2025 Soul Tending Books

 

The book stack of 2025.

I have been sharing the book list since 2012.

Check out the pages here on this blog.

Some may not rest on the theological shelves.

 But, I include any that make me think through things,

see a different perspective, or ask questions.

A couple were reread for book groups

 or I was leading a discussion.

I always come back to C.S. Lewis as a favorite.

Continuing my way through Paul Maier books.

Setting up the stack for 2026.

What will you read next year?

Soul-Tending Reading 2024

The Soul-Tending Reading List for 2024

His Unfolding Grace- Peterson

Sacred Rest- Cheryl Wunderlich

The Living Reminder- Henri Nouwen

How the Light Shines Through- Lakes

A Passion for the Impossible - 

The Life of Lilias Trotter- Rockness

Reflections on the Psalms- C.S. Lewis

Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Grace- VanBuskirk

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry- Comer

Jesus, Be in Me- Hornsby

An Unhurried Leader- Failing

Called 2Be- Guse

Restless Devices- Wong

New Morning Mercies- Tripp

These books made it on the reading stack this year.

I read them.

I have a stack this big that did not even get cracked open.

But, they were on the stack.

Good intentions are just that.

I am thankful for the arrangement of life

 that makes reading important. 

At this stage in life I am allowed

 to tote a book around all the time.

But, I rarely get big swatches of reading time, 

so this is what happens with snippets of reading.

SO..  if you think you don't have time for reading...

give it a try. 

Piece together 10 minutes here and there.

Here is the page that has the last 12 years of reading stacks.

soul-tending-reading-2012.html

Soul-Tending Reading List for 2023

 

 The 2023 Soul-Tending Reading List- 

(List doesn't match order of stack)

The Journey to keep reading and watching 

for where the Lord is working 

for the transformation of ME.

• from where I stand- 30 days in the Life of St Paul- Noel, Gragg
• Something More- Catherine Marshall
• The Divine Conspiracy- Dallas Willard
• the Renewed Mind- Larry Christenson
• Simple Church- Rainer and Geiger
• The Great Sending- Sohns
• Three Wise Women- Mackall
• New Morning Mercies- Tripp
• Master and Man- Tolstoy
• A Unhurried Life- Fadling
• Breath as Prayer-Tucker
• The Imitation of Christ-Kempis
• Watch for the Light- Orbis Books

SoulTending Reading for 2021

 

                         Soul Tending Reading List for 2021

• Illuminated Life- Joan Chittister
• Carnegie's Maid- Benedict
• Jesus at the Center of My Messy Life- Justin Rossow
• Abide in Christ-Andrew Murray
• Hind's Feet on High Places- Hurnard
• God's Transmitters- Hannah Hurnard
• Teaching A Stone to Talk- Annie Dillard
• Delight- Justin Rossow
• Renovation of the Heart- Willard
• Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice- Willard and Johnson
• Chaos to Hope to Healing- Walt Waiser
• The Prodigal God- Timothy Keller
• Orthodoxy- G.K. Chesterton
• The Most Reluctant Convert-Downing
• The Truth in Jesus- MacDonald
• God in the Dock- C.S. Lewis

I always have so many on the stack,

 but thankful I was able to get through

 this stack of soul-tending reading. 

Always good to get back to some classics like:

 Chesterton, Hurnard, MacDonald and Lewis.

A favorite? probably the reread of  Hind's Feet on High Places in a lovely Visual Journal edition with many highlights from Hannah herself.  Highly recommend.

Already putting books on and off the stack for 2022.

What is your first book to read for 2022?

Soul-Tending Reading 2020

=

The Soul-Tending Reading List for 2020-

Top to Bottom-

The Spiritually Vibrant Home-Everts

Songs of Easter-Collins

The Princess and the Goblin- George MacDonald

The Minister's Restoration- George MacDonald

The Radium Girls-Kate Moore

First Easter- Paul L. Maier

The Forgotten Desert Mothers- Swan

Let's All Be Brave- Annie F. Downs

Everybody Always- Bob Goff

Her Mother's Hope- Francine Rivers

Her Mother's Dream- Francine Rivers

It is always surprising where I end up

 at the end of my year of reading

I make a stack of proposed books

 and then see where it goes.. as the days unfold.

