Mid-year Spiritual Development Book Review

Have you heard of the mid-year book freak out tag? It's a set of questions to help you review what you have already read in the first six months of the year and to plan the next six months.  It's usually done for ALL reading (and I did that on my Creativity blog), but I thought it could be interesting to do for my spiritual development/leadership reading on this blog.

• Best book you've read so far - This is difficult, because I've read some good books this year so far.  Let's go with The Gospel of John by Amy-Jill Levine.
• New release you haven't read this year but want to - I don't know of anything yet, but will keep my eyes open
• Most anticipated release for the second half of the year - I've already pre-ordered Genesis: A Beginner's Guide to the Beginning by Amy-Jill Levine.  It's coming August 4
• Biggest disappointment - Two of the books I read this year have been disappointing.  I was not as engaged in Invest in Transformation by Tod Bolinger as I was in his other books.  I had to soft DNF Sacraments and Discipleship by Mark Stamm; I did go back and finish it, but it was disappointing.
• Biggest surprise - I was really impressed by Rachel Billups' book, An Unlikely Lent: Extraordinary People of the Easter Story.  I'm not sure why I found that surprising, but I did.
• Favorite new author - One of my favorite books this year was Between a Rock and a Holy Place by Rev. Tom Nolan. It is a series of sermons - just excellent.  I supposed we can also add Rachel Billups to this list - I would read another of her books if the opportunity arose.
• Books you want to read by the end of the year - Right now I'm reading The Hope of Glory: Reflections on the Last Words of Jesus from the Cross by Jon Meacham. I hope to finish that in July.  In August, I'll work on reading the Amy-Jill Levine Genesis book.  Other than those two, I'm sure I'll pick something up during Advent to read. I purchased A Child is Born: A Beginner's Guide of Nativity Stories by Amy-Jill Levine but didn't find the time to read it. I think I'll add that to my Advent TBR.

My goal for 2026 was to read at least four Spiritual Development books.  I read five in the first half of the year, so maybe I can get to eight by the end of the year?

This link is to my online "Spiritual Development books" library - a list of the books I've read and reviewed (mainly) on the blog. I don't update it very often (although I do update it), so it might be behind.

 

Perspectives: Stained Glass Window Reflections

 

All the way to suffering...

 In An Unlikely Lent , Rachel Billups writes:

As Jesus hung on the cross, most of his followers had scattered. Gripped by fear they had fled to the shadows, unwilling to risk their lives for the man they once called Lord. But not the women. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary the mother of Joseph and Joses, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Salome, stood at the foot of the cross, refusing to turn away. They had followed Jesus not just when it was easy...these women followed when it cost them everything. Their presence at the cross was an act of defiance against fear, a declaration that their love for Jesus was greater than their need for safety....they risked following him all the way to suffering, to sorrow, to the place where hope seemed lost.

I think about Jesus' male disciples who fled, I think about Peter who betrayed Jesus, I think about all of the times that I and others around me limit how far we will go. What are the limits of your discipleship? What stops you from following Jesus not only near the cross but to the cross? Fear? Selfishness? Desire for control? Laziness? Other commitments? What stops us from truly being the disciples that these women were?

Simon of Cyrene

 

Rachel Billups "An Unlikely Lent," the chapter about Simon of Cyrene serves as the inspiration for this post.

In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 23:26:

As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.

Imagine the moment for Simon. We don't know a lot about him, but he is from Cyrene. Cyrene was an ancient Greek colony in Libya, near present-day Shahhat.  The straight line distance between the two locations is about 700 miles, if you travel across the Mediterranean.  The costal land route would have been even longer.

Imagine if Simon was a pilgrim, who had traveled that long distance (not in a plane, not in a car) to Jerusalem as a pilgrim for Passover. Or maybe he was just visiting, a part of the crowd. He's "seized" from the crowd and made to carry the cross. It seems to me that he would have been terrified.  Were these Roman soldiers who grabbed him? He was far from his home, if Cyrene is where he lived permanently, and now he is forced into a procession to an execution.

I wonder what Simon did when he reached Golgatha. Was he just glad to be rid of the burden of the cross? Did he exit the scene in relief? Or did he recognize something in Jesus that compelled him to stay and witness the crucifixion?

Where have I been?

 

And here we go - another "Where have I been" post.

This is a season in my life that is overshadowed by stress and responsibility. Since I was last posting on my blog, Mom was ill with both a serious intestinal issue and pneumonia. Just as she was recovering from that, she had a gall bladder attack that resulted in surgery. She is moving through recovery from that now. All of that has taken time and energy. Sometimes something has to give, and sometimes that something is my more creative (and not work-related) endeavors, such as this blog.

