Abbi
Joey by Jennifer Marshall Bleakley
Grab your tissues and curl up with a cup of tea and get ready for a book that will make you marvel at God, rejoice in his creation, and fall in love with a horse that you have never met. This heartwarming story is a reminder that God can use all things for good. As a lover of horses, and someone that has seen and experience the healing abilities that horses have, this book is one that needed to be written. Joey is a horse that you will instantly fall in love with, and the mission of Hope Reins will capture your heart. God heals, and sometimes he uses horses to do the healing.
To Read: The Hidden Side by Heidi Chiavaroli
Chloe
Scary Close by Donald Miller
I very rarely reread a book, but this is my second time through Scary Close. In it, Donald Miller writes about his journey from performing and impressing to being genuinely himself and how leaning into vulnerability brought him there. He’s effective because this book in itself is an act of vulnerability – of admitting who he’s not, who he will always be, and who he aspires to become. He observations and admissions about relationships are poignant and astute. This is a book that makes me want to lean into who God has made me more so I can love people better and that’s why it’s worth a first, and second, read.
To Read: Anatomy of a Miracle by Jonathan Miles; Love Does by Bob Goff
Leela
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Just Mercy is an eye-opening and compelling memoir of a young lawyer who has fought for the rights of the unprivileged. Bryan Stevenson recounts his experiences with clients on death row, the unfairly treated and wrongly accused and gives us a glimpse into the injustice that is woven in and throughout the criminal and legal system in America. This book reminds us of the humanity and dignity we all deserve, no matter the color of our skin, class, or background. I have been provoked to think about the true meaning of justice and the ways we can show mercy to all.
To Read: Ready or Not by Drew Moser and Jess Fankhauser
