If there is one thing this crazy year has taught me it’s this: I have a lot to learn still. The last 6 months have left me mentally perplexed and emotionally exhausted. I have come to realize that maybe God has allowed all these chaotic things to happen to challenge my thinking on many subjects. I need to re-think how I view my  health, race relations, family life, and my walk with Christ. Just this week, I bought a couple of powerful books on Amazon and plan to start reading. I am determined to not let this year go to waste. My mind may feel like mush, but I can make changes if push through all the mental fog.  

I’ve got work to do! Until I breathe my last breath, I need to continue to grow and ask God to give me His heart and mind on sticky subjects. I don’t want to settle for a mediocre life where I am stuck in my own stubborn ways and never change for the better.  

How about you, friend? Are you feeling overwhelmed by all the crazy noise on the news and on social media? Do you feel weighed down by all the problems not only in this world, but on your shoulders personally? Maybe you wish you could get a do-over on this whole year. If only we could push the rewind button and live each day with greater intention.  

One way that I am “re-focusing” my thinking is to turn off the noise of 24-hour news on my TV and make myself read at least a chapter a day from something positive. Every year, I create a reading plan. I like to read at last one book per month — it’s a do-able goal for me in this crazy busy season of life. Throughout the year, I try to read at least one book in each of my 8 priority areas: Faith, Self Care, Marriage, Family, Friendship, Ministry, Personal Growth, and Community.

I keep a book in every room of the house — so that if I have any down time a book will be easily accessible at a moment’s notice. I also tuck a book into my purse if I am on the go.

I’d stopped reading when all the COVID crazy happened, but now I am determined to get back to my plan. I need wise voices in my head to help me push past all the negativity on social media and the news media. 

Reading a powerful book can realign my thinking and restore my sanity.  

10 Powerful Books I Recommend:

An Invitation to Solitude and Silence: Experiencing God’s Transforming Presence

• Priority: Faith
• The Rundown: Ruth Haley Barton invites us all on a journey to deeper intimacy with our God. She holds up the mirror to our culture of living “dangerously tired” and challenges us to take brave steps toward resting our body, soul, and mind. Each chapter ends with spiritual practice exercise to help you apply these life-giving principles. This transformative book was my favorite read of 2018, and I plan on re-reading it.
• Memorable Quotes: “As I have paid more attention to my tiredness and fatigue, I have learned that there are at least two kind of tired.  One is what I call ‘good tired.’ This is the kind of tiredness we experience after a job well done, a task accomplished out of the best of who we are. If we are living in healthy rhythms of work and rest, this tiredness is a temporary condition, and when it comes, we know that after we take appropriate time for rest and recuperation, we will soon be back in the swing of things.  But another kind of tiredness is more ominous, and this is what I call “dangerous tired.” …Dangerous tired is an atmospheric condition of the soul that is volatile and portends the risk of great destruction.  It is a chronic inner fatigue accumulating over months and months, and it does not always manifest itself in physical exhaustion.  In fact, it can be masked by excessive activity and compulsive overworking. When we are dangerously tried we feel out of control, compelled to constant activity by inner impulses that we may not be aware of.  For some reason we can’t quite name, we’re not able to linger and relax over a cup of coffeqe. We can’t keep from checking voicemail or email ‘just one more time’ before we leave the office or before we go to bed at night…The idea of taking a full day off once a week seems impossible both in theory and in practice….On some level we suspect that if we did stop long enough to experience our emotions, we might be overcome by feeling we’d rather not feel sadness over past or present losses, desperation regarding aspects of our life or character that seem unfixable, powerlessness to choose the kind of life we know we’re meant to live, unfulfilled desires and longings. We may be afraid that if we entered these unlit places in our souls, we might never come out.” (pp. 58-60)
• Biggest Takeaway:This book was transformational for me in my thinking process. Setting aside time for solitude and silence can breathe life into my dangerously tired soul.  

