(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best christian inspirational books

For me, a relationship with Jesus means a few things:

1. I believe he died to save me from hell and redeem me.
   
2. I believe he brought God's kingdom to earth and it is here now. (Different from saying Jesus has returned to earth, btw.)
   
3. Because of Jesus' mercy and grace toward me, I am eternally grateful to him and want to serve him.
   
4. I make an effort to speak to him in prayer and throughout the day.
   
5. I consciously choose to give him control of my life.
   
6. I make an effort to praise him and thank him for the love and joy with which he has filled my heart.
   
7. I make an effort to follow his example of loving God and loving people.
   
   From your description, OP, it sounds like you're pretty much in the same boat. You apparently believe the same things as I do and you make the same efforts I do. (Not saying my life is the standard, of course; only that I feel I have a relationship with Jesus and therefor can offer my experiences.) I would say you're definitely a Christian.
   
   If you're concerned that you don't feel like you have a relationship with Jesus, try talking to him more and ask him to show you the areas of your life in which you're holding onto control. I know that in my life, I couldn't come to a meaningful relationship with Christ until I was absolutely broken and understood my need to give up control. For me, that relinquishment and submission was the key. I had always been a Christian, but I didn't understand what it meant to have a relationship with Christ until I had nothing else to stand on.
   
   I feel the biggest indicator of my relationship with Jesus is the otherwise unexplainable love, joy and peace that he pours into me and that consequently pours out of me. If you have the love, joy and peace of Christ, I'd say it's pretty likely you have that relationship.
   
   One more thing: you might benefit from reading a couple of books:
   
   The Me I Want to Be: Becoming God's Best Version of You - http://www.amazon.com/The-Me-Want-Be-Becoming/dp/031027592X
   
   This book changed the way I approach my walk with Christ, giving me more confidence in God's love and mercy and ultimately his plan for my life.
   
   The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God - http://www.amazon.com/The-Divine-Conspiracy-Rediscovering-Hidden/dp/0060693339
   
   This book, which I'm still reading, challenges me to examine my life and my faith. It convicts me of things like anger and malice, and shows me the power of God's message and his plan. It literally brings tears of joy to my eyes almost every time I start reading it.
   
   Hope this is helpful! I'll pray for you. :)

The telling part of your question is that you "don't feel part of all this". Every single Christian in history has had days where they don't "feel" Christian, me included. The Bible tells us to examine our lives and see how they line up with what the Word says a Christian will look like, not that we'll know we're Christians by our emotions telling us we're accepted.

The vital piece - the MAIN key - that you must have in your life is a knowledge that you are a sinner, and that God is going to judge sinners in wrath, and (pay attention, this is the big one for salvation) a complete trust that Christ dying on the cross and ONLY Christ, was sufficient to cover your whole judgement before God. You don't trust in your works, not even as proof you're saved, nor your emotions, nor even your faith. The only thing that can save you is trust in Christ's death and resurrection, and all the other stuff is just extra confirmation. It all means nothing if you do not have a specific trust in Christ. Likewise, if you truly trust in Christ, the other stuff will come, more on some days than others (sometimes it's a LOT more or a LOT less). In fact, in Romans 7, Paul himself laments that he does stuff he doesn't want to do, and he doesn't do the things he wishes he would. EVERY single Christian has had doubts about their salvation because we war with the flesh, and sometimes we lose. We have victory because of Jesus, not because we are being sanctified.

Now you also mentioned that you "never had to dramatically change the way you lived". That I would make careful examination over. I also grew up in a church-going home (I've got 3 pastors in both of my parents' immediate families), and in some ways, it's harder for us to understand because we don't like, just stop smoking, or partying, or having sex, or whatever. The changes are a lot more subtle, but they're there. One of the changes for me was that I found myself suddenly just talking about God, whereas for my entire life, I would tell myself, "You should talk to them about Christ" and I never would. I found myself loving other believers in ways I never had before - I looked forward to going to church! And some days, these are still present in me, and some days, they are noticeably absent.

