As I've found and definitely as was the case this Summer, the few months of time off that is available between school years are some of the greatest time to crack open a good book and dive into the world of good reading. Whether we're talking fiction or books on real things like the hottest scientific discoveries or the newest biography on one of your favorite historical figures, the Summer is one of the prime opportunities, as I have experienced, to get caught up on all that you want to delve into. For a bookworm like me, this is a piece of news that is simply fantastic and I do hope, reader, that it pleases you to hear it as well.

For me, a great afternoon would be one where I get to relax at my desk, a hot cup of coffee sitting before me, and have my nose in a good book, whether I am melting into some other world or deep in thought considering the complex philosophical argument. What I've put together in this small article is a list of the books I've gotten into this Summer, at least thus far. None of them are new, but if you are a bookworm, or perhaps more particularly a student of things like theology or apologetics, I am confident that there is something for you in this brief piece.

1. "The Case For A Creator" by Lee Strobel

The first book I read this Summer was "The Case For A Creator" by the Christian apologist, and former atheist, Lee Strobel. This book was given to me last year on my birthday, but as I was already reading one book already, which was "Radical" by pastor David Platt, and very busy with work and then school for the rest of 2017, I didn't get around to reading it until May of this year. In this book, Strobel tells the story of a series of interviews he had with some of the top experts in various sciences, cosmology, astronomy, and microbiology just to name a few, the main subject of said interviews is this: Is it reasonable to believe that God exists? This is notable because so many people in our day have the very unfortunate and detrimental myth beaten into their minds that Christianity, or religion in any sense, is at odds with science.

This book, as all of Strobel's "Case For..." books have before it, put the skeptical and atheistic notions to bed and did wonderfully in illustrating the intellectual richness of the Christian faith and showing the vastness of evidence that buttresses Christianity. This volume is an apologetic masterpiece, it serves as a basic introduction to some of the scientific disciplines mentioned therein, and it is a great encouragement to Christians who wrestle with questions or perhaps even serious doubts about their faith when it comes to scientific issues. I recommend it heartily, perhaps especially if you're a college student that is in the generally secular academic world. If you're reading this from a skeptical perspective, I give my warmest and most sincere invitation to you to read this book as well. Also, this may be a good opportunity to recommend Lee Strobel's most famous book, which is called "The Case For Christ." A film of the same title came out in Spring of last year.

2. "Mere Christianity" by CS Lewis

I don't think it would be unfair to say that no mind over the 2,000-year history of the Christian church has been as artful and rational, at precisely the same time I might add, when it comes to presenting and defending the truth of Christianity than CS Lewis. CS Lewis was masterful when it came to expressing his ideas, both through stunning, memorable works of fiction such as "The Chronicles of Narnia" and thoughtful, edifying works of apologetics and theology. Lewis is without a doubt one of my heroes and I praise God for raising him up and using him in the ways that He did in the church and in the world. It wasn't until this Summer that I got around to reading what is probably Lewis' most famous work, which is "Mere Christianity." The hype that I have heard over this book ever since I became a Christian back in 2012 definitely turned out to be warranted, as I could hardly put it down. In his incredibly famous apologetic/theological piece, CS Lewis gives a basic survey of what Christianity is all about and does so with razor-sharp logic and reason and all the while his presentation is artfully crafted and clearly shows a heart that is genuinely in love with the Lord being extolled in every paragraph and page. This book is one of the greatest things I have ever read and I give it very high marks. Whether you are a new believer interested in learning more about what you believe, a veteran believer eager to gain wisdom or an outsider who is inquisitive as to what Christianity is all about, read this book! It'll be a good experience for you.

3. "Thr3e" by Ted Dekker

After I completed "Mere Christianity," I finally got around to opening up a book that a dear friend had lent me a couple of Summers ago that turned out to be a thrill to read. I am a much larger fan of non-fiction, but this fiction story was incredible and it has piqued my interest in looking for more titles by the author, Mr. Ted Dekker, who is widely read and enjoyed by fans of Christian fiction and thrillers. The story served as a commentary on the good and evil natures of human beings and this complex philosophical, anthropological concept was examined through the life of a character named Kevin Parson and a painful issue in his past. That's about all I can say to avoid spoiling everything, but this book was an absolute thrill-ride and I commend it indeed. Check it out!

4. "The City of God" by Saint Augustine

This one is a major classic in the vast literary tradition of the church and was written in the 5th century by one of the Christian church's most influential theologians, Saint Augustine of Hippo. Augustine is quoted very often and is regarded by lots of Christians as a theological giant and champion of the early church. This is for a very good reason, as I would say that this volume is probably the most difficult book I've read in my life thus far. I am actually still on this one and probably will be for a long while, as my copy has almost 800 pages. I like "The City of God," but I will not lie, it goes over my head a lot and sometimes is hard to relate to since a great deal of what the theological sage talks about in it concerns matters dealt with by the church in the Greco-Roman milieu of the early 5th century. But, all-in-all, it is a good, challenging, and fun read. Augustine lives up to the hype, his sage-like wisdom evident in every issue he addresses, whether it be history, poetry, art, theology, or philosophy. If you're interested in ancient history, Christian history, or the study of the church fathers or if you're a philosophy and theology nerd like I am, I have no doubt that this one will benefit you, though I am confident that it will stretch you as well.

Dive into a book, friends! There is a menagerie of different sorts of treasure to be found in old libraries as well as bookstores filled with crisp, new volumes. It is easy to get numbed by the constant influx of oncoming social media and to get lost in what ended being a multiple hour scrolling session on Facebook, but there is valuable excitement and wisdom to be found elsewhere, the likes and amount of which is unobtainable on Facebook or Instagram. In a world full of noise, distractions, and the constant beckoning of your phone, discover riches in a book.