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If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know how much I love to read! Books are like gifts that you can open again and again. And good authors can become like companions and mentors, even if we’ve never met them.
I have read many a good book, and it was difficult to narrow it down to 10 (maybe I should do a part 2?!🤔). These 10 have been very influential in my life and have helped to strengthen my relationship with the Lord.
1. The Gentle Ways of the Beautiful Woman (Classic Trilogy by Anne Ortlund)
I read this when we were first married and it truly inspired the kind of home I wanted to create! This was also the book that inspired my most popular blog post, How to Create a Personal Prayer Notebook!
2. 30 Days to Becoming a Woman of Prayer by Stormie Omartian
Stormie Omartian is one of my favorite authors as she has truly inspired me to become a woman of prayer. She has many books on prayer, and this one is definitely one of my faves.
3. ReGrace by Frank Viola
This has been one of my favorite reads in the last several years, and the message is one that did my heart good. Viola shows how certain circles within the church have become very ungracious and condemnatory with those who don’t agree with them on every theological issue. He explores some of the lesser known beliefs held by giants of the faith (like C.S. Lewis, Calvin, Luther, Spurgeon, etc.) that would be shocking to many. Viola doesn’t do this to put them in a bad light (he readily admits that these are his heroes too) but to show that even the greatest Christians throughout history were not perfect. Should be required reading in some churches!
4. 40-Days to a Joy-Filled Life by Tommy Newberry
This book completely changed the way I think, because it caused me to “think about what I think about.” Tommy lays out the practical ways that we can be transformed by renewing our minds.
5. Daily Light by Samuel Bagster
This classic was written in the late 1800s and is full of nothing but Scriptures for each day of the year. Each morning and evening devotional has a theme with several Scripture passages that relate to the theme. It really is remarkable how often the day’s theme will speak to exactly what is going on in my life!
6. The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie Omartian
One of the best things we can do as parents is pray for our children. This book covers just about every area of our children’s lives with short devotionals, prayers, and Scriptures for each area. Love it!
7. How to Forgive…When You Don’t Feel Like It by June Hunt
There are a number of books on forgiveness, and this one is one of my favorites. Unforgiveness can cause a host of spiritual AND physical problems in our lives. This incredible book shows you how to find freedom. I highly recommend!
8. Choosing Gratitude by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
This is a wonderful book that shows you the power that gratitude has to completely change your life! And that’s not an overstatement – Nancy does a phenomenal job of showing how ingratitude negatively impacts our lives and how gratitude is the key to unlocking a transformed life.
9. Beside Still Waters by Charles Spurgeon
I absolutely love this little volume! This book was a tremendous comfort to me when we lost our infant daughter, Sarah Elizabeth. Spurgeon offers short, powerful devotionals and Scriptures with words of comfort for the hurting heart. Highly recommend!
10. Happiness by Randy Alcorn
This has been one of the most influential books in my life over the past several years (and it inspired the name of my blog!). Alcorn does a fantastic job of laying out the Biblical case for happiness – how everyone is searching for it (because God put that desire in each of our hearts) and how to truly find it. Well worth the read!
What books have influenced your life? I would love to hear!