1 John 2:19 says, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. (ESV)" The Reformed teaching on the "P" of TULIP (which stands for "perseverance of the saints") is not the generally Baptist idea of "once-saved-always-saved". That idea says that if a man is saved at a VBS when he's 5 and grows up to be someone who lives as though the Lord did not exist is still a Christian. But the perseverance doctrine says that those whom the Lord has chosen will persevere and prove over and over that they are of the faith, and those who aren't elect may come into a false fellowship for a time, but they will fall away and not return. If they return, it could be evidence of perseverance. We literally can't know for certain about others - we can only make certain of ourselves by pursuing the Lord through study and in prayer, and by examining ourselves regularly, even daily.

I myself have done SHOCKING things in my life that I abhor, several times over. And every time, I've returned to my faith. I've never left it abandoned - I've always been called back. The last time I came back, I was determined to hold to the Lord the way Jacob held to the being he wrestled (Genesis 32:22-32). In v 26 of that passage, he was already injured, "But Jacob replied, 'I will not let you go unless you bless me.'" In the Bible, tenacity is rewarded. You have to follow the Lord, and live by His standards, but if you desire salvation, it's easy to attain. You go before Him, again and again, and you pray, "Lord, please save me, and show me I'm saved."

I'll give you some resources I found helpful or inspiring as a parting shot. One of them was in the classic, A Pilgrim's Progress, which you should definitely read in its entirety (Ligonier Ministries even has a helpful guide which was on Amazon Prime not too long ago). Near the end of the story about Christian's journey, he's going through a field with his companion Hopeful and he asks Hopeful about his conversion story. Hopeful tells a tale about a conversion process that took weeks and months, wherein he simply asked for salvation over and over until he was assured. It never occurred to me before reading this that salvation may be something that isn't instantaneous (obviously the Baptist church at large acts like it is - you pray the prayer and then you're saved!), or is something we have to fight for - not fighting against the Lord, but fighting against the flesh. If you are elect, you'll finish the process and have assurance.

You should also look into Dr. Steve Lawson's book, Absolutely Sure. It will tell you the sorts of things you should be looking for in your self-examination, things that all believers will have in common as they grow in grace and faith.

Welcome! Thanks for providing your stats, it's really helpful for giving good advice. Your stats look good, except

>dont DL

Why not? You said you're

>Trying to increase Testosterone

and the deadlift is one of the best heavy exercises to stimulate testosterone production. If form is a concern, try the trap bar instead of a regular barbell, to get you started. You stand inside the bar and lift straight up, so you don't have to worry about the strain on your lower back. Deadlifts engage almost every single muscle in your body, and you're cheating yourself out of gains by not doing them.

>Reading: Bible NT Currently on Luke next is John, Church covering ACTS

Excellent! Too many Christians don't read their Bible and then wonder why they experience minimal transformation in their lives. I'm glad to see that you are making this a priority.

>Finances: IT Support 57-60k , Studying for Systems Engineer CCNA/CISSP, Debts: 9k Car Loan, 6k CC , 15k 401k Loan - Def working on this area)

Finances are okay, but focus on paying off debt so you can be debt-free. Have you read Dave Ramsey's The Total Money Makeover? If you haven't, this book will give you a MAP to financial freedom. I love what Dave says: "What can you do when you don't have any debt? Anything you want!"

Your spiritual section looks pretty good as well.

>am finding it difficult to find a church, I attend a local church except I am not 100% sure its a place to call home, I am praying for the Lords will and not my own. I happy to take any tips since I am a newbie and non married.

​This comment will give you a good outline of what to look for when trying to find a biblically-based church. The original post contains the video, my comment is a transcription of the main points. The video is well worth watching as well.

>Currently trying to increase my knowledge of scripture and pray more, dedicate more time to my gifts.

This is great. Do you understand your spiritual gifts and where they fit in your life and mission? This book may help with that if you're looking for additional resources.

