2024 Recommended Christian Books
2024 Recommended (Christian Faith) Books
Disclaimer: This list is an authentic list of my absolute favorite books and it will grow over time as I add more. If you are anything like me, I absolutely adore reading books about Jesus. I wanted to disclose that I do receive a small proceed if you purchase anything through the Amazon links on my site, but that is not my main reason for sharing with you and would never affect what books I list! I wish you the best of reading and I truly hope these books will help to transform where you are at in your faith. Many of these books have helped me discover areas of my heart that could grow more like Christ and helped me walk closer to Him. I believe reading books about Christ is one of the best ways you can spend your time besides reading His Word.
PARENTING, CHRISTIAN, APOLOGETICS
Mama Bear Apologetics
Wow, this book was a game changer! I became a Step Mom two years ago and I truly treat my amazing stepson as my own. I care about him so much that reading this book was essential to me. I’m sure you care deeply about what your kid grows up to believe, too. We have a job as parents to be invested in their thought-life and steer them 100% toward Jesus. This book helped me to help make my stepson’s faith his own. I am a Middle School Girls’ Leader at my church, and I teach Sunday School for 4th and 5th Graders every week. Guess what book I pull from when I want them to learn how to think like sons and daughters of Jesus.
Fun story: A new mother behind me on a plane saw me reading this book as she burped her baby, we became friends for the flight, and my husband was asked by God to spend the flight memorizing Numbers 6:24-26 and ask to pray it over her baby when we unboarded the plane. We waited for her outside the gate to lay hands over them and it ended up turning out that her husband is a worship pastor and that is their family’s prayer over him every night. Everybody’s faith increased that day!
CHRISTIAN, FAITH, PERSONAL GROWTH
The Christian Atheist
This was a great book for anyone on the edge between accepting Jesus and wanting more.
My favorite parts were the personal stories and testimony given by the author, an unsuspected pastor who examined his own journey that led him to full surrender.
I appreciated the author’s vulnerability, honesty, and humility in recounting his past, including regrets and his own lack of understanding. He is truly an encourager for those young in faith, those who feel stagnant, and the lukewarm Christian.
I’m thankful for a Pastor who understands the urgency of the Body of Christ’s operation as the salt of the Earth. I would love to take a visit to his church, as his faith seems authentic; balanced with innocent humor and a humble essence.
CHRISTIAN, FAITH, LEADERSHIP, DISCIPLESHIP
Lead Small
This book was nothing short of fun. It is an amazing resource for those who lead in small group settings like student ministry, Bible studies, life groups, Sunday School, Men’s or Women’s ministries, or even if you are interested in discipling someone individually on an impactful level. I read this with my elementary school ministry group on Sunday’s where we went through a chapter per week and discussed together before welcoming the kids. My husband is not a reader whatsoever and he was entertained sufficiently by the fun formatting and text of the book, which made the tips memorable.
I learned a lot from this book and choose to lead with a variety of advice from some of the chapters within. I cannot recommend this enough if you are truly invested in the growth of the faith of those you have been trusted by God to lead.
FAITH, CHRISTIAN, TESTIMONY, INSPIRING
What Happens When Women Walk in Faith
At the time if this post, this book is only $5.00 on Amazon! I have read a lot of Lysa Terquist’s books and this is one of my favorites. She teaches that in order to obey, we must be willing to trust (see my blog posts on this) and the best way to trust is to understand in every moment that God is ALWAYS present, and His plan is always in action.
A lot of this book was about leaving behind your own plans, not looking back at your own Egypt, and choosing to live out love, saying yes to God, and embracing Him. It showed what small steps God is working in us now to culminate His greater ministry for our lives.
I really related to Lysa. I liked how she saw God in symbolism, like the blood at the courtroom. And how she was honest about not really wanting to bless her neighbor who was cursing her, but she walked it out because she saw what God’s request could amount to if she obeyed. I also related because she had a heart of adoption, but was honest about her worries. I liked that Lysa knew what was best, but didn’t hold back from the vulnerability of not feeling completely good about what she was about to do, doing it anyway, and recognizing the blessing every time.
The last couple of Chapters (19 and on) were my favorite part, and the reason this book gets a 5 star from me! Read this book if you want a boost of inspiration to bless others, step out in faith, and give God glory. I highly recommend doing the Bible Study along with her.
