Posts Tagged ‘Books’
10 Books to Read This Summer
If you’re anything like me, you love a good book list — especially for summer. The sun is brighter and the heat invites us to bask in the delight of a season that reminds us to rest and make space for fun. I recently asked my co-workers at World Relief what books they’d recommend for our summer reading list and today, we’re sharing a few of those recommendations.
Whether you are looking for a book to read poolside, on your next flight or at home in the cool evening, we hope this list of varied experiences and notable voices helps engage your mind and your heart this summer!
“We read to know we aren’t alone.” C.S. Lewis.
- Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – Chimamanda’s fictional story about a Nigerian couple separated by war, forced to take separate paths in completely different countries while boldly commenting on today’s realities in race and class promises to leave you different than when you began it. It’s no wonder this book made it onto countless Best Book of the Year lists.
- Beyond Welcome: Centering Immigrants in Our Christian Response to Immigration by Karen Gonzalez – Former World Relief staff member, Karen Gonzalez reminds us how centering immigrant voices when discussing immigration is not only important but critical to following a gospel-centered approach to how we advocate for, vote on and learn about the marginalized. A must-read for anyone looking to take their advocacy and solidarity to a deeper level and a top resource we recommend in learning about refugees and other immigrants.
- Creating Cultures of Belonging: Cultivating Organizations Where Women and Men Thrive by Beth Birmingham and Eeva Sallinen Simard – Co-written byWorld Relief’s very own, Eeva Sallinen Simard, this book explores how faith-based organizations can create and sustain a safe work environment for a diverse workforce to flourish. With practical steps and solutions, Creating Cultures of Belonging will inspire you to bring change and best practices to your own organization.
- Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri – This young adult autobiographical novel has won countless awards for its immense heart and masterfully written storytelling. It tells the story of Daniel and his family’s journey as Iranian refugees seeking asylum in the U.S. after his mother embraces Christianity. Daniel shares what it’s like to cope with forming his identity while navigating a new culture in a new world.
- His Testimonies, My Heritage: Women of Color on the Word of God by Kristie Anyabwile – This inspiring collection of stories written by women of color from different cultural backgrounds will leave you in awe of God’s intentional purpose for his daughters. As a Latina Christ-follower, these words ministered to my whole self and reminded me of how a good God perfectly created us to do his work in a multicultural and diverse world.
- Social Justice for the Sensitive Soul by Dorcas Cheng-Tozun – Often times when we think of advocacy or working in social justice, we think of loud marches or individual voices speaking out to the masses. While that is a small part of it, Dorcas highlights the vital role the quiet observers and thinkers play in the pursuit of justice while freeing us from the myth of an ideal activist.
- The Stranger At Our Shore: How Immigrants and Refugees Strengthen the Church by Josh Sheriff – Josh shares his personal story of leaving Islam as a child into a new life in Christ while speaking into a new vision of what missions can look like and discipling to people different from yourself. I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing Josh’s commitment to God’s people when he was a pastor at a local church in Chicago. I know that anyone who reads this book will glean so much wisdom from his experience and devoted heart.
- The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World by Sandra Van Opstal – Worship does not look any one specific way. If we are joining together in church with God’s creation in mind, then our worship is full of all tribes and all nations- honoring the many ways he has made us to glorify him. Sandra dives deep into what that looks like and her expertise will convict you into bringing this wisdom to your church, your life and your own worship.
- This Here Flesh by Cole Arthur Riley – This book of reflections and life lessons from Cole’s family history while written in prose, is pure poetry. Cole’s writing will remind you of the beauty of the written word and her insights will serve as a balm to your soul. If you only read one book this summer, let it be this one.
- Thou Shalt Not Be A Jerk: A Christian’s Guide to Engaging Politics by Eugene Cho Gear up for the upcoming election season by learning how to engage in healthy and graceful (God-centered) political discussions. Eugene’s book boldly confronts the challenges we face today in talking about why politics matter, how to live out your convictions while loving the very people you disagree with and how those convictions should be Bible-centered vs. directed by political party agendas.
Enter the Summer Book Giveaway
This summer we are giving away 3 books from the list above. Fill out your information below for a chance to win!
(A winner will be announced on July 21.)
