Go MAD Summer Book Bonanza

Brad:
Hey everyone, you want to stay tuned for this episode because this is gonna be a little different. We're gonna be talking about the Gomad Summer Book Bonanza, which yes Doug and I do read and we'll prove it. And we're each going to share, including Jesse, we're going to share three books each.

Why is this important? Well, hey, you may not be a big reader. You may read all the time.

But I can tell you that these are books that have an impact on each one of us, can have an impact on you, and reading as an ambassador of Christ. is an important thing to be about. Stay tuned, you're gonna hear some fun along the way and some great recommendations.

Let's go, Matt.

Doug:
Hey, welcome to Go Mad! Woo! Doug and Brad, go make a difference with Doug and Brad.

And Jesse. Um, we're trying something a little different. This time around I didn't know that anyone would be interested in my summer to do list, but I've got it here.

Brad:
Um please don't read it.

Doug:
Wait. You said books? Books.

Books. Oh man. Well okay.

Alright, hold on, hold on. That's me typing.

Brad:
Looking up the type.

Doug:
I'm ready now. I was actually gonna ask uh getting ready for this, I was like the best way to read a book in the summer is in a hammock. Right? Yes. Has any have any any of you guys ever actually tried to install a hammock?

Brad:
I thought you were going to okay, not just install I thought you were going to talk about getting into one Again, a man of my stature. I just feel like I'm gonna flip over every time I get into the

Doug:
No, I don't. But I I I've always preferred a man of my character inside. Sounds like a nice way an eighteen hundred guy says I could stand to meet a stalling It is it is a challenge. Just by trying to put up a hammock and then trying to get into it.

Brad:
You can read in different locations. And I want to say to people that are like, I'm not a big reader. I get that.

Maybe this will make you want to read. Yeah, I am These are some fun I have a confession. I'm not.

an avid reader. I I like reading and I have a stack of books that are partially finished. But I I want to read more and every time I do, I'm like Man, there is so much great stuff to read out there.

Doug:
That comic book uh uh stack you have i it it they're only like half done.

Brad:
Yeah, but I am up to the thick Garfields where they have like three books in one and I am making good progress.

Doug:
So i you're listening, you're like, okay This is going to be the most spiritual list. I'm going to be uh very edified. We think you will be, and there's some of that, but you might be surprised with the uh

Brad:
a selection or two here. You know what I was reminded of when getting ready for this? The old school two things.

First of all, I was reminded of the old commercial. Riff. Oh.

Reading is fundamental. That's I went on YouTube. I went on YouTube, Ed Asner.

Surrounded by kids on the steps of a library. Yeah. And they all have books.

I'm like, that looks like what you see nowadays. Um, and I'm like, and it ends with give a kid a book, and you'll give a kid a Break.

Doug:
I just remember those because it was a I just remember his look.

Brad:
Yep. He'd be like children read. And then I was also reminded of some PTSD I have.

Some book PTSD, Doug. Doug. Oh Doug.

Well you look at me. So Doug and I shared a room growing up. And and there we are, we're we're going from each other.

And evidently I lightly snore. I I gently snore in the night, right? Are you guys familiar with the Richter scale?

Doug:
Can anything Can anything that shows up on the Richter scale be considered light? Here, hold on, hold on. This is a snore This is a Brad snort.

Brad:
He should probably go to the doctor right now.

Doug:
But regardless. I tried so hard. I'm serious.

I tried so hard to get to sleep. You know how when you're trying to get to sleep? Yeah Like I don't have a lot of time.

I gotta get to sleep. It's too much pressure. You can't get to sleep.

I tried so hard to get to sleep before you would get to sleep because of the snoring.

Brad:
So Doug and I have these stacks of there's mostly comic books at that age next to the bed. End of the bed, yeah. All of a sudden I would wake up in the Morning and there was like a Garfield comic on on me, an Archie comic, something.

