Brad's Book List - 2023 Top Books from 2023 Yesterday, I received this text message from a member in our church: "Hey Brad- wanted to thank you for the book recommendation about having “the talk” with [my son]. We are about 1/2 way thru and it has been very helpful 🙏 🙏" This is one of the reasons I love to read. By reading and recommending good books to others, we can impact lives for the better. One of the best parts about my job is that I get paid to read. But for many years, I didn't take...
almost 3 years ago • 12 min read
Brad's Book List - Nov. 2023 Highlights from this month This time of year is one of the most difficult for my book-loving, consumeristic heart. Everyone begins publishing their "Top Books of the Year" lists and I want to buy every book I see. (I am also confused how anyone can post a "Top Books of the Year" list when we still have an entire month of the year to go!) About two months ago, I felt like Jesus was asking me not to buy anymore books for the rest of 2023. That was not very pleasant...
almost 3 years ago • 4 min read
Brad's Book List - Oct. 2023 Highlights from this month I am on day 27 of a 30-day digital detox. And yes, it has been glorious. Difficult, but a much-needed rest for my tech-saturated soul. Last month I began feeling a restlessness and dissatisfaction with how often I am on my phone. Don't get me wrong - I love my iPhone. YouTube, podcasts, texting, task lists, and reading articles make me happy. But the temptation to run to my phone instead of spending time with Jesus, my wife, kids, or...
almost 3 years ago • 5 min read
Brad's Book List - Sept. 2023 Highlights from this month Here is an essential rule for traveling: When it comes to books, it is always better to overpack than underpack. I went to South Africa a few weeks ago to visit one of our Restored churches and overpacked quite a bit. I knew I wouldn't read all 10 books (2 were for a friend in Durban), but on a 16-hour flight to Dubai, you never know what kind of mood you may find yourself in. The worst thing on a long flight (besides crashing) is...
about 3 years ago • 5 min read
Brad's Book List - August 2023 Highlights from this month For the majority of my reading life (which started when I was about 20) I rarely read any fiction. Most years, my book list was 100% non-fiction. Part of me was quite proud of that fact. People who read fiction confused me. They claimed it was enjoyable and good for their heart, soul, and mind, but every time I picked up a fiction book I felt like I was wasting my time. How could I spend hours reading a made-up story when there were...
about 3 years ago • 4 min read
Brad's Book List - July 2023 Highlights from this month What is your dream vacation? Some prefer adventure, sightseeing, and a new country. Others prefer the same beach house or cabin in the woods with familiar restaurants and shops. While my wife and I are different in many ways, I am incredibly grateful we both agree that the ideal vacation is sitting by the ocean (or a pool) and reading. This month, our family took a week long vacation and enjoyed time in Huntington Beach. While the kids...
about 3 years ago • 4 min read
Brad's Book List - June 2023 Highlights from this month Brad, why do you always rate books either 4 or 5 stars? Aren't you being a little too generous? This is a question I get often, especially from my friends on Goodreads. You may be wondering the same. Can we trust this guy? He seems a bit naive or overly impressed with every book he reads. Here is my simple answer: If a book is boring or unhelpful, I stop reading it. The only time I finish reading bad books (that would receive a 1-3 star...
over 3 years ago • 4 min read
Brad's Book List - May 2023 Highlights from this month What do you want for your birthday? This is one of my favorite questions to be asked. Oftentimes, when you ask an adult what they want for their birthday, they give you blank stares. I don't give blank stares. I give my Amazon wish list. May is my birthday month, which means more books. Each birthday I create an Amazon wish list of about 20 books. Anyone who asks what I want for my birthday receives a link to the list (and the obligatory,...
over 3 years ago • 3 min read