books
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Delighting in the Trinity
by Michael Reeves
This book is my favorite book written by a modern author! While it looks like a dry, boring theological book, it's actually a vibrant and unique perspective on how the trinity teaches us what KIND of God we worship. The trinity always felt like such an oddity to me before reading this book! Now I see it as one of the most beautiful and precious aspects of theology.
There's a lot of talk about being gospel-centered these days which is great. But it can easily feel stale if we don't understand how to see the gospel with fresh eyes. This gem of a book delves into the person of Jesus in ways few others I've read ever do. It's one I've kept re-reading over the past few years with delight.
Cultivate
by Lara Casey
This book beautifully uses themes learned in gardening to walk us through our lives and consider what things actually matter to us, and to cultivate those things well. We can't do all things well, we need to choose what we want to focus on and have grace in all of it. This is one of my favorite productivity books!
A Praying Life
by Paul Miller
This book is one that I read almost every year. Paul Miller does such a great job of pulling back the curtain on the fatherhood of God, and how His gentle heart leads us to pray. With poignant examples from his own life (especially in parenting), this is an intensely practical book that walks you through both the theology and how to's of prayer. This is my favorite book on prayer, hands down!
Gentle and Lowly
by Dane Ortlund
Dane Ortlund has written such a beautiful book that looks straight into Jesus' heart for us. Jesus describes himself as "gentle and lowly". What does that mean? And what does that mean for how he views us?
Very few books have warmed my affections for Jesus more than this insightful book. If you haven't read it yet, you are definitely missing out.
God of All Things
by Andrew Wilson
This book was such a delightful surprise! In it, Andrew Wilson takes normal, down to earth kinds of things like pigs and salt and earthquakes and follows the themes throughout Scripture. It's a truly enjoyable and fun read, highlighting the realness of a God who would create mundane and tangible things. Truly a wonderful book.
A Spacious Life
by Ashley Hales
I ordered this book on a whim, and wow, it was so worth it! This rich little gem brings together beautiful word craft with rich theological truths to teach us that limits are actually GOOD, God given things that open the doorway to real love. If you've ever found yourself thinking that you need to overcome your limitations, let this book remind you to slow down and embrace God's own character in having a more spacious life. It's one of my favorite books of 2022.
You Are What You Love
by James K.A. Smith
You Are What You Love is one of those books that I read years ago and have come to realize that it influenced me on a profound level. The book argues that we are not merely "thinking beings" but primarily that we are loving beings, driven by our desires. If that's the case, how does that influence how we are sanctified? This book changed my approach to sanctification and discipleship in a huge way, and that has had so much good fruit in my life since. The book goes on to discuss liturgy and how the practice of spiritual habits can help us in our Christian walk. This is a thought-provoking book you will want to chew on.
Love Walked Among Us
by Paul Miller
2 Corinthians 3:18 says "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another." We are changed to be more like God when we see Him. And nowhere do we see God's character more clearly displayed than in the character of Jesus.
In Love Walked Among Us, Paul Miller takes the stories of Jesus' love for people as laid out in the gospels and interweaves his own stories and experiences to highlight the character of Jesus and how he loved people in his earthly ministry before his greatest act of love on the cross.
Beholding and Becoming
by Ruth Chou Simons
This book is hands down my FAVORITE devotional ever (and I'm not a huge devotional girl)! I've had it on repeat ever since I got it two years ago because it's seriously *that* good. Based on the theological truth that we become like who we worship, Beholding and Becoming follows the pattern of first beholding the character of God, and then follows the next day with how we can mirror Him in our everyday lives. It's been a balm for this recovering legalist who needs reminders every day that it's not about my merits, but Jesus'. The rich gospel truths are presented alongside beautiful watercolor spreads by the artist and author, Ruth Chou-Simons. I seriously wish I hadn't had this sitting in my Amazon cart for so long!
God Does His Best Work with Empty
by Nancy Guthrie
I originally heard about Nancy Guthrie when she did a podcast interview on the Daily Grace Co. Podcast, talking about this book. In this book, she explores the theme in Scripture of God using empty things to do some of his most powerful work. When we feel need, loneliness, and lack, we often see it as a problem to be resolved immediately without realizing that God often does His most glorious works in those places of lack. Emptiness is not a problem to always be immediately resolved, and Nancy does such a beautiful job of articulating those hard and rich truths in this beautiful book.
