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Enjoying God

May 13, 2026 by Esther Filbrun · Leave a Comment

13 May

Title: Enjoying God
Author: Tim Chester
Major Themes: Christian Living, Spiritual Growth, Inspirational
Synopsis: A heartfelt, inspirational, gospel-focused guide to help us grow closer to God and enjoy having a relationship with him.

A friend handed me a stack of Christian living/spiritual growth type books recently, and since this is a genre I haven’t spent a lot of time reading, but want to read more of, I decided to see how many I could get through. Enjoying God was the first one I picked up, and I’m so glad I did—this book met me where I was, and was exactly the kind of book I needed at the time. I spent a couple of weeks reading it, approximately one chapter a day, and came away deeply thankful for having had the chance to read it and soak my heart in its truths.

Publisher’s description:

What is the key to actually enjoying God? Christians talk a lot about having a relationship with God—but what exactly does it mean to have a relationship with someone we cannot see? We talk a lot about having joy—but for many, the Christian life can feel like a dutiful slog. We talk a lot about knowing God—but it’s easier to know more about God rather than to know God more.

If these things ever bother you, then this book is for you. Discover not only what it means to have a relationship with the living God—Father, Son and Spirit—but also how it can be infused with genuine joy.

My thoughts:

Tim Chester’s approach is both intensely practical and deeply theological, without becoming stuffy, impossible to understand theology. Before coming to this book, I never spent much time considering that we are meant to enjoy the Lord. I knew and did my best to work at my relationship with the Lord, but to actually enjoy being in his presence and appreciate him for who he is and what he’s done? Aside from a few scattered experiences, that line of thinking felt almost foreign to me.

The book opens with a discussion of how we view God. Who, of the three persons of the Godhead, do we relate to the most? Who are we a little scared of—or, conversely, who do we feel closest to? I found that fascinating to think about, and realized through the first few chapters that I didn’t necessarily have a healthy view of God—seeing him more as a removed and sometimes grieved taskmaster rather than a loving, caring Father.

Every chapter in this book deals with a slightly different aspect of relating to (worshiping) God, and ends with practical “putting it into practice” sections. There are also often 3-5 reflection questions at the end of each chapter, to give you more time to ponder the truths discussed and help you apply them to your own life. I found those super helpful in boiling the chapter down into one or two helpful thoughts to carry with me and mull over in my days.

I’ve come away from Enjoying God with an even stronger understanding of who the Lord is and what he’s done for me, and more joy and security in my relationship with him. This book is very much gospel-based, and I think that has a lot to do with it. I highly recommend you take the time to read this and share it with every Christian in your life, because we all need encouragement and a chance to refocus on the Lord from time to time. Life is hectic, but he’s with us—and that’s all that really matters. I intend to buy my own copy of this book when I have the chance, and reread it in the future—it’s a keeper!

WARNING: Chapter 14: “[…] both humans and dogs are mammals[.]”

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Audible Audiobook (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

Lore

May 11, 2026 by Esther Filbrun · Leave a Comment

11 May

Title: Lore
Author: Chuck Black
Series: The Starlore Legacy, book 3
Major Themes: Science Fiction, Allegories, Space Opera
Synopsis: With frequent raids decimating their faltering civilization, the Rayleans are in despair—will Ell Yon intervene and give them their promised homeland, or are they doomed to be slaves, or worse, perish altogether?

I read books one and two of The Starlore Legacy series last year, and thoroughly enjoyed them. Through them, I discovered that I love the space opera genre, so as soon as I finished those, I knew I wanted to continue the series. It took longer than I expected, though, to finally pick up book three, Lore—and I have no intentions of waiting another year before I get into book four! This was quite the journey!

Publisher’s description:

The Raylean people teeter on the edge of annihilation. Can Daeson lead the quest for their promised homeworld?

