nonfiction Archives

Praying Life, A

Come as You Are Author: Paul Miller Prayer has always been hard for me. It’s a duty, a chore, and that’s not because the idea of talking to God is boring, but because I’ve fallen into a rut. It is necessary – required even – to pray for those around us, for family and friends, for job woes and life crises. Yet there is little to no variety, and soon our prayers become a list. Saying the same old things about the same old things. The flame of connection dies out, and the odious nature of a duty steps into place. [...]

Frances Carden2024-02-23T18:58:28-07:00February 23rd, 2024|Tags: book review, Christian, nonfiction, prayer, praying, read, reading|

Biblical Theology: Volume 2: Special Grace Covenants (Old Testament)

The Second in a Powerful, Covenantal Deep Dive Author: Jeffery Niehaus After many months I carefully and completely made my way through the second deep dive into Jeffery Niehaus’ Biblical Theology covenants series. The first book, Biblical Theology, Volume 1: The Common Grace Covenants, laid the groundwork for truly understanding covenants. These ancient covenants were more than just the modern-day promises we’ve equated them too. Instead, they were binding legal agreements, serious moments between kings and their subjects with historical connotations, stipulations, witnesses, blessings, curses, and conditional and unconditional elements. The first book in the series establishes the common covenants, [...]

Frances Carden2024-02-18T12:44:59-07:00February 18th, 2024|Tags: book review, Christian, covenant, nonfiction, read, reading, scholarly|

Beginnings: Understanding How We Experience the New Birth

Conversion as a Process Author: Stephen Smallman As part of the C.S. Lewis Institute’s Fellowship program, the month of July was dedicated to understanding true conversion and what it is. One of our assigned readings was Stephen Smallman’s Beginnings: Understanding How We Experience the New Birth. Throughout Beginnings, Smallman examines the misnomer of conversion as a singular event: a once and done experience. Traditionally, in Christian culture, conversion is seen as a literal come-to-Jesus moment, usually a grand event, brought on by some sort of action, such as saying a prayer. But, Smallman argues, this is selling conversion short. Conversion is [...]

Frances Carden2023-11-01T15:44:01-07:00November 1st, 2023|Tags: book review, Christian, conversion, nonfiction, read, reading|