https://amzn.to/2Ffm1c4 The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield is a recent book that I highly recommend. There was so much encouragement, but also challenges of how do we live out the gospel and the huge role of hospitality. Her stories of their own experiences were helpful. It was nice to see inside how their family was working this whole thing out. I think it is a great book to read but be careful not to read it as prescriptive. I also enjoyed listening on audible to her read her story, Secrets of an Unlikely Convert.
“Our post-Christian neighbors need to hear and see and taste and feel authentic Christianity, hospitality spreading from every Christian home that includes neighbors in prayer, food, friendship, childcare, dog walking, and all the daily matters upon which friendships are built.”
https://amzn.to/2z0rLAS Keeping House: The Litany of Everyday Life by Margaret Kim Peterson is good no matter what season of life one is in. The encouragement to develop a healthy theology of caring for your home is a rare topic to be handled so well for a variety of people. Whether working outside of the home, home with kids, caring for sick parents or spouse, there is much wisdom and encouragement to be found.
“A household has to be tended if it is to flourish and grow. Housework is never ‘done’ in the same sense that gardening is never done or that God’s providential involvement in the world is never done. Housework and gardening and God’s providence itself are exercises not in futility but in faithfulness – faithfulness to the work itself, to the people whose needs that work serves, and to the God whose own faithfulness invites our faithful response.”
https://amzn.to/2T1LrfX Roots and Sky: A Journey Home in Four Seasons by Christie Purifoy. I love this woman’s writing. It is peaceful and thoughtful. I am so excited she is coming out with her new one in March. I had followed her blog for quite awhile and enjoyed her thoughtfulness on home and kids and life. Her book is much the same and worth it. Her blog can be found here: http://www.christiepurifoy.com/blog-page/ There are also links for a podcast which I have not taken time to listen to yet.
“Homecoming is a single word, and we use it to describe a single event. But true homecoming requires more time. It seems to be a process rather than a moment. Perhaps we come home the way the earth comes home to the sun. It could be that homecoming is always a return and our understanding of home deepens with each encounter.”
“God does not erase our losses, those empty places in our lives, but he does something almost more miraculous. He fills the loss with a sign of his presence.”
https://amzn.to/2PPM7q6 The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. This book continues to amaze me at how timely it is. This is a clever interaction between a senior demon and his nephew warning him about the “enemy” God and how to trick humans and use their own tendencies even for good against them to get them away from the “enemy.” I did attempt to use this for a ladies’ book discussion but their was mutiny even amongst the most dedicated readers, so I understand this is not everyone’s cup of tea, but it is worth it. If you enjoy audio the Focus on the Family Theater has a great Radio Drama of this but it is very eerie. https://amzn.to/2yZhq87
Inkblot Life 