I’ve always loved books. However, until recently, I was not an avid reader. That all changed when I invested in an audiobook app called Everand. Some would argue that listening to books doesn’t qualify as reading. I would counter that throughout history, books have been valuable and scarce. Literacy rates were long lower than they are today in the West. And most of our predecessors received the written word as it was read to them. This is especially so with the Scriptures. Think of Paul’s exhortation to Timothy:
Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. (1 Timothy 4:13)
Enjoying Good Fiction
Until recently, I read mostly theology books. I thought I was too busy to read fiction. Until I began replacing my steady diet of podcasts with more audiobooks. (See this article, in which I discuss the advantages of books over podcasts.) As a result, I read over 30 novels in 2025. They ranged from The Lord of the Rings and the Anne of Green Gables series (which I reread in paper form) to Homer’s The Odyssey and Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games series. I’ve come to understand that reading good fiction teaches us empathy in ways that few other forms of literature can. My favourite was the classic Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. The protagonist’s courage and resolve in the face of grievous temptation inspire me to virtue and excellence.
Biographies
Alongside great fiction, I equally enjoyed biographies. Perhaps the most memorable in this category was Susie: The Life and Legacy of Susannah Spurgeon by Ray Rhodes Jr. Her far more famous husband, Charles Spurgeon, has been a familiar figure in my Christian life. But I knew little of his life companion. What I learned from her life story moved me greatly. She was a woman of remarkable intellectual depth and spiritual resilience. She spoke French fluently and served as her husband’s guide on their trips to France. Their marriage was marked by such affection and attachment that an entire book recounts their enduring love story.
Though afflicted with debilitating chronic illness, she aided Charles as his primary editor and confidante. The crowning achievement of her ministry, which endured even after her husband’s homegoing, was the “Mrs. Spurgeon’s Book Fund.” Driven by a passion for good books and gospel heralds, she raised the funds for and oversaw the distribution of over 200,000 volumes, mostly from her beloved’s pen. It’s safe to say that her book fund is one of the reasons Charles Spurgeon’s influence extended around the globe and to the present day. While her husband was a prolific author, she was the strategist who ensured that his writing became the foundational library for generations of ministers.
Reading Books by Friends
I’ve had the privilege of meeting several authors in the past few years. Reading their books felt like hearing the voice of a dear friend, even if our personal encounter was brief. I met Karen Stiller at an EFC event where I was invited to present. She had recently lost her husband to cancer, and we shared a warm connection. So, imagine my delight when I saw that her book Holiness Here was available on Everand. I have read plenty of books on holiness, and none of them was as enjoyable. Her generous use of stories kept me engaged and wanting to hear more. Her vivid imagery and poetic descriptions brought her stories to life. Plus, I loved how Canadian her book was. I’m so used to reading works by American authors that use typical American illustrations. But hearing Karen talk about poutine, Quebec City, and other aspects of life in Canada (and Ontario and Quebec specifically) made it an especially enjoyable read.
Another excellent read by a friend came in the form of a layperson’s commentary on Habakkuk by Taylor Turkington, Trembling Faith: How a Distressed Prophet Helps Us Trust God in a Chaotic World. I’ve heard it said that Habakkuk is one of the cleanest books in most of our Bibles. Because we haven’t studied it. Therefore, its pages aren’t wrinkled or marked. Taylor’s introduction to this minor prophet is both deep and accessible. She covers the exegetical questions with clarity, but she doesn’t leave us there. She peppers the pages of this book with vivid illustrations drawn from her own life. And she offers numerous ways in which to apply its realities to our lives. What a joy to teach Habakkuk alongside her at TGC’s recent women’s conference. And if you missed it and would like to hear her in person, she’ll be joining us in Montreal on March 20-21 for SOLA: Femmes Scriptura’s annual women’s conference.
My Top Read of 2025
Across all genres, by far my favourite read was Unoffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All the Difference by Brant Hansen. In fact, I loved it so much that within two weeks of completing it, I listened to it again! His main premise is that we, as believers, need to let go of our supposed right to be angry. He helped me understand that if I think my anger is righteous, I am likely self-deceived. True righteousness leads to action and sacrifice, whereas most “righteous anger” just leads to venting and bitterness.
Some theologians contend that we need to become angry if we’re going to overcome our apathy over sin in this broken world. Hansen counters that anger is not only unnecessary to this end but counterproductive. Anything we can accomplish with anger, we can do even better if we’re freed from it. Pride is the fuel of offence, and its antidote is humility. Love and compassion are far more sustainable fuel in the face of injustice.
I have a confession to make: I am a recovering righteous indignation warrior. And amid the polarization that characterizes our current era, I find it easy to get angry when I read the headlines and see so much injustice in the world. Hansen has helped me to see that anger accomplishes nothing. Rather, it is an exhausting fuel that burns out. I can work to end any number of injustices without employing perpetual outrage. Compassion brings clarity that isn’t dependent on a surge of adrenaline.
Unoffendable was my personal call to a quiet, peaceful, and joyful life that stands in stark contrast to the outrage culture of social media and modern politics. When I give up my right to anger, I discover the power to love people as they are.
Conclusion
If you spent far more time scrolling in 2025 than you care to admit, can I invite you to consider replacing some of that time on social media with quality books? Whether they are audiobooks, ebooks, or paperbooks, these will fill your soul with far more wisdom and peace of mind than Facebook or Instagram ever will. If you join me in 2026, I’d love to hear from you.