>Trying to increase Testosterone

In addition to lifting heavier, I would recommend trying Pine Pollen Tincture twice daily, 5 days on, two days off per week. This stuff has made the biggest difference for me, I can literally feel it working.

>Figure out this situation with my current GF, she comes from a Catholic Family, she is not a born again Christian (why am I in this relationship) where do I begin?

This is simple: begin with God's word. 2 Corinthians 6:14 "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?"

So God's word is clear on what to do and not do, it's up to you to obey or do your own thing. I understand this puts you in a place to have to make a difficult decision. What if God has the perfect girl picked out for you, but is waiting on you to obey Him and make yourself available for what He wants to do in your life?

Have you ever read ‘Messy Spirituality?’ Great book on the up and down journey of faith from a pastor that bares his soul. https://www.amazon.com/Messy-Spirituality-Mike-Yaconelli/dp/0310277302

Also, I would follow the lead of pastor Paul Sheppard and Pastor Chuck Swindoll. They talk a lot about their pastoring journey in their messages and they might respond to a letter from you. They are always up front about the pitfalls and mistakes made in pastoring. They’re both funny and poignant.

Make a pact with yourself from the get go that you will be nothing but honest about your personal journey with God. If you don’t know something, admit it and that you are researching and waiting on God for an answer. If you have doubts, admit it. God doesn’t always reveal everything right away. Learn about your weaknesses, what sins are you most vulnerable to? Make those clear to your leadership and the failsafes you want in place to keep distance from them. This way you are demonstrating the standard you want for your ministry. Everyone is human, we all fall short, but we need to be on top of and proactive about it. And when someone tries to call you out, oh and those nosy ones on the flock will, respond with humility and let them know you will look into it, but be firm that their part has been fulfilled.

Get a mentor, GET A MENTOR! Did I mention a mentor? Preferably a retired or semi retired pastor. Someone with time to Shepard you!

And a group of pastors who are like minded to you. Some folks you can trust to bounce ideas off of and to whom you can be honest with. They aren’t in your congregation.

Good luck!! Will pray for you

Oof, I'm doing a lot today. Had a huge exam at 9, now I'm in my second class of the day. When this class gets out I'm spending some time volunteering in my school's LGBTQA+ and Ally Education Center, then getting lunch with a new friend, then donating plasma, then getting dinner with and being "discipled" (basically Christian mentoring) by a woman in the college ministry I'm a part of. Then doing homework and then passing out.

^And that is why I've barely been on Reddit lately. Every single day of my week is as busy as that. :(

When I'm studying, I like drinking black tea to help me focus, and this is one of my favourites! You'd also need an awesome mug to drink it in.

And this is from my WL. :) I love this story/area of history so much.

Who needs revision?! Thanks for the contest and good luck on your exams!

Hahah, you clearly didn't look too hard.

https://www.amazon.com/Let-Trump-Be-Inside-Presidency/dp/1546083308

And in regards to not profitting off the Trump brand....I think the name of the book and the cover photo are a pretty good indication that Lewandowski was definitely cashing in on the Trump brand, with Trumps endorsement it seems:

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/942044657613230080

Newt also wrote a book about Trump, "Understanding Trump".

Heres Trump promoting another book written about him:

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/965780052167286784

Comeys book was vetted by the special prosecutor and by the FBI, or at least thats what hes stated on his book tour when asked if he was worried about info getting out that shouldn't get out.

I guess I'm confused about why you are outraged? Is it that hes milking the Trump presidency for his own personal gain? As I demonstrated, theres 3 other authors doing the same, as well as provided endorsements from the Pres on 2 of them.

Is it because its an active investigation? Comeys contribution to that investigation has already been locked down via his meetings with Mueller and his testimony before the senate, so if anything, the only thing he can do now is perjure himself.

As other have noted, Comeys book is a memoir with only a portion being dedicated to Trump. Obviously thats the part thats getting the most juice because its the most relevant given current events.