Daeson finds himself a prisoner in a tribal world where the law of survival rules. Gone is the hope of the promised homeworld given by the mighty Immortal, Ell Yon. Daeson must fight to restore a future to the Raylean people, but to succeed he must overcome the marauders of cruel worlds, the tragedy of quantum peril, and the arch-enemy of the Sovereign Ell Yon, Lord Dracus. The odds are mounting against him. The relentless loyalty of his friend, Tig, sustains him as he rediscovers the power of the Protector. Can he lead the Rayleans to freedom once more?

My thoughts:

This series isn’t necessarily advertised as allegorical, but if you know anything of Chuck Black’s other works, you’ll have an idea of what kind of books he writes. Where the Kingdom series told the story of the Bible in a medieval fantasy setting, The Starlore Legacy is now telling the story in a futuristic sci-fi world. I find it fascinating to compare the two series, and I must admit that as I read this book, I was thrilled to recognize several key events from the biblical account. That was a lot of fun!

The story itself is gripping, too. In Flight, the last book in the series, something happened to one of the main character’s best friends, and that particular thread was left hanging at the end of the book. I was glad to see that thread addressed in this story, and I was also quite intrigued by the way Black brought about some necessary time-jumping for the storyline through that experience.

I ended up staying up way later than I intended one night to finish Lore. Once I got into the story, it just wouldn’t let go, and even though I knew from the Bible what would happen, I was curious to see just how it would all happen. Plus, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to be with the different characters again—Rivet is always a favorite, but I also came to enjoy Tig as well (and hope that one day, he might get a romance of his own!). I can’t wait to pick up book four, Oath, because I expect it will be another epic journey!

WARNING: Chapter 7: Woman is hurt and dies. Chapter 8: People’s lives threatened. Chapter 9: A fight, with multiple people hurt. Chapter 10: A fight with multiple people killed. Chapter 14: Man killed, someone else punched unconscious. Chapter 15: Man hurt, lying, animal killed. Chapter 17: I swear. Chapter 18: A battle, men killed.

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Ages 12 – 15, 15 and Above

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover | Audible Audiobook (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

Side by Side

May 8, 2026 by Esther Filbrun · Leave a Comment

8 May

Title: Side by Side: Walking with Others in Wisdom and Love
Author: Edward T. Welch
Major Themes: Friendship, Counseling
Synopsis: A practical guidebook for how to develop deeper friendships with people and support each other in the struggles we all face.

Several months ago, I appreciated reading A Small Book About Why We Hide, a devotional by Edward Welch. The same friend who loaned that book to me also loaned me Side by Side. I struggle with building relationships with others, so she thought it might be helpful—and it turned out to be a useful book to read!

Publisher’s description:

Practical Guidance for Loving Others Well

Everyone needs help from time to time, especially in the midst of painful circumstances and difficult trials. In this short book, a highly respected biblical counselor and successful author offers practical guidance for all Christians―pastors and laypeople alike―who want to develop their “helping skills” when it comes to walking alongside hurting people.

Written out of the conviction that friends are the best helpers, this accessible introduction to biblical counseling will equip believers to share their burdens with one another through gentle words of wisdom and kind acts of love. This book is written for those eager to see God use ordinary relationships and conversations between ordinary Christians to work extraordinary miracles in the lives of his people.

My thoughts:

This book is split into 17 chapters, each one dealing with an aspect of life or a topic related to building our relationship with the Lord and others. The first section of the book deals with our own neediness and the things that create blocks between us and the Lord and others. It also gives tips for how to ask others for help in ways that are beneficial to us and others. The second part of the book is focused on how we can help others—first by building relationships with them, then going deeper as fellow-heirs with Christ to build them up and pray for them in the struggles they face.

I found the second section especially convicting, because I don’t do well at reaching out to others. There are many, many tips here for how to start and maintain conversations, which I’m finding useful to consider and try to implement in my daily interactions with different people. There’s also some very useful perspectives on ways to support those suffering, and some good examples of what not to do when we’re trying to help.

This book is also highly gospel-centric, applying the gospel not only to our lives but also to our friends’ lives and situations. I really appreciated that aspect of the book!