CHRISTIAN, PSYCHOLOGY, EMOTIONS, SELF HELP
Untangle Your Emotions
Jennie Allen is truly brilliant and a huge role model for me. If that isn’t enough said, then read on, because you really want this book. Jennie has come to terms with the fact that we are humans with huge emotions that are hard to navigate. She puts a hugely Christian perspective on how to change the course of what you do when you’re feeling something strong or unwelcome. This book, recommended by Jonathon Pokluda from the Becoming Something Podcast (Christian Podcast for 20’s and 30’s), is revolutionary and truly worth thousands of dollars of counseling, as he put it in his review of the book. If there is one book, I hope gets out to the masses of women I care about, it’s this one. Please read if you find yourself in a space of losing control and not knowing how to regulate yourself back to where you need to be. Jennie’s mental health work with Biblical principles is so dreamy and you should be a part of it, too!
CHRISTIAN, FAITH, PERSONAL GROWTH, EMOTIONS
Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions
Clearly Lysa Turquist is a favorite! She has such a way of making you feel like a friend reading her book. She is completely relatable and even more honest about some of the things that have happened in her own life. This book helps to navigate conflict and communication, regain your calmness, and manage yourself when you simply want to burst. Lysa uses Biblical teachings and points us towards how to go about these emotions and not let them control us.
CHRISTIAN, FAITH, HOMOSEXUALITY, SIN, INSPIRING
The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert
Okay, now here is a rare read. You will not find another book like this. I have tried! This book absolutely blew me away and shook me to the core. Let’s get vulnerable here about sin, okay? Before I became a Christian, I was living a bisexual life. There will be blogs on this in the future, because this girl is not afraid to get honest about what that transition looked like, why I let God change my heart, and how it is all for His glory to bring other women out of the same sin. It’s a touchy topic. If you have or had any similar feelings of bisexuality or homosexuality in your past or current life, with zero judgement whatsoever, I highly encourage this purchase. Rosaria Champagne Butterfield is a woman I would LOVE to meet. She is a beyond-educated (like, top of class Ivy League-style) woman who was in the midst of leadership in the LGBTQ movement and then Christ stole her heart. She tells her story so beautifully about how slowly the work Jesus did in her heart was, but how powerful and effective. Oddly enough, I met a stranger at a coffee shop while studying and had a heart to heart with her; she was reading this book at the time and highly recommended it to me. That must have been a God-moment because this book is a resource in my pocket that I am so thankful to have. Oh how lovely, how inspiring, and how brave. You won’t want to put this book down.
FAITH, CHRISTIAN, TESTIMONY, INSPIRING, DISCIPLESHIP
The Awe of God
I absolutely adore the Bevere family! John Bevere’s faith has truly inspired a part of my own that was waiting to be uncovered. I can testify to the validity and Biblical soundness of John Bevere’s faith because I have listened to his podcast, hosted by him and his lovely, strong wife, Lisa Bevere, for over 4 years. The Awe of God is currently my favorite book by John. It is a quick read but had me captivated for a full four hours all the way through. Didn’t put it down once! He includes powerful stories from his own life that would shatter arguments against God’s existence. He sparks a true passion to become wise and learn the source of wisdom that comes from the Lord!
Side note: Lisa Bevere came to speak at a conference that was hosted at my church. I was asked to do a painting for the conference that would be carried around and displayed and used in a dance for the introduction. I was so thankful for this opportunity! I have loved Lisa for years and couldn’t believe God was blessing me with this! I will post a photo of the painting in a blog post! All this to say, Bevere books are of HIGH value!
RELATIONSHIPS, CHRISTIAN, WOMEN, MARRIAGE, DATING
For Women Only: What You Need to Know About the Inner Lives of Men
If you are married, dating, looking to date, or planning on being with a man some day in any capacity, this is your book, my friend! This was very eye-opening to a lot of things that may not register to you as a woman. Thankfully this book helped me to know my husband’s heart slightly better. It helped me to humanize some of the manly things that simply don’t make sense to me. I have struggled to be able to relate to him in some ways or have confidence and reassurance on some things. This was a good read to help with my perspective of men. I recommend this book if you want a gaze into the Christian man’s heart.
