As I have for several years, I’m sharing some of my personal favorites in a variety of categories for the year of 2021. As with 2020, this list will look a little different from previous years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as we have been to only one concert and one conference, and we saw very few films this year.
Except for books, these are all items that were released in 2021. For books, I include my favorite books that I’ve read this year, regardless of when the book was originally published.
Enjoy, and please let me know what you think of my list, as well as what would be on your list.
Movies
Top Pick: No Time to Die. Read my review here.
The remainder of my top 5 films were:
American Underdog
S. Lewis: The Reluctant Convert
West Side Story
In the Heights
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More favorite Music, Books, Blogs, Podcasts, Apps, Television, Conferences and Concerts.
As I have for several years, I’m sharing some of my favorites in a variety of categories for the first half of 2021. As with 2020, this list will look a little different from previous years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as we have not been to any concerts or conferences, and we have seen very few films thus far this year.
Except for books, these are all items that were released in 2021. For books, I include my favorite books that I’ve read this year, regardless of when the book was originally published.
Enjoy, and please let me know what you think of my list, as well as what would be on your list. Continue reading →
As I’ve done for a number of years now, I want to share with you my favorites from 2019 in a variety of categories. Except for books, these are all items that were released, or took place in 2019. For books, I include my favorite books of the 60 that I read during 2019, regardless of when the book was published.
Enjoy! Please let me know what you think of my list, and also share some of your favorites.
Movies ~ Top Choice: Avengers: Endgame
Other films that I’ve enjoyed, in order are:
2. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
3. Little Women
4. Knives Out
5. The Upside
6. Yesterday
7. Toy Story 4
8. The Biggest Little Farm
9. Ford v. Ferrari
10. Spider-Man: Far from Home
Other movies that I enjoyed this year, in no particular order, were:
American Gospel: Christ Alone
Amazing Grace
Apollo 11
Free Solo
They Shall Not Grow Old
Tolkien
Stan and Ollie
Dark Waters
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Harriet
Richard Jewell
The Peanut Butter Falcon
Click on ‘Continue Reading’ to see my 2019 favorite albums, songs, books, blogs, podcasts, conferences, television shows, concerts and new resources. Continue reading →
As I’ve done for a number of years now, I want to share with you my mid-year favorites from 2019 in a variety of categories. Except for books, these are all items that were released, or took place in 2019. For books, I include my favorite books that I read during 2019, regardless of when the book was published. Enjoy! Please let me know what you think of my list, and also share some of your favorites.
Other films that I’ve enjoyed, in order are:
Toy Story 4
The Upside
The Biggest Little Farm
Amazing Grace
American Gospel: Christ Alone
Apollo 11
Free Solo
They Shall Not Grow Old
Tolkien
Stan and Ollie
Click on ‘Continue Reading’ to see my mid-year favorite albums, songs, books, blogs, podcasts, conferences, TV shows, concerts and new resources.Continue reading →
It’s hard to believe that we are at mid-year already. I wanted to share with you some of my favorites from the first half of 2017 in a variety of categories. Except for books, these are all items that were released or took place in 2017. For books, I include my favorite books that I’ve actually read thus far during 2017. Enjoy, and please let me know what you think of my list and share some of your favorites.
Music ~ I enjoy music in a variety of genres. My favorites thus far are:
Albums ~Top Pick: Crooked – Propaganda
Here are the rest of my favorite albums (in no particular order) thus far:
The Joshua Tree (Super Deluxe) – U2
Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Deluxe Edition) – Beatles
Triplicate – Bob Dylan
The Misadventures of Fern & Marty – Social Club Misfits
Cinco – Jim Gaffigan
Flowers in the Dirt (Special Edition) – Paul McCartney
Songs ~ Top pick: Blessings – Lecrae (featuring TY Dollar $ign)
Here are the rest of my favorite songs (in no particular order), thus far:
Revival – Third Day
I’ll Find You – Lecrae featuring Tori Kelly
My Song is Love Unknown – Fernando Ortega
Your Cross Changes Everything – Matt Redman
Your Love Defends Me – Matt Maher
Concerts ~ Top Pick: U2’s The Joshua Tree Tour at Soldier Field in Chicago with the Lumineers opening.
Musicals ~ Top Pick: Hamilton in Chicago
Books ~ In this category, while many of the books were published in 2017, I list the best of the books I actually read in 2017. My favorites thus far are:
Top pick: The Legacy of Luther, edited by R.C. Sproul and Stephen Nichols
Here are the rest of my favorite books (in no particular order), thus far:
The Gospel According to Paul: Embracing the Good News at the Heart of Paul’s Teachings – John MacArthur
Glory in the Ordinary: Why Your Work in the Home Matters to God – Courtney Reisigg
Learning to Love the Psalms – Robert Godfrey
Calling to Christ: Where’s My Place? – Robert Smart
Discipleship with Monday in Mind: How Churches Across the Country Are Helping Their People Connect Faith and Work – Skye Jethani and Luke Bobo
Between Heaven and the Real World: My Story – Steven Curtis Chapman
Leaders Made Here: Building a Leadership Culture – Mark Miller
Workplace Grace – Bill Peel and Walt Larimore
Befriend: Create Belonging in an Age of Judgment, Isolation, and Fear – Scott Sauls
Movies~ I usually see at least one movie a week. Here is the best – and the worst – of what I’ve seen thus far:
Top Pick: Hidden Figures
Here are the rest of my favorite movies (in no particular order), thus far:
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2
Gifted
The Case for Christ
A United Kingdom
Beauty and the Beast
Get Out
Lion
Baby Driver
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
Unfortunately, there have also been a few poor movies I’ve seen as well. Here are the two worst movies I’ve seen thus far:
The Resurrection of Gavin Stone
The Zookeeper’s Wife
Television Program
Top Pick: The Profit. Season 4 is finally here. If you are not familiar with this show, read more about it here.
Podcasts
Top Pick: Albert Mohler’s The Briefing. Each weekday morning, Albert Mohler hosts a podcast providing worldview analysis about the leading news headlines and cultural conversations. This is required listening for me. Check out Dr. Mohler’s website.
Also, I was happy to hear recently that Malcolm Gladwell’s excellent podcast Revisionist History returning for season two. Listen to the first episode “A Good Walk Spoiled” here.
Blogs
Top Pick: Tim Challies’ Ala Carte. This is required reading for me each Monday through Saturday. Challies includes helpful Kindle deals, links to a good variety of helpful articles and a quote. Check out Tim’s website.
Another blog that is required reading for me each day is HeadHeartHand from David Murray, author of the excellent new book Reset.
Recommended New Teaching Series
The Lord’s Prayer by Albert Mohler. In this twelve-part series, Dr. Albert Mohler shows that the pattern of prayer Jesus provides is few in words, yet massive in meaning. His prayer reflects true theology and proper doxology—a perfect guide for our own lives. I listened to this series as our book club was studying Tim Keller’s book Prayer.
Recommended Resources
Luther: The Life and Legacy of the German Reformer. See my review of this excellent new documentary.
Dispatches from the Front: The Fourth Man. If you are not familiar with this set of videos from Frontline Missions and Tim Keesee you should be. For more information go here.
Conference
Top Pick: Ligonier Ministries National Conference: The Next 500 Years. Watch or listen to all of the messages here.
These are my favorites in a variety of categories. What about you? Please share your favorites.