I guess I just don't get what makes it sleazy, or maybe makes it any less sleazy than other authors who have to go out on a book tour.

Absolutely. My wife told me she wanted a divorce 2 months ago, and it was awful the first couple of weeks. I kept running to help control my emotions, and saw a marriage counselor several times for advice on what to do to save my marriage. It's been really hard, but it's getting better. Where I was 2 months ago vs today... I'm a better me. It's so easy to fall into self-destructive behaviors. Being aware is one thing, but gathering that inner strength to build the willingness to change and be strong... That's a whole different thing altogether.

I read a couple good books over the last two months:

The Divorce Remedy

You Will Get Through This

Recently a combination of A Praying Life and Spiritual Depression has completely changed the way I pray. Daniel 9 is also beginning to hold a formative place in my prayer life.

You'll be amiss to search for a book that will change your actions... Look for something to help you change the bent of your heart more towards God and God's grace, flowing out of that relationship, will enable repentance and real change.

A risk of contradicting myself, I hold both authors of this book, How People Change, in very high regard. I've only read the first few chapters but it has a good focus. Again, on the heart and its relation to God over and above mere actions.

> Please don't tell me what I do and don't seriously want, nor what measures I take regarding them, when you don't know much about me.

I'm not trying to make insinuations, all I am trying to say is that if you are not doing that most basic of all things to communicate with God that takes hardly any effort on your part and yet should be the most principle way in which you achieve what you are seeking, all I am saying is are you sure you actually want to find God, and I mean really find Him? Because remember, if God does actually exist He obviously is going to know your thoughts and your real desires, you cannot deceive Him, even if you are deceiving yourself. If you don't truly desire it, even if you think you do, God will read your soul and you can't hide it.

> I also don't trust my pastor and he's been wrong before, so there's that.

So go to another one? Priests literally train for years to help, like all human institutions there are always going to be one's that are better than others, expand your network. It can't do any harm.

> things I think are factually wrong
And if you think they are factually wrong have you tried seeking answers as to why that might be false?

You see the issue with the Bible is yes, it is a very controversial set of documents but ultimately if it is what it says it is this should not be unsurprising. A being of infinite capabilities is attempting to make beings with finite capabilities understand a host of things. I've always said that if we could understand everything in the Bible utterly, it would be literally a proof of God's non-existence.


Look in the end all I can say to you is keep searching and be stubborn in your search. If I might recommend a book to you, "He and I" gabrielle bossis is an incredible book that I find myself recommending to everyone nowadays. https://www.amazon.com/He-I-Rev-Gabrielle-Bossis/dp/0819834386
I initially read the blurb and approached with an enormous amount of scepticism as to whether it could actually be Christ's words on the page, but after reading it itself and indeed the author's reasons as to why it has to be, it truly is one of the most magnificent and underrated documets produced in the last century.

My wife and I pray a full five decades of the Rosary every night before bed. It makes us happy and I totally recommend it.

Update: If you are interested in exploring the mysteries of the Rosary I highly recommend Father Peyton's Rosary Prayer Book.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0898709822/ref=pd_aw_sim_b_1/176-6649561-3539003?pi=SL500_SY115

> I would just love some advice from you guys, where to go first, maybe some recommendations on reading.

Welcome home, brother!

Here is a listing of parishes that are close to North Dallas (75230 zip code). Hopefully one of those locations are close to where you will live. Once you find a parish, go to Confession and start going to Mass again. If you need help with following the Mass, pick up a missal.

As for what to read, grab yourself a Catholic Study Bible and a Catechism. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask us here at /r/Catholicism.

The wikipedia article says that this book was responsible for the movement.

Having grown up in the movement, I've never heard of it. In my experience, members typically turn to the mystics, as many experienced charistmatic-type occurrences (trances, tongues, visions, etc.)

Look to Therese of Lisieux or John of the Cross, then perhaps Thomas Merton (although his later stuff kind of diverges into Eastern religious practice).

Also, here.

