Books about the Bible, Joy, and Faithful Women

In continuing my 2017 reading plan, I have three books to talk about: Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin, Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God by Noel Piper, and The Joy Project by Tony Reinke. 

I'll start with Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin. This book is about how to faithfully study God's word. It starts out with a case for biblical literacy. If we don't understand why we should study, we won't make it a priority. Mrs. Wilkin gives advice and a good template for Bible study. She also addresses bad ways we are tempted to study, which I really appreciated. 

Next I read Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God. This is definitely one of my favorite books I have read this year. In it, Mrs. Piper gives a look at the lives of five different faithful Christian women. (Sarah Edwards, Lilias Trotter, Gladys Alyward, Esther Ahn Kim, and Helen Roseveare.) I have read quite a few biographies, but what makes this one stand out is how Mrs. Piper comments on each of the stories. Her commentary makes it so much easier to find application. All that being said, she doesn't obscure the story behind too much commentary. I loved reading this one, and highly recommend it.

Last night I finished The Joy Project by Tony Reinke. The Joy Project is about the doctrines of grace. (Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints.) This one was harder to finish than either of the previous two, simply because it requires a lot of focus. That does not mean you should skip this one. I'm not quite sure how to explain it, but I have been made to think like never before about God's sovereignty, our joy, His delight, and the eternity to come. If my rambling didn't make much sense, the point is this - go read The Joy Project. And come back when you're done. I will give you some fruit snacks.

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