SELF-HELP, PSYCHOLOGY, EMOTIONS
Unoffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better
This book was a creative approach to one of the focuses I believe goes overlooked in Christianity. The enemy will try to make you offended. Christ calls us out of that. Christ calls us to be bold, strong, unshaken and know our identity in Him. This book by Brant Hansen highlighted the call to Christians to come out of our stigmatized state of wanting everyone to fit in a box. His argument wasn’t simply to avoid pain of being offended, but to emulate Jesus’ response to how the world saw him. I love the quote, “they hated Him first,” and I think this book shows why caring about that would be fruitless. I appreciate the call to boldness and the stories of the author’s experience. Our response to what is typically offensive can be the difference in how people see our God. If your goal is to learn how to make your faith more unshakeable, and how to be able to brush off the small stuff or choose your battles, this is for you. I often hear about women who are able to laugh things off and I really do think this book has some of the answers on how to move slightly more into that place.
PSYCHOLOGY, PSYCHOTHERAPY, TRAUMA
Lioness Arising
Lisa Bevere is HANDS DOWN the most empowering woman I have ever looked up to in the Christian world. Her desire to raise up strong Christian women in the battle for Christ is astounding. This book had me on fire for what us women are capable of. I love that it represents the Lisa I know from her Podcast with John. Lisa illuminates for her reader how much we as beautiful, strong women are like lionesses. This book will restore something for you, maybe a piece of your identity, and remind you of you place here on Earth as a woman. This book was brilliant calling for us to see ourselves as women to be an ANSWER. I was so in love with the book I couldn’t set it down. The book includes stories of Lisa’s passion for Sex-Trafficking Ministry that are powerful and moving. Read this book for confidence, peace, and a little glimpse of how God sees his daughters.
FAITH, PSYCHOLOGY, TESTIMONY, MIRACLES
Reason for Marriage
This is my all-time favorite book that is SO life-giving for Christian marriage. This book will open your eyes to Biblical aspects on marriage that are widely overlooked and truly so significant to your efforts at peace. Timothy Keller is a literary and theological genius, God rest his soul. Keller uses this book to encourage us in our walk with the Lord while being a faithful husband or wife. This book aims to point both man and woman, joined, toward our God. I love Timothy Keller and trust his perspective, but I can appreciate most that he is a faithful man with a calling to bring spouses into a full marriage under the eyes of God. My husband is not a reader whatsoever, but I spoke so highly of this book that he is interested in picking it up to learn what I have learned! You won’t regret reading this book; it will add so much to your understanding of Christ and the church through sacred marriage.
2024 Recommended Psychology Books
RELATIONSHIPS, SELF-HELP, PSYCHOLOGY
Attached.
I recommend this book for those who are devoted to understanding themselves and those they love for the betterment of both of you. There is a new, fascinating focus in psychology pertaining to the value of what are known as attachment styles. If you are struggling in a relationship to understand why your partner acts the way they do, or why they are so different from you, or why they seem to want such opposite things from you, this book is for you. This book is a great tool to take a peek into yours and your romantic partners past experiences to help you see them on a deeper level and make it easier to meet in the middle.
SELF-HELP, PSYCHOLOGY, EMOTIONS
Emotional Intelligence
I believe America is plagued with an epidemic of not understanding emotions. As a Christian, I am careful to understand my emotions so that they do not control me. I do not want to be wavering in the wind. I also want to be able to communicate with integrity and love, be able to honor others, and speak eloquently enough to compel people and not repel them. This book, second to Jesus, was monumental in the establishment of what I know about Emotional Intelligence.
PSYCHOLOGY, PSYCHOTHERAPY, TRAUMA
The Body Keeps the Score
Warning to those of you looking for a cute read… this is not it. This book is heavy. It is real. This book is revolutionary and demonstrates the impact our past traumas have on who we are today. There is evidence that what we have experienced shapes our brains and predisposes us to act out in ways congruent with our pasts. This book is helpful to work through (with discernment) if you are serious about healing from what your past has been holding you in.
FAITH, PSYCHOLOGY, TESTIMONY, MIRACLES
Why I Believe: A Psychiatrists Thoughts on Suffering
There’s a popular book (only available Hardcover, Audiobook, or Kindle) I’ve linked here again called Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud, but did you know he has more books? Dr. Cloud is a psychology mastermind that maintains a relatable tone as he describes his personal testimony in how he came to believe in Jesus and how he got started on his journey. It’s an inspiring read that encourages trust in God as you wait for His plan.
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