I hope that I'm back for a while, but one cannot predict.  Regular posts should start on Monday, July 20.

Lent Photo-a-Day: Carried

 

Palm Sunday Questions

I think there are always (or almost always) gaps in biblical stories. Today I was reading Matthew 21:1-11. This is the entry into Jerusalem. Some questions came to mind:

• Jesus sends two disciples into Jerusalem to find a donkey and a colt. Do the disciples question this? It seems like previously they would question everything. "What do you mean we'll find a donkey and a colt tied to something? Where? Tied to what? Why do you need them? Will we be arrested for stealing them? Did they ask these questions? Or did they just silently go into the city?
• Were they surprised to find the animals? Or did they just think, "That Jesus, he knows what he's talking about!"
• Did anyone question that they were taking them? "Hey stop, those aren't yours!"
• Whose animals were they? And why would the owner be satisfied with "The Lord needs them."? Are we missing an angelic visitation to an animal owner?
• The crowds greet him as a conquering hero. What happened to that attitude during the week? Later they are shouting to "crucify him." Same people? A different crowd?
• Did the people know that the prophet they speak of is more than a prophet - he is the Messiah? Do any of them believe it? 

Book Review: An Unlikely Lent

 Information about the book

An Unlikely Lent: Extraordinary People of the Easter Story by Rachel Billups. Published by Abingdon Press, Nashville, 2025. It is available from Amazon and Cokesbury, plus other retailers.

Summary

From Amazon: The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus are at the heart of the story of Easter. But the resurrection was not witnessed in isolation; it unfolded before a crowd. What might the stories of those women and men teach us today? How will they help us step into the story of Easter? Here, we can see what has been overlooked, not just in the grand moments but in the in-between: the silence, the side characters, and the questions.

Impressions

I found this to be an excellent study for Lent. Each chapter is focused on a different person or group of people in the Easter story, including Mary of Bethany, the servant girl near Peter when Jesus was on trial, Barabbas, Simon of Cyrene, the women at the cross, and Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. I thought each chapter provide fresh insights into the person being studied as well as personal illustrations from the author. I highly recommend this book.

Posts about book

Link to posts on blog at Billups Lent

Lent Photo-a-Day - Blessed

 

A Servant Girl's Prayer

On Monday, I posted a reflection about Mark 14:66-72. In this passage, a female servant encounters Peter and asks him, "You were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth."  I started wondering about her. What would she have been thinking after that encounter. Was she a Jew? What would her prayers have been like?

Before you read this, know that I don't pretend to know how a Jewish girl of that time would have prayed, but for this prayer, I try to place myself in her shoes to think about what she would have thought.

Holy God, Today I spoke to a man. I don't know his name, but he was sitting in the courtyard as I was working. Something was going on in the with the high priests - they were trying a man from Nazareth. I know I saw the Courtyard Man with him, so I asked him about it.

Oh, God, he was so afraid. I can understand why. I've heard they want to put the Nazarene to death. Maybe they will want to kill the man I talked to, too.

Forgive me God if my actions exposed him in some way. He seemed so concerned about his friend. My heart broke as he started to cry.

Who am I to question the actions of the high priests and elders? I am only me - they know such much more and ... well... I pray you will guide them, and that they will seek wisdom from you. Does you heart break when you hear people crying like this man? When a rabbi like the one from Nazareth is accused and threatened with death? Do you hurt for them the way I do?

Amen

 

In the Courtyard by the Fire

A few months ago - maybe last year sometime - I took a class from BeADisciple called Reading the New Testament with Fresh Eyes.  One of the Bible study methods we explore was an Ignatian Method.  At the time, I wrote a post about it here.

This morning, I spent some times reading from Rachel Billups' book, An Unlikely Lent. I'm on the second chapter; it focuses on the servant girl who accuses Peter of following Jesus. As I read that chapter, the Ignatian Method came to mind. There are a few questions in that method that I think can "take us into" the scripture. 

For this exploration, I'm reading Mark 14:66-72

Picture the scene....What is the setting? Who are the people in the scene? What can be seen, heard, or smelled in the scene?  It's helpful to read Mark 14's previous verses. Peter has followed Jesus to the courtyard of the high priest. While Jesus is on trial in front of the chief priests, elders, and scribes, Peter is in the courtyard, sitting near the fire with the guards. I imagine it is the time of day that is still night but poised on the edge of sunrise. The light would have been inadequate to make out details, but just beginning to hint at the day to come. The fire would have cast shadows around the courtyard.

