VT Christian Reading Challenge discussion

Welcome to May! Can anyone believe we are five months into 2025 already?! How’s everyone doing on their challenges? Got anything exciting planned?

I did finish Church History in Plain language for a book about church history. I must confess I never find modern history as fascinating as older history.

I am currently reading Companions in Suffering by Wendy Alsup for a book about suffering.

After that I might like something a little lighter.

Anyone got a recommendation for a Christian novel?

Oh, I really enjoyed Church History in Plain Language.

For Christian novels on the lighter side, I have been getting Patricia St. John's books from the library. The books are on all kind of topics (African migrants, siblings fighting, a boy in the time of Jesus) but they are geared towards younger readers and fly by.

I am in the middle of Ten Commandments by Thomas Watson (Commandment 7 tonight!).

On my shelves, I got Pyramid Power by Eric Flint for a Humorous Book (the first book was and I hope it fits), Knowing Jesus Through the Old Testament by Christopher J H Wright for Jesus in the OT, and Earning the Rockies by Robert D Kaplan for Creation Care.

I'm about to read a Christian novel: Shepherd of the Hills by Harold Bell Wright, first published in 1906. Recommended by someone I know on Booktube.

I never know what prompt I'm reading a book for until after I finish the book - that's when I decide. So far I've been able to fit every book into a prompt.

I never did get around to reading Shepherd of the Hills! Maybe this month!?

I finished 7 books in May.

Best: Tramp for the Lord, by Corrie Ten Boom - I have to love an old lady who becomes a perpetual missionary. I found this book inspiring.

Worst: No really bad books, but this one had some bad subject matter, obviously: Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties, by Tom O'Neill

Surprise: Katharine Barnwell: How One Woman Revolutionized Modern Missions, by Jordan Monson - Katherine's dedication to linguistics, Bible translation, and missionary life amazed me.

I had strange month of reading. I have been pushing to finish series but not all fit in the categories.

Best: Precipice by C Eriksen. A strange science-fiction book about struggling mental as humanity goes to the stars.

Worse: A River in the Sky by Elizabeth Peter. 2 Egyptologist go to Jerusalem and complain about the Old Testament having no evidence. Right.... no evidence.

Surprise: Earning the Rockies by Robert Kaplan. This is a retelling of history as a guy drives coast to coast in America.