I’ve come away from Side by Side challenged and encouraged to try to reach out to others more, and hopefully with a few tools to be a better friend when I do so. I feel like I’ve only skimmed the surface of everything I could learn from this book, but I’m grateful to have had the chance to read it once, and hopefully, eventually, I’ll have the chance to reread it and try to understand another level of the tips and truths Welch shares here. Highly recommended!

No warnings!

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Audible Audiobook (unabridged) | Audio CD (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

When Crickets Cry

May 6, 2026 by Esther Filbrun · Leave a Comment

6 May

Title: When Crickets Cry
Author: Charles Martin
Major Themes: Surgeons, Forgiveness, Redemptive, Southern
Synopsis: With a past to hide and a present persona to cling to, Reese is unprepared when he meets a young lemonade seller with a backstory of her own that threatens to rip open his old wounds when the unthinkable happens.

When scrolling through a list of potential books to request ARCs of, I came across When Crickets Cry, a recent reprint (or at least, brought back, hoping to find a new audience). It looked intriguing to me, but I didn’t really have time to read this at the time, so I put the audiobook on my someday/maybe list. I ended up needing an audiobook soon after, so I decided to try this one out—I’m so glad I did! This ended up becoming one of my top favorite fiction reads of the year!

Publisher’s description:

From the bestselling author of The Mountain Between Us comes the moving story of a man with a painful past, a little girl with a doubtful future, and a shared journey toward healing for both of their hearts.

It begins on the shaded town square in a sleepy Southern town. A spirited seven-year-old has a brisk business at her lemonade stand. But the little girl’s pretty yellow dress can’t quite hide the ugly scar on her chest.

Her latest customer, a bearded stranger, drains his cup and heads to his car, his mind on a boat he’s restoring at a nearby lake. The stranger understands more about the scar than he wants to admit. And the beat-up bread truck careening around the corner with its radio blaring is about to change the trajectory of both their lives.

Before it’s over, they’ll both know there are painful reasons why crickets cry…and that miracles lurk around unexpected corners.

My thoughts:

I’m somewhat surprised that I haven’t read any Charles Martin books before now. I know I’ve seen his name around at times, but somehow, I never managed to read any. At this point, though, I fully intend to try out more of his titles—if they’re anything like this book, I’m sure I’ll enjoy it!

This book is written in a very slow-burn style. It seemed to take forever for anything to happen, but at the same time, that felt quite realistic to me. I found myself enjoying and even leaning into the pacing of the story, and before too long, I forgot altogether that I thought it was a bit slow.

It didn’t take long to connect with Reese. I absolutely loved watching as different layers of his story were slowly exposed, and I enjoyed trying to guess how he was connected to different characters or knew the things he knew as the story moved along. There’s a lot of backstory to this character, and I loved how that was slowly revealed, one tiny piece at a time.

Then there are the other characters! The little girl is just the sweetest thing, and I loved her aunt; then there’s a fun, determined sidekick who knows how to say just the right thing at the right time and makes a good work partner. There’s a young man who has lost his bearings, and some of the advice he is given is spot-on and beautiful (and jet-skis and pig roasts? Definite favorites of mine now!). This is a very community-oriented story, and I enjoyed watching that aspect develop as the main character grew and healed.

If you enjoy medical mysteries or books with lots of internal conflict, it’s safe to say that you’ll love When Crickets Cry. I’m trying to convince Mom to read it, and I’m sure she will sometime; some of my brothers also read and enjoyed it, although I don’t think they found it quite as gripping as I did. I may have stayed up late one night, acting like a 7-year-old who doesn’t want to go to bed, just so I could listen to the last 20 minutes. Maybe. Anyway, I loved this story, and am definitely eager to try out another Charles Martin book in the near future—I think it’ll be good!

