Three Books to Capture Your Heart and Mind

Have you read a good book lately?  I find winters to be a great time to turn on the fireplace, grab a cup of hot chocolate, and open up a good book.  I would highly recommend the following three books for your reading pleasure.


The first book is titled, "41", and was written by former President George W Bush.  It is the story of his father, former President George H.W. Bush, our 41st president, thus the title.  George W writes in a style that is very readable.  You almost get the feeling that he is sitting in a chair opposite you and just sharing a personal story with you.  As one reads this book, the respect, love, and admiration that George W had for his father becomes very apparent.  As he writes in his introduction he is not writing an objective story, but a very subjective one.  Three facts stood out to me about the life of George H.W. Bush.  First, he was a man who was not afraid of hard work.  It seemed that whatever the position he held, he always performed it with zeal and dedication.  Second, he was a man who showed respect toward others.  It began with the respect that he showed, as a young boy growing up, toward both his father and his grandfather.  This would carry over as George H.W. grew in his political service: as ambassador to the United Nations, as director of the CIA, as U.S. liaison to China, as Vice President under Ronald Reagan, and finally as our 41st President.  He was bold, yet respectful of others.  Third, he was a man who was committed to his family and to the values that he had grown up with.  He was more than just a father-figure to his children; he was their mentor, confidante, and friend.  As I read this book my appreciation for our 41st President grew.  Distance has a way of bringing reality into a better perspective.  And I believe history will show a kinder view of George H.W. Bush.  After reading this book, I feel like I know him as a person, more than just a former president.


A second book I strongly recommend is the new political thriller from the pen of Joel Rosenberg.  The book is titled, "The Third Target."  This is the first volume in a new series Joel is writing, therefore, you can expect that this book will leave you hanging on the edge of a cliff.  Joel is a gifted story teller.  His characters seem life-like. And, what distinguishes Joel's novels from others, is their connection to the events in the real world today.  This story centers around a young reporter for the "New York Times" who seeks an interview with the one of the leader of ISIS.  He understands that the mission is fraught with dangers, yet he is driven by the urgency of seeking confirmation to the story circulating that ISIS has captured weapons of mass destruction in Syria.  And he also seeks an interview with the inspirational leader behind ISIS.  The story moves at a very fast pace.  There are moments of excitement.  There are moments of suspense.  There are moments of disappointment.  There are moments of profound tragedy.  Yet, although the story is fictional, there is a sense that it could become a true story.  ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, the White House, the CIA, the Mossad are all very real today.  Beheadings, sarin gas, suicide bombings are terms that we have grown too accustomed to today.  One word of warning: When you begin reading this book, you will need sufficient time to complete it; it is one you will not want to put down. 


A third book I highly recommend is the latest from one of my favorite writers, Philip Yancey.  The book is titled, "Vanishing Grace: Whatever Happened to the Good News?"  I think I have read nearly everything Phil Yancey has written and have always grown spiritually through those readings.  This book is no exception.  The author begins by noting that in a recent survey, created by the Toronto sponsors of a debate between Britain's former Prime Minister Tony Blair and the atheist Christopher Hitchens, and asking the question "Is religion a force for good?", an amazing 52% of people said religion was not a force for good in the world.  Where is the impact that the Gospel of Jesus Christ once had upon culture and society?  What happened?  Can it be corrected?  Thoughtfully Phil begins to explore the causes for the decline in the influence of the Gospel.  Of importance is the hypocrisy within the Church itself.  We have been guilty of preaching and teaching one thing on a Sunday morning, but then leave to do what we have always done the other days of the week.  Our one-hour of weekly religion has had little impact upon our lives.  Young people have especially noticed this hypocrisy and have bailed out of the Church.  Yancey writes: "The uncommitted share many of our core values, but if we do not live out those values in a compelling way, we will not awaken a thirst for their ultimate Source.  Christians can do no better than to follow the example set by Jesus, who specialized not in techniques and arguments but in spirit and example."  Perhaps Stanley Hauerwas, named as America's beat theologian by "Time" magazine, summed it up best when he said, "I have come to think that the challenge confronting Christians is not that we do not believe what we say, though that can be a problem, but that what we say we believe does not seem to make any difference for either the church or the world." 


Throughout the remainder of the book, Phil Yancey seeks to present options and opportunities for the Church to rediscover the impact the true Gospel of Jesus Christ can have upon our world.  There will be those whom he describes as activists - those who crusade for one cause or another.  "A skeptical world judges the truth of what we say by the proof of how we live.  Today's activists may be the best evangelists."  A second group is described as artists - these are those who use the visual and auditory arts to proclaim the message of Christ.  A third group is described as pilgrims - those who minister to others with hugs and tears.  Yancey writes, "Consistently, I have found, the uncommitted respond best to someone who leads from weakness rather than one who appears to have it all together."  This is a book that is best to be chewed on and digested slowly.  I believe it would make an excellent book for a small group discussion but only if that small group is open to any changes that God might want to make within their group. 


What I have always appreciated about the writings of Phil Yancey is that you cannot ever read those works and remain on the same square from which you began your reading.  This is another of those books.


So, turn the TV off for an evening or two.  Lay aside that ipad with its multitude of apps.  They can wait for another day.  Grab a good book and begin to grow both your heart and your mind.  Someday you will look back with gratitude that you did just that.