Recommended Book List

   

I used to be an avid reader. As a little girl, I would walk to the library, conveniently located about 2 blocks away, and check out piles of books weekly. I still remember the children's librarian and how much I enjoyed her story-times and her kindness to me. She knew me by name and always helped me find what I was looking for with a smile. And if I didn't know, she would have a book recommendation just for me. I loved the library! From the moment I saw "Beauty and the Beast," I have wanted a gigantic library with one of those gliding ladders, just like Belle. I loved reading so much I would even stay up reading under my bed sheets with a flashlight after my parents turned my lights out and said 'goodnight'... sneaky, sneaky.

Since having a baby, now almost toddler, it's hard to find time to read. I'm trying to build it in to our daily schedule, because I miss it so much. I just signed up for a Paperback Swap online where you get credits for each book you mail to someone else requesting it, and you use your credits to request other people's books, who then mail them to you for free. It's really fun! After one day I already had 3 requests for my books and ordered 2 new ones! This has started me thinking. I really want to compile a list of my favorite books. First, because I always forget what they are when someone asks me! Second, to share with anyone who is looking for good books to read. So, in no particular order (ok, so, they are in alphabetical order), here they are!

Adoption 

  

• Adopted for Life- Russell Moore 
  "The priority of adoption for Christian families and churches." Gives a great theology of adoption with his personal story of adopting two boys from Russia.

Christian Living/Theology/Apologetics/Devotional

  

• The Case for Christ- Lee Strobel
  "A journalist's personal investigation of the evidence for Jesus" 
• The Case for a Creator- Lee Strobel
  "A journalist investigates scientific evidence that points to God"
• The Case for Faith- Lee Strobel
  "A journalist investigates the toughest objections to Christianity"
•  The Confessions of Augustine- edited by Sherwood E. Wirt
  "You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you."
•  Crazy Love- Francis Chan
  Challenged us to live radically because of the great love of God
•  Future Grace- John Piper
  (See my recent blog post.)
• Heaven- Randy Alcorn
  In Q&A style, learn what the Bible has to say about what Heaven will be like. This book really helped us think more about and get more excited for our future home with Christ. How often do you really think about or look forward to Heaven?
• The Hiding Place- Corrie ten Boom
  The triumphant true story of Corrie ten Boom and her family who hid Jews in their attic from the Nazis. It is an amazing story of forgiveness and the Gospel in the midst of suffering and hate.
• Hind's Feet On High Places - Hannah Hurnard
  "An allegory dramatizing the journey each of us must take before we can live in 'high places'" Very much like "Pilgrim's Progress" but the main character is "Much-Afriad," which I can totally relate to! This is a keeper.
•  Mere Christianity- C.S. Lewis
  Christian apologetics at its best
• My Utmost for His Highest- Oswald Chambers
  Classic devotional..deep, and so good!
• Pilgrim's Progress- John Bunyan
  Allegory of the Christian life
• Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood- John Piper & Wayne Grudem
  "A response to evangelical feminism." This book is thick and somewhat scholarly, a compilation of articles that make biblical arguments against evangelical feminism.
• A Sweet & Bitter Providence- John Piper
  "Sex, Race, and the Sovereignty of God." The story of Ruth, Naomi, Boaz, & God's sovereignty.
• Systematic Theology- Wayne Grudem
  A great reference book to have for tough questions on theology
• Taste and See- John Piper
  Great devotional!
• Through Gates of Splendor- Elisabeth Elliot 
  The story of missionaries to Ecuador: Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, and Peter Fleming, and their deaths, written by Jim Elliot's wife.

Dating/Courtship/Purity/Singleness

  

• Authentic Beauty- Leslie Ludy
  "The shaping of a set-apart young woman"
• Choosing God's Best- Dr. Don Rannikar
  Examining dating vs. courtship and offering biblical principles for creating godly relationships and a deeply satisfying courtship. 
• His Perfect Faithfulness- Eric & Leslie Ludy
  The powerful story of God's faithfulness in bringing Eric & Leslie Ludy together.
• I Kissed Dating Goodbye- Joshua Harris
  Probably the second most influential book to me when I was a teenager wanting so badly to date!
• Passion and Purity- Elisabeth Elliot
  "Learning to bring your love life under Christ's control" This one is one of my absolute favorites. Biblically-centered, practical, and includes her own story of how God brought her husband to her. This was such an encouragement to me while I was waiting for my future husband. 
•  Quest for Love- Elisabeth Elliot
  Gives lots of practical advice about passion and purity through real life stories.
• Romance God's Way- Eric & Leslie Ludy
  This book (and conference) changed my whole outlook on dating when I was 14, and I committed to the Lord to wait for him to bring me my husband in his perfect timing, instead of dating around and giving my heart away. This was life changing!
• When God Writes Your Love Story- Leslie Ludy

