books and songs: fall 2024 edition

I’m bringing back a lovely series here on the blog: books and songs! I welcome you to books and songs: fall 2024 edition!!! I’ve kind of fallen behind the reading train, but I’m trying to hop back on. Wolf Hall #3 has my attention half of the time when I usually pick up a book, it’s my slow read of the year, but I have read other books simultaneously.

Books for Fall 2024 

Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas

“It was God’s call to be fully human, to live as human beings obedient to the one who had made us, which was the fulfillment of our destiny. It was not a cramped, compromised, circumspect life, but a life lived in a kind of wild, joyful, full-throated freedom—that was what it was to obey God.”

I utterly enjoyed this biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I never read biographies but I picked this one up, and was enthralled. This book and reading the Wolf Hall series have made me realize how much I actually enjoy history. History is really the stories of people’s lives, the cause and effect and moments big and small. Bonhoeffer is a martyr that the church needs to remember and honor, someone who felt deep in the marrow of his bones that he must be obedient to the call of God on his life. Even though that very call cost him his life. But as Jesus says, when we lose our lives for his sake, we will find them in him. It’s pretty long, 600 pages, but it moved me to tears and it’s worth reading!

Moral of the story: Make room to listen to God and then obey.

Five for Sorrow, Ten for Joy by Rumer Godden

“Lucette herself was in God’s keeping; Lise was sure of that too. How? When? That did not matter. We are not meant to know. We can only try and live as if we knew.”

A few months ago, I mentioned that I lost my affinity with the Catholic Church. Hilariously enough, it’s books like this that actually remind me of the beauty of the Catholic Church. A major theme in this book is the Rosary. It’s a little bit darker than In this House of Brede, but still has key lessons of forgiveness and God calling unconventional people to himself.

Moral of the story: Love is more powerful than darkness.

The Ritual Effect by Michael Norton

“In the evening, Agatha Christie slips into the bathtub and eats an apple. And at the long day’s end, Charles Dickens pulls out the compass he always keeps with him to confirm that his bed is dancing north, blows out the candle, and falls asleep.”

I’m not usually a non-fiction girlie but I did pick up Norton’s book based on the title. It’s a secular book on rituals, but I actually enjoyed that. He does touch on religious rituals, but it’s a book on different rituals on different aspects of life: couples, family, holidays, workplace, etc. There wasn’t a section for friendship, which I found sad. I think friendship needs more acknowledgement as one of the most significant parts of life. People you choose to love and include. But I enjoy the sections on grief and how rituals can often be divisive. If you’re looking for a nonfiction read, this might be a nice quick one to read.

Moral of the story: Rituals are meaningful, and that meaning is why they’re so powerful.

Songs of fall 2024

Motorbike by Mat Kerekes

I know damn well who you are

Midwestern bred, Ohio blood

laid on the roof, looked at the stars

I pointed up, “that one is yours”

you glued your eyes and it explodes

into a million of bits of fool’s gold

This song is so dang steady. There’s a throughline in it that cuts deep. Makes me think of an old friend from high school and how that friendship fell apart. It’s so nostalgic I want to throw up (but in a good way). I want to reminisce. Even if things didn’t work out like I hoped, I’m grateful for that friendship, in a bittersweet kind of way.

Keep You Around by The Story So Far

I let the outside noises

always pull me under

and if I take some time to cry

and just recover

then maybe I can be there

for my mother

The Story So Far released this album in the summertime, but this song is so autumn to me. Parker, the lead singer, lost his dad and this album is his way of working through the grief. If you want an even sadder song, listen to I Want to Disappear.

I Will Wait by David Leonard

I am reminded from where

You have brought me

and where You have placed 

me for today

and I won’t forget that Your 

hand will hold me

Your love sustains me

through the wait

I don’t have many words for this song. Except to say that it keeps tugging on my soul for reasons I don’t yet know. (Same with One Step at a Time by Jordin Sparks – just keeps coming to mind.)

If I Strive I Can’t Keep Up by Torchbearers

Your eyes are enough for me

You see me when others don’t see me

Your eyes are enough for me

I am 100% of the belief that come December Torchbearers will be my #1 artist of the year. Their songs keep beckoning me back. Their songs are meditative, just pondering one theme or one part of Jesus’ character. This song is based on Matthew 11:28-30. A reminder that Jesus’s yoke is easy and light.

Endless Well by Jesus Culture

I won’t leave thirsty

This land I’m living in belongs to You

I won’t leave empty

My weakness makes place for You

This song genuinely wrecks me. Jesus is really all sufficient. He is endless. In love. In forgiveness. In joy. In hope. I have Someone who I can return to at all times. It feels unfathomable. 

As The Deer by Steffany Gretzinger

You alone are my strength, my shield

To You alone may my spirit yield

Funny enough, Faith of my Father is an album of hymns that I completely ignored because it wasn’t any new music from Steffany. Then I kind of began listening to it with her new record, and she breathes new life in these old hymns. I adore Steffany Gretzinger, and you should listen to this song because of her voice singing this dear hymn, but I most adore the instrumental ending. It feels so holy, so precious.

I’ll Be Ready by Tiffany Hudson

I love this last song as a reminder that Jesus will return. What we need is to remain in intimacy.

Hope you’re reading good books and listening to songs that bring you joy this fall!

Signing off,

Gigi