Bookish Talks with Lia

Latest Episodes:

 Reforming Your Shelves with Pastor Adam Powers Oct 28, 2024

In this episode, I sit down with Pastor Adam Powers, the pastor behind @ReformedShelves on Instagram, to talk about how he came to know Christ, his love for Reformed theology, and the intentionality behind curating his personal library.

If you're curious about curating a meaningful library of Christian books or diving deeper into Reformed theology, this episode is packed with insight and encouragement.

Episode Highlights

His journey to becoming a follower of Christ and its impact on his love for theology and books.
The story behind @ReformedShelves and what it means to “reform” your bookshelves.
How he selects and curates a quality library with theological depth.
The top three books that have most influenced his life and ministry.
Recommendations for newcomers to Reformed theology.
Balancing his reading life with pastoring and family responsibilities.

Connect with Adam

Instagram: @reformedshelves

Books Mentioned in This Episode

Desiring God by John Piper
Surprised by Suffering: The Role of Pain and Death in the Christian Life by R.C. Sproul
What Is Reformed Theology?: Understanding the Basics by R.C. Sproul
The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul
The Lord of the Rings by J.R. Tolkien
Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

The Life and Diary of David Brainerd

Connect with Lia:

Bookstagram: ⁠⁠@liarossreads⁠⁠
Instagram: ⁠⁠@bookishtalkspodcast⁠

Reading Widely and Growing Deeply with Brandi Davis Oct 21, 2024

In this episode, I chat with Brandi Davis, the bookworm behind @becomingbookbybook, about her journey into Christian bookstagram and how reading widely has helped her grow deeply in her walk with Christ. Brandi shares the rewards of curating her platform, how she selects books for her community and the challenges of balancing life and content creation. If you're looking for inspiration to dive deeper into solid Christian books, this episode is full of encouragement and practical insights.

Episode Highlights:

Brandi shares a bit about her life and current season.
Her bookstagram journey and the inspiration behind @becomingbookbybook.
The most rewarding experiences and challenges she’s faced as a bookstagrammer.
How Christian books have influenced her faith journey.
Tips on building a thriving bookstagram community.

Connect with Brandi:

Instagram: @becomingbookbybook

Books Mentioned in This Episode:

Just Be Honest: How to Worship through Tears and Pray without Pretending by Clint Watkins
Waiting Isn't a Waste: The Surprising Comfort of Trusting God in the Uncertainties of Life by Mark Vroegop
How to Tell the Truth: The Story of How God Saved Me to Win Hearts—Not Just Arguments by Preston Perry
The Summer of Yes by Courtney Walsh
The Roads We Follow by Nicole Deese

Connect with Lia:

Bookstagram: ⁠⁠@liarossreads⁠⁠
Instagram: ⁠⁠@bookishtalkspodcast⁠

Building a Theological Library for God’s Glory with Walter Shaw Oct 14, 2024

In this episode, we chat with Walter Shaw, the Christian book reviewer behind @wtsreads. Walter dives into his journey with Christian books, sharing his testimony, the mission of WTS Reads, and practical advice for building a theological library that strengthens your faith. Whether you're new to theological books or looking to deepen your reading, this episode is packed with insights on curating a collection that glorifies God.

Episode Highlights:

Walter shares a bit about his life and current season.
His Christian testimony and how he came to faith.
The origin of WTS Reads and why he focuses on Christian books.
The mission of @wtsreads and the impact he hopes to have on his followers.

Connect with Walter:

Instagram: ⁠@wtsreads⁠
YouTube: ⁠@wtsreads⁠

Books Mentioned in This Episode:

A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul E. Miller
The Discipline of Grace: God's Role and Our Role in the Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges
Money, Possessions, and Eternity by Randy Alcorn
The Great Divorce: A Dream by C.S. Lewis
Bible Doctrine: Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith by Wayne Grudem
The Westminster Confession of Faith
The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible by Matthew Henry

Tim Challie’s Daily Kindle Deals: https://www.challies.com/kindle-deals-for-christians/

Connect with Lia:

Bookstagram: ⁠⁠@liarossreads⁠⁠
Instagram: ⁠⁠@bookishtalkspodcast⁠

Breaking Free from Bad Theology: How Books Helped Shape My Faith Oct 07, 2024

In this episode of Bookish Talks with Lia, I open up about my experience of breaking free from bad theology, especially after a close friend walked away from their faith. Though this season was difficult, the Lord led me to a high view of Scripture, which became my anchor through the challenges. I'll discuss the books that played a crucial role in helping me rediscover biblical truth and how they shaped my understanding of God. Tune in for an honest conversation about how God used both Scripture and these books to transform my thinking and deepen my love for sound doctrine.

