A Glance at the Waypoint Library

Written by Erika Castiglione

Did you know we have a Waypoint library? It’s actually a bookshelf, but it does hold quite a few resources that you are free to use for your personal spiritual growth. It is located in the hallway to the left of the worship center if you enter from the back parking lot. Might I suggest a few books currently on our shelves?

If you are interested in learning more about the refugee experience:

After the Last Border: Two Families in the Story of Refuge in America by Jessica Goudeau.

Goudeau explores the history of refugee resettlement in America from World War II to present day while tracing the lives of two war survivors, Mu Naw, a Christian from Myanmar, and Hasna, a Muslim from Syria, through interesting, informative, and compassionate storytelling.

If you are interested in learning more about the history of racism in the American church:

The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby

Academic, but very accessible, Tisby walks the reader from America’s early colonial days, through the Jim Crow era, to our current reality, exposing sin and offering hope.

If you need a call to rest in the grace of God:

Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane C. Ortlund

Based on Matthew 11 and drawing from historical Christian writings, Ortlund reminds us that Jesus longs for his people to find rest in him.

If you are interested in thoughtful answers to many current questions about faith:

Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World’s Largest Religion by Rebecca McLaughlin

From science to homosexuality to the problem of suffering, McLaughlin (PhD Cambridge University) gives thorough, well-researched, and compassionate answers to challenging questions.

If you want to grow in your prayer life:

A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul E. Miller

Miller cast a vision of prayer as a family discussion around the dinner table and then gives practical advice on how to talk to God amid your daily routines.

If you are interested in poetry:

Habitation of Wonder by Abigail Carroll

Carroll writes mostly about the intersection between nature and theology. Each poem is a call to notice and celebrate all that is beautiful.

If you are interested in incorporating liturgy into your everyday life:

Every Moment Holy by Douglas Kaine McKelvey

From reflections on sunsets to changing diapers to feeling awkward in social gatherings, this guide is full or prayers for all of life, reminding us that God is present the glorious and the mundane

Or

Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life by Tish Harrison Warren

Part memoir-part guide, Warren walks through how to turn our attention towards God by incorporating liturgical practices throughout an ordinary day.

If you are interested in an inspiring biography:

The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

After being arrested in 1944 for helping Jews escape the Nazi regime, Corrie spent a year during World War II in prison camps. This is the true story of how she experienced God’s faithfulness and provision in the darkest moments of her life.

There are also classics like Mere Christianity, resources for parenting like The Tech-Wise Family, and a few novels like The Wing Feather Saga. I hope you’ll check it out (there is a clipboard there to sign out whatever you borrow) and let us know if you find something that speaks to you.