As the Lord lays out the plan...

I journey into 2021.

 

Soul -Tending Reading 2019

Soul - Tending Reading List for 2019

Soul-Tending Reading 2019

• Sculptor Spirit- Leopoldo Sanchez 
• The Poisonwood Bible- Barbara Kingsolver
• Canoeing the Mountains- Tod Bollinger
• Liturgy of the Ordinary- Tish Warren
• The Weekend that Changed the World- Peter Walker
• A Martyr's Faith in a Faithless World- Bryan Wolfmueller
• Remember God- Annie Downs
• Households of Faith-Barna and the Lutheran Hour
• Spiritual Conversations in the Digital Age- Barna- (reread)
• The Reluctant Witness- Everts
• In the Fullness of Time-Maier
• A Visual Guide to Gospel Events- Martin/Beck/Hansen

Here is the stack of actually read for 2019.

Always good to see the journey.

What will you READ for 2020?

The Reservoir

Beginning a new devotional book right now.

 Husband and I plan to do this together---

I may hang out here a bit 

and then start together the first of the month.

Monday - Friday readings.

To be a reservoir and not a canal.

Praying this verse into the lives of our family 

right now 

and especially another family in deep distress.

 Lord, have mercy.

 Lord, have mercy.

Be with them in darkest of days.

Walking into the unknown.

Let them know and feel your presence.

In the name of Jesus.  Amen.

Soul-Tending Reading 2019

The 2019 Soul-Tending Book Stack.

I thought for awhile today about not sharing

 what the stack looks like for this year-2019.

Then the accountability factor

 goes WAYYYY down.

That can be a very good thing.

It is true that every year I have to move

 books from the stack 

that was to be- right to the next year's.

But, then, this ambitious 

grouping of titles makes it easy

 to always find the next book to read.

They aren't stacked in order 

and I really do depend 

on the nudges of the Holy Spirit

 for the next read.

I average about 30 books a year- 

so this doesn't count in my penchant

 for good ole' mysteries.

 I request them from the public library

 and I must be reading 

what everyone else loves in Fairfax County.

 Sometimes I have to wait 4-6 months

 to get a book that I have placed on HOLD.

That paces them out just about right for the year.

I have read Hinds' Feet On High Places

in a number of other versions 

and this is a lovely new 

Visual Story telling of this classic.

See some that you have read? 

Want to join me for a read to two?
 The lists for previous years can be found Here:
soul-tending-reading
(as well as a couple years of 
really bad photos before I got a new iPhone.)

Soul- Tending Reading List 2018

The Reading Stack for 2018-

Soul-Tending Reading

Much to learn, think about, piece together,

and synthesize.

Still reading a lot about technology

 and spiritual formation.

The connection of Faith to Social Media

 and faith development.

Prayer, missional communities,

worship, raising Faith-filled children-

all reading topics for this year.

Always looking for new books 

to enhance the spiritual pilgrimages we lead to Israel.

Next trip coming up is Dec 2019.

I always have my mysteries and other books too,

 but love

setting up my stack of soul-tending books

 to read for 2019.

What are you gonna read?

Mere Christianity- Revisited

October 2006 was when I picked up

 my first C.S. Lewis book.

I had overheard a conversation

 at a Graduation reception 

as a Harvard graduate told the story

 of his "loss of faith" while at the University.

Then he was assigned to read 

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

He began to move back toward the cross.

Intrigued by this story,

 I put it on my stack of books to read.

A challenging read, yes,

 but some sentences 

just kept coming back over and over.

On October 15, 

I gave up my struggle to remember the words. 

In the middle of the night I grabbed a canvas,

 slathered paint on,

 and waited impatiently for it to dry.

And began to write...

the sentences that were turning around in my head.

And my heart.

I believe that this was an integral point

 in my understanding that I needed to 

SEE things to make the connections.

Over and Over again.

To SEE IT.

It has hung on a wall 

in my house ever since that night.

And as I pass by, 

a sentence or two will catch my attention.