Peter would be able to hear the guards talking and the conversations of anyone else who enters into the courtyard. Were they talking about what was going on? Was Jesus well known enough for their to be speculation among those gathered regarding what was happening? Could they hear the questioning? Jesus' answer of "I am"? Could they hear blows striking as they beat Jesus? What about when they condemned him to death?

The courtyard would have been full of the scent of the burning fire and of the men around it. I imagine they could have smelled the fear as Peter sat with them, sweating and afraid.  This man of action probably couldn't have set very still - his feet would have been shuffling and his hands would have been moving around each other and across his beard, clothes, and hair.

And when the servant approached him, and asked him if he were a follower of Jesus, would he have sprung guiltily to his feet? Or tried to maintain calmness by staying in his place by the fire? All those around him would have heard the question and his answer. Unless he had a "poker face" I think he would have looked startled and afraid.

As I write this, I am sitting in my living room, and I can hear a rooster outside. (The neighborhood rooster crows all the time - just annoying). They are not quiet birds, so that crow would have been loud and unmistakable. Peter would have remembered what Jesus told him about his betrayal. His fear would have been compounded now by the guilt that was just under the surface as he started to cry - maybe now leaving the fire to hide.

Lent Photo-a-day: Live

 

Book Review: Between a Rock and a Holy Place

Information about the book

Between a Rock and a Holy Place by Thomas Patrick Nolan.  Published by Archway Publishing in 2025.  Available as a paperback, audiobook, or e-book (Kindle).  Amazon link.

Summary

From Amazon: Sermons and stories of faith, hope, and love from the heart of a friend and follower of Jesus. With humor and grace, these simple but profound writings will lead you into the presence of One whose word brings healing and hope to longing hearts.

Impressions

This book is a collection of about 36 sermons written by an elder in the West Virginia Annual Conference.  Tom is currently a retried elder who attends my church, and I've heard him preach several times. He's a fantastic preacher, and you can hear his words as you read the sermons. I wish I had seen the audiobook prior to reading the book - I might have chosen to listen to them instead of read them.

The sermons are divided among the liturgical year, beginning with advent and continuing through Pentecost. I started reading the book in December. When I finished the Christmas sermons, I set it aside, thinking I would pick it up during each season and read the sermons at a liturgically appropriate time; however, once I started reading again near Lent, I just continued it until I finished. I didn't want to stop and wait until after Easter to continue. The book works well for a devotional time - read one sermon a day to give yourself time to consider the words throughout your schedule.

Tom's sermons are very engaging, full of excellent illustrations that lead you through and to a deep message. I rated this book five stars and would highly recommend it to you.

Posts about book

To see posts I read that were inspired by this book, explore the tag Nolan Holy Place on my blog.

 

Life Note

Just a quick life note. You may have noticed that over the past few weeks, I haven't been posting as regularly, and that my posts, when I do upload them, are more photo orientated than words.

Mom had surgery a couple of weeks ago. It went well; the outcome was good, and her recovery has been at her home instead of in residential rehab, which is a good thing, and what she wanted. I'm amazed at how well she is doing. That said, it does mean that when I sit down to blog, I don't always have any inspiration. I've set aside the idea of taking classes for the time being (classes often provide blog inspiration) and my reading of spiritual development books has been slow. Plus, I sit down to work on the blog, and I just ... well ... don't. So I get up and walk away.

That said, I have gone back and filled in some blanks. I'm using the Lent Photo-a-day challenge from the United Methodist Church to write some posts. I like those - I look through my image gallery to see what connection the word inspires and post those.  If all goes to plan, those will replace my Friday Perspectives posts for the rest of Lent. If all goes to plan, the other posts will be my regular "thoughts" posts.

I'm reading a new book (for me) called An Unlikely Lent by Rachel Billups. I might not have chosen this to read, but my pastor did and is using it to lead a Lenten study at my church. I'm not able to attend the study, but I like to read what the class is reading, so I've picked it up. I say I wouldn't have chosen it, because I wouldn't have run across it, but I very much like it.  You'll see some upcoming posts inspired by it.

Also, I spent some time at the end of last year updating my library of blog images. I keep a Dropbox of images to use on the blog, ready for posting. These are often from our travels around the state and country.  Once I post them, I move them out of the Dropbox to avoid using them more than once. The stock of images was getting kind of low, so it has been renewed.

I hope you are having a blessed Lent and look forward to Easter with great joy.