The Things of Earth
by Joe Rigney
This book is a delightful answer to the question, "how can we enjoy the things of earth without letting them take first place in our affections?" If you've ever wondered what place the physical world, relationships, and things have in our lives, than this is the book for you!
How to Get Unstuck
by Matt Perman
I used to be a productivity hack junkie. I read all the books I could get on my hands on, but only saw minimal improvements. Then I read this book. Matt Perman dives into the emotional and spiritual hangups we experience when trying to be productive, and helps us combat those things with practical helps and the gospel. If you keep reading about productivity but still find yourself getting hung up, this may be the exact book for you. It was for me!
A Simplified Life
by Emily Ley
A Simplified Life is the book that helped me adult. It feels like an older sister coming alongside and saying, "I see how hard you are trying. You're doing well but you're spinning your wheels. Try this instead." Her down to earth, intensely practical help was just what I needed. Her systems and tips are tried and true, many of them handed down from her mom to her, so these things really work! As someone who tends to over analyze my spiritual issues and not pay enough attention to my systems, this book was a lifesaver. If you know that your life needs some simplification, this is a must-read.
Every Good Endeavor
by Timothy Keller
Do you have trouble connecting your vocational work to God? Tim Keller does a beautiful job of teasing out the theology of vocation and how our work matters to God in this intensely encouraging book. Every Good Endeavor seeks to encourage believers that their work matters to God, not just in a spiritual sense, but truly and really matters to God as we serve and love others through our work. If you need encouragement in your life regarding work, this book will be a balm and motivator!
Never Lose a Customer Again
by Joey Coleman
The title of the book originally turned me off, but when my boss asked me to read it, I did. I was blown away. What appeared to be a gimmicky book on sales turned out to be a guidebook to really loving and serving your clients in the best and most creative ways possible. I think this book is a must-read for any business owner or business networker. Don't sleep on this book! It will change how you view sales forever.
Profit First
by Mike Michalowicz
In Profit First, author Mike Michalowicz argues that you should pay yourself first in your business, and expenses after. Sound backward? Than you need to read this book! Highly recommended by the best in the business world, this book flips our financial practices on their head, and teaches us how to view our finances in a whole new light.
The Lazy Genius Way
by Kendra Adachi
Ah, dear Kendra. My adulting heroine. I first found Kendra through her podcast, The Lazy Genius, and immediately binged her episodes. Kendra masterfully blends humor and the most common sense life hacks together for a guidebook on how to adult. "Be a genius about the things that matter, and lazy about the things that don't" she always says. If you want to learn everything from the best way to clean a bathroom to the best way to get the most flavor out of your spices (hint: cook them in a little oil before you add the rest of your ingredients to extract all their lovely flavors and aromas), you need Kendra in your life. Like, truly. She's one of my favorites.
Building a StoryBrand
by Donald Miller
This book changed how I understood marketing and the messaging around my company more than any other resource! From creating an elevator pitch (how you explain what you do in a sentence) to how to lay out your website, this book teaches you how to clearly and persuasively communicate what you do to your potential customers, increasing your sales by leaps and bounds. It's truly a game-changer.
Deep Work
by Cal Newport
Do you struggle with your productivity? One of the main hindrances to our productivity is actually that we have a hard time getting into what Cal Newport calls "deep work". Small interruptions, email inboxes, and our own brain's distractions all keep us from getting into that place of true productivity, and Cal's widely hailed book teaches you how to conquer this once and for all.
Start with Why
by Simon Sinek
Simon Sinek explores why some companies like Apple have been so wildly popular while others just haven't, even if they had more resources, funding, or smarter people running them. What really makes people buy? Simon argues that marketing from your "why", the belief that drives you and that you share with your audience will connect on a deeper level than simply selling features or products. This is one of the most foundational marketing books I've ever read, and makes total sense within a Christian worldview!
Atomic Habits
by James Clear
The secret to change is not in making impressive, sweeping changes, but rather in creating small systems and habits that change your trajectory over time in a sustainable way. And that is what Atomic Habits is all about! This is a must-have guide to creating habits and understanding their incredible power.
