By the Women in the Academy and Professions Team

Joyeux Noel: A Special Offer from The Well and InterVarsity Press

We're excited to share some of our favorite InterVarsity Press selections for advent reading, Christmas gift-giving, and enjoyable Christmas break reading. We have a curated list for you, complete with editorial comments from our staff members.

From now until January 15, 2021, you can save 50% on a dozen titles from IVP. You'll also get free shipping to US addresses. Simply add promo code WELL20 to your shopping cart at ivpress.com. (Ebooks are included! Just click through the print book link and then switch to the ebook edition if it is available.)

When you order with the WELL20​ promo code, 10% of your purchase price goes back to support the The Well and InterVarsity's Women in the Academy and Professions ministry. The rest goes to support the work and authors of InterVarsity Press.

 

 

 

 

For Advent and Christmas reflection


The Art of Advent: A Painting a Day from Advent to Epiphany 
by Jane Williams

Looking at art can be an aid in engaging the stories of the bible in new ways. We're excited to practice with these paintings during Advent.




 



Unearthly Beauty: Through Advent with the Saints 
by Magdalen Smith

Magdalen Smith takes us through Advent and Christmas introducing us to friends from the history of the Church encouraging us to live distinctly, keeping the faith in our own anxious times.









 


Barefoot Ways: Praying through Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany 
by Stephen Cherry

If you get The Weekly Well, you know Andrea Bridges loves to borrow prayers, and here are some to keep us through the seasons. A peek into the author's own words: "The distance from Advent to Candlemas is considerable, and there are many ways across its fearful and fascinating terrain. I offer here some 'barefoot' ways — by which I mean ways that are both down to earth and yet full of spiritual aspiration and hope."





 


The Nazarene: Forty Devotions on the Lyrical Life of Jesus
by Michael Card

Many of us have loved Michael Card’s music over the years. Through lyric and song, he draws us into a deeper reflection of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. In this book of 40 devotions he takes us through episodes in the gospels encouraging us to ask again, “Who is this Man?”











 

 

To Give as Holiday Gifts


Living the Christian Year: Time to Inhabit the Story of God 
by Bobby Gross

As we start a new year, this book serves as a companion for aligning your own life-rhythms with those of the church calendar. More than merely a devotional guide, this book explains and draws you into the rich traditions of the Church.








 


Coloring Our Gratitude: The Art of Everyday Thankfulness 
by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun 

Perhaps you know someone who might benefit from some slower soothing activity during this busy, busy season.



 


Theologygrams: Theology Explained in Diagrams 
by Rich Wyld

They say a picture paints a thousand words — or helps explain difficult theological concepts. The perfect gift for a theology-nerd who also enjoys laughing!
 

To Read over the Holiday Break


A Seamless Life: A Tapestry of Love and Learning, Worship and Work 
by Steven Garber

Most of us have lots going on — our days are full. We feel “called” to many things, but the often feel unrelated and sometimes even in competition. What if we were able to gather up all the fragmented pieces of our lives and begin to live coherently knowing they all matter deeply to God? Steven Garber seeks to help us do that in this collection of essays and photographs.





 


Be Kind to Yourself: Releasing Frustrations and Embracing Joy  
by Cindy Bunch

Given all that 2020 has been for so many of us, this is a timely book. It calls us to self-care and to pay attention to what is happening in and around us in order to be our best selves.








 


Room of Marvels: A Story About Heaven that Heals the Heart 
by James Bryan Smith

2020 has been a year of loss for so many of us on so many fronts. This novel may be a source of encouragement and hope, particularly for those of us feeling them keenly right now.











 

Books for Current or Budding Academics


The Flourishing Teacher: Vocational Renewal for a Sacred Profession​ 
by Christina Bieber Lake

Part classroom and time management, part cheer-leading, part spiritual formation, this is a wonderfully written wonderfully encouraging book for those of you called to teaching. Our book club loved reading and discussing this book this past fall. Keep an eye out for our interview with its author on a podcast in early 2021.






 


Mapping Your Academic Career: Charting the Course of a Professor's Life 
by Gary M. Burge

In this book, Dr. Gary Burge (formerly at Wheaton, now at Calvin Seminary) hosts the conversation he wishes he'd had when he started out as a college professor, identifying three stages in the academic career and exploring the challenges, pitfalls, and triumphs of each.







 


Little Books for Every Student

Career scholars sum up their time-tested wisdom and pass it on to a new generation. Great to put in the hands of students just starting out in their academic fields.








 

Books to Engage Current Issues


Compassion (&) Conviction: The AND Campaign's Guide to Faithful Civic Engagement
by Justin Giboney, Michael Wear, and Chris Butler

The authors of this book represent The AND Campaign which exists to educate and organize Christians for faithful civic and cultural engagement. They insist that not only are we called to love our neighbors through the political process, but also that doing so requires us to transcend the binary way the debates are usually framed. It’s definitely a helpful book for our current cultural moment.




 



Healing Racial Trauma: The Road to Resilience 
by Sheila Wise Rowe

Rowe, a professional counselor, exposes the symptoms of racial trauma to lead readers to a place of freedom from the past and new life for the future. She includes interviews with people of color exploring how racial trauma is experienced and resolved and resilience developed. In addition to reading her book, we encourage you to listen to our podcast interview with her.







 


Roadmap to Reconciliation 2.0: Moving Communities into Unity, Wholeness and Justice 
by Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil

Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil says reconciliation is “an ongoing spiritual process involving forgiveness, repentance, and justice that restores broken relationships and systems to reflect God’s original intention for all creation to flourish.” In 2.0, she includes a new chapter on restoration which addresses the high costs for people of color who work in reconciliation and their need for continual renewal. Make sure you listen to our podcast interview with her.








 

 
Photo by congerdesign from Pixabay.
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