What I Read in 2015 & 2016 Reading List

I had to share some of the books I read last year and what I'm reading now/this year. I'm so passionate about this and force book ideas on people all the time so I figured I'd compile a list here. :) I'm only going to share nonfiction because I honestly don't read fiction that much anymore and that depends so much on random personal preferences. And I'm not going to make many comments because I'm sure Amazon reviews would be more in depth anyway, haha.

The books on the left are some that I read in 2015, and the books on the right are ones that I'm currently reading or am going to read this year.

I have MANY more on my Kindle since that is my primary reading tool these days and I can find such good deals on there! Some of them will be included in the lists.

What I Read in 2015

• Let Me Be a Woman by Elisabeth Elliot
• You and Me Forever by Francis & Lisa Chan -- I actually stopped reading this because I want to go through it with Jordan. Otherwise I was trying to relay to him every chapter because it's so good!
• For the Love by Jen Hatmaker
• Give Them Grace by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick -- Has been a good way to get my mind set on showing our kids the gospel in everyday life. Can be overwhelming, but has excellent ideas.
• Make it Happen by Lara Casey
• The Best Yes by Lysa TerKeurst
• The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness by Timothy Keller -- This is a short and NECESSARY read. Get it.
• The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau
• Boundaries by Henry Cloud & John Townsend
• Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist

Read These NOW -- These three books pertain to issues that are currently hot topics in our culture. That's why I'm suggesting you read them sooner rather than later. It can be so easy to stay in my little bubble and these helped open my eyes beyond my personal perspective. Along with the book by Scott Sauls in my 2016 list which I would group along with these, I just haven't finished that one yet.

• Counter Culture by David Platt
• Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson 
• The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

Parenting Books

• The Nursing Mother's Companion by Kathleen Huggins -- Great reference for breastfeeding!
• Baby Wise by Gary Ezzo -- This book can be controversial but I didn't see it that way at all since I just took it as suggestions and ideas. The eat/play/sleep cycle is what Judah really liked and what I really learned from in this book.
• Moms on Call by Laura Hunter & Jennifer Walker -- Written by pediatric nurses, this book of bullet point lists was GREAT and something I have referred back to quite a bit. 
• Childbirth Without Fear by Grantly Dick-Read -- This was old and at times laughable but the whole concept of getting rid of fear which leads to tension and pain made so much sense to me and helped me quite a bit in Judah's birth.

2016 Reading List

• The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions
• ESV Reader's Gospels -- The four gospels without chapter or verse separations, basically in regular book form. 
• Jesus Outside the Lines by Scott Sauls -- I've already read half of this since I got it for Christmas and it is EXACTLY what I needed to read right now. I've been so weighed down by arguments in real life but mainly on social media and how I should handle that as a follower of Jesus. This is thought provoking, convicting, and SO good so far. 
• Jesus Continued by JD Greear
• Now You're Speaking my Language by Gary Chapman
• To Live is Christ To Die is Gain by Matt Chandler
• Openness Unhindered by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield
• Simply Tuesday by Emily P. Freeman -- 99 cents on Amazon today only! (1/5/16)
• Scary Close by Donald Miller
• Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes
• Treasuring Christ When Your Hands Are Full by Gloria Furman
• The Skeptical Student by Timothy Keller

Parenting Books

• Moms on Call Next Steps Baby Care by Laura Hunter & Jennifer Walker
• Sticky Faith by Kara E. Powell & Chap Clark
• Disciplines of a Godly Family by Kent & Barbara Hughes
• The Dr. James Dobson Parenting Collection

The above list is one of the books I actually have and will definitely read this year. I'm sure many more will be added to this list as I check them out of the Kindle Library (best invention ever, check your local library website) and acquire more. I welcome your suggestions!

I also read fiction but have to be really careful about that as I can get sucked in and it takes too much of my time. This is also possible with nonfiction of course, but it happens to me more easily with fiction. Reading can be an idol for me and I have to guard against it! Unless I'm reading the Bible of course. I usually save fiction for trips and vacations. :)

What I'm Reading Link-Up: February 2014

Welcome to the What I'm Reading Link-up! Here's how it works:

• I post my monthly reading list on the first Tuesday of the month.
• I also let you know what books I loved from the previous month.
• You can link a blog post of your reading list using the link-up feature, or you can just leave a comment with the books you're reading if you don't have a blog.
• If you link-up your blog post, please acknowledge this link-up within your post. :) You can use the image included in this post.
• I will leave the link-up/giveaway open for the rest of the month.
• In the following month's link-up, I'll announce the WINNER of the book giveaway. The winner will get to pick a book from ANY of my reading lists - including Books I Loved in 2013.