Jessica Galván is a Content Writer at World Relief. She is passionate about storytelling and amplifying diverse voices to reveal the beauty of God’s creation. She is also the Editorial Director for Chasing Justice and prior to World Relief, she was a freelance writer and editor for a variety of clients in publishing, most recently Penguin Random House. When she isn’t wordsmithing for the pursuit of faith and justice, she is spending time with her husband and their 3 children in the Houston, TX area.
20 Ways to Learn More About Refugees
Around the world, 103 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes — the highest number in recorded history. Of those, 32.5 million are considered refugees, having fled across an international border due to war, violence, conflict or persecution.
That’s millions of mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, teachers, doctors and friends — each created in the image of God — with full lives and identities long before they became refugees.
As we enter World Refugee Awareness Month and look toward World Refugee Day on June 20th, we’ve compiled a list of books, podcasts, videos and more to help answer your questions about refugees. As you engage with and share these resources, we hope you’ll be inspired to join us in creating a world where everyone can thrive.Â
READ
Some advocates have described Jesus as a refugee. But was he really? World Relief CEO Myal Greene tackles that question and how the answer should shape the Christian response to refugees and other vulnerable immigrants.
Blog: Drivers of Mass Displacement
People are displaced from their homes for myriad reasons, including persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and climate-related factors. World Relief’s Lydia Dawson explains the drivers of mass displacement and how World Relief is responding globally.
Blog: Worth the Wait: A Story of Faith, Perseverance and Love, Despite the Odds
For seven years, Congolese refugees (and newlyweds!) Mbimbi and Goreth didn’t know if they would ever see each other again. Read their story to learn more about the challenges and uncertainties that many refugees face as they rebuild.
Book: Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save the American Church
U.S. churches are at a critical crossroads — blurred lines between discipleship and partisanship have compromised our witness and confused our national and individual responses to refugees and “the stranger.” In their book, pastor Eric Costanzo, missiologist Daniel Yang and World Relief’s Matthew Soerens find hope in the witness of global Christians, the poor and the ancient church.
Book: Beyond Welcome: Centering Immigrants in Our Christian Response to Immigration
Karen González invites Christians passionate about serving immigrants to explore how we can create welcoming communities that put our immigrant neighbors at the center of the conversation.
Book: Everything Sad is Untrue: (a true story)
Following his mother’s vocal embrace of Christianity, Daniel Nayeri, his mother and his sister were forced to flee Iran. In this memoir, he retells the tales of his family’s history from his perspective as a misfit middle schooler in Oklahoma.
Book: The Girl Who Smiled Beads
When Clementine was six years old, she and her 15-year-old sister, Clair, fled the massacre that was happening in their home country of Rwanda. In this riveting memoir, Clementine tells their story of rebuilding and reclaiming life on their own terms.
LISTEN
This World Relief mini-series offers a global and a biblical perspective on the subjects of immigration, mass displacement and refugee resettlement, diving into current policies and practices and sharing stories of our collective human experience.
This six-part series traces the U.S. refugee resettlement journey through the eyes of those directly experiencing it. Follow along as each episode brings the listener into the daily lives of refugees adjusting to life in the U.S.
Podcast Episode: Holly Andrews on How the Church Can Walk Alongside Refugees
In episode 4 of our Forward Together podcast series, Holly Andrews explains how churches can use the resources they already have to help refugees and other immigrants rebuild their lives.
WATCH
TEDx Talk: One Refugee’s Life Experience | Come Nzibarega
Born and raised in Burundi, Come Nzibarega shares his story of escaping torture and civil war and why he thinks refugee camps are the richest places in the world.
For Ibrahim’s family, the road to resettlement, reunion and rebuilding has been long. Learn more about the obstacles families like his can face as they seek safety.
Video: Who are Refugees and How Do They Arrive in the United States?
From flight and displacement to arrival and integration, this 7-minute animated video tells the true story of a refugee family’s experience in each stage of the refugee resettlement process.
STUDY
World Relief Workshop Course: Intro to Resettlement
Have you ever wondered what actually happens in the resettlement process or what a resettlement agency does? This FREE, 45-minute course will answer those questions and explain how you and your community can support refugees resettling in the U.S.
