These are the books that I have personally read. I recommend these for Spiritual guidance, encouragement, and Inspiration. These, of course, do not take the place of your devotional Bible readings, but can enhance your everyday Christian walk of life. Just click on the drop-down menu and order yours through Amazon.
Enjoy…
Experience peace in the presence of the Savior who is closer than you can imagine.
This #1 bestselling 365-day devotional is written as if Jesus Himself is speaking directly to you—words of encouragement, comfort, and reassurance of His unending love.
Sarah Young shares her personal prayer journal and her reflections based on Jesus’ words of hope, guidance, and peace within Scripture. Penned by one who loves Jesus and reveres His Word, these writings will help your love for Jesus grow as you spend time with Him each day.
Experience a deeper relationship with the Lord as you savor the presence of the One who will never leave you.
This devotional is by far my favorite! I used this devotional for three years in a row and highly recommend it to everyone that wants Jesus to enter in and change their walk with Him.
Just like you, Ann Voskamp hungers to live her one life well. Forget the bucket lists that have us escaping our everyday lives for exotic experiences. ‘How,’ Ann wondered, ‘do we find joy in the midst of deadlines, debt, drama, and daily duties? What does the Christ-life really look like when your days are gritty, long–and sometimes even dark? How is God even here?’ In One Thousand Gifts, Ann invites you to embrace everyday blessings and embark on the transformative spiritual discipline of chronicling God’s gifts. It’s only in this expressing of gratitude for the life we already have, we discover the life we’ve always wanted…a life we can take, give thanks for, and break for others. We come to feel and know the impossible right down in our bones: we are wildly loved–by God. Let Ann’s beautiful, heart-aching stories of the everyday give you a way of seeing that opens your eyes to ordinary amazing grace, a way of being present to God that makes you deeply happy, and a way of living that is finally fully alive. Come live the best dare of all!
Ann Voskamp is one of my favorite writers. I love her poetic flow, raw honesty and how every word takes you captive. You will be drawn deeper to the heart of Jesus throught the everyday simple things that you once took for granted. Prepare to be challenged!
How can it be? When we’re naked and ashamed and alone in our brokenness, Christ envelopes us with his intimate grace. When we’re rejected and abandoned and shattered beyond wanting, Jesus cups our face, “Come close, my Beloved.” When we’re dirty and tear-stained and despairing, Jesus Christ proposes undying, dying love: “All that you painfully are and are carrying—I’ll take. All that I perfectly am and have—is yours. Just take me.”
There is a wooing that washes our wounds. Falling into this intimacy with him is the one thing we pray to never recover from. This kind of intimacy can only be tasted and swallowed, and it burns a holy yes through our begging veins.
Am I willing to take all that I have, break and give to Him?
Because all that He is, He broke and gave to us.
I LOVE this book! I had to take my time and savor every word, every line, every chapter. This beautiful work will shake you to the core. I will read this book over and over and over throughout my life. Few books have changed my life in that capacity, but this one did exactly that.
Great for Small Groups with the videos! You will not be disappointed.
Women today are fading. In a female culture built on Photoshopped perfection and Pinterest fantasies, we’ve lost the ability to dream our own big dreams. So busy trying to do it all and have it all, we’ve missed the life we were really designed for. And we are paying the price. The rise of loneliness, depression, and anxiety among the female population in Western cultures is at an all-time high. Overall, women are two and a half times more likely to take antidepressants than men. What is it about our culture, the expectations, and our way of life that is breaking women down in unprecedented ways?
In this vulnerable memoir of transformation, Rebekah Lyons shares her journey from Atlanta, Georgia, to the heart of Manhattan, where she found herself blindsided by crippling depression and anxiety. Overwhelmed by the pressure to be domestically efficient, professionally astute, and physically attractive, Rebekah finally realized that freedom can come only by facing our greatest fears and fully surrendering to God’s call on our lives. This book is an invitation for all women to take that first step toward freedom. For it is only when we free-fall that we can truly fly.
I love her realness! I recommend this book to anyone who battles anxiety. Rebekkah gives a voice to something that is so silenced. You are going to fall in love with her.
Have you bought the lie? Many of us do. We measure our worth by what others think of us. We compare and strive, existing mostly for the approval of others. Pressure rises, anxiety creeps in and we hustle to keep up.
Jesus whispers, I gave my life to set you free. I gave you purpose. I called you to live in freedom in that purpose. Yet we still hobble through life, afraid to confess all the ways we push against this truth, because we can’t even believe it. We continue to grasp for the approval of anyone that will offer it: whether strangers, friends, or community.
Christ doesn’t say you can be or may be or will be free. He says you are free.
