5 Books that will change your life

Praise God that summer is finally here. For most of us this is the time of year when we don’t have as many responsibilities. We can relax and enjoy life a little more. We have more free time and can therefore indulge in our personal hobbies more.

For me, summer time is the time of year I can do what I enjoy doing most- reading.

Books have always helped, encouraged and guided me with whatever challenges I may be dealing with at that particular time in my life.  Besides the Bible, reading books  by Christian authors has encouraged my walk with the Lord.  Some books have been used by God in a powerful way to change my life.

Here are five books (other than the Bible) that were “life changers” for me:
1. Experiencing God by Henry T. Blackaby and Claude V.King
(How to Live the Full Adventure of Knowing and Doing the Will of God)

I read this as a brand new Christian, and I’m so glad I did because it helped me start my relationship with my Creator on an intimate level right away. It guided me to better understand an Almighty God and how to  have a personal relationship with Him. It also helped me to learn the process and importance of obeying Him .

–> Great read if you want to learn how to hear God’s voice.

2.  Classic Christianity  by Bob George
(Life’s Too Short to Miss the Real Thing) 

As a young believer I fell into a trap of looking at God as a disciplinarian.  I felt if I didn’t behave as a perfect Christian that He would be upset with me and would, therefore, punish me. This book helped break those lies for me. It helped me to understand God’s grace, be set free from the bondage of the law and to live in my new found freedom in Christ.

–> Great read if you want to understand God’s grace.

3. Invitation to Solitude and Silence by Ruth Haley Barton
(Experiencing God’s Transforming Presence) 

I read this book at a season of my walk with Christ when I felt God was calling me out of a ministry at my church and into a time of isolation, with Him. At that time, this was foreign to me because I had been involved in this ministry my entire Christian walk. Reading this book was like being given “permission” to have a time of quiet and rest with God, away from all the activity of life.

–> Great read if you want to learn to be comfortable with more quiet seasons with God.

4. Crazy Love by Francis Chan
(Overwhelmed by a Relentless God) 

This book helped me get out of my “Christian bubble” and look at my faith globally. It impacted me in a deep and profound way. It made me think about my brothers and sisters that are struggling around the world. I fell even more passionately  in love with Christ after reading this book.

–> Great read if you want to go deeper with Christ in a radical way.

5. Where is God When It Hurts? by Philip Yancey
(A Comforting, Healing, Guide For Coping With Hard Times) 

I recently went through some health issues that were very difficult for me to accept. I struggled with why God would allow my life to change so dramatically. This book encouraged me during a painful time of transition. It helped me to understand that pain is actually a gift from God.

–> Great read if you are going through a painful time and want a godly perspective on it.

Reading the Bible is the most strengthening reading we can do to build our faith. Reading books by wise and godly authors is another avenue to nurturing and strengthening our walk with the Lord. What we feed our minds, through music and books, will greatly impact our thoughts. As a Christian woman I want my thoughts to be predominately about the things that please God.

If you are not a reader I encourage you to set simple goals for yourself. For example, you could read one Christian book a month. The key is to find a book on a subject that interests you. Ask your peers what they may recommend. Word of mouth is often the best recommendation to a good read.

There are so many encouraging and powerful books out there. There are many books I could have listed here and it was hard to pick only five. I want to emphasize, however, that we must always use wisdom and discernment when reading anything other than the Bible.

I would love to hear what books were life changing for you. Please let me know in a comment below.

Lord bless you~

“May all my thoughts be pleasing to Him, for I rejoice in the Lord.” ~ Psalm 104:34