And he would throw something to give me to stop snoring, and then he ran out of the comic books. Warren piece will leave a mark. I'm just gonna say I it brings up questions at school.

What is that rectangle bruise you have there?

Doug:
I might get the window I needed and I would I do remember I would I would have three or four selections. Yep. Because I didn't want to start with War and Peace.

This is This is the compassion and love I had for you. I didn't want to start there. I wanted to start with Garfield, and I did, and if Garfield didn't work, we got to um the Karamitsukov brothers.

We are still pursuing counseling for this.

Brad:
Uh And uh so so I got past that for this episode, and I'm just gonna dive in. How about I start? I'm gonna start with the first book here. My first select

Doug:
I can't wait. No, no, please let me start. I I know if you I'm sorry, I'm not usually selfish like this, I hope in a podcast.

But I I I'm so concerned you guys are gonna say the one I wanna say. I had some concerns about that, but yeah. Okay.

Can I please start Go for it. All right, here we go One of the most um uh groundbreaking uh um difference making books in my life. You guys will know this one.

The Hardy Boys and the Case of the Missing Watermelon.

Brad:
I'm just gonna take this back and the sequel quick.

Doug:
The sequel, The Hardy Boys in the Case of the Missing Watermelon rhymes. I'll tell you what.

Brad:
If I cross that off my list, can I go back? See, they realized everyone had eaten them. If I promise, Jesse and I won't cover that one.

Can I can I start again here? Alright. So book number one, it's a lot of fun.

No, alright. Um book number one Is uh and again, we're doing this because being an ambassador for Christ, you should be a reader, you should read books, and this is what really impacted me. I'm gonna hold this up here.

It is called Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Simbal. Oh, he's the best. Now this is, I should look at the camera and smile for a moment Here's the book.

I we're getting no proceeds from this, but uh fresh wind, fresh, fresh fire. Quick summary of this, because we're not gonna take a long time on any of these books. But this book is part memoir and part challenge to the modern church and and just believers.

Jim Simlet tells a story of how the struggling Brooklyn Tabernacle, which if you don't know Huge church, 10,000 people a week go to this church in New York City. Incredible place. Grew from a very tiny congregation, like a few people, into a thriving ministry.

And guess what? It wasn't through programs, spoiler alert. Wasn't through marketing.

Was not through a strong social media presence because there wasn't social media when this was happening, or church growth techniques It happened because of prayer, because of dependence on God, and the work of the Holy Spirit. Some of the lessons I took away from this, I jotted down. Prayer is not a supplement to ministry.

It is the foundation of ministry.

Doug:
It's everything.

Brad:
God often works most powerfully through people who know they are weak. I learned that the church's effectiveness is measured more by its spiritual vitality than the size of the church or the programs. I was reminded the gospel is most convincing when people see transformed lives.

And also revival begins with a desperate hunger for God. I realized in reading this story that when I'm not praying, I'm doing something wrong. I am doing something wrong because when things look hopeless, when you're ready to give up, because Pastor Jim Simbla talks about being ready to give up When you're on your knees and you're with some the body of Christ praying together, even a small group where two or three are gathered, God shows up Quote from this, no matter what I preach, the future will depend upon our times of prayer.

And the more we pray, the more we sense our need to pray. So this was a game-changing book. And I will tell you this, as is the case with many of the books that I might recommend.

It's an easy read. It really is it's not long and it's really straightforward in the writing. Check it out this summer.

Doug:
I have read this book and been blown away by it. I all I'll say is I have been to this church Yeah. I've never felt the Holy Spirit in a place like I did there.

I actually we started, Anna and I were in a dry point in our lives. We started their their choir started singing and we before they were a sentence uh into the into the song. We were both in tears.

The big thing is they have a Wednesday, a middle of the week prayer time. Okay, where that place rocks. Yeah.

They fill it up just like the services are filled up. If you want to see the kind of heart that can make that kind of thing happen, read this book So there you go. That was my first choice.

