it for men. Because they also need Biblical literacy. “The Bible does not want to be neatly packaged into three-hundred-and-sixty-five-day increments. It does not want to be reduced to truisms and action points. It wants to introduce dissonance into your thinking, to stretch your understanding. It wants to reveal a mosaic of the majesty of God one passage at a time, one day at a time, across a lifetime.”
   Rating: 4.5/5
   Pages: 158
   Genre: Nonfiction - Christian

2. Spirit and Sacrament: An Invitation to Eucharismatic Worship by Andrew Wilson was absolutely fantastic. I mean, I knew I was going to like it because, Andrew Wilson is a brilliant teacher but I was shocked at how much I appreciated it. This book is Wilson’s vision for church life that combines the beauty of liturgical, sacramental worship with the freedom and life found in charismatic worship. He presents a vision for church that includes ALL of God’s gifts and he presents it in a theologically sound, clear and concise and compelling way. As someone who is a little involved with church ministry these days and plans on being more involved, eventually, it was a helpful picture of what could be and has also given me a better understanding of my “high church” friends and family.
   Rating: 5/5
   Pages: 144
   Genre: Non-Fiction - Theology

3. The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware was just not good at all. It was predictable and disconnected and lacked any real mystery or intrigue. It did not thrill me in any way but I read it in a day so I guess that counts for something.
   Rating: 2.5/5
   Pages: 341
   Genre: Fiction - Mystery

4. In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware had the makings of being something really interesting but in the end it was just as cliché as The Woman in Cabin 10. The stakes were just never high enough and honestly, these would make far better Lifetime Original movies than novels worthy of any best selling list. There, I said it. But I mean props for being interesting enough that I read it in a day but Nancy Drew has more mystery and intrigue.
   Rating: 3/5
   Pages: 308
   Genre: Fiction - Mystery

Oh and as of right now I have read 30/45 books which means only 15 more for the year! So now the real question is, how close will I get to 52?