If you would like me to extrapolate on my personal experience with the charistmatic movement, I'd be happy to. I was born in the early 70s and grew up in the movement that was parish-wide.

Short summary: I feel robbed of the beauty of the Catholic Liturgy, which was supplanted instead by a Pentecostal-type I-don't-know-what.

THE HYPNOTIST by Lars Keplar http://amzn.com/1250007585 This was a great find at the bookstore! I have lent it out to so many people who have enjoyed it as well.

THE BRIDE COLLECTOR By Ted Dekker http://amzn.com/1599953722 Most of Dekker's books are lame ducks, but this one is an exception. Engaging and compelling. A good quick read.

Read anything by Ferrol Sams.

The Cormoran Strike series (by Robert Galbraith aka JK Rowling) is phenomenal.

Beneath a Scarlet Sky is very good, and the Monuments Men and Saving Italy are really good, too. All three are based on the true stories of people during WWII (and Monuments Men is far, FAR better than the movie).

If you like historical fiction, you can't do better than James Michener (my favorites are The Source, Texas, and Caribbean), Leon Uris (read The Trinity series... slog to get started, but worth it), and Edward Rutherford (just read them all).

Why?

Just for comparison, and I cant remember her name or the name of her book, but there was a woman, alive today I believe, who went to a psychiatrist because she was hearing a voice in her head telling her things. This voice was not telling her to do things like schizophrenia, but telling her teachings and stories. The psychiatrist told her to write down what she was hearing and she ended up writing a book and there are people who follow this book.

Why is a man who lived in the pre-scientific, highly delusional society where extra-ordinary claims were being spouted constantly by 'self proclaimed prophets' all the time, most people were illiterate and believed things that people in insane asylums today hold, and violence, intolerance and ignorance ran rampant, suddenly a man who you are convinced to be telling the truth? Also, after hearing this story about this woman, I bet you have already assumed that this woman was just suffering from a mental disorder, but you are convinced Muhammad is telling the truth and was not at all suffering any type of mental disorder.

If someone could name this woman and the book, it would be helpful. I dissmissed it quite a while ago and so its lost to me now.

edit: also, OP, explain to me why this book is not compelling to you to follow christianity. This kid is telling what he believes to be the truth, and he is from todays society. If you can convince yourself that this kid is simply delusional, but a man from 600ad middle east who tells what he believes to be the truth is convincing to you, then you have to give a reason why.

This is precisely the problem (well, 'A' problem, there are many more problems) with these types of churches. The focus is on the individual rather than God. In these types of churches the answer to the question, "Am I truly saved?" isn't "Yes, because God said so in the Bible", instead it's, "I don't know, I mean, everyone says I am supposed to feel this fire burning inside of me, and sometimes I feel it, but then other times I don't feel it, so I'm not really sure if I believe hard enough, and then sometimes I think that maybe if I don't feel it all the time, then I'm not really saved at all, etc. etc."

And then a side note: Look at the Biblical instances of speaking in tongues, it is NOT gibberish or 'angel-language'. The apostles spoke, and EVERYONE UNDERSTOOD them as if they were speaking their own language. Real 'speaking in tongues' would be you preaching in front of Chinese, Germans, Americans, and Africans, and every single one understands you as clear as if you were a native speaker of their own language. Not to mention the power to speak in tongues was specifically given to the apostles, and not a promise that all Christians would do it for all time.

Also, I haven't actually read this book myself, but I'm pretty sure it does a good job debunking a lot of these 'modern evangelical' church beliefs as contrary to actual Christianity. So, I mean, if you're actually still open to Christianity and you are just disillusioned with the clappy-hands, throwing-around-the-holy-spirit, and speaking-in-tongues stuff, you might be interested in it.

Gifted Hands was an awesome book.

Also Stiff was a great book about Cadavers.

> Every time my hope tries to depend or put its hope in people it always comes back quite injured.