Brad:
That's a good one. I've got some lights. And can we say real quick, this was impossible? I meant to mention that early on. Yeah, because it was like we're all talking before We started talking before we were recording.

Doug:
That's our next podcast, by the way.

Brad:
Tune in. Choosing your favorite child. These are just some of the ones that stuck out to us.

Doug:
I've got some light summer reading for you You ready? Now I do coming up, I I i i these are three very different types of books, but I'm going to start with the light summer reading one called Spiritual Warfare in a Believer's Life.

Brad:
Wow, that Is that like uh is that a good audio book? Is that a good good drawings in it? Here's the thing, I've never read a book like this.

Doug:
I've read I I am a big reader. I love Christian read reading books, biographies. It's by Charles Spurgeon.

I love anything by Spurgeon, but this book really grabbed me. It's a great study on what on who the devil is and What he's capable and not capable of doing. We've got all these weird ideas of who he is, what he looks like, all this um subtle strategies he takes against God's people, how to detect those.

How to battle them, and ultimately the sovereignty and power of Jesus to overcome the enemy. Man, God gave Spurgeon serious Holy Spirit wisdom in this book. I would I'm seriously I I if I oh wait here it is hold on uh there we go.

Uh nine people watching on YouTube. Burgeon will sponsor wait Yeah, I don't think he's gonna uh uh but yeah spiritual warfare believers life. Here's the thing.

Uh I read this and like if you're if you're here's a reason to come on YouTube, you can see the the Tons of I don't think I have a book that has more outlining in it and un underlining in it. I was like, how did How did Spurgeon know that that particular thing was happening? And wait a minute, he's right scripturally, that does lead back to the enemy when the when the Bible says be aware of his schemes.

This book is going to help you with that. This isn't about seeing the enemy around every corner. That's not what this is about.

This is though about the fact that the enemy studies us and he can't read our minds. He can't make us do anything But he's dangerous all the same. Listen to this quote.

Listen to this quote. When the arch spy finds a weak place in the wall of our castle, He takes care to plant his battering ram and begin his siege. You may conceal even from your dearest friend your weakness, but you will not conceal it from your worst enemy who has link's eyes and detects in a moment the joint in your armor.

Talks about how the enemy chooses the timing of his attacks meticulously. Oh, he's doing great right now. He's not in the frame of mind to fall for what I've got to offer.

But other times it's clear to him that we're kind of in a different we're anxious. We're uh we're uh our temper is acting up and it's time to plant a seed. So bottom line, if you're interested in the fascinating scripture Based peek behind the curtain at how the enemy tries to trip us up, discourage us, go grab this short book and grab that highlight marker

Brad:
Because you're gonna need it. I definitely need to check that one out again. It's been a while since I've read it.

Great recommendation, Doug. I love it. So, Jesse, it's over to you.

What's first on your list here?

Jesse:
Okay, I'll get this one done first 'cause um this is not one I would recommend like, hey, just check this book out. Because to be honest It's a textbook. Oh everyone's exactly everyone's favorite textbook.

Brad:
I'm just gonna be like, what or chemistry or something?

Jesse:
No, it's called From Paradise to the Promised Land. Oh. An Introduction to the Pentateuch by Desmond Alexander.

I'm reading it right now. No, this actually sounds fascinating. This is about the first five books of the Old Testament, and here's why I love it.

Um, most of the time when I read the Old Testament, um, I feel like I get a lot of details that I don't need. Why do we need these genealogies?

Doug:
Why do you have to tell me what town this is in?

Jesse:
What difference does that make to me? I you know, it's a Monday morning. I gotta get up and live my life.

Like I I why do I need these details? And what this book does so helpfully is it traces a lot of the themes in the first five books of the Old Testament and it strings together what feels like unrelated details to me that nobody asked for. Um so it traces some of the the the major themes of the first five books of the Old Testament and it it gives meaning to them.

So it makes me feel like I'm reading something that has meaning. So here's here's just an example, chapter three. It traces the role of the word seed through the book of Genesis.

Now why is that important? So often when you read through the Old Testament, you get genealogies. Who care why do I need to know this?

This is a chapter of names, how long they lived, what difference does that make for my life? Like who who cares? Why do they care?

Why do I care? And Uh the author points points this out. Straight from Genesis 3.

15, God promises a seed that will crush the head of the serpent. And what the author of Genesis is doing as he provides all these genealogies is tracing the line of that seed and showing how God is preserving his promise through uh people having kids. And so instead of it just being a rant like who cares about all these names, the author is including that in Genesis To help us go, oh, remember that promise God made in Genesis 3.

15? He's tracing that through the genealogies, through the lineage So that by the time we get to the end of Genesis, we're going, Oh, God's kept his promise. It's still going.

We still haven't seen the the the promise fulfilled. But we see how God is guarding that promise. And so all throughout there there's all kinds of things like that in this book that have been really helpful for me.

I'm still reading it and it's just been It's just been really helpful.

Doug:
Some of the richest studies I've ever had have been from uh looking into something that I wasn't sure why it was in the Bible. Seriously. Like the the I remember I uh the Matthew lineage at the beginning of Matthew where there's like just this guy begat this guy and this guy begat and and you're like why is that there?

And then I read it was because so he was writing to Jewish people. He wanted them to know that Jesus was human and and God and he came from a lineage. That's a g Jesse, I might actually check out a book about the Pentateuch because uh that sounds really interesting.

Brad:
Two things hit me when Jesse was sharing that. Three things. Sounds very interesting Secondly, Jesse's smarter than us.

Uh uh. This is why. Which I was people were like we're reading Garfield.

We knew already. And uh and third I it actually hit me from the ambassador perspective that any of these books, if you're th you're sitting out there reading these this summer, on the beach, wherever you might be. You might draw questions from people where you have a chance to kind of share with them about what the book's about.

And I'm picturing someone reading that book on the beach. And uh they would and I it would definitely stick out to people. It's like that is not a Grisham novel.

Doug:
So two foot two feet tall.

Brad:
I like So that's definitely what Jesse, good stuff. Yeah, I so I'm a biography guy. I like biographies.

Right. This one here called A Passion for Souls. By Lyle Dorset.

He was one of my profs at Wheaton College, but he writes a book on the life of D. L. Moody. And I here's why I like this book. This will be pretty straightforward here.

It's a book about someone who was a real down-to-earth person, like you and me, but who had an extraordinary impact because of his simple yet challenging obedience to Jesus It wasn't easy obedience, but it was very straightforward. God kept leading him and he kept saying yes to God's control This book was a vivid reminder to me about how God can use someone who is surrendered to him and willing to follow his plan. Um it resonated with me also because D. L. Moody, if you know much about us, our ministry, what the the things that we're about, I he has a heart for the neglected and hurting.

Including he had a school for a short time where he invited Native students, Native American students. And they weren't this was huge back in that day. Before Moody Bible Institute, he had this school, the Mount Herman School, and brought in it was for women, and he brought in these women from reservation communities.

He said, find the find those who are ready to learn more. Wow. And and so I just his heart for neglected and hurting.

Yeah, there's still a high quality Bible college. that founded by him that is still having a worldwide impact, but it all grew out of a heart for others. So I I love that's not some lofty ideal that's put forth in this book, but it's about what one man was and an accessible reality of what all followers of Christ can and should be.

This quote is amazing. I love this one. Christianity is not an insurance ticket that provides eternal life.

Rather, it is a personal relationship with a leader who wants you to follow him and not go your own way. So passion for souls, huge impact on my life. Great uh man of God who wrote it

Doug:
about another great man of the That is a great book and I feel so lame because the book I'm about to share has uh compared to that has very uh uh not quite as much spiritual significance, but significance nonetheless.

