Following is a categorized list of books that I’ve enjoyed reading, some light and inspirational, some life-changing, others humorous and stress-relieving. This list is in no way comprehensive and is a work in progress.
Spiritual Life
Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster
New Seeds of Contemplation, Thomas Merton
Anything by Henri Nouwen
Life Together, Deitrich Bonhoeffer
The Practice of the Present Moment, Brother Lawrence
The Imitation of Christ, Thomas a Kempis
Christ is All, David Bryant
One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, Ann Voskamp
Fiction
Till We Have Faces, C.S. Lewis
Safely Home, Randy Alcorn
Anything by Francine Rivers, Tamera Alexander, Susan May Warren, Dani Pettrey
Life Stories, Eye-witness Accounts
Watchmen on the Walls, Hannah Hurnard
To the Golden Shore: The Life of Adoniram Judson, Courtney Anderson
Rees Howells, Intercessor, Norman Percy Grubb
Essays
A Circle of Quiet, Madeleine l’Engle
Marriage and Family
I’m the type of personality that reads a book on marriage or parenting and feels like my world will fall apart because I’m not doing everything right. Sometimes I could go crazy with the pessimistic overtones of books on marriage, illustrations that start, “Ralph and Jane never imagined they’d be sitting in my office, their marriage on the rocks…” I have found several books that do not leave me feeling pressured or depressed. Mike Mason’s marriage book is not a practical how-to book, but a philosophical look at marriage, with insight into the human condition and the relationship between a redemptive God and a fallen people. Gary Thomas’s book is likewise focused on the meaning of marriage and God’s use of marriage to make us Christ-like. Both books breathe encouragement.
As for parenting books, there are so many good resources (and so many opinion books). What I love about Dr. Kimmel’s book is that it gets at the heart of relationship – grace! No matter what style of parenting you lean toward, grace should be central. Grace is foundational for our relationship with God, and it should be primary in all our relationships.
The Mystery of Marriage, Mike Mason
Sacred Marriage, Gary Thomas
Going Public: Your Child Can Thrive in Public School, David and Kelli Pritchard
Grace Based Parenting, Dr. Tim Kimmel
Creative Correction, Lisa Whelchel
History
A History of the American People, Paul Johnson
A History of Christianity, Volume 1, Kenneth S. Latourette
A History of Christianity, Volume 2, Kenneth S. Latourette
Writing
Story Trumps Structure: How to Write Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking the Rules, Steven James
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself into Print, Renni Browne and Dave King
Polishing the PUGS: Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling, Kathy Ide
Word Painting: A Guide to Writing More Descriptively, Rebecca McClanahan
Plot and Structure, James Scott Bell
The Moral Premise, Stanley D. Williams