World Relief Workshop Course: Navigating Friendships
Navigating friendships with those who are different from us can be rewarding — and challenging! In this self-paced, online course you’ll learn essential skills for building empowering, long-lasting friendships with those who may differ from you in culture, socioeconomic status and religion, and best practices for supporting a friend who lives with trauma. During the month of June, enroll for 50% off with code WORLDREFUGEEDAY50.
Bible Study: Christ Like Welcome
Jesus astonished the culture around him by giving voice to the speechless, frustrating the powerful and humbling the wise. In this 5-week study from our partners at Women of Welcome, learn how your welcome can become like his — wonderfully surprising, deeply challenging and firmly rooted in love.
Bible Reading Plan: The I Was a Stranger Challenge
Take the challenge and discover God’s heart for those who have been displaced. Over the course of 40 days, read one Bible passage a day that speaks to God’s love for foreigners and refugees.
FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
Children’s Book: Marisol’s Dress
In the midst of a revolution, young Marisol is forced to flee the life she knows and loves in vibrant Cuba. In this beautifully illustrated book, Emily Ozier follows her mother and grandmother as they journey to the U.S., facing challenges and celebrating along the way.
Children’s Book: My Two Blankets
When Cartwheel moves to a new country as a refugee, everything is strange: the animals, the plants, even the wind. An old blanket comforts her when she’s sad, and a new blanket just might change her world. A story about leaving home, arriving in a foreign land and finding a new friend.
For parents and teachers wondering how to talk about mass displacement with children and teens, the UN Refugee Agency offers teaching materials on refugees, asylum and migration, as well as guidance for teachers working with refugee children in the classroom.
Are you ready to take the next step towards creating a more welcoming and just world for refugees and other vulnerable immigrants? Learn how you can join us today.
Karen Spencer is World Relief’s U.S. Marketing Partner and serves U.S. offices in the area of identity and messaging. She previously served as Mobilization Director for World Relief in Memphis, where she lives. She is a connector of people, places, passions and purpose.
Kelly Hill serves as a Content Writer at World Relief and previously served as Volunteer Services Manager at World Relief Triad in North Carolina. With a background in International and Intercultural Communication, she is passionate about the power of story to connect people of diverse experiences.
6 Books to Read in 2021
As you make your way into 2021 and prepare to hunker down for winter, you might also find yourself searching for a new book to read. Well…look no further! Whether you’re looking to learn more about immigration, deepen your spiritual life or explore the intersections of faith and politics, we’ve got you covered with this list of staff recommended books to read in 2021.
After the Last Border by Jessica Goudeau
Follow the stories of two women — Mu Naw from Myanmar and Hasna from Syria — as they flee their homes and resettle as refugees in the United States. In this book, you’ll explore how “America’s changing attitudes toward refugees influences policies and laws, [and] also the profound effect on human lives.”
The God Who Sees by Karen Gonzalez
World Relief’s own Karen Gonzalez takes readers on an epic journey as she recounts her own migration story, weaving together the stories of Abraham, Hagar, Joseph and Ruth — immigrants and refugees in the Bible who “witnessed God’s liberating power…and became grafted onto God’s family tree.”
Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton
There comes a time in nearly everyone’s spiritual life when our relationships with God seem to shift. We long for something more but often aren’t sure how to get there. In this book, Ruth Haley Barton introduces readers to a set of spiritual practices “that open us to God’s transforming love and [bring] the changes that only God can bring about in our lives.”
Be the Bridge by Latasha Morrison
In this book, speaker, author, reconciler and bridge-builder, Latasha Morrison, “helps readers deepen their understanding of historical factors and present realities” of race and equips them to be active participants in reconciliation and transformation. (*For a preview of Latasha’s amazing work, check out her podcast interview with World Relief’s Jenny Yang.)
Refuge Reimagined by Mark Glanville and Luke Glanville
In this soon-to-be-released book, Mark and Luke Glanville invite readers to approach the issues of displacement and refugee resettlement through the lens of biblical kinship. With a forward written by World Relief’s Matthew Soerens, Refuge Reimagined “envisions a more generous, creative, and hopeful way forward.”
For more staff book recommendations, check out our World Relief Book Club board on Pinterest!
Rachel Clair serves as a Content Writer at World Relief. With a background in creative writing and children’s ministry, she is passionate about helping people of all ages think creatively and love God with their hearts, souls and minds.
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