Episode Highlights:

The impact of a close friend walking away from their faith and how it led me to reexamine my beliefs.
How the Lord brought me to a high view of Scripture, providing stability and direction through uncertainty.
The books that helped me break free from bad theology and realign with biblical truth.

Books Mentioned In This Episode:

Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds by Jen Wilkin
Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers by Dane Ortlund
The Reformation Study Bible edited by R.C. Sproul

Connect with Lia:

Bookstagram: ⁠⁠@liarossreads⁠⁠
Instagram: ⁠⁠@bookishtalkspodcast⁠

Ladies Love Theology Too: Empowering Women in Faith and Doctrine with Dr. Natalie Brand Sep 30, 2024

In this episode of Bookish Talks with Lia, I’m joined by Dr. Natalie Brand, theologian, Bible teacher, and author of The Scuttlebutt Letters. Together, we explore why theology is crucial for every Christian woman, how understanding doctrine strengthens our faith, and how Natalie makes theology accessible, especially for women who feel intimidated by it.

Episode Highlights:

Dr. Natalie Brand's Journey: From her personal life in the UK to how her passion for theology grew and led her to write empowering books for women.
Why Theology for Women?: The importance of theology for every believer and how Natalie encourages women to engage deeply with doctrine.
Overcoming Intimidation: Practical advice on overcoming the fear of studying theology and diving into theological discussions.
Top 3 Christian Books: Natalie’s top three books that have shaped her theology and how readers can break out of routine Scripture reading.
The Scuttlebutt Letters: A discussion on Natalie’s latest book, which creatively explores the power of the tongue using biblical wisdom and satire.

Connect with Natalie Brand:

Instagram: @nataliebrandauthor

Books Mentioned in this episode:

Priscilla, Where Are You? A Call to Joyful Theology by Dr. Natalie Brand
The Scuttlebutt Letters: Words to a Wild Tongue by Dr. Natalie Brand
Crazy but True: Connected to Jesus for Life by Natalie Brand
Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray
The Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin
On the Incarnation by Saint Athanasius the Great
Blessed: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Revelation by Nancy Guthrie
Memorizing Scripture: The Basics, Blessings, and Benefits of Meditating on God's Word by Glenna Marshall
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
John Piper books
Anne of Green Gables series

Connect with Lia:

Bookstagram: ⁠@liarossreads⁠
Instagram: ⁠@bookishtalkspodcast

Crafting Christian Content with a Purpose with Oghosa Iyamu Sep 23, 2024

In this episode of Bookish Talks with Lia, we sit down with Oghosa Iyamu, the founder of Un.Scrambled—an online community dedicated to bringing clarity to life’s confusion through Scripture. Oghosa shares her journey as a Christian content creator and writer, providing valuable insights on living out your faith in practical ways, the challenges of creating content, and how to deepen your connection with God's Word.

Episode Highlights:

Oghosa’s journey to launching Un.Scrambled and becoming a Christian content creator
Challenges and rewards of creating theologically rich, engaging content
Oghosa’s writing process and biggest influences
Favorite Christian books that have impacted her faith

Connect with Oghosa:

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

-⁠⁠Dangerous Calling: Confronting the Unique Challenges of Pastoral Ministry by Paul David Tripp

Connect with Lia:

Bookstagram: ⁠@liarossreads⁠
Instagram: ⁠@bookishtalkspodcast

Cultivating Godly Friendships with Bailey T. Hurley Sep 16, 2024

In this episode of Bookish Talks with Lia, I sit down with Bailey T. Hurley, friendship coach and author of Together Is a Beautiful Place. We explore the beauty and challenge of building and maintaining godly friendships as Christian women. Bailey shares her insights on navigating friendship breakups, healing from past hurts, and how to foster deep, Christ-centered relationships even in the midst of busy seasons like motherhood. Whether you're looking to cultivate new friendships or strengthen existing ones, Bailey offers practical wisdom to help you live out godly friendships in a meaningful way.

