Recently Read Books

The Heavenly Man by Brother Yun and Paul Hattaway: This is a very compelling and amazing account of a modern day Christian in China. The story reads like the Bible's accounts of Paul and Peter in Acts. He witnessed and was a part of many miracles such as escaping from a very high security prison, immediate physical healings from disease and broken bones, amongst many others. He has been imprisioned and tortured for being a Christian on multiple occasions for many years. Brother Yun has been a big part of the resurgence in the house church movement in China. At one time, the church in China was weak and dying but has within recent years experienced strong growth.

Here are a couple notable quotes from the book. "We're not called to live by human reason. All that matters is obedience to God's Word and his leading in our lives. If God says go, we'll go. If he says stay, we'll stay. When we are in his will, we are in the safest place in the world." "If you truly want to see God move, the two main things you must do is learn the Word of God and have the obedience to do what God tells you to do."

It's a good read, very quick, and maintains the reader's attention. This is highly recommended reading for anyone interested in learning about a truly extradinary story of a man who is sold out for Christ. Brother Yun will challenge the reader to examine his or her faith and spur them on to seek hard after the things of God.

The Kite Runner by Khalid Hussain: A large portion of the book takes place mostly in Afghanistan during the early 1980s. It is about a kid growing up there who witnessed some troubling things and has regrets after fleeing the country. Elements of the Islamic religion are woven throughout the story as well. The overall tone is fairly dark and deep in nature. Kind of like reading an Edgar Allen Poe story on some levels.

A Painted House by John Grisham: This is a great story written about life on an Arkansas cotton farm back in the 1950s. The narator is a kid around the age of 7 or 8 so this offers a unique viewpoint. My dad grew up on a farm very similar to this and said that the story describes life on a cotton farm fairly accurately.

It was my first Grisham novel to actually read but in my understanding, is not quite like his traditional novels written in the thriller style but is still a compelling read and maintains one's attention well.

Made in America by Bill Bryson: recomended especially for the etymological nerd at heart. Bryson takes a look at word development specifically in America and how various countries/cultures influenced all types of words and how they came into being. Portions of history are interspersed as well which provide a nice respite from a purely etymological perspective on words. Bryson has a humorous writing style and makes learning the history of words somewhat fun. At times, one needs to wade through monotonous parts and using a skimming reading technique can be advised.