WARNING: Chapter 1: Sweet Jesus, girl hit by truck, for God’s sake. Chapter 3: Dang, for the love of Betsey. Chapter 13: Story of a girl hitting puberty and starting to bleed. Chapter 18: Dang (three times), dadgum. Chapter 21: Healthy discussion about looking at porn, mention of vaginal canal, mention of sex, crap. Chapter 34: Woman dies (somewhat graphic). Chapter 39: Dang. Chapter 41: Son of a gun, gee, that old devil. Chapter 43: Dang. Chapter 44: Unmarried kiss remembered. Chapter 46: Make love to his wife. Around chapter 49 (not certain exactly where): Man admits to being on drugs. Chapter 52: Medical procedure (somewhat graphic), someone almost dies. Chapter 53: Blood, someone dies.

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover | Audible Audiobook (unabridged) | Audio CD (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage

May 4, 2026 by Esther Filbrun · Leave a Comment

4 May

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage cover

Title: Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage
Author: Alfred Lansing
Major Themes: Shackleton, Survival, South Pole, Exploration
Synopsis: A gripping retelling of Shackleton and his crew’s extraordinary journey after their ship was crushed in Antarctic ice.

Over this past year, I’ve discovered, somewhat to my chagrin, that I love survival stories. I found Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage a while ago, and recently, when I needed an audiobook to listen to, I decided now was the time to try it out. I’m so glad I did! Before starting this book, I had no idea what Shackleton and his crew went through, aside from the vague knowledge that their ship got stuck in the ice and they had to abandon it. This book brings their journey into startling focus, and I doubt I’ll ever forget this piece of history now!

Publisher’s description:

Experience “one of the best adventure books ever written” (Wall Street Journal) in this New York Times bestseller: the harrowing tale of British explorer Ernest Shackleton’s 1914 attempt to reach the South Pole.

In August 1914, polar explorer Ernest Shackleton boarded the Endurance and set sail for Antarctica, where he planned to cross the last uncharted continent on foot. In January 1915, after battling its way through a thousand miles of pack ice and only a day’s sail short of its destination, the Endurance became locked in an island of ice. Thus began the legendary ordeal of Shackleton and his crew of twenty-seven men. When their ship was finally crushed between two ice floes, they attempted a near-impossible journey over 850 miles of the South Atlantic’s heaviest seas to the closest outpost of civilization.

In Endurance, the definitive account of Ernest Shackleton’s fateful trip, Alfred Lansing brilliantly narrates the harrowing and miraculous voyage that has defined heroism for the modern age.

My thoughts:

One thing I love about survival stories is the way they show the human spirit’s desire to live. I’m always interested to see how far people will go in an effort to preserve their lives, and that came to the forefront in this book, as well. These men were thrust into a harsh environment with very little warning, and their fight for survival against the odds and the worst elements is something to witness.

It’s incredible to consider how many times these men should have died—and didn’t. The ice floes they were on were unforgiving, and it was almost nail-bitingly painful to hear about their time when none of the ice was strong enough to survive on—yet they couldn’t necessarily stay in boats, either, because they ran the risk of being crushed between different floes. Then they had to contend with little to no food, very little drinking water, no sleep…the list goes on and on. That they made it out at all was a miracle.

Alfred Lansing does an impressive job of pulling together historical documents, including records and journals, to tell this story. Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage reads almost like a novel, and I found it to be a gripping, unputdownable story. Several of my brothers listened to it around the same time I did, and also found it fascinating. I love being able to learn history when it’s presented in an interesting way like this! Highly recommended, if you’re interested in Antarctic exploration, or enjoy learning more history in general.

WARNING: There are occasional mentions of men cursing (no specific words used). Part 1—Around chapter 5: Mention of a man who lost one of his testicles in an accident. Chapter 6: Damn. Chapter 7: Damned, I’m damned. Part 2—Chapter 4: “The subject of sex never came up” (in discussing what the men talked about in their downtime). Part 3—Chapter 2: Dogs killed, damn. Chapter 4: Bloody. Chapter 5: Dogs killed. Chapter 6: Damnable. Part 4—Chapter 4: For God’s sake. Part 5—Chapter 4: Damn. Chapter 5: God damn, description of an amputation. Part 6—Chapter 4: For God’s sake. Chapter 5: By God. Chapter 6: Damnable. Part 7—Chapter 3: Who the hell are you?

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover | Audible Audiobook (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com