1. The God of the Garden: Thoughts on Creation, Culture, and the Kingdom by Andrew Peterson
In this book, Andrew Peterson takes us on an emotional journey, as well as one that spans a variety of places, including Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, England, Sweden, and the Holy Land. Through the process, we come away with greater insights into faith and depression, as well as what it means to cultivate places with a Kingdom mindset.
Without knowing it at the time, Peterson was helping me to remove assumptions I had about living in and caring for the world. For some reason, I had adopted the idea that God was more interested in spiritual matters than in how I cared for a patch of land or stewarded a home. But this book helped me begin to see that there is no separation.
What stood out to me the most, though, was Peterson’s vulnerability. He shared his heart through stories about his childhood and his experience with depression. As a reader, I felt this openness and rawness. Lots of us are prone to putting up façades, especially within the church, pretending that we are okay when we are not. We cannot do that with God, though, for He sees us and loves us even as we sit in darkness. He is working when we do not see it, like a planted seed that is waiting for spring.
Bonus:
In addition to being a singer and songwriter, Andrew Peterson has written an engaging fantasy series called The Wingfeather Saga, which is loved by children and adults. His other memoir-style book, Adorning the Dark, is about community and creativity.
2. This Beautiful Truth: How God’s Goodness Breaks into Our Darkness by Sarah Clarkson
I have read many books about the problem of evil and suffering that present pat answers and strict theological systems to explain the hurt we experience. Many of these books, despite their orthodoxy, lack life and compassion. This is why Sarah Clarkson’s book was refreshing to me because she approaches theodicy from the perspective of the story – her story and the Great Story of redemption.
She described her struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with honesty, not being afraid to show how the illness led her to wrestle with God. It was not through having all the answers to her questions that she saw the goodness and love of God. Rather, it was by encountering Him through the beauty that was visible around her.
I gleaned numerous insights about beauty, hospitality, creativity, and the wonder of the church calendar from this book. However, the greatest gift Sarah’s words gave me was the reminder to notice. To notice birdsong, a tree swaying, or the blessing of a book. All of these are ordinary parts of our lives that we too often overlook, but they can serve as windows of God’s love. And we need those reminders when life becomes dark, whether because of a physical or mental illness, the death of a loved one, or turmoil in the world. We need those little gifts that point to the truth that Jesus came to heal us and the world of its brokenness. One day soon, He will return to make all things new.
Photo Credit: Unsplash/AlexandraFuller
