Beach Reads for Real Life - Series 19
Sometimes you need more than a vacation
There’s something special about cracking open a new book at the beach. As the waves roll in, you escape into a different world.
But sometimes real life follows you to the beach.
The struggles, disappointments, and anxieties of life don’t disappear just because you’re on vacation. And what you need most isn’t another escape—it’s wisdom, perspective, and hope for the life you’re actually living.
That’s the thought behind our summer series, Beach Reads for Real Life. Listen in as our hosts share a book that has shaped the way they think about faith, mental health, relationships, suffering, finances, and spiritual growth.
These aren’t just books to help you pass the time. They’re books that can help you navigate real life with greater wisdom, deeper faith, and renewed hope. What will you add to your summer reading list?
Beach Read: “When God Seems Distant”
What if the problem isn’t that God has left you, but that he’s leading you somewhere you never expected to go?
If you’ve ever had the unsettling feeling that God is far away, you’ll want to hear John Tinnin, MFT, share about the book When God Seems Distant: Surprising Ways God Deepens Our Faith and Draws Us Near by Kyle Strobel & John Coe. It turns out that God often does some of his deepest work in seasons of uncertainty, silence, and longing—times when we can’t rely on feelings and are invited to trust him in new ways.
For anyone who has ever wondered why God feels far away, this book offers both comfort and a different way of understanding the journey.
Beach Read: “When the Body Says No”
Have you ever wondered if your body knows something that your mind hasn’t caught up to yet?
In this thoughtful episode, Lynn Roush, LPC, explores a fascinating and sometimes controversial question posed by the book When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress by Gabor Maté. What happens when the need to be loved, accepted, or needed becomes so important that we lose touch with our own limits?
Listen in as Lynn examines where Maté’s insights are helpful, where they may fall short, and how the gospel speaks to our deepest need for love, connection, and healing. You’ll discover that when your life is in God’s hands, you are free to be honest about your wounds because your worth is already secure in Christ.
Beach Read: “The Next Conversation”
Most of us don’t wake up intending to say the wrong thing, yet we’ve all replayed conversations in our heads, wishing we’d responded with more wisdom, more clarity, or fewer words. Healthy communication is a skill we all need to practice, because even one conversation can strengthen a relationship or start to unravel it.
That’s why Austin Conner, PLPC, chose The Next Conversation: Argue Less and Talk More by Jefferson Fisher. Rather than offering vague advice to “communicate better,” Fisher gives practical tools you can start using immediately. Drawing from his experience as a trial lawyer, he shows how communication skills can dramatically improve our communication and relationships.
Beach Read: “The Psychology of Money”
Many of us spend our lives chasing “just a little more”, assuming that the next raise, investment, or financial milestone will finally bring contentment. Yet some people with modest incomes build lasting wealth, while others who earn millions end up anxious and always wanting more. What makes the difference?
In this stirring conclusion to our series, Shay Roush, M.Div., takes a look at The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel. As Shay explains three principles from Housel’s book, you’ll discover that your relationship with money isn’t just about dollars and cents. It’s about contentment instead of comparison, freedom instead of appearance, and faithfulness instead of instant results.