Brad:
No, I've got that coming up next. So that is so kick it off. What do you what do you got?

Here's maybe one of the curveball ones, you ready? Which by the way, so people know we don't know what each other shares. So this is fascinating.

We don't. This is great.

Doug:
There uh Doug trivia. There's only one celebrity in my life. That I have ever traveled to go to one of those conventions where you can meet them.

Yeah. Get a signature. Martin Cove.

No one knows who that knows. Sweep the leg from the case.

Brad:
We did meet it, but you didn't travel to Yeah, okay. So who?

Doug:
DeFonse Oh, Henry Winkler, that's a big thing. Well, I guess technically that's his real name. No, but it's the Fonz.

But it's the Fonz. Yeah. He came out with a book called Being Henry.

by Henry Winkler. I don't ever I don't typically read like the celebrity biographies. I had to read this one.

Of course the Fonz. Real name? Arthur Fonzarelli.

Uh it's best to start here by letting folks know the Fonz was my well, he was really my everything when I was a little kid. You dressed up as him once even. Only once.

The kids really look at you funny in school when you when you wear uh i a leather jacket sixty-eight days in a row. Uh but I mean you watch Happy Days, you want to be this guy. Hit the jukebox and it flashes to life.

Check. Communicate the highest level of coolness with the simple protruding thumb facing towards the heavens Check! Girls swooning over you when you put together said thumb with another finger and make a snapping sound?

Check! All super realistic, by the way. If you've ever heard the phrase jumping the shark, it's from a Happy Days episode where the Fonz does a water ski jump over a shark in swim trunks

Jesse:
I didn't see the leather jacket coming.

Doug:
Oh my god. He talks about that in the book and it's really funny. Uh but this is actually a better than most celebrity autobiography.

Really interesting stuff in here. He gets pretty transparent He didn't read a book until he was thirty-one years old because of undiagnosed dyslexia. His parents growing up, he he said they called him dummy names, his ho growing up um which fueled his desire to make something of himself.

And it even gets into the story of my favorite happy days episode, and I think yours too, Brad, ever Um, and moment ever when he when it's the Christmas episode, they invite him into their family, I think it's in the first season, and he thanks God for the Cunningham family as they sit down to dinner just by simply looking up and going, Hey God Thanks. It ends that way. It's actually more of a moving scene than you might think.

It's amazing.

Brad:
It really is. It's a great episode and yeah.

Doug:
It's a great book if you have any interest in uh Henry Winkler or why a young man would wear a leather jacket sixty eight days in a row to elementary school. Read it. Quick aside, you might not want to have the audiobook version at all times going when the kids are in the car. There's there's nothing real bad, but I mean there there's a little salty language in there, just a quick little warning

Brad:
There you go. All right. So a good book.

I've read that one too. Good stuff. Jesse, what do you got for your second book?

Jesse:
Okay, brand new book. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. Okay, hang on.

Doug:
Did that just come out?

Jesse:
Yeah, it just it just came out.

Doug:
Do you have to do this one?

Jesse:
Do I have to? Oh. Miss Haversham.

Yeah. Mm-hmm. Shivers down my stomach.

No, I'm right there with you. I am right there with you. Right now.

Yeah. Yep. We'll just sit in that for a second.

No, I I I totally agree. Uh what a terrifying like what's gonna happen every time he goes into the house.

Doug:
I don't know.

Jesse:
Seriously Um no joke.

Brad:
No. Doug woke up just screaming in the night after he threw books at me for years. Habershire Borsha!

Doug:
The wedding dress! Wedding dress.

Jesse:
Um so here here's why I love this so much I felt like Charles Dickens knows human tendencies just about as good as anyone ever has. The experience of carrying around low grade guilt Like, I should call that person and I'm not. That that's like the whole book is that uh Pip is just like this guy who basically stepped into my life and raised me and only did good to me.