Dare you believe it?
In You Are Free, Rebekah invites you to:
• Overcome the exhaustion of trying to meet the expectations of others and rest in the joy God’s freedom brings.
• Release stress, anxiety and worry, to uncover the peace that comes from abiding in His presence.
• Find permission to grieve past experiences, confess areas of brokenness, and receive strength in your journey towards healing.
• Throw off self-condemnation, burn superficial masks and step boldly into what our good God has for you.
• Discover the courage to begin again and use your newfound freedom to set others free.
Freedom is for everyone who wants it—the lost, the wounded, and those weary from all of the striving. It’s for those who gave up trying years ago. It’s for those angry and hurt, brilliant and burnt by the Christian song and dance. You are the church, the people of God. You were meant to be free.
Look Rebekah Lyons up at rebekahlyons.com
I laughed. I cried. I read. I read again. And again. Rebekkah speaks so real to where we are living. Her openness and honesty will provoke you to look deep. You do not want to pass up this book.
If you have a desire in your heart that just won’t disappear…
If you don’t want to let fear get the best of you…
If you’re not sure what to do…
Help is on the way.
We all long to live with more purpose, passion, and joy. Yet in the middle of our hectic lives, the God-sized dreams that have the potential to lead us into all God has planned for us are the ones that tend to get lost. With her intimate, approachable style and constant encouragement, Wall Street Journal bestselling author Holley Gerth invites women to rediscover the desires God has given them–and then dare to pursue them.
With the enthusiasm and honesty that we all want from our closest friend, Holley encourages women to overcome excuses–too busy, too late, too far out of my comfort zone–and believe that their God-sized dreams can become reality. She takes readers by the hand and says, “Yes! You can do this! Let’s go!” then guides them forward with grace and wisdom. A licensed counselor and certified life coach, Holley insightfully combines inspiration with practical application in this powerful, positive book.
If you are struggling to find that thing that God wants you to do. If you are fearful of stepping out and need to be encouraged. If you just cannot be sure that this is the time to make that thing happen. READ THIS BOOK! Holley gives us a “play book” to walk us through every challenge, every opposition, and put it up against the Light of Jesus.
My copy is worn, dog-earred, marked up, hilighted, flagged… you name it, I have it. This is my ‘go-to’ when I need reminded. Thank you Holley Gerth for help along the God-Sized journey.
Have you ever gotten to the place where you just couldn’t take it anymore?
Dreams. Programs. Jobs. Relationships. There are so many different areas where we feel like calling it quits.
It’s time for an honest conversation on how not to give in to the temptation to give up.
Nicki Koziarz is a woman who has thrown in the towel a time or two. In fact, she’s quit just about everything in her life. But with God’s help, she’s discovered a few habits that have helped her and others conquer the choice to quit.
5 Habits of a Woman Who Doesn’t Quit will enable you to:
- Evaluate the internal personal struggles that make you want to quit.
- Cultivate consistent habits to help you progress toward your goals.
- Receive a fresh dose of perspective from the Bible that will help you develop perseverance.
You are not made to quit! Join Nicki as she identifies five habits to help you keep going no matter what struggles may come your way.
We all have those moments when we weigh the odds. We all have the choice to persevere or quit. I am so thankful that Nicki Koziarz was determined to talk about it, write about, and give us help to persevere. Read her words and fall in love with her candid personality. Become that woman that does not quit.
You have an enemy . . . and he’s dead set on destroying all you hold dear and keeping you from experiencing abundant life in Christ. What’s more, his approach to disrupting your life and discrediting your faith isn’t general or generic, not a one-size-fits-all. It’s specific. Personalized. Targeted.
So this book is your chance to strike back. With prayer. With a weapon that really works. Each chapter will guide you in crafting prayer strategies that hit the enemy where it hurts, letting him know you’re on to him and that you won’t back down. Because with every new strategy you build, you’re turning the fiercest battles of life into precise strikes against him and his handiwork, each one infused with the power of God’s Spirit.
Priscilla Shirer is my all time favorite writer, speaker and Bible Study teacher. You will never question her motives or her directives. I love her passion. Fervent will challenge you and convict you. Learn to pray those scary prayers. Fight right. Become all that God intends for you to be. This book right here contains an education in living as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
IMPOSSIBLE. IMPENETRABLE. UNCHANGEABLE. Maybe so . . . until God gets involved. No matter the details of your circumstance, His raw power potential and immeasurable ability refuse to cower in the face of any challenge. Nothing is impossible with God. Nothing. Not even that thing.
If you are in that place of questioning and doubt concerning God’s ability to see you and help you, this is your book. Get it, read it and let the Truth sink deep. No matter where you are, He is Able!