Episode Highlights:

Bailey's journey to becoming a friendship coach and author of Together Is a Beautiful Place
The inspiration behind her book and why godly friendships are crucial for Christian women
The biggest challenges Christian women face in forming and maintaining lasting friendships
Practical tips for cultivating friendships during busy seasons like motherhood or grad school

How to heal from friendship hurt and rebuild trust after being hurt by friends
Recognizing when it’s time to gracefully end a friendship and how to handle it with compassion
Balancing online and offline friendships while staying authentic in an age of social media

Connect with Bailey:

Instagram: @bailey.t.hurley
Website: baileythurley.com
Order your copy of Together Is a Beautiful Place: Finding, Keeping, and Loving Our Friends

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

-⁠The Company We Keep: In Search of Biblical Friendship⁠ by Jonathan Holmes

-The Lifegiving Home: Creating a Place of Belonging and Becoming by Sally and Sarah Clarkson

-Girls' Club: Cultivating Lasting Friendship in a Lonely World by Sally, Sarah & Joy Clarkson

*Disclaimer: We Should Get Together by Kat Vellos and Friendfluence by Carlin Flora are not Christian books. While they offer valuable insights on the topic of friendships, there may be ideas or language in these works that do not fully align with the values and beliefs upheld by Lia Ross Reads. As always, we encourage readers to approach these resources with discernment and hold them up to the truth of Scripture.

Connect with Lia:

Bookstagram: @liarossreads
Instagram: @bookishtalkspodcast

Helping Kids Build Their Identity in Christ with Jonathan Holmes Sep 09, 2024

In this episode of Bookish Talks with Lia, Lia Ross sits down with Jonathan Holmes, Founder and Executive Director of Fieldstone Counseling, to discuss how parents can help their children build a Christ-centered identity. Drawing from his experience in biblical counseling and insights from his new book, Grounded in Grace, Jonathan offers practical guidance on navigating the pressures teens face today.

Even if you don’t have children, this episode is still relevant, as Jonathan addresses the extremes of mental health within Christian culture and the importance of a balanced, biblical approach.
Episode Highlights:

Jonathan’s journey into biblical counseling and its unique benefits.
Guiding children to root their identity in Christ, not societal pressures.
Addressing mental health extremes—spiritual avoidance vs. secular thinking—and the balance biblical counseling offers.
Practical tools for reinforcing a Christ-centered identity and the church’s role in supporting families.

Connect with Jonathan: Follow Jonathan on Instagram: @akjonathanholmes

Order your copy of Jonathan’ Holmes’ new book Grounded in Grace: Helping Kids Build Their Identity in Christ

Amazon

New Growth Press

*affiliate links

Books Mentioned in this Episode:

-The Company We Keep: In Search of Biblical Friendship by Jonathan Holmes

-Parenting with Hope: Raising Teens for Christ in a Secular Age by Melissa Kruger

-Holiness by Grace: Delighting in the Joy That Is Our Strength by Bryan Chapell

-Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands: People in Need of Change, Helping People in Need of Change by Paul David Tripp

-Confessions by St. Augustine

-Together Is a Beautiful Place: Finding, Keeping, and Loving Our Friends by Bailey T. Hurley

Looking for virtual biblical counseling?

Check out Fieldstone Counseling: https://fieldstonecounseling.org

Welcome to Bookish Talks with Lia Sep 02, 2024

Welcome to Bookish Talks with Lia! 🎙️ I'm your host, Lia Ross Reads. This is the very first episode of a podcast that's been in the works for over a year, and I’m thrilled (and a little nervous) to finally be here with you.

In this episode, I’m taking you on a journey through my personal story—how I came to know Christ, how my bookstagram community Lia Ross Reads began, and the heart behind starting this podcast.

Thanks for joining me on this adventure—don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and stay tuned for more!

Disclaimer: This is our first episode, so thanks for bearing with us as we iron out the sound quality and other details. We appreciate your patience and support as we get started!

Connect with Lia Ross Reads: