Day 17: Favorite spiritual book

It struck me when I sat down today that this day could be interpreted in a lot of different ways. I would choose one book if I interpreted this to mean theological book for example, and a very different one if I thought about devotional book, and still another if I looked toward my christian ministry books. Most people did not get two degrees in religion/theology so it might not seem to be as big a field of choice for everyone. I did, however, so I gave a lot of thought to what I wanted this challenge to be about, and I have decided to share my personal favorite book about someone else's spiritual journey

Girl Meets God by Lauren Winner


I saw this on a friend's goodreads page and was intrigued by it. One of my personal reading goals is to read at least 12 non-fiction books per year (so one a month) so I thought this would be a good place to start. I LOVED this book! It is the memoir of a girl who had a Jewish father and Southern Baptist mother, but who was raised with virtually no religion in her life at all. She chose to become an orthodox Jew, and was very committed to it, constantly observing Sabbath rituals and even studying Jewish law. However, she was always drawn toward Christianity as well and says that she literally found Jesus. So, despite the fact that she loved her Orthodox Jewish faith she converted to Christianity. In the book she walks through all of those decisions and how she attempts to reconcile both sides of herself.


I do not share her background of either religious ambiguity as a child, or of the Jewish faith. Yet I found so much in her story that relates to my own story of struggling with my spirituality and what I chose to seek and what holds the most meaning for me as a Christian. She is also a very unconventional thinker and approaches every part of her life (and faith) with a passion and veracity which appeals very much to my own personality and nature.

In reading about her journey to understand and seek spirituality in her life I found great inspiration and hope. God is a big deal, and we do not totally understand Him, ever. Seeking to understand, though, even when it goes against what we thought we did understand before, is the kind of Christianity, the kind of theology, the kind of devotion, the kind of spirituality, that I can embrace whole-heartedly.