I always love reading other people’s favorite books and music lists at the end of the year. Because I enjoy reading other people’s lists so much, I decided to put together my own! I guess you could say it’s becoming a bit of a tradition since I also wrote a list last year.
Here are some of my favourite books, songs, and podcasts from 2020.
Favourite Books
I read so many amazing books this year that it’s really hard to pick only a few! Here are my top five. I’ve listed them in the order I read them, not in order of favourite since that would be impossible.
What is a Girl Worth by Rachael Denhollander
What is a Girl Worth is Rachel’s own story, exposing the truth about Larry Nassar, former USA Gymnastics team doctor who sexually abused hundreds of young athletes, and the USA Gymnastics. Rachel understanding and application of the gospel is incredible. I found it so encouraging and helpful to read how she powerfully applies the gospel to women who have suffered horrible things at the hands of evil men. It was also incredibly eye-opening and convicting to read the first-hand experience of a Christian who experienced the world and even the church largely turn a deaf ear and blind eye to the pain and trauma she walked through.
The book does contain some graphic detail, but only when necessary. Rachel only shares details that are important to communicate the story and purpose of her book and she does so in a redemptive way. Because of this, I would recommend this book for ages 16+.
Adorning the Dark by Andrew Peterson
Every writer and musician – actually anyone who considers themselves an artist – should read this book.
Andrew Peterson’s writing style is engaging, inviting, interesting, and beautiful. He makes being an artist of any kind, sound like the most amazing calling on earth. This book will ignite a fresh passion to make art that magnifies the gospel of Jesus Christ and delights the hearts, eyes, and ears of people.
If you’ve ever doubted the importance of art in the eyes of God or in the declaring of the gospel, Adorning the Dark will forever rid you of that doubt.
Plus the cover glows in the dark. How cool is that?
A Path Through Suffering by Elisabeth Elliot
As I read A Path Through Suffering, I couldn’t stop thinking that every chapter was a sweet meditation on the cross. This book strengthened and encouraged my soul to view both the small, daily sufferings and the large, incredibly painful sufferings we face as a means to know Jesus more intimately.
Devotedly by Valerie Elliot Shepard
Devotedly is a collection of the personal letters of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot, put together by their only daughter, Valerie.
As I read this inside peek into Jim and Elisabeth’s famous love story, I was struck by how willing they each were to lay their entire lives and selves on the altar and to do and be only what the Lord Jesus would have them do and be. They did not want to take even one step apart from the will of God, even though that meant long years of separation before they were married.
Peace Child by Don Richardson
I’m cheating with this one and also recommending two of Richardson’s other books, Lords of the Earth and Eternity in Their Hearts. Richardson’s books, especially Peace Child and Lords of the Earth, were probably my top favorite reads this year.
Peace Child is the book I would suggest reading first of the three. It’s Don Richardson’s own biography, where he shares his experience of taking his young family to live in the jungle among a tribe of headhunters and cannibals whose religion was incredibly satanic and try to share the gospel with them.
Richardson has an incredibly engaging writing style. So, even though this is technically a missionary biography, it is not one of those stiff, hard to read ones.
What I found most incredible about the story was how the gospel finally broke through into these people’s hearts. As Don Richardson says, eternity is written on every person’s heart. And in every people group, there are traditions or legends that powerfully illustrate the gospel and unlock the realities of the Bible to even the most hardened, demon-possessed, headhunters.
Music
Here are five of my favorite songs of the year. Since three of them are from the same album I guess you could say that was my favorite album of the year! XD
Goodness of God
Such an Awesome God
His Mercy is More
Come Adore the Humble King
This one could also be considered a Christmas song in case you’re still listening to Christmas music 😉
Christ the Sure and Steady Anchor
Favourite Podcasts
Daily Thunder
Daily Thunder is produced by Ellerslie and taught by Eric Ludy and Nathan Johnson. All year, Eric has been going through a series on World War 2 that is currently 93 episodes long. I have definitely not listened to all 93 episodes. But I have really enjoyed this series even though I’m not a huge war history fan. The parallels Eric uncovers between the war and what we are living through right now are pretty incredible. Also, his exhortations on how a Christian is to think and respond to what we are living through has been super encouraging.
The Pro-Life Guys
I started learning more about pro-life apologetics this summer. And this podcast has been incredibly helpful in explaining the pro-life position and apologetics, why pro-lifers think the way they do, and how to talk about abortion and the value of human life in a way that changes minds and saves lives.
(plus for my fellow Canadians, The Pro-Life Guys is hosted by two guys who work for CCBR which is a Canada based, pro-life organization)