Then don't. People fail. Look, I've been in your shoes, and I want to say it's really good that you can recognize your fault here. It absolutely is the love of Christ to love those who do not deserve it. After all, "while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son." To that extent, Christ's example gives us the power to love our enemies to infinite degrees.

That being said, I remember I used to judge people way more harshly than I did myself. I would curse my friends and family for not caring about my problems, but what I never realized what that I was so much more guilty of the same. It wasn't simply that I didn't love those around me; I just didn't care. It was a selfish time in my life. I don't know if this is true of your situation. I just want to offer a personal experience.

Psalms were a great source of comfort for me. Most of them are Psalms of Lament: David is distressed and cries out to the LORD for help. For me, it was comforting to see how David dealt with his spiritual struggles.

Also, a really helpful book for me was Spiritual Depression by Dr. David Martyn Lloyd-Jones.

I hope that helps. I will pray for you.

are you serious? We're seeing more Christian martyrs now than at any time in history, and the Catholics did a great job of killing Christians throughout the years.

There's a great book, Fox's Book of Martyrs, that documents the historical accounts of the early church's martyrs.

Then there's a book by DC Talk called Jesus Freaks documenting modern day martyrs for the name of Jesus.
http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Freaks-Martyrs-Stories-Ultimate/dp/0764212028/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418028503&sr=1-2&keywords=dc+talk+books

Educate yourself, it may be eyeopening; it may cause cognitive dissonance, it's hard to tell. lol seriously, good reads

This has great meditations

Father Peyton's Rosary Prayer Book: The Family That Prays Together Stays Together https://www.amazon.com/dp/0898709822/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_heMODbX1Y3957

You should get them the book, Looking for God in Harry Potter. It's fantastic.

Messy Spirituality by the late Mike Yaconelli played a similarly influential role in my life.

There is a woman who is both a Zen roshi AND a Catholic nun. Her book is amazing.


https://www.amazon.com/Zen-Contemplation-Christians-Elaine-MacInnes/dp/1580511333/ref=sr_1_1?crid=PATLY1RGYSQ7&keywords=elaine+macinnes&qid=1558247420&s=gateway&sprefix=elaine+macinne%2Caps%2C191&sr=8-1

As a follow-up, you'd probably like Cory & Bosse's book "Let Trump Be Trump." Lot's of behind-the-scene stuff from the campaign and what it's like working for The Boss.

https://www.amazon.com/Let-Trump-Be-Inside-Presidency/dp/1546083308/

Humility by Andrew Murray [amazon.com]

and

Jesus Freaks Martyrs [amazon.com]

are also fantastic

The leg work has been done for us!!!!

looking for god in harry potter

Now that we got evangelicals on board, we are golden!

Shameless plug: his book just came out detailing his experience. You can find it on Amazon [here] (http://www.amazon.com/Out-Depths-Unforgettable-Survival-Indianapolis/dp/0764212605). If you have any questions about his experience, I'm happy to answer what I can - I've heard him tell the story quite a few times.

It has good reviews.

Made an account to say that this sounds to me like The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker

I saw this book and another one like it, right next to it, at Wal-Mart the other day. The other one is called "The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven," and it's author's last name is Malarkey, which I found quite amusing... http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Came-Back-Heaven/dp/1414336063/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321538518&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Gifted-Hands-Ben-Carson-Story/dp/0310214696/ref=la_B001IGOK4M_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419302742&sr=1-1

read that and then tell me how much of a joke he is

Judges 6:36-40

Believers still "lay fleeces" before the Lord, and God still answer's their requests. Check out The Cross And The Switch Blade by David Wilkerson.

> Out of the Depths

This is available on Amazon and in Kindle format. I look forward to reading this.

http://www.amazon.com/Out-Depths-Unforgettable-Survival-Indianapolis/dp/0764212605

Just read an article that mentioned this one.

