New Series Announcement!
Sometimes readers email or comment and ask me what books I am currently reading. The Bible is always my first answer. There is no book that has been a greater shaping force than God’s word in my life. From infancy, my parents have taught me the Bible and it is my daily source of strength and stability.
But lately, I’ve also been reading a lot of new releases. I love reading new books and new authors. But the books that have shaped my thinking, my ways of life and the voice of this blog are not the books I am reading today, but rather my old books that have been on the shelf collecting dust for years.
In my 20’s I went on a quest for wisdom. Though I had attended Bible college and my brain was full of Bible facts, Bible college did not prepare me for the road blocks that would lie ahead in marriage and motherhood. I turned to Titus 2 authors and soaked up their words and started applying them in my home right away. These tried and true Godly authors became my mentors.
In 13 weeks, my book Women Living Well: Finding Your Joy in God, Your Man, Your Kids and Your Home releases. All of my favorite books from my 20’s were used as resources in my book. I pulled them off the shelf, dusted them off and began flipping through the well worn pages.
Ink marks, tear marks, notes to myself and turned down pages displayed the turning of my mind and heart.
Each book reminded me of a journey I once took. A journey towards maturity.
Many of the words back then were a balm to my soul – reassuring me that I was normal and my marriage was normal.
Many of the words back then were enlightening – I simply had no clue this was the way a man thought or a child was taught.
Many of the words back then were convicting – revealing sin in my life that needed to change. These books were tools that God used to change me.
And as I flipped through the well worn pages of my favorite books, the Holy Spirit tugged at my heart. It’s time I reopen these books and be reminded of the foundations my home is built on. My soul needs a refresher.
So as I count down the weeks to the release- each Monday I will share quotes from my resources while writing the book. None of the quotes are directly from the book — they are the ones that did not fit – but are OH so good!!!
I invite you to take a trip down memory lane with me. I can’t wait to share my mentors with you!!! See you back here next Monday!
Chime In: Name one book (besides the Bible) that has been life altering for you.
Walk with the King,
Diary of Anne Frank and Kisses from Katie are 2 books that really touched me and impacted me 1 at a very young age and then Kisses from Katie recently.
In My Father’s House by Corrie Ten Boom
Captivating – John & Stasi Eldridge. I never appreciated being a woman until I read this booke and learned about how specially designed we are and how we complement not replace men in God’s created world. A must read for all women, mothers of daughters and the men who love us.
Cristy, I am with you. This book, “Captivating” changed my life. It made me connect with God in His place in a woman’s heart. A must read!
Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney
Love & Respect – Emerson Eggerichs
Love and Respect by Emerson Eggrichs is my choice too! I’ve shared it with all my girlfriends! Such a simple concept and put into practice it has helped our marriage bloom and grow. Another good one is The 5 Love Languages. You can go to the website and take a quiz to discover your own, your husbands, and your children’s love languages. Demonstrating Respect to my husband + speaking his love language = An exciting, fulfilling marriage relationship!
I love that book, too.
Emerson used to be the senior pastor at my church. I remember when he left to begin his Love & Respect ministry. Sad day for our church, but what a great thing for marriages!
This book was an eye opener. My marriage has never been where is was thanks to this book. Getting ready to read it again and see where it takes my marriage this year.
Created to be his helpmeet
Stepping Heavenward-One Woman’s Journey to Godliness By: Elizabeth Prentiss
How to be the Wife of a Happy Husband(Cooper)
The Power of a Praying Wife(OMartian)
Women Living Life on Purpose(Kym Wright)
just a few of my many mentors over the past years….:-)
The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace
One of the ones I listed too! AN AMAZING book that is totally transforming my marriage, especially because I am currently married to an unbeliever!
Give them Grace and Crazy Love
Reading Crazy Love was the turning point in my life. It changed absolutely everything for me. Since reading it, I started reading the Bible which of course has even further changed me. Awesome.
Total Woman and The Hiding Place
This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness by Frank Peretti. I know it sounds cheesy but these two books changed my life. They changed how I viewed the enemy and his attacks on my mind and my thoughts. It helped me to understand his motives and ultimately how to overcome. Reading the Bible helped too, but in a different way. I read these 2 fictional books during a very, very hard time in my early twenties. I suffered from depression & daily anxiety attacks for just over a year. I recommend these books to anyone wanting a good read and/or going through a valley.
Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
Fascinating Womanhood – I live my life based on this book. I read it, and once done, I read it over again. I keep a bookmark in the homemaking section and read that over and over again as well.
Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. I was using this as my devotional when a CURVE BALL came my way, it kept me in God’s Word.
I am reading this too!
Lady in Waiting – helped me be patient and live life to the fullest while I thought my man would never come ( he did!)
Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges
Ah, I see 2 I love already listed…Feminine Appeal and The Excellent Wife. A pivotal book for me was
The Mission of Motherhood: Touching Your Child’s Heart for Eternity by Sally Clarkson
What a neat series idea! Like you said, the Bible is the most important book/source of strength/ light to our path, but other books can offer such wisdom, too!
I remember being really impacted by Elisabeth Elliot’s book Passion and Purity when I was in high school. This year I’ve been encountering a lot of spiritual warfare and opposition to God’s call for me to step out into a new thing, so I found Girls With Swords by Lisa Bevere to be highly beneficial!
Not a Fan
Radical
Crazy Love
A Woman After God’s Own Heart
Just one??? Gosh, how to even narrow it down! But SO MANY. I think some people are so gifted with how they use words, and God can really use them in powerful ways.
It’s fiction, but Karen Kingsbury’s book A Time to Dance was just the right thing at the right time for me. A reminder that marriage is hard work but so worth it, and you can’t really slack off.
The Complete Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn isn’t a Christian book, but it’s still one of the best books on stewardship I’ve ever read–truly a guide to making the most out of the resources God has given you.
Transforming Grace by Jerry Bridges is pretty darn awesome too. I need that reminder.
Sorry–that’s definitely not just one! *blushes*
I agree that the Complete Tightwad Gazette is a great book for stewardship. It really opens your eyes to how much good stuff is out there going to the trash when there are people who could use it. It was very influential to me too
Yep, another Tightwad Gazette fan here! It’s too bad Amy Dacyczyn retired. It would be awesome if she’d update it for the Internet era 🙂
Yes, love The Tightwad Gazette, too! Has helped us out so much financially, also learning contentment, etc.
Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti by Bill and Pam Farrel has been a book that has shaped my thinking about marriage more than almost any other. Although I would also add Love and Respect to that list and more recently The Busy Homeschool Mom’s Guide to Romance.
1000 Gifts by Ann Voskamp opened by heart to the blessings of each precious moment I am currently in and I am currently reading Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh DeMoss and am really enjoying it.
I second this! 1000 Gifts was just what I needed after my dad passed away. Ann is the most poetic christian author I have ever read. She makes you WANT to be thankful.
You mean I need to narrow it down to just one?! I love to
Read. Harder with kiddos 🙂 some of my favorite s are “created
To be His Helpmeet” & “One Thousand Gifts”
I have found The Search for Significance to be absolutely life changing. I have also loved Unglued!
Learned so much about faith from Corrie Ten Boom in The Hiding Place. That woman suffered so much and her faith remained strong.
God As He Longs For You To See Him-Chip Ingram
Sheet Music – a book about s*x in marriage
A Good Girl’s Guidance to S*x by Sheila McGregory
Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst
Reshaping it All by Candace Cameron Bure
Shepherding A Child’s Heart.
Growing Kids God’s Way and Babywise ~ we are so helped by the practical interpretations of the Word in this book … it helps us to apply the Word to our parenting in so many ways. Kept in balance (not to replace the Holy Spirit’s individual words to us!) these books are a GREAT help.
Grace For the Good Girl by Emily Freeman was AMAZING!! I underlined, read out loud, quoted and mailed so many copies of this to friends because it meant THAT MUCH to me!! It was so good–for those of us who grew up in Christian homes.
I LOVED Grace For the Good Girl as well!
Lysa TerKeurst ‘s “Radically Obedient, Radically Blessed” was a game changer for me!
Recently, Life Without Limits by Nick Vujicic has been motivational and empowering for me. The guy is an inspiration!
Can’t wait to read your quotes you’ll share over the weeks!
One Thousand Gift by Ann Voskamp completely changed how I think about life in every way. It has tought me how to be thankful for the right now.
Thank you Courtney it was because of something you said on here your blog that sent me to Ann’s blog and it has been such an encouragement to me.
The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson
AMEN to that! This is one of those books that I will need to read over and over again because it has that much of an impact!
Heaven is for REAL by Todd Burpo.
Love and War: Find Your Way to Something Beautiful in Your Marriage by John & Stasi Eldredge! It was recommended to us by a pastor at our church. My husband and I were having a very serious issue just 4 months before we were to be married and I just did not know how to get past it. We read this book together and it really helped us to both see God’s purpose in our marriage and how we are to live and come alongside each other. What the enemy tried to destroy, Christ turned to good.
“The Christians Secret of a Happy Life” by Hannah Whitall Smith
Wanted to also add my favorite marriage book: “For Women Only” by Shaunti Feldhaun
“Mended” by Angie Smith is amazing!
About 5 years ago now I felt God calling me to a life of prayer. Before that I had never known truly how to pray for more than 5 minutes at a time. God steered me toward a friend of mine and I shared with her what God was laying on my heart. Well she suggested that I read the book “Let prayer change your life” by Becky Tirabassi. She owned a copy and let me borrow it. I read the first four chapters and from then on prayer has transformed my life!