The Egyptians in Exodus 1 were intent on enslaving the Israelites, wearing them down so that God’s chosen people would become disillusioned and not live up to their destiny. Of the original two million Israelites who received God’s invitation to enter the Promised Land, only two actually entered it!
Similarly, modern day Christians often hear and understand the promises of God each Sunday morning at church but then rarely choose to experience them in everyday life. In One in a Million, Bible teacher Priscilla Shirer invites us to change that pattern for good, living beyond our circumstances and expecting to see God move in miraculous ways day after day. Without a doubt, we can find and follow God’s purpose for our journey. We can make it to the Promised Land!
God has a plan and He will see it through. We must seek Him above all else. In ‘One in a Million’ we are reminded that His promises are true. He desires for us to have life, and have it more abundantly. Find your place as that “one.”
The choice of a devotional book is more personal than most. This kind of reading is not merely for the purpose of leisure and enjoyment. No, with this kind of resource you’re expecting and praying forsomething more. You want to hear from God, receive His direction, and be refreshed in the depths of your soul. Only God’s Word can do that.
So you need to choose wisely.
With her first devotional book, Priscilla Shirer makes your choice easy. For even though she’s written multiple best-selling books and Bible studies, including the 2016 ECPA “Christian Book of the Year” (Fervent), even though she regularly speaks to thousands at conference venues and churches around the world, even though she was the lead actress in a #1 box-office feature film (War Room) . . . It all starts for Priscilla where it all starts for you.
Alone with God. Alone with His Word. Eager to hear His voice. Prepared to humbly and obediently respond. She hopes, more than anything else, that the daily insights you receive in these pages will challenge, encourage, and strengthen you in every way.
These ninety devotions from the heart of a mom, wife, encourager, and friend will Awaken you each day with fresh insights gleaned from the Spirit of God. Ready to help you mine the treasures of Scripture and fortify you for the day ahead.
This is a wonderful devotion. In Awaken, Priscilla takes a compilation of her many books and puts them here in one place. You will be challenged and encouraged daily by her wisdom and wit. This book is a great gift idea.
In Looking for Lovely, Annie F. Downs shares personal stories, biblical truth, and examples of how others have courageously walked the path God paved for their lives by remembering all God had done, loving what was right in front of them, and seeing God in the everyday—whether that be nature, friends, or the face they see in the mirror. Intensely personal, yet incredibly powerful, Looking for Lovely will spark transformative conversations and life changing patterns. No matter who you are and what path God has you on, we all need to remember the lovely, fight to finish, and find beautiful in our every day
You can find her at anniefdowns.com
I have read every book that Annie has written. I could not wait for this book. I actually picked it up the day it debuted. Annie is just down to earth, open and honest.
If you are a fan, you will see that her writing has become different… changed. There is a seasoning in her words that adds to her writing style. I must say, it is like watching it unfold on the page. You are going to love her.
This beautiful journey through the Amazon invites readers to search their souls and follow Jesus wherever the river runs—experiencing the adventure of knowing the poor and forgotten people He loves. In Wherever the River Runs, Kelly Minter invites us on a jungle adventure down a river teeming with piranhas, caymans, a beautiful people, and, especially, God’s presence. Her honest and engaging narrative pulls back the curtain on one of the most captivating places on earth as well as on parts of the gospel we may be able to recite but have never fully believed. For anyone feeling complacent in their American Christianity, Kelly’s story of the forgotten people of the Amazon and how they transformed her understanding of the gospel, is sure to inspire.
Prepare to be amazed. Prepare to cry. Prepare to fall in love with Kelly Minter and be challenged by Missions. I could not put this book down! If you want to spark a desire for Missions… give someone this book.
Follow Naomi as she talks to women working in brothels in Mumbai; survivors of an Indonesian tsunami in which more than 160,000 lives were lost; a young girl waiting on an operation to save her life; and victims of domestic violence horrifically burned by fire. Be still with her when she realizes the pain she feels in the face of these extreme injustices reveals a common struggle that exists within all of humanity. And rise with her as she wrestles with confusion over her identity, comes face to face with redemption, and then begins to understand her own story … and to find her calling. The Scent of Water will open your eyes to the complexities of the world, showing you pain can also be beauty, and how each are found in the unlikeliest of places. Zacharias doesn’t have all the answers. But she has hope and encouragement that will empower you to find and begin the adventure of your life.
I remember the day this book seemed to leap from the shelf and grab my attention. What a remarkable writing by a remarkable woman. Every woman should read this book… and become changed. If we all could have our hearts ignited, oh the mighty work that we could do. This woman is doing it! You will cry and grieve with her. Consider yourself warned. This book is a MUST!