Beautiful moment from the previously mentioned article that brings a wee bit of hope in spite of all the tragedy referred to in this thread:

>last year, [survivor of USS Indianapolis] Harrell held on his lap the great-granddaughter of Mochitsura Hashimoto, the commander of the Japanese submarine I-58 that sank the USS Indianapolis. The baby smiled at him; Harrell had tears in his eyes.

The book was written in 1996, well before he had presidential aspirations.... but he had to have known he would be in the spotlight somehow.... I dunno man.

• In Sinu Jesu by A Benedictine Monk
  
• He and I by Gabrielle Bossis
  
• Consoling the Heart of Jesus by Fr. Michael Gaitley
  
• Be Healed by Dr. Bob Schuchts
  
• Be Transformed by Dr. Bob Schuchts
  
• Loved as I Am by Sr. Miriam James Heidland
  
• Unbound by Neal Lozano
  
  Currently reading Unwanted by Jay Stringer, who though not Catholic not only comes highly recommended by Catholics I trust (including Dr. Schuchts) but addresses in perhaps the most useful way I've seen so far the common struggles around sexual sin.
  
  [Edited multiple times to include links and generally get the Reddit markup just right]

Hey OP check this out.

http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Contemplation-Christians-Elaine-MacInnes/dp/1580511333

Non-mobile: You Will Get Through This

^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?

The Bride Collector by Ted Dekker

http://www.amazon.com/Bride-Collector-Ted-Dekker/dp/1599953722

Father Peyton's Prayer book.

I also know of one that is made by the one who is trying to advance Peyton's Sainthood, but I forgot the title. Similar in nature. You can use this for group rosary too.

Martyn Lloyd Jones - Spiritual Depression

Praying for you brother. Have you spoken to your pastor or leaders in your church? You might also need to get some professional help.

I also recommend you check out Spiritual Depression its causes and cures D Martin Lloyd-Jones

Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Its Cure https://www.amazon.com/dp/0802813879/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kh.hDb7K9M3A7

I have mostly nonfiction recommendations, but hope the following are of some use to you! I used these in my classroom in the past year with much success.

I can edit and add more fiction later when I get home, and look over my bookshelf as well.

World War II


"In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin" by Erik Larsen - highly recommend, especially if you are familiar with Larsen's previous book, The Devil in White City


"The Monuments Men" by Robert M. Edsel - highly recommended, especially if you are interested in the juxtaposition of art, war, and espionage.

"Unbroken" - by Laura Hillenbrand, highly recommended. Hillenbrand's command of the language and prose coupled with the true story of Louis makes this a compelling read. Even my most reluctant readers couldn't put this done.

Vietnam War

"The Things They Carried" and "If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up, and Ship Me Home" by Tim O'Brien are quintessential war canon. Must reads.

Iraq/Afghanistan/Modern Military Operations:
"The Yellow Birds" by Kevin Powers was called "the modern AQOTWF" by Tom Wolfe. Pretty poignant book. Absolute MUST READ.

The NRSVCE (which is exactly the same translation as the NRSV, just with the deuterocanonicals in their traditional places) is great, with one caveat. Due to feminist concerns, the translators of the NRSV strove to eliminate generic masculine pronouns wherever possible, "when this does not distort the meaning of the passage." In my opinion, to think you can ever just change the subject of a sentence from singular to plural without shifting the meaning or emphasis is delusional. For example, [Ps 1:1] is traditionally interpreted as referring not just to human beings in general, but also to Christ in particular. [Ps 1:1 NRSV] destroys this layer of meaning. [Jn 14:23] promises a personal relationship with God, but [Jn 14:23 NRSV] pushes the focus onto God's relationship with the whole community of believers. [Jas 5:13-15] is about a sick man, [Jas 5:13-15 NRSV] is about a sick ward. So while I consult the NRSV all the time, I second the recommendations of the NABRE as a main Bible.

For understanding the background of the Mass, Catholic Mass for Dummies. For a simple script to follow, the order of the Mass in Handbook of Prayers, or a full-blown missal if you also want the parts that are different every week.

The official, Church-printed edition of the Catechism is this one!