Lori,
Have you read “The Circle Maker” by Mark Batterson? It has most definitely changed my prayer life recently.
God Calling (edited by Russell). My mother gave it to me when I became born-again at age 20, and this precious book written by God contained a fatherly love and tenderness I had not known before – either in the God of my formal church or my earthly father (who later became a Christian and a loving, tender father). Changed my view of God completely, enabling a deeper, sweeter Walk with Him.
One thousand gifts – Ann Voskamp!!
A Mother’s Rule of Life by Holly Pierlot has been so helpful to me!
The Surrendered Wife by Laura Doyle
The seven habits of highly effective people by Stephen R. Covey
Disciplines of a Godly Woman – Barbara Hughes
Fascinating Womanhood
Me? Obey Him? By Elizabeth Rice Handford ….. Amazing book that changed my views and thinking. Saved my marriage after I ruined it.
This book is the idea, the theory, the why with God’s word behind it and lead me to read.
Created to be His Helpmeet by Debi Pearl This is the How to book in my opinion.
The first is a much older book that isn’t in print anymore as far as I know. But well worth finding I think. 🙂
Okay, this may sound silly, but Creative Correction by Lisa Whelchel has to be one of the most influential books I’ve ever read! {Now that I think about it, I think I’m going to post on my blog why it’s so awesome!} Courtney!! Why can’t we have a link-up about our own favorite quotes and why the books made a difference in our lives??
That is an excellent idea! I am all for it!!
GREAT idea Desi. I love hearing everyone else’s input! So, Yes! Let’s do this together!!! There will be a link-up every Monday with this series and I’m going to share this on my facebook page right now! Thanks for recommending it!
Lots of Love,
Courtney
Luther’s Small Catechism
“The Attributes of God” by A.W. Pink
“Feminine Appeal” by Carolyn Mahaney
Created to be his helpmeet….all i can say is it is a real kick in the pants kinda book,but yet sooooo inspiring..Makes me wanna read it everyday and makes me wanna strive for proverbs 31!!!!..Also Kisses for Katie,i cryed like a baby!!!
Without a doubt, the one book besides the Bible that affected my life is One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. From the moment I finished her book, I began keeping my own list of gifts. I am now well over 3,000 and I can’t tell you how much more joy I have in my life because I earnestly look for the gifts of each day. How can you be down or discouraged when you are counting your blessings every day?
Non-fiction: The Slight Edge. It made me realize just how important it is to be consistent with your goals. It’s all about baby steps. This applies to all areas of life, even spiritual. A deep relationship with God starts with seconds and minutes of prayer, worship and being in the Word.
Fiction: Atlas Shrugged. It really challenged my youthful liberal thinking.
This is hard for me to pick one because I am avid reader. However, without missing a beat 2 come to mind. The 1st is The Prophet by Kahil Gabiran. Says a lot about what God wants for us in this lifetime and how he wants is to live. The 2nd, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. When I had to read this book in high school, I was naïve to racism. This put what I was learning about in history into perspective for me. And it forever changed the way I treat people. Regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, etc.
The Shack was wonderful! You Gotta Keep Dancin’ is my new favorite.
I think the latest book is actually one I’m still in the middle of. It’s amazing. Crazy Love by Francis Chan.
Crazy Love, amazing book, changed my life!!!
Me too!
A Chance to Die by Elizabeth Elliot
The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. Reminds me to be grateful for all things (even fleas) & to trust & glorify God ALWAYS.
Secrets Over Sweet Tea by Denise Jones. A fiction book I chose because, well, I like sweet tea and it sounded like a good “beach read”. But it was so much more for me. When I realized she published a non-fiction companion to this book, I got that as well. It is a great read too.
Lots of my favorites already listed.
I haven’t read it completely, but Shepherding a Child’s Heart has not only helped me see a glimpse into parenting my son, but also helped me with my own heart and with how my husband and I were taught and disciplined by our parents.
A lot of my favorites already mentioned, but definitely “Captivating” by John and Stasi Eldredge, “Redeeming Love” by Francine Rivers and “Kisses from Katie” by Katie Davis. Looking forward to reading more that women have shared here!
Breaking Free book & workbook by Beth Moore was the most enlightening and freeing book I ever read, listened to and worked through in letting go of so many issues. Been feeling lead of the Lord to do it again.
I love all the ideas, so many good books have been shared!!! I am going to have to add to my must read list. Thanks Courtney for allowing us to share our favorites so that others may grow too.
I have a few :
The Excellent Wife – Martha Peace
Shepherding a Child’s Heart – Tedd Tripp
Justification and Regeneration – Charles Leiter
One thousand gifts by Ann voskamp!
Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas!!! Must read for married and engaged couples! Even for the unmarried, they too need to have a godly perspective on a sacred marriage 🙂
Growing Your Faith – Jerry Bridges
Confessions of an Irritable Mother, and Finding Joy – Those were impactful to me because I wrote them, and God did amazing things in my heart through that process. 🙂
The Five Love Languages, A Woman After God’s Own Heart by Elizabeth George was pivotal in many changes in my life. It helped me realize priorities. The Five Love Languages made me realize that people feel loved differently and how I could do that in my own marriage. An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott was an excellent book and keeps impacting me, and I laugh because no one has ever read it, but it has great thoughts in it. The Bible is the ultimate changer and I would not be anywhere without it. Another book was Falling In Love With Jesus by Kathy Troccoli and Dee Brestin. I may try to do a Bible Study with some girls with that book. I was reading The Excellent Wife, but haven’t finished it, but wow. That definitely has some really great concepts in it. I better finish it! There are probably more, but these are the ones I could think of off the top of my head.
I LOVE LOVE that book “Falling in love with Jesus” that was a really good book…I should probably go back and re-read it!
The books that showed me how to consider and ponder the Bible as ‘real’ and not just cool stories, is a Liz Curtis Higgs series, in which she ‘re-writes’ the story of Jacob and Esau, and Rachel and Leah, and Dinah. The stories came ALIVE. I will never read the Bible flippantly again.
You can buy happiness (and its cheap) by Tammy Strobel
Amazing book on deciding what is important in life & how to lie it meaningfully.
She’s a tiny home minimalist the just seeme d to figure out what life was all about early on.
I took the same journey you did Courtney, in my quest to be the “best mother and wife” I could be and my mentors were:
Francis Littauer: books on understanding personalities and It Takes So Little To Be Above Average
Gary Smalley and John Trent: The Blessing, Love Languages…
James Dobson: The Strong-willed Child
and I absolutely love Kevin Lemans honest, witty and knowledgeable information on marriage, raising children, the birth order…
Thanks again for your excellent blog! Joanne
Have you read teh adapted version… the 5 Love Languages of Children? I really like it. (;
I was writing about the importance of the Bible in my blog today!
I love reading so much!
Books I especially love
Mere Christianity by C.S.Lewis
Experiencing the depths of Jesus Christ by Jeanne-Marie Guyon
In the Footsteps of Jesus by Bruce Marchiano
Books by Elisabeth Elliot, Philip Yancey and Henri Nouwen.
Cannot wait to hear your favorite books!!!
It may sound weird but The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. It was an eye opener and I love anything she writes. Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson too. She’s great!
The Ministry of Motherhood has blessed me too. I love the encouragement, and challenge to grow. Clay and Sally’s kids are the best recommendation for their wisdom! (:
The “Chosen and Cherished” series by Kimberly Hahn- that is the first one, and the second and third are “Graced and Gifted” and…I cannot remember the third:) Each chapter outlines a line from Proverbs 31 and the books are about homemaking, childrearing, and being a godly wife. They are awesome books!!
I have read many, many books–some have been listed by others before me. Books that have shaped and changed my life were books by Arthur Pink and a book, You Are Very Special by Verna Birkey, which I think is still in print after many years. Probably the first Christian book on self-esteem that I ever read, probably in the late 70’s or early 80’s. I still have it and recommend it to wounded people.
Thanks, Team, for all your great books.
A Woman After God’s Own Heart
Elizabeth George’s A Women’s After Gods Own Heart & Loving God with All Your Mind – both totally changed my spiritual walk.
Total money makeover
Love and respect — this one probably helped in saving my marriage because It was eyeopening for me…never knew those roles of husband and wife. My mom always talked down about my dad to him, in front of me so I never knew…but i do now by the grace of God 🙂
Mr God, This is Anna. I read this as a young teen. I have reread this book several times over the years. It has impacted my perceptions of children, of the value of life, and even more so – of the amazing unscalable, incomprehendible, amazingness of who God is, and how that affects how I live my life.
Anna’s story is a gift.
Rich Stearns – The Hole In Our Gospel. best ever!
First off I love your blog and can’t wait for the new book! Second, you should check out Sara Horns My So Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife A One Year Experiment …And its Surprising Results. Its great! Its written from an everyday gals view on the Proverbs 31 woman and how your life can be changed by her 🙂 Very heartwarming, real and sure to make you smile. She also has a new one coming out in August Called My So Called Life as a Submissive Wife A One Year Experiment… And its Liberating Resutls! I loved your blog on the submissive wife a bit back and thought wow the timing of your blog and her book was wonderful. I have often struggled with this word submissive, but am learning its true meaning now and how to embrace it. I am so glad to have the opportunity to learn from both of you! We have a group of girls who are promoting her book, dicussing this topic and marriage in general and I plan on sharing your blog with them, I feel that it would such a blessing not to meniton your marriage and motherhood series is perfect timing for us. Thanks again for all you share!