And I remember......

Recently a daughter said she was starting

 to read Mere Christianity.

I asked if she wanted a reading companion.

Certainly!

Then I noticed how faded the 

Sharpie pen had become on the canvas. 

Time for a do-over.

 So - today- January 16, 2018, 

11 1/2 years later- I wrote over the words again.

Yes, we live in enemy-occupied territory.

He is NOT a tame God.

God cannot give happiness and peace 

apart from Himself, because it is not there.

Faith- the art of holding on to things

 your reason has once accepted, 

in spite of your changing moods.

Perhaps, this will last till 2030, 

another 12 years.

And possibly, my need to SEE and Remember

 will still be an integral part 

of how the Lord makes connections 

in my spiritual formation.

 I am thankful for the journey.

Soul-Tending Reading- 2018

I normally post the photo 

at the end of the year 

with the books I have read.

(See previous blog post)

Then I got some questions 

about what I was reading for THIS year.

So I decided to share #mystack2018.

I usually start praying
 about this early December.

What do I feel the Lord is wanting me

 to take a closer look at for this next year?

I set out books and put others back.

There is always an overwhelming pile

 of unread books in this house.

So this is what I came up with.

A couple were on the stack from last year 

that I didn't get to read.

So they automatically 

got placed right on the next stack.
Intention doesn't count.

And then-- It happens- 

sometimes I go on a tangent

 and read a whole lot of books not on the list. 

(My mystery books from the library don't count.)

We will see how this year goes.

Want to see my reading from 2012 on?
Here is the list from the 
Soul-Tending page on this blog.
Soul-Tending Reading
If you are a Visual person like I am -
 here is the list of my reading books with pictures.
books-soul-tending-reading/

Sorry for the photos of earlier stacks. 
Can see how much better
 the cell phones are?
May you all have a BLESED Journey
 this year in your Spirit-tending reading.

Bible Marginalia- from Age to Age

Bible Marginalia Series- #257

Isaiah 60

The Lord speaking to His covenant people.

With hope and promise.

A vision of what this relationship could be.

Though you have been forsaken and hated-

v 15-

"I will make you majestic forever,

a joy from AGE to AGE."

The Lord sure does 

speak promises in grand ways.
The returned exiles faced serious problems. 
Part of the reason was that they
 had become sidetracked. 
Sin pulled them away from 
their mission as God's people.
This chapter shows the renewal 
of the promise for a new day 
for the community of faith.
He assures the people that God
 has not forgotten them and that their mission
 as a light to the world has not changed.
They can live JOY-Filled days.
Day after day after day.

Supplies:
Washi tape
Stickers
Clear Gesso
Envelope Wrap
Fine-point Sharpie marker
Colored pencil

Lenten Practices- Along the Way

I have been doing a Lenten calendar

 journey every year since 2011.

Always interesting to SEE 

where the journey takes me.

My challenge this year-

  I have 3 calendars I wanted to use,

AND

3 Lenten devotionals that I wanted to read.

This choice is with a Missional focus.

Find it here:

living-the-gospel-life

I like the Creative Communication

 Publications each year. 

Our church always has a selection

 to choose from for Lent.

Rev. Paul L. Maier is a very respected
 ancient history professor

 in the Lutheran Church -Missouri Synod

 and this was an easy choice.
Find it here:
Lent Creative Communications- Maier

 I always say YES to C.S. Lewis.

 So there you have it.

Done deal.

I pick out 4 colored pencils 

that I will use for each calendar.

Put each set in a page protector

 to keep things together.

I may sit down at different times

 in the day to Read, Reflect and Respond- 

to SEE how God's Word 

will Reach into my day and life.

Or I may have a longer space

 of time and do the readings

 in the same time frame.
Click here to find it:
mercy-passion-and-joy

I have also been searching out other 

Visual Faith resources

 to have on hand to share, 

and show at gatherings.

I like this book of images. 

They are ready to color, and

perhaps a bit more non-gendered

 than some Coloring books.

 My approach to using coloring books?

It doesn't have to be done in one season.

 It could be prayed over, colored in and completed

 over a number of seasons.