I need man, I gotta reach back out to him and I I just haven't because my life has gotten more fortunate and and he just feels guilty the whole book until the end and th there's there's some really awesome redemption. But this is this is my favorite quote This is from early on in the book, Pip the main character. Uh he says this In a word, I was too cowardly to do what I knew to be right, as I had been too cowardly to avoid doing what I knew to be wrong.

I had had no intercourse with the world at that time, and I imitated none of its many inhabitants who act in this manner. Quite an untaught genius. I made the discovery of the line of action for myself.

And I just feel like that just summed I am an untaught genius. I taught myself to be cowardly. No one had to teach me.

Like I figured it out on my own. I just felt like, oh my goodness, if that isn't our sin nature, I don't know what is. Like nobody taught me how to do this.

I just knew how to do it from the get go and I just felt like that was so insightful.

Doug:
People are missing these days, these great classics, man. I mean that that one is awesome. Plus the hero in it is named Pip.

It fantastic. Is that where that song? Pip the magic dragon lives by the side.

Brad:
We'll talk later. Um and I it it wasn't Pip. No Great choice, Jesse, for real. That's a good one. And and I will say that uh even that the some of the things you just shared there, Jesse, great for ambassadors to take to heart about Man, not reaching out to people about learning that just uh you how to have courage in life and everything else.

Doug:
Don't read a book don't don't uh judge a book by its cover with Miss Haversham. She's more than she seems. Don't judge a book by Miss Haversham.

Brad:
All right, there uh What you got, buddy? So my uh my last one. Um there's a there's a a friend of mine that uh is a huge C. S. Lewis scholar, and this is not C. S. Lewis.

Uh and so I feel horrible because you should have Lewis on a reading list, just all the Lewis. Um but this is kind of in the vein of Chronicles of Narnia. Uh and so I'm gonna do what I I'm taking a roundabout.

This is actually recommending a series, so I'm doing four books in one. This is called the Wing Feather Saga. Yes.

It's by Andrew Peterson. And uh we especially uh uh Sarah actually would read this out loud just to the family. Uh and I I it it was so cool because it's kind of a combination of Narnia.

And Lord of the Rings. You get some of both of that, but it's for it the the there's kids in the story, this family overall But the kind of summary, it's a it's a four book fantasy adventure that follows three siblings. The the names are great.

Janner Kalmar, whose nickname is Tink, and Lily Igby is the uh last name. And not Pip. He is not in this one.

And they discover that their family is tied to a lost kingdom and a much larger story than they ever imagined. It begins kind of lighthearted in the first book, um, but it's in it goes from a small village and gradually gradually unfolds into an epic struggle against evil, sacrifice, redemption, hope. And at its heart, this series is about family loyalty and sacrificial love, courage in the face of fear, the struggle between light and darkness.

identity and purpose, forgiveness and redemption, and hope that persists even when the circumstances seem hopeless. And so I would just encourage you if you're looking for something even to do as a family, it's There are some sad things in this. There are some things where you just are like, man, some victorious things, and then some things where you're like, man, my my kids can have a hard time with this.

And it's It's life. What is I oh I wish I had that C. S. Lewis quote where he's like, don't hide these things from teach them about the warriors, the soldiers, the dragons that are out there in this world because they we learn from that So a I will say It's not just a kid's book. It's not.

It it it definitely isn't. Uh the the first uh and if you know Andrew Peterson is music, I love that too, but The first book is called On the Edge of the Sea uh On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness. My one thing on this first book Uh don't give up on it because at first you may be like, Well, that's moving a little slow. They're setting the stage, character development, everything else.

It's very well done, but some people are like, Well, I don't know, but it is Stick with it because by the end of the book you're gonna be like I have to read the second the third the fourth so if you want a book of wonder with some emotional depth to it. Check out this series, Wingfeather Sonic.

Jesse:
And I would also say don't skip the footnotes because she thought those were the funniest things ever.

