Beautiful Life Wednesday

(posted a day late)

I've written two book reviews for you today. Broken Down House  is one I'm reading along with my small group, and it's so good I wanted to share it. The Enchanted Barn was a recommendation by one of my readers who has become a friend, Lois Zellars, and I'm glad she pointed me towards the book. 

I haven't missed the irony that both titles include dwellings of a sort. Tripp's "broken down house," is the world we live in: nothing works like it should, nothing is as easy or obstacle-free as we all feel deep down that it ought to be. Why? Because we live in a broken-down house, a world stained by sin. Tripp makes so much sense that you wonder why you didn't think of things he points out yourself.

The Enchanted Barn, on the other hand, is fictionalized heart-candy. Everything seems to go just about right for the heroine once she discovers an old stone barn. It's fun, light reading but if you get either of these books but only one, please make it Tripp's. You won't be sorry.

 Broken Down House

Book Review

Broken Down House, by Paul Tripp

Non-fiction, Christian living, Christian apologetics

 

You don't get far into this book without realizing that Tripp is a guy who really gets it. He understands what life is like for modern Christians and he nails issues on the head with keen precision. You'll find yourself saying, "Yes! Right!" as well as "Ouch. That's me." My (church) small group is systematically studying each chapter together and there is no shortage of thought-provoking, cogent material. This is a must-read for every believer who wants to live a productively God-honoring life, and perhaps especially for those who think they already are. Tripp's knack for framing an argument in startling ways that ring true will nudge you to take a fresh look at yourself and your life with new perspective. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

The Enchanted Barn

Book Review

The Enchanted Barn, by Grace Livingston Hill

Romance fiction, Christian romance

This is sweet romance with a capital S. Hill's characters have such strong moral fiber that you'll wish you were more like them, despite the fabric getting so thick at times that it threatens to turn dorky. Just when you're sure where the book is headed, Hill excels at inserting a good surprise here and there with enough plot-fuel to keep you happily reading. Sweet, nostalgic, and painless, the book also offers an utterly believable conversion done effortlessly by the author, (a good lesson for would-be evangelistic authors). Light summer reading by a master of the genre.