prayerful mountain books

Amid a busy and ‘noisy’ life, my mountain of choice would be Mount Horeb, the place where Moses saw the Angel of the Lord in the burning bush and Elijah heard God in a ‘still small voice’. Whilst we can now meet with and hear God anywhere, I would enjoy re-considering the significance of God’s revelation to these men all those years ago, perhaps without the 40-day 40-night marathon Elijah ran beforehand!

luxury

I’m not sure a Kindle is allowed, but it would allow me access to my favourite pastime, reading more books! But a close second would be my extra-tall folding chair, which would enable my 6’6” frame to read and sleep in comfort! Here are my books:

Desiring God

John Piper

Crown Publishing

Stuck on the runway at Dublin airport for four hours (yes – Ryanair!) I pulled this tome out of my bag. And it changed my life. The concept of enjoying God and, in so doing, glorifying him was alien to me and has subsequently helped shape my Christian life.

Hearing God

Dallas Willard

Inter Varsity Press

I first read this on the beach in Portugal, celebrating our fifteenth wedding anniversary. Perhaps not the most romantic book choice! Yet the gift of Willard’s approach has helped me develop my walk with God as a ‘friend’ and helped me to hear his voice.

Being Mortal

Atul Gawande

Profile Books

A beautiful, moving, and inspiring read. Whilst written by a non-Christian, it expresses something of God’s heart and the dignity he gives to each one of us for the whole of our lives.

Walking with the Poor

Bryant Myers

Orbis Books

My time at Bible college was split into two parts – the part before reading this book and the part afterwards. This is another book that changed my paradigm of how Jesus embraced the poor and how we can, too, recognising the ‘fingerprints of God’ in our daily lives as we join him in what he is already doing.

J Hudson Taylor: A man in Christ

Roger Steer

Authentic Media

I could have taken five biographies, but this one, given to me when I was 21, has had a profound influence on me. Reading to kindle a passion for those who don’t know Christ is a discipline I have benefitted from over the years, and I can’t imagine a retreat without one.

If you would like to share your own Prayerful Mountain Books, please email david.smithard@cmf.org.uk