The Best of 2019

Here’s my best of 2019 list, just in time for 2020.

These are my personal favorite books, music, events, trips, Bible verses, and so forth.

Yours probably will be, and should be, different.

Favorite Books

You can read my reviews of all 150 books I read during 2019 on my Goodreads page.

The books range from novels written by friends (Sarah Sundin’s The Sky Above Us), insight into spiritual truth (Perfectly Human; What is a Girl Worth?), a local fire story (Brian Fies’ A Fire Story), and new books about a favorite subject (Elisabeth Elliot; military wives, and Genealogy).

I also found several series writers whom I enjoyed or anticipate following into the future. They include Will Thomas and Rosanna M. White.

In addition, several books informed me about important subjects I didn’t expect to care about (Dopesick; Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End; From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home).

Most memorable books

I’ve thought more about the book God is Red, and discussed it more often than I ever imagined.

Someone recommended Chinese journalist Liao Yiwu as a way to understand Christianity in China–which is important for my current research.

What I didn’t anticipate is how my interpretation of Yiwu’s interviews would reverberate in my imagination.

Yiwu is not a Christian, but he wanted to understand why people remained true to Christianity despite 80 years of persecution.

Based on what I read, it’s two things: “God will never leave us nor forsake us,” and “the peace that passes all understanding.”

Those are meaningful concepts to all who claim to be Christians.

Best of 2019 Movies

My favorite, hands down, was Yesterday.

The music is great, of course, who doesn’t like the Beatles?

The whole movie is silly, light-hearted, fun, and simply makes me happy.

But I also loved the story.

Irony is my favorite humor display and I also appreciated a story that pointed out fame is no substitute for love.

Isn’t that what the Beatles sing about?

Favorite vacation spot

After attending a work-related retreat, my husband and I spent several days on Folly Island, South Carolina.

What a wonderful visit to a fantastic beach. We also loved our one-day excursion to Morris Island. We had a splendid time.

All the more sweeter, we dined with our Connecticut pastor and his wife from many years ago. The stories flew, the spiritual wisdom informed, and we returned to our hotel full and content.

Favorite Research Event

A two-week visit to One Mission Society in Greenwood, Indiana.

I took an assistant and we spent two weeks scanning 7.8 GB of information.

On to the next biography!

I’ve also been the recipient of surprising Oswald and Biddy Chambers-related stories, several of which I’ll document in the coming year, mostly in my monthly newsletter.

They include:

The tale of one man’s quest to find Oswald’s birthplace.

A young man’s meeting Oswald on a train–an OC in the 1907 “wild” sighting!

Learning a Bible study used Mrs. Oswald Chambers as a textbook!

Best of 2019 Bible concepts

I began the year trapped in discouragement.

But I knew the verse, “in everything give thanks for such is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NKJV)

Realizing I didn’t want to ruin all my relationships with disappointment and bitterness, I resolved to mourn for a few weeks and then set it all aside.

I wanted to be grateful and thankful, not depressing.

Once I began to look for reasons to be thankful, the burdens lifted, and I genuinely felt much better.

It’s almost hard to remember last winter’s bleakness; joy fills my heart as we say goodbye to 2019.

Coming up in 2020?

I’m turning a research corner and have plenty to share.

I also anticipate being even more thankful for the books, movies, friends, Bible verses, trips, concepts and research to come.

Watch for it here!

Happy new year, 2020.