My goal is to make this an excellent resource of book suggestions for you that will enrich your life! And, selfishly, I highly enjoy reading everyone's recommendations. :)

Thank you to those who linked up or commented on the last What I'm Reading Link-Up! The winner of the giveaway according to the random number generator is.... #1! Renee Green! YAAYYY! I will send Renee a book of her choice to add to her reading list. :)

Okay, so this month my list will be pretty short, because hey. It's February. And I'm not done with The Help yet so I still need to finish that. It's great so far! Again, I wish I had read it before the movie. But oh well. The other books from my previous list are wonderful, but I already talked about them because I had already been reading them for a while when I posted last time. 

My February 2014 Reading List:

1. 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker

This is a book I bought months ago but couldn't start until I finished a couple other studies. I asked my mom if she wanted to do it with me and she said yes, so we are about to start it! I'm excited! (I got the second one listed here, the member book.) Has anyone done this already? I'm kinda scared, but I know that I NEED to focus on this.

7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess By Jen Hatmaker Disturbed by her family's comfortableness with American excess, Jen Hatmaker writes in 7 about their unique social and spiritual decision to live by a rule of seven - reducing material possessions and distractions in seven areas (food, clothes, spending, media, possessions, waste, and stress) in order to connect with a greatly increased God.

7 Experiment: Staging Your Own Mutiny Against Excess, Member Book By Jen Hatmaker

2. A Love That Multiplies by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar

Because their first book fascinated me, and because this one was approximately $2.97 at the time, my mom got me this book for Christmas. I enjoy reading about their habits and disciplines, even though our family has not multiplied yet. Haha. :) 

A Love That Multiplies: An Up-Close View of How They Make It Work By Michelle & Jim Bob Duggar America's popular "mega-household" shares the fundamentals that keep them focused on family, financial repsonsibility, fun---and faith. As you discover the parenting challenges the Duggars face and the simple life principles they teach their children, you'll realize that what works for them can work for you, too! Includes a special chapter on homeschooling.

3. A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

This book was highly recommended by a woman at our church whom I greatly admire (and her sweet daughter Paris who's in our youth group!) so I knew I must read it. My mother-in-law gave it to me for Christmas so I'm pumped to dive in!

A Woman After God's Own Heart, Updated and Expanded Edition By Elizabeth George This very popular selection for personal and group study is filled with rich advice, spiritual wisdom, and practical applications. With passion and personality, Elizabeth George shares how a woman can follow God and seek His heart in every area of her life including her husband, her children, her home, her walk with the Lord, and her ministry. There is peace and purpose for the woman who prepares her heart and mind to embrace God's plan every day. This new look complements other bestselling titles by Elizabeth George.

So that's it for the month! We have a little getaway for the two of us planned so I'll be happy to have some reading time. :) (Secondary to my time with Jordan of course...)
Link up below or comment with your reading list for the month and you could win a new book! 


Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this post, but all opinions (as always) are my own.  Also, I do not support everything each author mentioned says or writes. The only book that is completely all truth is the Bible!

What I'm Reading Link-Up: January 2014

Welcome to my first What I'm Reading Link-up! Here's how it will work:

• I"ll post my monthly reading list on the first Tuesday of the month. (With the exception of this one!)
• I'll also let you know what books I loved from the previous month.
• You can link a blog post of your reading list using the link-up feature, or you can just leave a comment with the books you're reading if you don't have a blog.
• If you link-up your blog post, please acknowledge this link-up within your post. :) You can use the image included in this post.
• I will leave the link-up/giveaway open for the rest of the month.
• In the following month's link-up, I'll announce the WINNER of the book giveaway. The winner will get to pick a book from ANY of my reading lists - including Books I Loved in 2013.

My goal is to make this an excellent resource of book suggestions for you that will enrich your life! And, selfishly, I highly enjoy reading everyone's recommendations. :)

My January 2014 Reading List:
1. One in a Million by Priscilla Shirer
This is actually one that I accidentally left off my 2013 list and I don't know HOW I did that. It is so, so good. This is about the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land and how only one in a million of them actually made it there. (Joshua and Caleb were two of two million.) She challenged me to move beyond what a standard "Christian" does and into life abundant like Joshua had. I love Priscilla Shirer and highly recommend this! 