 Journey collected over time....

Coloring-Lent-Adult-Journey

Lent Illustrated would work for a more 

traditional approach 
with a Bible Journaling application.

This also has some basic helps for beginners.
A good choice for a group.

Lent-Illustrated

Illustrated Children's Ministry 
is fairly new on the Visual Faith scene
 and they create products
 for church and family settings.
 I like the graphic dynamic of their images
 and also work as a more non-gendered option.
This set of  8 1/2 by 11 coloring pages for the
 Stations of the Cross comes as a downloadable set.
Pretty reasonable for 100 copies for $10.
Always good to make sure you give credit 
and due for the work of the artist. 
Thanks Adam Walker Cleveland.
This set is here:

stations-of-the-cross-coloring-sheets

So we are a few days into Lent- 
and it is not too late.
Pray about where you might want to focus.
And remember-
 that GRACE
 covers all of these practices and experiments.
Get behind? 
Start again, catch up and move forward.
 You can do THAT 
as many times as you need to!
Blessed Lent to you!

 You can get these calendars
 and more in the FILES section of the
 DC Metro Visual Faith Community on Facebook.
Here

2016 Soul-Tending Reading

2016 Soul-Tending Reading Stack

It always feels good to sort through 

all the books in the house 

and assemble those read each year.

Thanking God for allowing me 

time and energy to sort through 

reading material that 

makes heart and soul connections.

A friend made a comment that not 

all my books in this stack 

were "theology" books.

True, True.

I believe that some of our "theology"

 thinking and thoughtfulness 

is found in the everyday lives we live, 

or the writings of others that make

 me contemplate my ordinary life.

Some were quick reads and others 

took me weeks till I turned the last page.

And then there is the stack of mystery writers

 that still clamor for my attention.

At least this stack of reading 

helps to balance that out a bit.

On the top of the stack is a book

 that was given to me by a friend 

who was cleaning out her book stacks.

a PRISONER and yet.....

by Corrie ten Boom.

Published in 1947 by Evangelical Publishers

 in Toronto Canada.

An autographed copy.

Probably diminished in value by all 

the pencil marks of the sale price.

$1.50 and a name and the price upped

 to $2.50 on the other side of the inside cover.

Sometimes I find it just amazing

 that I can hold a book in my hands 

that Corrie held in her own hands.

A giant in the faith that I have long admired.

I am wondering around the house today

 making stacks for the 

2017 Soul-Tending Reading List.

Part of the stack is already completed-

they were on the stack for 2016. 

Not bad thatI didn't get it all read in a year.

Yup- it is all process indeed.

 You can check out the stacks from 

previous years at the top of this blog

 on the page- Soul-Tending Reading. 

Do you have a stack of 

Soul-Tending reading for this year?

Any suggestions of what 

I need to add to my stack?

 Would love to see your comments!

For all the Exiles

Fall brings some new "friends" to the garden.

This is a garden variety-
 black and yellow argiope.

He is a web maker- 

that glistens in the dew of the morning.

We have a mutual agreement right now- 

I won't bother him,

 if he doesn't bother me.

But, I still would prefer 

if he liked another yard better than mine.

I'd REALLY like to exile him from my yard.
ah- yes, THAT word- Exile.

Reading in Chapter 12 of Eugene Peterson's book-
Run with the Horses.
Processing a bit of that here.
Peterson states that "the essential meaning of exile 
is that we are where we don't want to be. 
We are separated from home. 
We are not permitted to reside in the place 
where we comprehend and appreciate
 our surroundings.
 We are forced to be away from that 
which is most congenial to us. 
It is an experience of dislocation- 
everything is out of joint; nothing fits together. 
The thousand details that have been built up 
through the years 
that give a sense of at-homeness- 
gestures, customs, rituals, phrases- are all gone."

Reading in the book of Jeremiah-
 he was a different voice to the people in Israel. 
They were use to leaders like 
Ahab, Zedekiah, and Shemiah who 
"called attention to the unfairness of their plight
 and stirred the pots of discontent."
They made a living "merchandising nostalgia."
So Jeremiah sounds a new story- 
shift happens.