Prayers for Victory in Your Marriage

• Priority: Marriage
• The Rundown: Are you facing spiritual warfare in your marriage? Dr. Tony Evans has designed a wonderful book that helps us to put on our spiritual armor and pray for protection. Each of the 15 chapters covers a different area of concern and provides Scriptural prayers to help you fight on your knees and move forward in victory. Arming yourself with these prayers will help you and your spouse stay standing together as one.
• Memorable Quotes: “Don’t let the weight of yesterday ruin today and tomorrow.” (p. 42) “The right word spoken at the right time can change anyone’s trajectory in life. In fact, it can even revive life. Offering encouragement is like watering the soil around a droopy plant to bring it to life again. That’s why it’s essential that we stay connected.” (p. 53) “When God’s Word–His rule, thoughts, and will–proceeds out of our mouths, we tap into a power source that is beyond us. We access and utilize the authority of the One who spoke the creation into being and commanded the waves of the sea to be still. His authority is available to you and me if we will but believe it to be true and speak directly to whatever mountain we are facing.” (p. 65) 
• Biggest Takeaway: “As an overcomer, always keep this truth in mind: You are not fighting for the victory; you are fighting from a position of victory. Christ has secured the victory for you…The victory is yours when you are well-dressed for warfare… The victory over the evil one was secured for me and my marriage on the cross when Jesus dies and granted us salvation.” (p. 81)

Developing the Leader Within  You 2.0

• Priority: Personal Growth
• The Rundown: My mentorship group worked through the newly revamped version of this John Maxwell classic on leadership. He unpacks 10 foundational lessons on growing in leadership in the areas of influence, priorities, character, change, problem solving, attitude, service, vision, self-discipline, and personal growth. Each chapter ends with a handy recap of the key principles required for growth in each area. I highly recommend reading this book with friends, and perhaps focusing on one chapter per month to really work on growing in a particular area.
• Memorable Quotes: “We need to acknowledge that growth is a gradual process and make that process part of our daily practice. That means we need to establish the habit of growing on a consistent basis. When you practice the discipline of growing a little every day, you are doing your part to strengthen the hope inside you. With each small step you take, you are progressing toward improving yourself and your world.” (p. 209) Maxwell also quotes Pope Francis on page 152: “A servant daily learns detachment from doing everything his own way and living his life as he would. Each morning he trains himself to be generous with his life and to realize that the rest of the day will not be his own, but given over to others. One who serves cannot hoard his free time; he has to give up the idea of being the master of his day. He knows that his time is not his own, but a gift from God which is then offered back to him.”
• Biggest Takeaway: Leading others starts with leading myself, and Maxwell’s books always help me to self evaluate where I am and take steps to improve how I am living. Developing as a leader is a life-long process, but it begins by making intentional choices to move forward and make progress. Small steps made daily add up and make a huge difference over the course of one’s life.

Overwhelmed: How to Quiet the Chaos and Restore Your Sanity

• Priority: Self Care
• The Rundown: The title of this life-giving book from Kathi Lipp and Cheri Gregory grabbed me right away. I can relate to the title!!! Each chapter unpacks an area where we tend to struggle with overwhelm and gives practical tips on how to overcome. They tackle subjects like being your own worst enemy, taking practical steps to survive an overwhelming day, practicing self care, dealing with negative feedback, and managing all your stuff and surroundings.
• Memorable Quote: “Does one person drive you crazy every time you see him or her?…I’m no longer letting other people decide how my time, energy, money and space are spent. Sometimes this means saying no to people we’ve always said yes to. It’s hard, but it’s necessary.” (pp.194-195) “When I an rest-resistant, repentance truly is my salvation. Acknowledging that, once again, I’ve forgotten that He is God and I am not. Recognizing that I’ve started trusting me, again, instead of Him. Heaving a sigh of relief because No, it’s not all up to me. Repentance isn’t what exhausts us; it’s what allows us to finally do what we need most. Repentance is the doorway to true rest.” (pp.224-225)
• Biggest Takeaway: Chapter 11 in this book is titled ” ‘Just Put Your Big-Girl Panties On’ vs. Practicing Self-Care (in a World that Couldn’t Care Less,” and I think it captured the essence of what this book helped me understand. I need to realize that no one else is going to make room for me to rest and take care of my soul. I need to learn to say no to exhausting things and unhealthy people — and not feel guilty about it. Reading this book gave equipped me with practical ways I can do that right now.

