I review a lot of books on this blog and many others influence the posts I write.
In fact, my best books of the year are always some of the most read posts.
Just in time for the holidays and those needing gift ideas, I will give you my…
Top Books in 2015 which I have read.
I will link to the appropriate articles and reviews in the summary, but my aim is to tell you how these books are still impacting me months later.
[amazon_link id=”B00J3F1Q5Q” target=”_blank” ]Charis: God’s Scandalous Grace for Us[/amazon_link]
[amazon_image id=”B00J3F1Q5Q” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Charis: God’s Scandalous Grace for Us[/amazon_image]
Hands down one of the best books on grace I have ever read. The part which sticks with me is the emphasis on seeing grace from cover to cover in Scripture. My teaching has taken on more of a “from Genesis to Revelation” flavor since reading this book.
[amazon_link id=”B00969I86Y” target=”_blank” ]Glorious Ruin: How Suffering Sets You Free[/amazon_link]
[amazon_image id=”B00969I86Y” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Glorious Ruin: How Suffering Sets You Free[/amazon_image]
A book about suffering and having God’s view on it, was followed by one of my favorite authors having a very rough year in his marriage and personal life. His insight into truth and suffering remain the same, despite his shortcomings and failures. I hope Tullian walks through the restoration process and we can receive from him again someday.
[amazon_link id=”B00GWT9EKA” target=”_blank” ]Simplify: Ten Practices to Unclutter Your Soul[/amazon_link]
[amazon_image id=”B00GWT9EKA” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Simplify: Ten Practices to Unclutter Your Soul[/amazon_image]
While not reviewing this book on the blog, I have been influenced by Hybels in the past. In many ways, the longer I walk with God and serve in missions, keeping it simple seems to be a reoccurring theme.
The next two books have to do with the journey I am on to have a deeper and healthier inner life and walk with God. As leaders and missionaries, we are always giving out. In doing so, it can become easy to neglect our own journey and receive input.
Both [amazon_link id=”B00GRZDCAW” target=”_blank” ]Soul Keeping: Caring For the Most Important Part of You[/amazon_link] by John Ortberg and
[amazon_link id=”B00L0S6IAM” target=”_blank” ]Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It’s Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature[/amazon_link] by Peter Scarzero challenge the needed balance in these areas.
[amazon_image id=”B00GRZDCAW” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Soul Keeping: Caring For the Most Important Part of You[/amazon_image] and [amazon_image id=”B00L0S6IAM” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: It’s Impossible to Be Spiritually Mature, While Remaining Emotionally Immature[/amazon_image]
I wrote about Soul Keeping here and Scarzero’s book influenced this post.
Then Jefferson Bethke went and combined all these ideas highlighted in the preceding books in [amazon_link id=”1400205417″ target=”_blank” ]It’s Not What You Think: Why Christianity Is About So Much More Than Going to Heaven When You Die[/amazon_link] which I just read.
[amazon_image id=”1400205417″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]It’s Not What You Think: Why Christianity Is About So Much More Than Going to Heaven When You Die[/amazon_image]
Perhaps the book which impacted me the most this year, is the one which impacted me the most last year! I cannot get away from the impact [amazon_link id=”B005EH36QE” target=”_blank” ]With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God[/amazon_link] by Skye Jethani has had. Couple this with the gems of keeping it simple and having a healthy inner life, and you have a summary of the things I have been dwelling on the most.
[amazon_image id=”B005EH36QE” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God[/amazon_image]
Of course all non-fiction makes one a dull boy, so here is a fiction selection or two
[amazon_link id=”B0067AN0VI” target=”_blank” ]Calico Joe: A Novel[/amazon_link] by John Grisham – a combination of baseball, forgiveness and redemption. It does not get any better than this.
[amazon_image id=”B0067AN0VI” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Calico Joe: A Novel[/amazon_image]
Also by Grisham, is [amazon_link id=”B0042XA37Q” target=”_blank” ]The Confession: A Novel[/amazon_link]. A great tale of a death row inmate wrongly convicted and a pastor’s journey to deliver the true killer. I used to love Grisham, it was fun to rediscover his books this year.
[amazon_image id=”B0042XA37Q” link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]The Confession: A Novel[/amazon_image]
Click on any of these links to go to Amazon and buy a copy for yourself or someone on your gift list.
What is your favorite book you have read in 2015?
Photo by Dariusz Sankowki