Fiction 

  

• All of Jane Austen's books  
•  Anne of Green Gables (8 book series)- L.M. Montgomery
• The Count of Monte Cristo- Alexandre Dumas
  Over 1,200 pages and one of my absolute favorites. The movie is well-done, too,(one of my favorites!) though obviously not as good as it can't include 1,200 pages of plot. 
• The Hobbit- J.R.R. Tolkien 
• Les Miserables- Victor Hugo
  With over 1,400 pages, this is probably the longest book I've ever read! Love the gospel themes in the story.
• The Lion, Witch, & the Wardrobe- C.S. Lewis
• Little Women/Little Men/Jo's Boys- Louisa May Alcott
• Redeeming Love- Francine Rivers
  A historical romance novel based on the story of Hosea and Gomer in the Bible. Even more-so, it's the story of God's unconditional love toward his bride. Such a good book.

 Marriage

  

•  For Men Only- Shaunti & Jeff Feldhan
  I know it says "for men only" but if you're a woman, you should read it! It helped me understand myself better! I seriously had moments of, "Oh, so that's why I do that." This book and the one below are small and worth the read!
•  For Women Only- Shaunti Feldhahn
  This book (and the book above) so helped me as a newlywed, struggling with jealousy of other women and fear that if my husband struggled with purity in his mind (as all men do) that he must not find me attractive enough or love me enough. This has helped me understand the way God made men work and how they think, and gave me a lot of peace! It's an easy read, entertaining, and based on surveys taken by men and women. 
•  Love that Lasts- Gary & Betsy Ricucci
  Here is a blog post I wrote after attending a marriage retreat with the Ricuccis as speakers.
•  Love & Respect- Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
  This is a popular book, for good reason. "A wife has one driving need- to feel loved...A husband has one driving need- to feel respected." This is been really helpful for our marriage.
•  Sheet Music- Dr. Kevin Leman
  A great book for newly married couples on sexual intimacy.
• This Momentary Marriage- John Piper
  "A parable of permanence."  "[Marriage's] meaning is infinitely great: the display of the covenant-keeping love between Jesus and his people. [This book] unpacks the biblical vision, its unexpected contours, and its weighty implications for married, single, divorced, and remarried alike."
• When Sinners Say 'I Do'- Dave Harvey
  "Discovering the power of the Gospel for marriage" This book was so powerful! Instead of focusing on the other person in your marriage and what they are doing wrong, it focuses on the fact that we are two sinners who need to offer each other gospel forgiveness and grace each day.

Parenting

  

• Child Training Tips- Reb Bradley
  A very small but practical book about disciplining and raising your children, biblically. Includes questions to ask yourself about your children's progress and signs that tell you areas you need to work with them.
• Entrusted with a Child's Heart- Betsy Corning (parenting study for women with dvds)
  I can't say enough good about this study. There is a separate book I haven't read, but this is the women's study with a workbook, dvds, and scripture memorization cards. This is along the lines of Shepherding a Child's Heart but even more in-depth and practical. A "how-to" guide for raising children in a Christ-centered home and creating meaningful traditions and godly disciplines. Take the class (or read the book)!
• Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child- Marc Weissbluth, M.D.
  There are few secular parenting books I've really liked, agreed with, or found helpful, but for the most part, this is one of the few! This was so practically helpful when we were dealing with major sleep issues with our 7 month old. It doesn't put other parenting styles down or tell you you have to do it this way, but gives you options from a scientific viewpoint of how children's sleep works. There are really helpful sleep schedules (that are flexible) and tips. Charlie started sleeping so well after we implemented his suggestions!
• How to Raise a Healthy Child, Despite Your Doctor- Robert Mendelsohn, M.D.
  Great reference book for parents who are skeptical of taking their children to the doctor for every little illness or over-medicating, especially with antibiotics. It helps you know when an illness will get better on it's own and when you should seek medical treatment. It also covers vaccines and childhood diseases. Note: I completely disagree with the chapter on discipline, but the rest of it has been very helpful for us since we take a more natural approach to health. 
• Shepherding a Child's Heart- Ted Tripp
  The most influential parenting book I've read so far. It's about getting to your child's heart, not merely their outward behavior, and training them up in the Lord. 
  