Brad:
Whenever there's random because we had read these right before COVID. And during the lockdown, uh, when people weren't going anywhere, Andrew Peterson read these books on YouTube. You can get his audiobook now, but he doing the voices even of those footnotes, Jesse, because he would read every one of them. It was an amazing experience right there.

Doug:
to the Harry Potters of the world and everything. Yes. This is this is for you.

And the writing, I'm telling you, is just on same on par, man. It's really, it's really good. Um I am gonna jump into my last one here.

It's another biography, um it's but unlike one I've ever read. This is this is a Christian biography A biography of a Christian man that most everybody knows but does not know his life, by reading this It was it was so transparent and he this guy was so human. I'll tell you who it is in a second, but he dealt with such human struggles that it was incredibly I I don't know about you guys, but but Peter to me is the most inspiring disciple because yes, because of the amazing things he did, but because he was such a bonehead sometimes and the Lord still used him.

Uh hello, note to self, that's me. Absolutely. Oswald Chambers uh the author this is the life story of the author of my utmost for his highest.

Maybe maybe the it's called Abandon to God. Do you have it to show or I do yeah here. Uh Here it is.

Abandoned to God by David McCasland. Uh this thing, I I it you want to read this because It is so honest for a Christian biography. I've read other Christian biographies and it seems like you're you're reading the life of a saint.

You know, they might suggest from time to time he had a struggle, but this is like he struggles with depression Um, he had deep love for art, deep love for art, and thought it played a big part in the kingdom. His father completely disagreed with him and and it really ostracized them from one another. Lots of other stuff that'll that will encourage you.

Um the even brilliant spiritual guys like Oswald Chamber had his very human struggles. I found I it was so weird. I found I had tons in common with him in his life story.

It was very bizarre. It's uncanny. Uh like having a passion for art and a passion for missions, going, well wait a minute, those are two very different things.

Listen to this quote because we both came to the same vital realization as it pertained to art. He said He now knew only that his aim had once been art for God. Now it was only God.

For him, for me, it was that realization, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be. He'll show you why you have those passions. If if you'll listen to him and just obey him and take the steps he's asking to take in his life, he'll show you why you have that passion.

Um he had the failure of a long, serious romantic relationship But it prepared him for Millie, his his uh his beloved wife that actually made up most for as high as possible. Look into that. Um And of course, if you've ever, I'll wrap up with this, if you've ever heard this great quote, it was him.

Prayer is not a preparation for work. It is the work. Prayer is not a preparation for the battle.

It is the battle. Um, something I've needed to learn my whole life and still do. You will be inspired by this to know that someone as awesome and someone who's made such a huge difference in so many lives was also a human being that uh dealt with the struggles we deal with.

Brad:
I feel chagrin because I have the book I have not read it yet and now I have to.

Doug:
I mean that's true, Doug.

Brad:
Thank you. Thank you very much. Great recommendation and Uh I really do.

Biographies, I just there's so much you can learn uh from because you're talking about real people, real approaches. Uh thank you. All right, so Jesse, third book for you.

Jesse:
Okay, I got a biography too. And uh Augustine's Confessions.

Doug:
Um I had always heard quotes and had never actually you know gone through it until recently and

Jesse:
What struck me about um his story is it sounds so modern. It sounds like exactly the struggles that people might have today. His he he talks about how he goes back and forth, he vacillates like, ah, you know, I I I think this is I think you know, uh Christianity might be true and good, but I really want to hold on to my lifestyle The sins that he he's pretty open about.

He's like, actually I really just didn't want to give up this sin and so I'm um you know, I kinda was like, uh I made excuses for it. The questions that he the doubts, the questions that he dealt with um and that he sought answers for were like, man, th those are the kinds of questions that people might ask today. The role that friends and mentors played in his life um to help him slowly over time.

uh come into into the kingdom of God. Um, I just I I got to the end of the story and was like, I feel like if you just switched out some of the names and places and uh y you you could be like, oh this happened this year. It is just and and what's well how old is the book?