One in a Million: Journey to Your Promised Land By Priscilla Shirer

2. Platform by Michael Hyatt
If you are a blogger, sales person, have an online shop, or want your business to have a presence online then you MUST read this. I haven't read anything more helpful and practical about building a platform online. The author knows his stuff because he's been so successful building his own platform, and he also used to be the CEO of Thomas Nelson publishing. The book is broken up into short chapters with almost all of them having a list of ways you can build your platform in a specific area. LOVED it and will be referring back to it often. You can go to Michael Hyatt's blog to get a glimpse of how helpful he is!

Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World By Michael Hyatt

3. Love Does by Bob Goff
I got this for Christmas from my bro-in-law (thanks, Joseph!) and have been reading it ever since. So far, so good! This book has generated a lot of buzz, and I knew I had to read it due to the stories about Bob Goff in Donald Miller's book that I referred to in my 2013 list. This guy is downright inspiring. It's basically a collection of stories from his life telling about the crazy awesome things he has done. Some of the stories I'm like how in the world?? but they're so unique and detailed that I know he can't be making this stuff up, haha. I love how he relates each story to Jesus and His crazy love for us. It's a fun and inspiring read for sure.

Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World By Bob Goff

4. The Jesus-Hearted Woman: 10 Leadership Qualities for Enduring and Endearing Influence by Jodi Detrick
This is a book I got at the Influence Conference that I've been enjoying recently. I'm not going through it quickly as I'm taking the time to answer her questions after each chapter. So far I've loved how she talks about having "graceful confidence" -- meaning being bold in leadership for the Lord through His power, but in a humble way that gives glory to Him. I like how she has pointed how some ideas that are new to me since I've read quite a bit on this topic.

The Jesus-Hearted Woman: 10 Leadership Qualities for Enduring and Endearing Influence By Jodi Detrick

5. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

A fiction book! Can it be?! Haha. I've had this on my nightstand for months now and just started reading it. I actually have the edited version that is borrowed from my sister-in-law (sorry I've had it so long, Anna!). By edited I mean most of the foul language is marked out with a pen by my mother-in-law. :) Haha! I loved the movie and knew I had to read the book. So far I keep wishing that I had read it before seeing the movie (which is what I ALWAYS try to do) because I keep picturing the characters in the movie and remembering what happens. But I'm still really liking it. I'm only a few chapters in and tears have welled up in my eyes approximately five times. 


I'm going to try to finish those before I add any more onto the list. And I need to read the books I already have in my possession, so that's what I'm doing. :) Go ahead and link-up if you want to or leave your reading list for the month in the comments!
Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this post, but all opinions (as always) are my own.  Also, I do not support everything each author mentioned says or writes. The only book that is completely all truth is the Bible!

Books I Loved in 2013

Happy 2014, y'all! :)
As I've been making my Reading List for 2014 (come back to see that tomorrow!), it's been fun to look back at what I read last year. I chose to share the ones that truly helped me or stuck with me. Hope this helps with your list for the year!
All links are from ChristianBook.com, which I've found to have some better deals than Amazon. 

I'll start out with the books in the picture. Let me just say that I thoroughly enjoy reading an actual book with real pages that I can write on and flip through. But I also LOVE my Kindle. It's so easy to carry around, look up words in the dictionary, highlight and bookmark, and I've gotten so many books on there for free or really cheap. I truly love both real and digital!
Books I Loved in 2013:
1. The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp
This is an Advent devotional for the Christmas season, but I could honestly read it again if I didn't have such a long list of new books to read. It pertains to our lives year round for sure. I will definitely be reading this during in December for years to come! It even comes with Jesse Tree ornaments you can print out and use with your family.

The Greatest Gift: An Advent Devotional By Ann Voskamp

2. A Million Little Ways by Emily P. Freeman
Talking about how God created us in His image to make art, this book was extremely inspiring. I think that anyone with any occupation can benefit from reading this book, but if you are a writer you absolutely MUST READ IT. It addressed so many issues I struggle with and I highlighted almost the entire chapter on criticism. Seriously, you can ask Jordan - entire pages were colored blue. It's because instead of making it all about self-reliance and strategies, Emily brings all topics back to the heart of the matter - who we are in Christ. READ THIS. 

