As the summer continues, so do our summer reading suggestions. Today, we highlight suggestions from Amy Whitfield, a mom, avid reader, and professor’s wife. Read on to discover Amy's good summer reads…
Summer
is one of my favorite times for reading, because there is a feeling of freedom
in the atmosphere. I love the moment when I look ahead to vacations and the
coming longer days, and I plan my reading list for the next few months.
Typically, my stack of books is unrealistically high and I never quite manage
to finish all that I wanted to plow through, but I am fine with that. I would
rather have more left over to lead me into the cool evenings of fall.
I enjoy reading across multiple genres, and I have a tendency to make my selections in different categories. So when thinking of three books to recommend, I decided to do the same thing. Here are some of my favorites, books that have stayed with me long after I read them, books that have worked on me as I enjoyed them...
Jayber Crow
by Wendell Berry
I love fiction, and can often be found reading stories that
I can get lost in, that take me to another world. One author I love is Wendell
Berry, and thankfully I have not even come close to finishing all that he has
to offer. He writes a little bit of everything, with quite a repertoire of
poetry and essays as well. However, I think his best contribution has been his
"Port William" series, where he tells the life of a community in the
hills of Kentucky, one citizen at a time. This series is a gift that continues
to give, and you can honestly start anywhere. But most people will recommend
that you begin with Jayber Crow. This book had such an impact on me, as I got
to look at the changing world through the eyes of a small town barber in the
mid-20th century. Wendell Berry uses story to communicate the profound impact
of community and I walked away from it more than entertained, but changed. It's
delightful and funny-- a great break from the busy world-- but it also teaches
something. It remains one of my favorites.
Kisses from Katie
by Katie Davis
When it comes to nonfiction, biographies are some of my
favorite books to read. I love seeing that some of the most fantastic stories
come from our daily lives, and I never get tired of reading the stories of
others-- from American first ladies and European royalty to missionaries and
even just ordinary people, there is always something to learn and take delight
in. One of my favorite stories comes from Katie Davis, a young lady from Nashville,
TN, who now makes her home in Uganda as mother to thirteen little girls and
servant to an untold number of local citizens. Her story stretched my
understanding of what it means to follow Jesus, and reading it forever changed
me.
Because He Loves Me
by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick
Finally, I do like to read books that help me to understand
the gospel better-- I suppose I would call this my "sanctification"
genre, although I am not sure that is a library-approved category! :) One of my
very favorite books of this type is by Elyse Fitzpatrick, titled Because He
Loves Me: How Christ Transforms Our Daily Life. Although I had been a Christian
for many years when I first picked this up, I felt like it did more than just
give me practical help or help me understand a singular concept. It changed the
way I saw the world. I came to see how the gospel mattered in everything about
my day, and during that season as a pastor's wife in a small town and mother of
two preschoolers, I was having a difficult time finding satisfaction in the
details of life. It opened me up to a new understanding, and the Lord truly
used that book to draw me closer to Him.
It is so difficult to only share three choices, as I could
talk all day about the books I love, but these give a small picture of what my
shelves look like. Summer is one of the best times to catch up on great
stories—stories from the imagination, stories from real life, and the greatest
story of all. I hope that you are enjoying it as much as I am! Now, back to
that tall stack waiting for me . . . .
;-)
Amy Whitfield is married to Keith, who teaches systematic
theology. They have two children-- Mary (age 9), and Drew (age 7). Through the
years she has been a youth ministry intern, a live-in nanny, a pastor's wife, a
homeschooling mom, an executive assistant, and a professor's wife-- and she has
come to understand the need for women to be transformed by the gospel in even
the smallest details of daily life. Amy currently wears many hats and
enjoys them all: wife and mom, assistant to Charlotte Akin, and she does
additional work for both SEBTS and LifeWay Christian Resources. In her spare
time, she enjoys a variety of hobbies. But most of all, she loves to read. :)
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