Oh uh it's written in the three hundreds. Yeah.

Doug:
Oh you know it's

Jesse:
It it that's what surprised me so much was like and and what encouraged me about that was like, wow, um the way that God saves people is everyone's story is unique, but man, um God's been saving people over the past two thousand years in similar ways. It's not like people then were just so different. And you know, if they became Christians, it was just such a different thing. It's like actually it it really sounds like the way people come to to faith today. And I I was just encouraged by that.

Doug:
There's a reason that book is as Been a classic since the three hundreds. It's so weird.

Brad:
One you definitely should check out. Good good call, Jesse.

Doug:
Jesse, thanks for that. Great choice. There's our nine.

We got we got some honorable mentions here. We gotta do them fast. We're out of time.

Should I start? Yeah, go for it. The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn.

So Great Salvation by Charles Ryrie. What it means to believe in Jesus Christ. Can you lose your salvation?

Uh he's got a great study on that. I thought you were asking me, and I'm like that's the end of the episode. I can't just Hashtag you can't. Uh The Serpent of Paradise by Erwin Lutzer The devil is God's devil, like Martin Luther said.

It's all about that with Christ in the School of Prayer by Andrew Murray. And uh uh how you view the father as uh um uh father wants to have a relationship with you would change my life and heaven, another one by Randy Alcorn. If you've ever thought heaven sounds a little boring, because we'll be on a cloud singing hymns with a harp all day, you're gonna want to read this book.

Brad:
So good. I I used to have a couple that on the honorable mention. Uh The Intentional Father um by John Tyson.

Uh very good book for dads out there. Um I encourage you to check that out. Uh I would also say it's on the uh Uh shelf behind me, you've got Johnny Cash by Greg Laurie.

Great biography about Johnny Cash. Pastor Greg Laurie wrote that. He's got a couple others on Steve McQueen, on the Jesus Revolution.

Oh great. So easy reads. And then you've got um also back here Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby.

Uh fantastic book and Case for Christ, Lee Strobel. Uh I know you probably have heard about it and everything else, but uh if you're looking for if you've got someone in your life that's like I don't believe and and you're trying to kind of give them some evidences. This guy's journey, Lee's uh Lee Strobel's journey to finding Jesus.

You can learn a lot from that. So those are just some of the honorable mentions I've got.

Jesse:
You got any, Jesse? Uh sure. I've The guilt I feel by not including C. S. Lewis uh uh in the part.

It's like I think we all feel that guilt, and so I'll at least honorable mention uh I mean you could pick any. I'll say screw tape letters because I balled like a baby at the end of it. Oh yes.

Doug:
Oh I love that book.

Jesse:
I mean y you know what Just any C. S. Lewis, why not? Uh but that one's really stuck with me. Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortland.

Uh no book has so thoroughly convinced me of Christ's love for me right in the middle of my worst day in that book. It has really actually changed the way I know God and even see life. And then uh Knowing Jesus through the Old Testament by Christopher Wright.

Um, it's exactly what the title sounds like, and it's great.

Doug:
Okay, so no books by Judy Bloom? No one had a Judy Bloom suggestion.

Brad:
Because I something I'm gonna read more of this summer, that I want to at least, uh, that my wife uh absolutely raves about, that my daughter does. G. K. Chesterton. He is uh there's a lot of truth he shares, and he's a really funny he's not still around, a a really funny guy the way he writes too. So Oh, by the way. Don't neglect your Bible this summer.

Doug:
Amen. That's just Sunday school. That's how you build your relationship with your father.

Brad:
Thank you for joining us. Uh we hope this has been an encouragement. Check these out. Drop us a note, uh something, or review someone, a comment on social media saying, hey, this is the book I would add to the mix. We'd love to hear what your recommendations are. So from all of us to all of you, until the next episode, go ahead