A Million Little Ways: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live By Emily P. Freeman

3. Embracing Obscurity by Anonymous
I picked this book up at a Beth Moore conference and read it pretty quickly. It's interesting that the author actually embraced obscurity and wrote it anonymously. Focusing on how Jesus was a humble servant, it is quite convicting. It made me look at many Bible passages in a new way. It also talks about the freedom in losing one's self to follow Christ.

Embracing Obscurity: Becoming Nothing in Light of God's Everything

4. Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis
You may have heard of Katie Davis - the teenager who moved to Uganda and adopted 13 children. Yeah. So you already know this is going to be an awe-inspiring book. It definitely made me think about how precious each life is to our Lord and how we can make a difference for His kingdom as individuals. Sometimes thinking of the problems of this world can be so daunting and overwhelming, but this book gave me hope and inspiration!

Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption By Katie Davis with Beth Clark

5. Multiply by Francis Chan
You absolutely must read this book and go through it with someone else. Seriously, do it. I'm still going through it with my friend Brittany. We meet on a weekly basis to discuss a chapter at a time and we have LOVED it. It's great for someone who's new in Christ because it goes through the basics of what it means to follow Him, but it's also perfect for long-time believers because it makes you get to the core of why you are a Christian and how the Bible says to follow Jesus. It's not a short book -- it has 24 different sessions, but it encompasses SO much. I recommend this to everyone!

Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples By Francis Chan with Mark Beuving

6. One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp (and study guide)
You've probably heard of this book too as it's been a game changer in Christian reading. It focuses on being thankful in everything and how often that's really mentioned in the Bible. (Hint: it's A LOT.) It inspires you to actually LIVE your life in full joy because all is grace. It's not an easy/quick read in my opinion due to Ann's eloquent writing style, but it is beautiful and captivating. I did the study with the DVD in a small group of girls and learned so much. 

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are By Ann Voskamp

One Thousand Gifts Participant's Guide with DVD: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are By Ann Voskamp

7. Start by Jon Acuff
This book addresses how life has changed so much in recent times. People usually don't stick with one career/job for their whole lives anymore, and the internet has brought a whole new world of opportunities. Jon offers some excellent advice and motivation for doing what you love with passion in an awesome way.

Start: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average, and Do Work That Matters By Jon Acuff

8. James: Mercy Triumphs study by Beth Moore
This one is kinda different from the rest of the list as it is a Bible study book/guide. I haven't used it with the DVD's yet, but I have loved going through the book of James. It covers so much! And of course, Beth has her usual challenging and sister-like spirit all throughout her writing.  

James: Mercy Triumphs--Member Book By Beth Moore

9. The Duggars: 20 and Counting! by Jim Bob & Michelle Duggar
This was such a random read but I got it at the library and read it at the beach this past summer. It was SO interesting to read their story from when they started dating, their early years of marriage, and some parenting tactics they use. It even addresses why they've chosen to have so many kids. Whatever your opinion is about this family, I bet you'd be inspired by their trust in the Lord and interested in how they've handled their finances throughout the years. This was their older book, and the next one is on my list for 2014!

The Duggars: 20 and Counting! By Michelle & Jim Bob Duggar

10. Gospel by J.D. Greear
It is SO important to dwell daily on the gospel. That's what this book is all about -- allowing the truth and wonder of the gospel to sink deep into your heart, changing the way you think and act. The "Gospel Prayer" that he uses to remind himself of God's grace each day is an awesome example for us. J.D. is a pastor of The Summit Church here in North Carolina which has campuses all throughout the state. I've visited this church numerous times and have many friends who go there -- it is definitely a gospel-focused church! I have another one of his books on my list for 2014 (that you can see tomorrow!).

Gospel: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary By J.D. Greear, (Foreword by Timothy Keller)

11. Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney
I LOVED this book. I think it is excellent no matter what your relationship status is or if you have kids or not, probably because it is all about truths directly from Scripture. It goes through the list in Titus 2 that I've actually never really studied. Books like this have usually focused on Proverbs 31 (which is great), but Titus 2 is a chapter that has shaped my life immensely this year, all because this book pointed me to it. I think this is a must-read for all women! 