And yes, Ravi Zacharias is her father.
‘This is My Commandment, That Ye Love One Another’ — John 15:12
In this reverential text divided into a 31 day devotional for every day of the month, Andrew Murray draws upon the gospel parable of the vine and its branches to illustrate the magnificent relationship we are intended to have with Christ. Both simple and profound, this book was written out of the author’s desire to help young Christians recognize the all-sufficiency and faithfulness of the Lord Jesus Christ and the fruitfulness of a life of faith in Him.
Find out in these inspiring pages how you can… * Dwell in God’s rich love * Receive answers to your prayers * Weather life’s difficult storms * Establish unbroken communion with Christ * Replace fear and doubt with lasting peace * Rest in God’s secure protection * Produce eternal results
The fullness of God’s merciful loving kindness awaits you. You can come through life’s greatest difficulties safely, and every longing of your heart can be satisfied. Discover that as you daily abide in the Vine, your branch will grow and bloom, enriched by the nourishing presence of the Lord.
In the most simple terms… GET THIS BOOK!
DO YOU REALLY DESIRE TO KNOW GOD INTIMATELY, AND WALK WITH HIM IN INCREASINGLY WARM FELLOWSHIP? Tozer’s Inspiring Classic on the Nature of God is a detailed but easy-to-understand examination of the attributes of God that will help you recapture a real sense of God´s majesty and uniqueness. Informative and uplifting, A. W. Tozer commences each chapter of “The Knowledge of the Holy: The Attributes of God” with a prayer and then expounds one of God’s divine perfections. He does so as one who is intimately acquainted with a dear and treasured Friend and leaves one with a hunger to know God more intimately.
I had to read this book in ‘bite-size’ segments. The wisdom and depth created a hunger inside of me that I have never gotten over. If you desire to know and walk with the God like never before, let this book be your life-long text book.
I do not loan this one out. Call me selfish… I will take that, but my copy is priceless to me.
“As the heart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.”
The Pursuit of God is an inspirational book that aims to guide those who wish to follow Christ. It includes biblical teachings that emphasize the concept of pursuing God. The concept of seeking God should be evident in the context of obtaining a genuine relationship between the Creator and the creature. Man must consider God as not only a creator , but the one who sustains life; hence, all creatures must depend solely on Him.
The book also discusses that faith is a necessity for spiritual survival. Despite our sinfulness, God has sought us to establish a relationship with Him. He filled our hearts with the desire to follow and serve Him, and to pursue our Creator. Because of God’s love, He sent Christ to teach us and redeem us from our sins.
Tozer provided a thorough explanation about God’s universal presence, and he stated that God offers His love to all His children. The degree of our fellowship with God relies on us, which is why we cannot say that He is too preoccupied to give us His time. Instead, our Heavenly Father pursues us to be with Him. Yet, only a few respond to God’s call to build a solid relationship with our Creator.
The key to genuine happiness is to seek and possess God, instead of attempting to obtain worldly possessions. Those who choose to follow God’s path are the ones who are poor in spirit because they have abandoned their pride and selfishness to pursue the Heavenly kingdom. They understand that the secret to attaining peace is by humbling themselves and acknowledging God’s power. Furthermore, in order to follow God, we need to end our sinful ways and put our trust on God alone.
When we instill in ourselves a strong faith and belief in God, we will come to know Him deeply. The book teaches us the value of knowing God through our personal experience instead of thinking of Him as an abstract being. With constant communication with God, we will be able to develop a personal relationship with Him. Tozer asserts that God never ceases to speak to use, and we only need to listen and engage in a conversation with our Heavenly Father.
This excellent treatise guides Christians to form a deeper and stronger relationship with God, regardless of their level of spiritual development. The author main goal is to provide insights on how we can establish habits and a lifestyle dedicated unto God. This way, we can reach that point in our life where we can have a richer understanding of God’s love for us.
The Pursuit of God teaches us that we should try to be consistent in our goal to follow God. We cannot benefit from having a dual existence. As Christians, we should not divide our lives into the secular and the sacred; rather, we should do our best to life a life dedicated to God’s glory. Our goal to conform to Christ’s image should be evident in our words, actions and daily life.
Through this book, Tozer shares practical ways that will help us to become closer to God by following His teachings. This inspiring literature can help individuals who hope to discover the path towards God, and attain a peaceful and meaningful life.
Another precious book to me! Come and feast on Tozer’s wisdom and allow your life to change. If we would only realize that God wants to be pursuited… and in that pursuit He will be found. ‘The Pursuit of God’ is a wealth of wisdom and knowledge at your fingertips.