Holy Hustle: Embracing a Work-Hard, Rest-Well Life

• Priority: Ministry
• The Rundown: I read Crystal Stine’s wonderful book last year right around the time I lost my job. The tag line on the back cover has become kind of a mantra for this season of my life: “Work without shame. Rest without guilt.” Crystal is a do-er, and she believes you can serve without striving. She argues that we can find the balance between work and rest without having to choose between the two. I love her focus on embracing community where we cheer one another on in our accomplishments and say no to the comparison trap that robs us of joy. To help you figure out how to apply Holy Hustle principles in your day to day, Crystal ends each chapter with a reflection section for you to to journal and a bonus digging deeper section with Scripture passages to guide you. She also highlights a “holy hustle story” to show a practical example of how a woman in public ministry is making it happen in her own life.
• Memorable Quotes: “When we stop running someone else’s race, we can confidently take up the space God has given us, using our gifts for His glory.” (p. 58) “Holy hustle gives us the freedom to recognize that the work others do is right for them, but not for us, not in this season. Holy hustle helps us to hear God over the roar of the bossy world, so we can say yes to the work God has prepared our hearts for and no to the work that drains our souls.” (p. 75) “When I devalue the gifts God has given me and assume they aren’t enough, or the place I’ve been called to use them is too small, I not only miss the blessings God has for me, but I rob others of the blessing of allowing God to harvest something beautiful from our shared experience. As I learn to trust God and live in that space of right-here faith, I”m learning to appreciate the unexpected blessings of behind-the-scenes service. What if we all said yes to the edge of the field instead of fighting to run the show?” (p. 93)
• Biggest Takeaway: Crystal’s message about redefining our purpose from “hustle” to “holy hustle” was right on time for me. She helped me to figure out how to get passed striving to meet people’s expectations so that I can work joyfully as unto the Lord. If you are in the public circle where you work with people, you need this book! 

Crucial Conversations: Tools for Taking When Stakes are High 

• Priority: Friendship
• The Rundown: Kerry Patterson, Joseph Granny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler have put together a book based on research taken from case studies to help us safely work through difficult conversations using a proven strategy. This is a “how to” book that helps us transform explosive emotional interactions into healthy, powerful dialogue. If you want to learn how to avoid another unpleasant interaction, this book is for you.
• Memorable Quotes: “The best at dialogue speak their minds completely and do it in a way that makes it safe for others to hear what they have to say and respond to it as well. They are both totally frank and completely respectful. In order to speak honestly when honesty could easily offend others, we have to find a way to maintain safety. That’s a bit like telling someone to smash another in the nose, but, you know, don’t hurt him. How can we speak the unspeakable and still maintain respect? Actually, it can be done if you know how to carefully blend three ingredients–confidence, humility, and skill.” (p. 133) “People who are skilled at dialogue have the confidence to say what needs to be said to the person who needs to hear it. They are confident that their opinions deserve to be placed in the pool of meaning.”  (p. 133) “Skilled people are confident that they have something to say, but also realize that others have valuable input. They are humble enough to realize that they don’t have a monopoly on the truth nor do they always have to win their way.” (p. 133)
• Biggest Takeaway: This book is packed full of real-life examples that helped me see how I can unravel some of my own sticky relationships. Toward the end of the book, the authors provide extra help for those “exceptions to the rule” — where the strategies are applied, but still aren’t going well. I found this to be super helpful, and I need to read this book again and again.  

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

• Priority: Community
• The Rundown: I was very late to the Bob Goff party. Many of my friends had recommended his wonderful book, and I thought it was just hype. But I finally decided to buy it after picking it up in the bookstore and reading the first chapter for myself. I honestly could not put the book down. I ended up reading this book twice because I re-read almost every chapter out loud to Bruce. This book is meant to be shared! Goff is an engaging writer, and his way of viewing the world will challenge you to love more like Jesus. 
• Memorable Quotes: “The world can make you think love can be packed up at a garage sale or enveloped in a Hallmark card. But the kind of love that God created and demonstrated is a costly one because it involves sacrifice and presence.” (p. 9) “God finds us in our failures and in our successes, and He says that while we used do think one way about things, now He wants us to think another way about those same things. And for me, I’v realized that I used to be afraid of failing at the things that really mattered to me, but now I’m more afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter.” (p. 30) “…It was Jesus who taught me there was nothing I could really lose if I had Him. He taught me to be palms up, just like He was. Palms up means you have nothing to hide and nothing to gain or lose. Palms up means you are strong enough to be vulnerable, even with your enemies.” (p. 205)
• Biggest Takeaway: Bob Goff made me laugh and yet made me feel convicted all at once. The stories he tells in this book are memorable and life changing, and he encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and live the gospel out in a real way.  