Pregnancy/Childbirth/Family Planning

 

• Baby Catcher: Tales of a Modern Midwife- Peggy Vincent
  Awesome birth stories from a midwife and her story of how she became a midwife after working as a nurse in labor & delivery. This book seriously will make you laugh and cry. It's so good!
• Husband-Coached Childbirth: The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth- Robert A. Bradley
  We read this while also taking a Bradley Method Childbirth class when we were preparing for Charlie's birth. We wanted a natural birth, and this book is a great one for educating about the natural process of birth, the risks of drugs and a medicalized birth, an overview of routine procedures and their risks, helpful laboring/pushing positions, and tips for husbands/coaches.  
• Ina May's Guide to Childbirth - Ina May Gaskin
  I wish every pregnant woman would read this book. It is so eye opening about our American view of childbirth as opposed to most other places in the world. It gives a really good overview of birth and interventions and is evidence-based. It also has a section of positive birth stories. It talks about birth as being a normal process that our bodies were made to go through, in most cases with no intervention whatsoever. It discusses pain management and how our fears and expectations for childbirth affect our actual births. This is a must read (especially if all you've heard is horrible painful and fearful birth stories)!
• Pushed: The Painful Truth about Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care- Jennifer Block
  This is a must read for anyone who is interested in the history of maternity care and the reasons for our modern maternity practices, that are, for the most part, sadly not evidence-based, but based on revenue and the convenience of doctors and hospitals. Very informative and eye opening.
• Taking Charge of Your Fertility- Toni Weschler
  Basically a "how-to" and a reference book (it is BIG) on the Fertility Awareness Method, a natural method of trying to avoid or achieve pregnancy. It is incredibly informative, interesting, and even a little funny. I read this after learning some not-so-great things about the hormonal birth control I was on and wanted to get off of it. This is a great method!

Pro Life

 

• Pro Life Answers to Pro Choice Arguments- Randy Alcorn
  This is the most logical book against abortion I have ever read. It is completely based on logic without mentioning God or the Bible so that it can be used to answer anyone, even someone who doesn't believe in God, arguing for abortion.
  

 And here is a list of the books I have started in the past and want to finish or books that have been recommended to me that I want to read!

Books I Have Yet To Read or Finish 

  

• The Adoption Resource Book- Louis Gilman
• As For Me & My House- Walter Wangerin, Jr.
• Bloodlines: Race, Cross, and the Christian- John Piper
• Bringing Up Boys- Dr. James Dobson 
• A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael- Elisabeth Elliot
• Childbirth Without Fear: The Principles and Practice of Natural Childbirth- Grantly Dick-Read
• The Connected Child- Karyn B. Purvis, David R. Cross, Wendy Lyons Sunshine
• Desiring God- John Piper
• Give them Grace: Dazzling your Kids with the Love of Jesus- Elyse Fitzpatrick, Jessica Thompson
• Gospel-Powered Parenting- William P. Farley
• Helping Your Adopted Child - Paul David Tripp 
• How People Change- Paul Tripp & Timothy Lane
• Kisses From Katie- Katie Davis
  
• Let the Nations Be Glad- John Piper
• The Life You've Always Wanted- John Ortberg
  
• Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches- Rachel Jankovic
• Orphanology: Awakening to Gospel-Centered Adoption and Orphan Care- Tony Merida and Rick Morton
  
• Parenting by the Book- John Rosemond
• Radical: Take Back Your Faith from the American Dream- David Platt
• The Shaping of a Christian Family- Elisabeth Elliot
• Teach them Diligently- Louis Priolo

 I'm sure I'll be constantly updating both lists as I remember books I had forgotten to include and as I learn of more books I should read, so check back! It's going to take me a long time to get through the list I already have, though... Don't you just love reading?