Feminine Appeal: Seven Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother By Carolyn Mahaney

12. The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Another one that you've probably already heard of or read, I was a bit late to hop on this train. But, y'all, I am glad I did. It taught me so much about myself, my husband, family, friends -- pretty much everyone I know. It's NOT just about marriage. I tend to think that people want to be loved the same way I do, which is usually not the case! We are all so different. This book made a light bulb go off, especially concerning the differences between me and my husband and me and my immediately family members. I need to read it again as a reminder!

The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts By Gary Chapman

13. Quitter by Jon Acuff

This book kinda goes hand in hand with his aforementioned book Start. It depends on where you are in life, but this book has a lot of good advice about going for your dream job when you feel stuck in your day job. Including some advice that's not fun to read (like how you shouldn't quit yet!). It was intriguing to read about his story of quitting multiple jobs and landing his dream job. 

Quitter: Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job and Your Dream Job By Jon Acuff

14. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller

The author of Blue Like Jazz wrote this book about what he learned through making a movie of his book. So it's a book about a movie about a book. Haha. I haven't read Blue Like Jazz yet (it's on my list!), but this was a refreshing, easy read that made me look at my life in a new way. Each day I'm deciding to live my "story" -- what kind of story is it?

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: How I Learned to Live a Better Story By Don Miller

That's all I've got for ya right now. I know what you're thinking -- Where's the fiction? -- but I've been on such a nonfiction kick. I did read the Divergent series by Veronica Roth which I liked a lot, but not as much as The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins which I re-read this year also. There were a few other fiction books I read, but didn't like them enough to recommend. I'm hoping to read some compelling fiction this year so all of your recommendations are welcome!
Which reminds me, please do give me book recommendations in the comments! I may add some of them to my 2014 Reading List that I will be posting tomorrow. I may have to make it into two posts because it's seriously SO LONG. 


Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this post, but all opinions (as always) are my own.  Also, I do not support everything each author mentioned says or writes. The only book that is completely all truth is the Bible!

Recommended Read: The Unfurling

I read a lot.
That's a huge understatement, but I don't know how else to put it in a way that you will actually understand how much I love to read and how often I fit it into every bit of time that I can. It can be a problem for me. I have to limit myself -- even when it comes to the Bible. Seriously. I can get caught up in too much reading and learning and not enough doing. 
With that said, it's about time that I started recommending some books on here. They will mostly be nonfiction, because I tend to read the same fiction ones over and over. :)
Today's recommendation is by an author whom I actually know in real life. How cool is that? We met for the first time in person at the Influence Conference and she was everything I thought she'd be (in the best way). I'm talking about the beautiful Annie Wiltse, author of the blog what she saw and her new e-book, The Unfurling.

This book is a refreshing, beautifully written collection of essays that pointed me to Jesus in a variety of ways. From talking about fear in the midst of mission trips to discussing dating relationships and purity, Annie approaches a spread of relatable topics with a lovely mix of wisdom and grace.

I'll share with you a few quotes, but to get the full effect you obviously have to read the whole thing, which is a steal for the price she's asking. :)

First of all I loved what she lays out for her readers in her intro:

"I say 'maybe' a lot in this book, because I’m learning, because these are 

lessons on the life lived open, not absolute determinations I arbitrarily pulled 

from space and time. And my hope, my desperate, raw prayer, is that my 

heart lain open here will give you the grace to breathe and the courage to 

chase Him anew."

This next quote really hit home for me as I've been thinking about authenticity a lot lately. 

"I’m finding that out about myself, too, that I can be as quirky as I like, 

as long as I don’t compromise myself or what I believe in."

She expounds more on this idea which was one of my favorite parts of the book for sure. And then this declaration of what she believes, well just wow:

"I believe in a God whose every quality goes beyond our understanding, 

whose love, grace, and mercy I do not deserve, whose anger and judgment I 

fear, who gave His life for my sake and who wants nothing less than the 

willing surrender of my own if I choose to follow Him."

If I could insert the raise-the-roof emoji right here I absolutely would. AAAAMEN!

Annie addresses some fears of hers, but instead of making her look afraid it absolutely shows how very BRAVE she is. 

"I praise God through tears as I lay down the fear of being single forever. 

It’s a fight to sing the words but I mean them with broken authenticity."

I loved her thoughts on marriage, relationships, singleness, and purity. We had excellent discussion about all of this at the conference so I was QUITE pleased that she talked about it in this book. 