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

• Priority: Family Life
• The Rundown:  This book by Donald Miller is different from anything I have ever read before. Written as a memoir, Miller tells how he came to live a better story with his life. Honestly, at the beginning I had no idea where this book was going, but I was drawn in by Miller’s unedited, self deprecating storytelling. He lets you see all his flaws and realize he is just a broken man in need of salvation. This book is all about a journey, and the metaphor for how God speaks redemption into our lives is beautifully weaved throughout its pages. When I got to the last page, I had a smile on my face and felt inspired to write a better story with my own life. (Side note: I had no idea when I picked up this book that Donald Miller and Bob Goff were good friends. Miller tells a story about Goff in this book, and the two books paired nicely!). 
• Memorable Quotes: “…The stories we tell ourselves are very different from the stories we tell the world.” (p. 73) “We live in a world where bad stories are told, stories that teach us life doesn’t mean anything and that humanity has no great purpose. It’s a good calling, then, to speak a better story. How brightly a better story shines.” (p. 248)
• Biggest Takeaway: Miller challenges, “…Fear isn’t only a guide to keep us safe; it’s also a manipulative emotion that can trick us into living a boring life.” I don’t want to live a boring life. I want to write a better story with the days I have left. 

Meet the New You: A 21-Day Plan for Embracing Fresh Attitudes and Focused Habits

• Priority: Personal Growth
• The Rundown: Elisa Pulliam has put together a book  that is basically a manual on how to coach yourself.  Each chapter helps readers assess “where they are” and develop a picture of a better version of themselves they can work on becoming. Page by page, readers craft a vision for transformation and work through the obstacles standing between their current life and their desired future.
• Memorable Quotes: “You and I know that the longing for approval and acceptance is real. Our desire to be approved causes us to make poor choices. Worse yet, instead of seeing God for His wisdom, we sometimes run from Him for fear that He might disapprove. Isn’t it ironic that we sometimes fear man’s disapproval more than God’s?” (p. 151)
• Biggest Takeaway: I’m considering using this book with clients for group coaching. Would you be interested in signing up for Group Coaching if I offered a weekly one-hour conference call for $20 a month? It would be a 6-month commitment, and you would invest $120 to join the coaching group. If you are interested, sign up for more information here.

Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done

• Priority: Personal Growth
• The Rundown: Jon Acuff has written a wonderful book to  help you “take the pressure off” and get things done. He encourages you to give yourself grace and do less in order to accomplish more. We are great “starters” of projects, but terrible finishers. His radical advice may seem like cheating, but putting his strategies into practice will help you stop feeling guilty and accomplish your goals. 
• Memorable Quotes: “If you want to finish, you’ve got to do all that you can do to get rid of your perfectionism right out of the gate. You’ve got to have fun, cut your goal in half, choose what things you’ll bomb, and a few other actions you won’t see coming at first.” (p. 5) “…Don’t let perfectionism sneak in. It will tell you that you need a perfect answer to what now before you finish. That’s nonsense. You don’t need to have the next thing figured out before you finish this things. Finish anyway. Don’t let the fear of what’s next steal the joy of finishing what’s now.” (p. 178)
• Biggest Takeaway: One of the biggest lessons I learned from this fabulous book was to cut my goals in half. Making our goals more achievable makes like more manageable and leads to greater success in the end. 

Let’s Chat:  What powerful books have challenged your thinking?

Looking for more good reads? Here are my 12 faves for 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

Friends: As a social media influencer, I have a sweet list of my favorite resources to fuel a wildfire faith in my very own shop on Amazon.  (Note: I will get a little something back if you follow any of the links in this post and buy anything on this page. Thanks in advance if you do.).

ARE YOU STUCK IN A SPIRITUAL RUT?

I CAN PARTNER WITH YOU TO HELP YOU SPARK A TRANSFORMATION IN YOUR LIFE.

CHECK OUT MY COACHING SERVICES TO DISCOVER STRATEGIES TO REKINDLE YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE.

ARE YOU READY TO FIRE UP YOUR FAITH?

SIGN UP TO GET WEEKLY #FAITHFUEL IN YOUR INBOX.

YOU’LL RECEIVE “4 SUREFIRE WAYS TO IGNITE YOUR FAITH” AS MY GIFT TO YOU.

YOU’LL ALSO GET ACCESS TO THE PRACTICAL RESOURCES IN OUR PRIVATE FAITH FUEL LIBRARY.