What have you been reading in July?

As you may have noticed, I like to recommend good books.  Often what I read is based on someone else’s recommendation or I see the book referred to in the footnotes or bibliography of another book that I have found helpful (yes, I am one of those who actually looks at bibliographies). 

So here are some books that I read in July with links to where you can find a copy if you would like to get a copy for yourself.

Once an Arafat Man: The True Story of How a PLO Sniper Found a New Life by Tass Saada and Merrill Dean Merrill.  An autobiography of a Palestinian Muslim who once a sniper for the PLO but who came to faith in Christ and now works to bring peace between Jews and Arabs.

Coach Your Champions by Eric Foley. Introduces a philosophy of fund-raising that we have been using here at The Voice of the Martyrs for years (even though we didn’t know it at the time).  It begins with the idea that the cause needs to be the focus not the organization.  If you are an executive of a ministry, get this book.  Eric is a director of our partner ministry, VOM-Korea

The Challenge for Africa by Wangari Maathai. Not as helpful as I  had hoped.  The author certainly likes to challenge Africans to make changes for themselves and clearly helps identify problems but not as helpful in offering real solutions. Let’s just say that I have and am reading better.

The Power of Blessing by Terry & Melissa Bone. Simple, easy to read (I did it in a single evening), tougher to apply.  Shares the importance of giving and receiving blessings, particularly in the parent/child relationship.  Co-written by a member of VOMC’s Board of Directors (Terry)

Iran: Open Hearts in a Closed Land by Mark Bradley. If this book were not so hard to get quantities of in Canada, The Voice of the Martyrs would be selling this book.  Quite simply this is the most helpful book I have yet read in helping me understand the spiritual climate in today’s Iran.

So what have you been reading lately?