It’s been my tradition to spend the last episode of the year looking back on my favorite reads from the past twelve months. This time of year, just about everyone is putting out their top list of books and awards. What I want to offer you are the 10 books that have impacted my thinking most this year. They aren’t necessarily the best books I have read or even the most important, but they are the books that have been shaping my own life and thinking this past year.What I’d love to hear is what you’ve been reading. It’s actually really helpful to go back through your Amazon orders or Audible library and think about what you read this past year. What books are you still thinking about? Which books left an impact? What are you planning on reading in 2023? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andrew Arndt is the lead pastor of New Life East, one of seven congregations of New Life Church in Colorado Springs. Prior to joining New Life's team, he served as the lead pastor of Bloom Church, a network of house churches in Denver.He is the host of the Essential Church podcast, a weekly conversation designed to strengthen the thinking of church and ministry leaders. Andrew received his MDiv from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and is currently working on his DMin with Western Theological Seminary.He joins me today to talk about his new book, Streams in the Wasteland: Finding Spiritual Renewal with the Desert Fathers & Mothers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jonathan Hardy has a passion for helping local churches reach their communities. He has served in various pastoral roles and now helps lead two online platforms, training and equipping pastors and local churches: Leaders.church and Church University.Jonathan recently released his first book, Arrow Striker: Live with Purpose and Leave an Eternal Impact… Every single Day. He joins me to talk about the book and how as believers, we can recognize and make the most out of every God-given opportunity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aaron Damiani serves as the lead pastor of Immanuel Anglican Church in Chicago and is the author of Earth Filled with Heaven: Finding Life in Liturgy, Sacraments and other Ancient Practices of the Church. Aaron writes and regularly speaks about spiritual formation, leadership, and recovering the gifts of the ancient church for today’s challenges. Aaron and his wife Laura live with their four kids in Chicago’s Irving Park neighborhood. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jim Cymbala has been a pastor for more than fifty years at the Brooklyn Tabernacle.He has a strong burden for the local church and has been blessed with the opportunity to encourage thousands of pastors around the globe. He is the bestselling author of Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire and several other titles.His next book, Fan the Flame, will release in September 2022. He joins me to talk about the book and how pastors can keep their call alive during times of discouragement and burnout.Jim lives in New York City with his wife, Carol Cymbala, who directs the Grammy Award-winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chris Nye is a doctoral student at Duke University’s Divinity School and the author of Distant God and Less of More. For fifteen years, he has served as a local church pastor. His writing has appeared in the Washington Post, Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, and various other publications.He recently released a new book, A Captive Mind, Christianity, Ideologies, and Staying Sane in a World Gone Mad. Chris joins me to talk about his new book and how ideologies can impact our faith and the church.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jonathan Dodson is the founding pastor of City Life Church in Austin, TX which he started with his wife, and a small group of people.He is also the founder of Gospel-Centered Discipleship.com, which produces resources to help make, mature, and multiply disciples of Jesus.He is the author of a number of books, including Here in Spirit, The Unbelievable Gospel and Gospel-Centered Discipleship.He joins me to talk about his most recent project, a new book: The Unwavering Pastor: Leading the Church with Grace in Divisive Times. The book discusses Biblical wisdom to help ministry leaders cope with church division and leadership stress Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scott Sauls is senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville. Before serving in Nashville, he served with Tim Keller at New York City's Redeemer Presbyterian Church as a lead and preaching pastor. In addition to his books, Scott's work has been featured in Christianity Today, Relevant Magazine, The Gospel Coalition, as well as other publications.Scott Joins me to talk about his new book that was just released, Beautiful People Don’t Just Happen: How God Redeems Regret, Hurt, and Fear in the Making of Better Humans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trevin Wax is vice president of research and resource development at the North American Mission Board and a visiting professor at Wheaton College. A former missionary to Romania, Trevin is a regular columnist at The Gospel Coalition and has contributed to The Washington Post, Religion News Service, World, and Christianity Today, which named him one of 33 millennials shaping the next generation of evangelicals.He is the author of multiple books, including The Multi-Directional Leader, Rethink Your Self, This Is Our Time, Eschatological Discipleship, and Gospel Centered Teaching.He joins me to talk about a couple of books including a new devotional he organized through the Psalms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I believe it is a truth that a mother is made over a matter of months, but you always become a father in a single moment. I remember that moment well. The birth of our first child was full of complications. Hours of labor were induced by a rising blood pressure, alternating cycles of magnesium and then Pitocin, and platelet levels too low for an epidural.After being diagnosed with preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome, the first dose of magnesium gave my wife enough time to sleep before the induced contractions began. I alternatively spent my midnight hours googling preeclampsia in the dark delivery room corner. That was a bad idea...Read the rest of the article at: The 5 Masculine Instincts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices