Books I’m Loving Lately

A couple years ago, I decided to make self-care and balance more of a priority in my life. Looking back, I can say that it was seriously the best decision and a life-changer. One of the goals that went along with this was to read at least one book per month. Obviously, I do better some months than others. But, it got me reading more than I’ve read since I was a kid. Picking out my book for the next month is something I’ve grown to look forward to now. Through this goal, I can say that I have found so many books that I love – and I’ve learned a lot along the way!

Book Christmas Gift Guide

Whether you’re looking for books to add to your wish list or you’re looking to gift one this Christmas, I’ve got a lot of great book options below. All of these books (except the ones listed in my up-next list) have been read by me in the past year or two. I love them all – and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Books on Faith

I love books that are faith based and help me dive into studying the bible and knowing Jesus in a deeper way. As you can see by the list below, my favorite authors right now are Lysa Terkeurst, Beth Moore, and Jen Wilkin. These books would be amazing gifts for any women in your life.

Gift Idea: If you’re looking for a great gift idea for Christmas, create a bible study / quiet time basket! Grab a nice basket and fill it with all the morning quiet time essentials. (ie. Coffee cup, pens, highlighters, a cute journal, and one of these books!) 

• None Like Him: 10 Ways God Is Different from Us (and Why That’s a Good Thing) (Jen Wilkin)
• In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character (Jen Wilkin)
• It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered (Lysa Terkeurst)
  • Paired with Matching Study Guide (Lysa Terkeurst)
• Get Out of That Pit: Straight Talk about God’s Deliverance (Beth Moore)
• Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely (Lysa Terkeurst)
• Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God, Not Food (Lysa Terkeurst) – completely changed the way I view diet/ exercise and how I treat my body!
• What Happens When Women Say Yes to God: *Live More Fully *Love More Deeply *Experience God’s Best for You (Lysa Terkeurst) – a book on radical obedience

Bible Studies

One of my goals for 2019 was to grow in my faith and pursue consistent quiet time with God. Meanwhile, I found that I needed guidance on what to study each morning – and I did so much better when I had a reading plan to follow. I started incorporating bible studies into my quiet time routine, and it’s now my favorite way to spend each morning. I’m currently doing this bible-in-a-year reading plan with my devotional every morning. (I started it in January of 2019. I can’t believe I’m almost done!)

• It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way – STUDY GUIDE (Lysa Terkeurst)
• Gideon – Bible Study Book: Your Weakness. God’s Strength. (Priscilla Shirer)
• Foundations: A 260-Day Bible Reading Plan for Busy Believers (Robby Gallaty) – my bible-in-a-year reading plan!

Devotional Books That I Love

I start off my quiet time every morning with a cup of coffee and a devotional book before I jump into my daily bible study / reading plan. I find it’s a great way to wake up and prepare my heart for diving deeper into the word. I’m currently reading The One Year Book of Hope by Nancy Guthrie each morning. I was gifted the book by someone after Layne passed away. Having also suffered the loss of her angel baby (the author), it’s a great devotional geared toward grief, suffering, and disappointment.

• Embraced: 100 Devotions to Know God Is Holding You Close (Lysa Terkeurst)
• The One Year Book of Hope (Nancy Guthrie)
• Grieving the Child I Never Knew: A Devotional for Comfort in the Loss of Your Unborn or Newly Born Child (Kathe Wunnenberg)
• Loved Baby: 31 Devotions Helping You Grieve and Cherish Your Child after Pregnancy Loss (Sarah Philpott)

Books That Have Helped Me Through Infant Loss (Books on Loss + Miscarriage) 

After Layne passed away, I had so many people reach out and send me books and devotionals that helped them after they experienced loss. While some of them were hard to read at first, I am so glad I have them. They helped me process what happened, my grief, and the hope that we have in Jesus to cling to Him as we move forward. If you know someone who is walking into this holiday season with the grief of losing their baby, I hope these books help them as much as they helped (and still help) me.

• The One Year Book of Hope (Nancy Guthrie)
• I’ll Hold You In Heaven: Healing and Hope for the Parent Who has Lost a Child through Miscarriage, Stillbirth, Abortion or Early Infant Death (Jack Hayford)
• Grieving the Child I Never Knew: A Devotional for Comfort in the Loss of Your Unborn or Newly Born Child (Kathe Wunnenberg)
• It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength When Disappointments Leave You Shattered (Lysa Terkeurst)
  • Paired with Matching Study Guide (Lysa Terkeurst)
• Get Out of That Pit: Straight Talk about God’s Deliverance (Beth Moore)
• Loved Baby: 31 Devotions Helping You Grieve and Cherish Your Child after Pregnancy Loss (Sarah Philpott)

Coffee Table Books

I love coffee table books. I’ve always said that I hope to even write my own one day. Not only do they look great styled on shelves, but I love flipping through them for inspiration. I’ve learned so much about design and styling over the years by flipping through books like these below.

• Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave (Joanna Gaines)
• Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love, and Baking Biscuits (Reese Witherspoon)
• Cozy White Cottage: 100 Ways to Love the Feeling of Being Home (Liz Marie Galvan)

Motivational / Self-Help Books

Like faith based books, I love a great motivational / self-help book to inspire me and motivate me in the realm of personal development. (As an introvert, sometimes you just need that little push, you know?) I have more faith based books on my reading list right now, but these are some of my favorite ones I’ve read recently.

• Own Your Everyday: Overcome the Pressure to Prove and Show Up for What You Were Made to Do (Jordan Lee Dooley)
• Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs (Emerson Eggerichs) – amazing marriage book using biblical principles!
• Make it Happen: Surrender Your Fear. Take the Leap. Live On Purpose. (Lara Casey)
• Grace, Not Perfection: Embracing Simplicity, Celebrating Joy (Emily Ley)
• A Simplified Life: Tactical Tools for Intentional Living (Emily Ley)

“Fun” Books

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I need a good ‘brain break’ when I’ve got a lot going on. One of my favorite things to do as a ‘brain break’ is to letter. I especially love to letter scripture. There’s something about lettering scripture that helps you reflect and take it in. I get asked a lot about how / where I learned how to letter, and I learned by buying hand lettering books from Chalkfulloflove! They really helped me get started. Then through practice and doing it myself, I’ve really developed my own style. I couldn’t recommend these enough – I even bought the kid version for my little cousin for Christmas!

• Hand Lettering 101: An Introduction to the Art of Creative Lettering (Chalkfulloflove)
  • Kid Version: Learn to Letter with Luna the Llama: An Interactive Children’s Workbook on the Art of Hand Lettering (Chalkfulloflove)
• Hand Lettering 201: Intermediate Lettering and Design Basics (Chalkfulloflove)

What’s Next on My Reading List

Ever since I made it a goal to read at least one book per month, picking out my book for the next month is something I’ve grown to look forward to now. Here are a few books that are next up on my reading list. I’m hoping to add more to my list soon.

• Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament (Mark Vroegop)
• Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds (Jen Wilkin)
• Trustworthy – Bible Study Book: Overcoming Our Greatest Struggles to Trust God (Lysa Terkeurst)

 

 

Well there you have it, friends! Tell me – what books are you loving lately? Do you have a favorite that I need to know about and add to my reading list? Let me know in a comment below!