Peterson summarizes-
"Quit sitting around feeling sorry for yourselves. 
The aim of the person of faith
 is not to be as comfortable 
as possible but to live as deeply
 and thoroughly as possible-
to deal with the reality of life, discover truth, 
create beauty, act out love."

The bottom line is that we are all exiles.
Something has moved us out-
 or moved into our world.
The new teacher for the school year,
a friend of twenty years that is moving away,
a job change,
 a leadership change at church,
a health diagnosis.
Our reality and "known" has been altered.
We weren't consulted about the change
 and certainly didn't give permission.
We just no longer are AT HOME.

In this time of Israel's history- 
they became
their most creative ever.
They prayed hard and deep.
Perhaps that is our EXILE lesson.

So if you find yourself in exile-
which is basically-
 "being where you don't want to be
 with people you don't want to be with",
you have a decision.

How will I live out my days in exile?
With all I have- because of all He has done.
I'm just gonna be hanging out - 
one yard to the next-

till I reach my eternal home- 
Home at last.

sections from Run with the Horses-
by Eugene Peterson
 Jesus in Glory photo
 from St Paul's Lutheran School Gym- 
Ann Arbor , MI

Walking Stick Reassurance

Just finished reading Eugene Peterson's- 

 Run with the Horses.

It has challenged me to read
 the book of Jeremiah.

In the first Chapter, Jeremiah, 
the prophet to the nations, 
learns that before he was formed in the womb,
the Lord knew him, 
and before he was born,
he was sanctified- set apart. (v. 5)
 When he was concerned 
about his young age,
the Lord said:
I'll send you, tell you what to say, 
be with you, and deliver you-
do not fear. (v.7-8)
Jeremiah gets some details about his job-
and learns that he will bring news
 of judgment tempered with grace and hope.
Then comes the part 
Then the Lord asks Jeremiah what he SEES?
A branch of an almond tree, 
perhaps a rod.
(going with a stick in this play on words)
The Lord says- You see well, good eyes.
For I am watching, wakeful and ready,
to perform my WORD,
and bring it to pass. (v.11-12)
The almond tree is the first tree
 to bloom in the spring, to come awake.
An almond branch becomes 
a reminder that the Lord is STICKING 
with us, to make sure His Word STICKS
it out to the end.
His Word will come true.
Jeremiah plays here with 
the similar Hebrew words:
shaqed -almond
and 
shoqed-watching.

Last year when we visited 
Bethel Lutheran Church in Claremont, NC.
both John and I were given walking sticks.
Mine is the short one 
and the one on the left was given to John.
When the older gentleman who made them
 saw how tall John is,
 he decided he needed a taller walking stick.
A few weeks later John 
received the one on the right.
Our terrain is fairly flat 
and we don't use the sticks much for walking.
But, I store the sticks right outside
 the door we leave from each morning.
Almond wood or not,
 I believe they will now serve as
visual reminders.
The Lord is sticking with me,
and He is watching to make sure all His Words 
come true.
A pretty awesome way 
to start the endeavors of each and every day. 

Resting Place

A few days ago we had an evening 

for some time on the water.

Water always refreshes our hearts.

Tumbling water down to water's edge.

Beautiful landscaping- carefully tended.

Lush blooms highlight in the dusk light.

And we are reminded 

of the necessary call to soul-

come sit awhile.

Breathe deep.

Without agenda.

The koi pond-

 resonates both movement and quiet.

Do you have a spot

 to sit and just contemplate?

To give yourself a "time-out?"

To watch the leaves 

on the nearby tree flutter?

God gives us His day -

 SUNDAY- the rest stop day.

Sometimes there are seasons 

when this is challenging.

So we take an evening

and watch the lightening bugs 

and push back and forth on the glider.

So that we may not be people 

who forget "their resting place."

Jeremiah 50:6

A friend gave this book 

to me in the last few days-

and as I read- 

and find "spiritual retreat"

here and now, now and then,

I see the sunset over the water.

Resting-Place-Personal-Spiritual-Retreats

And for friends that open their hearts

 and home for weary travelers-

Thank YOU.