I think that one of the quotes that best sums up the idea of The Unfurling is this next one:

"What if possibility is camouflaged in the mundane, secreted in the pockets of 

time we think are wasted? Or maybe the ones we never notice at all?"

Yes. Yes. And yes. This is so hard to learn, but Annie lets us in on her journey to surrender to Christ and how she is boldly serving Him in the most seemingly mundane activities. Don't we all feel like this at times? I mean she talks about living the gospel on a sales floor, in the midst of angry customers. Yeah.

I could go on and on, but I don't want to quote the whole thing! Annie is an inspiration and I am so glad to have read her book. The Unfurling truly was a breath of fresh air. Like I said, it is a steal and can be bought and read right this very second here on her website. :)

Look for more book recommendations to come! There may be affiliate links in here someday, but that day is not today. Annie gave me the book but I am in no way receiving compensation for talking about it. All opinions (as always) are my own! 

book review: 3 of my favorite devotionals.

I got an email suggesting that I share some of my favorite devotionals/books from time to time and I think that is an excellent idea. :) I am always more spiritually challenged and uplifted when I have a specific devotional or Bible study book that I'm reading along with my Bible reading. It helps me so much.

There are also some good ones for married couples, too. I won't make it only for married people, though! :)

Today I'll share three of the recent devotionals I've been reading. I may have already talked about them a little bit before, but they're good enough to mention again!

Night Light

you can get it here!

This devotional is for married couples and is what we started out reading as soon as we got married. It has a page long devotional for 90 days with questions at the bottom of each one about different topics. 
What I loved about it was that the devotions were challenging and the questions provoked good conversation between me and Jordan. Stuff that a lot of the time we normally wouldn't talk about. 
We read it together before bed each night, and there were nights that I was in tears because of it. Either because it hit home and I really needed to hear what it had said, or because I learned something that I never knew I was doing wrong in our relationship, or because it helped me express something to Jordan. 
For instance, frequently men have a harder time expressing themselves in the most clear way to us because they talk a LOT less than us about feelings and such, and they may not be used to it. But with this book, there were times that Jordan totally agreed with what it was saying and said that was how he felt, he just never knew how to put it into the right words.
Also frequently men have a hard time understanding us because, let's face it, we can be downright crazy and hard to figure out. The book definitely helped me express some feelings that I was having in a way that made sense to him. Awesome for both of us.
I want to go through it again someday because it would be like reading a whole new book after we've been married for longer. I think it would be beneficial no matter what stage of marriage you're in!

The Resolution for Women

you can get it here!

This is a book by Priscilla Shirer that isn't really a devotional, but can be used as one. It's for any woman, any stage of life, any relationship status.

Have you seen the movie Courageous? I FINALLY saw it last night. It was definitely inspiring. And I'm proud to know the main kid in the movie. :) He goes to the school where I coach and he is awesome. Anyway, in the movie the men/husbands/fathers make a resolution that is based on Scripture of how to be men of God and live their daily lives that way in all of their roles. They made a book about it called The Resolution for Men, and then they made one for women! Yay! 

It's only $10 and worth it for sure. I've been taking it slow because there are individual sections about each resolution, and at the end of the resolution you sign your name under it and commit to it. Not something to take lightly or to rush through. 

For example, one resolution that really hit me hard was about being content in every season of life. I have a habit of always looking too much toward the future instead of focusing on the here and now and how I can glorify God TODAY. That section has truly helped me and I've gone back to it a few times. All of the sections are amazing, though. 

The Power of a Praying Wife Devotional

you can get it here!

There is a book called The Power of a Praying Wife which I have never read, but the author then turned it into a devotional and added to it. So I got the devotional instead of the book. This has short, daily devotions for wives.

When I got married, I knew I should start praying for Jordan in a different way now that we were one in Christ and that I was officially his helpmate. (Still makes me smile when I think about it! I sure do love that man.) 

I got this book at Lifeway, mainly because it was on sale, haha. But I have definitely enjoyed it. It prompts me to pray for Jordan about things that I wouldn't think of on my own. It helps me pray for him using Scripture and about him leading us spiritually. And it convicts me about the kind of wife I am being. I definitely recommend it, especially coming from someone who struggles with prayer and staying focused!

If you have any questions about any of these books, don't hesitate to ask! There will be more recommendations coming in the future. :)

What are some devotionals/books that you would recommend for me?