Beauty for Your Long Summer Days
Reading recommendations, family reunions, and the joy of mini ice cream cones
I don’t know about you, but our routines have been all over the place with summer breaks and trips and activities. It’s been lovely, but it’s left me a little short on time. So, here’s some beauty for your holiday week, including some reading recommendations.1
Dominion by Tom Holland
This is one of the more ambitious books I’ve read this year and I’ve taken it slow. It’s not a church history, but rather a history of Christianity. The author is not himself a Christian so is more focused on the impact of Christianity on the development of Western Civilization. It is masterfully written in terms of narrative and style and one of the final chapters was one of the single best pieces of nonfiction writing I have read in a long time.
The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
This historical fiction book tells the stories of two women coming of age on the South Korean Island of Jeju in the middle of the 20th century. This bit of history and geography were both new to me and were totally engrossing.
Platforms to Pillars by Mark Sayers
Earlier this year Mark Sayers released his book Platforms to Pillars. The book offers a unique perspective on our “platform society” and how Christians should live within it that is relevant even for those who don’t engage in social media. But even more enjoyable than reading the book was getting to talk to Mark as part of my job with Moody Publishers. You can watch the interview below (and subscribe to
for more author conversations coming soon!).
Ashley Hales on Beauty
In a brief review of two books for Christianity Today
writes:“Beauty, as lived out, is evangelistic. It adorns truth and goodness as their attractive pull. As beauty leads the way, as it becomes the texture of a community, a person may begin to desire the Christian story before he or she acknowledges its truth claims. Beauty pulls.”
Beauty in the Christian life isn’t considered very often as a practical virtue, but here at Beautiful Discipleship we believe it is. I was pleased to learn about others participating in the conversation.
Family Reunions
Last weekend I took our big M to attend a family reunion with my dad. My great-grandfather, an immigrant from what was formerly part of Syria (now Lebanon) was the patriarch of our family 100 years ago. His hard work and generosity made it possible for hundreds of people from subsequent generations to live better lives. About 100 family members from multiple countries made it to the celebration, including his own great-great-grandchildren and the great-great-grandchildren of some of his siblings, which meant that my 4-year-old got to meet some of his third and fourth cousins!
Preschoolers with Mini Ice Cream Cones
One of the ways we’ve been getting through these three-digit months in the desert is by enjoying cold, sweet treats when we get home from running sweaty errands or doing school pick-up. Preschoolers with chocolate all over their faces from mini ice cream cones makes these long summer days just a little more joyful.
Where have you been finding beauty in your summer? Let me know in the comments!
In pursuit of Beauty,
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