We’re getting used to chatting with cashiers through safety screens and coordinating masks with our clothes. Still, Coronavirus is raising new challenges and questions for each of us in our various seasons of life and state of living.
As a new normal develops, we all know people who would be especially blessed by encouragement to keep going and keep growing.
Here are some ideas for who you could share encouraging, relevant books with during this time.
Suddenly, the number of stay-at-home parents is high, and many are working while homeschooling. Schools are only offering virtual classes. Parks and playgrounds are closed. Kids miss their friends and community.
Fresh ideas all drawn from scripture, that help you pray for your children, from toddlers to teens.
Parents are busy, and their new normal can be exhausting. Encourage them in Christ with books like 5 Things to Pray for Your Kids or Gospel Centered Family. Parents of infants will be blessed by a New Baby Survival Guide as they social distance to protect their newborns.
Instead of a receiving line at the wedding, many newlyweds are waving to guests via livestream. Cancelled receptions and honeymoons are par for the COVID-19 course. Marriage strains, like unemployment and finances, are also affecting newlyweds these days.
Encourage couples to keep growing together with a book like Gospel Centered Marriage, which goes beyond well-known “marriage verses.” Real, by Cathrine Parks, offers help for deepening relationships. A new release, Together Through the Storms, helps couples navigate suffering together.
Biblical encouragements that strengthen marriages in times of trial.
Everything from games and plays to milestone moments like graduations are being canceled, disappointing students and recent grads alike. Many college students and grads are also facing low employment opportunities and canceled internship experiences. For many, “the golden days of youth” aren’t feeling especially bright.
Help students and grads wrestle with their situations while trusting in God and growing in Christ. Is This It? looks at the realities of adulting and the difference Jesus makes, and Impossible Commands demonstrates the joy of obedience. For those struggling with happiness or dreams in the face of uncertainty, books like Be True To Yourself and Pray Big are encouraging reads. Escaping Escapism is also helpful for those struggling to find purpose during this time.
Seniors, health care workers, and many people with medical conditions will likely need to social-distance and self-isolate for months to come. Although video chatting is a blessing, many who are vulnerable feel lonely and anxious.
Books are tangible ways of showing your vulnerable loved ones you are thinking of them. Encourage them to use this time to focus on personal growth in Christ through You Can Really Grow or Unstuck.
Ministry hasn’t stopped, even if many church doors are closed temporarily. In fact, many church leaders and pastors are busier. The Book Your Pastor Wishes You Would Read can give you insight about praying and caring for your church leaders.
Show your gratitude and support by gifting pastors books like Zeal Without Burnout or Serving Without Sinking. Encourage your pastor with Take Heart, a positive and confident read about sharing Christ in a post-Christian culture.
Caring for your pastor and the difference it makes.
Who will you encourage to keep going, keep growing, and keep sharing their faith? Check out this selection of discounted books. When you’ve found a great gift, simply enter your loved ones’ shipping address at checkout.
Bethany McIlrath loves to get lost in a book and to help others discover their next read in her marketing role at The Good Book Company. When she's not reading stories, she's usually writing them or dreaming about them as she comes up with real-life creative adventures for friends, her husband, and a doorbell-like dog named Indy. Serving in children's ministry is also one of her greatest joys.
