Books to Add to Your Christmas List and A Giveaway

Hi Friends! I wanted to share some book fun with you. I have read many books this year, and I pulled out my favorites for you to add to your Christmas shopping list. These books weren’t necessarily published in 2022, they are just books I read this year (for the most part). These are all Christian books, as that is pretty much all I read. So no need to worry about content. I have them broken into several categories. I hope you find something that sounds interesting. And make sure you read to the end for information on a giveaway.

(Note: I do not receive any compensation through these links.)

For anyone looking for a good Christian Non-Fiction Read:

Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life by Craig Groeschel. This book is so powerful. It contains vital information that every Christian needs. We all have battled lies from the enemy at one time or another. And for some of us, it’s a chronic issue. This book will help you take back your life and win the battle.

Abide in Christ: A 31-Day Devotional for Fellowship With Jesus by Andrew Murray. This book is truly a gem. There are many golden nuggets throughout, and I highlighted tons of passages that spoke to me. One thing to note – since Andrew Murray lived in another era, the language was dated. Personally, I had to read this book slowly to absorb what Murray was saying. Many sentences are very long, and one can get lost along the way from beginning to end. But if you put in the time and effort, you will be rewarded. Abiding in Christ is vital in our walk with Him. If we can grasp this one thing, day by day, our lives will be transformed.

For An Audience of One: Seek the Praise That Comes From God Alone by R.T. Kendall. I wrote a blog post on this book earlier this year. If you missed it, check it out here.

Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table: It’s Time to Win the Battle of Your Mind by Louie Giglio. Excellent book that will help you strengthen your faith, take every thought captive, and ultimately keep your eyes on Jesus, no matter what you are facing. I have highlighted so many exceptional lines throughout the book, as the content was overflowing with key truths. This is such an important topic for all Christians. Too often, we allow the enemy to invite himself to our table, our lives, and our minds. It is time to take a stand. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, is there beside us. We need only to turn our focus to Him, and He will help us overcome this battle.

Get Your Life Back: Everyday Practices for a World Gone Mad by John Eldredge. This book is amazing. It is not like any other book I have read. In our fast-paced world, we are all moving at an unhealthy speed. We are burnt out and frazzled. This book will help you in two major ways. It will help you to intentionally find a slower pace. And it will help you to receive more of God in your life. Both of these, in turn, will help restore your soul. I highlighted many passages in this book, which isn’t abnormal for me. But in this case, I took it a step further and wrote down some key points from each chapter as well. I wanted to make sure I retained what I read, and put it into practice. I highly recommend this book. I can see myself coming back to it again.

When the Enemy Strikes: The Keys to Winning Your Spiritual Battles by Dr. Charles F. Stanley. A must read for every Christian. This book is phenomenal. Charles Stanley is my favorite pastor because he really knows his stuff. He always provides great insight and practical tips. This book is no exception. This book is so eye-opening and will help you see the ways the enemy has sneakily wormed his way into your life. But this book will also help you to stand strong against the devil’s tactics, as you cling to Jesus. I cannot say enough good things about this book.

For women. Often when it comes to Christian Non-Fiction, books by female authors are written for women:

Fervent: A Woman’s Battle Plan to Serious, Specific and Strategic Prayer by Priscilla Shirer. (Note that this link goes to the imitation leather format of the book, because I really like that version. However, you can search for other formats if you prefer.) One of the best books you will read as a Christian. Seriously. This book will open your eyes and help you to see how so many struggles in your life have been coming from the enemy. This book will help you to formulate prayers to fight against the enemy’s tactics. You will walk away with a stronger faith, as you become the prayer warrior that you always wanted to be. I have this book in the leather edition, I have it in e-book, and I have the audio book. And I went through it several times in the various formats. Priscilla shares stories, Scriptures, and inspiring words to help you in your faith walk. She is not wordy at all. But she does have a gift with words that will make you think about things from new angles. She is to the point and spot on. The audio version is wonderful because Priscilla narrates itself. She is a gifted speaker and very encouraging. I feel that it would benefit us to read / listen to this book on a regular basis. I cannot say enough about this book. I highly recommend it. Get it. You won’t regret it.

Fighting Words Devotional: 100 Days of Speaking Truth into the Darkness by Ellie Holcomb. I absolutely love this book. Each day brings a powerful Scripture verse, an encouraging devotional from the the author, reflection questions, and a prayer. Each passage has made me think deeper, as I sit quietly with the Lord. Ellie has a beautiful gift with words. In so many of the passages, she was able to articulate exactly how I was feeling. She filled each entry with truth and insight. Each day, I walked away feeling encouraged and hopeful. There is usually enough room to write in the book under each day’s entry, if you wish. And that is what I did. I wrote my own prayer each day, as I reflected on God’s Word and the hope I found. I highly recommend this book.

Sanctuary: Cultivating a Quiet Heart in a Noisy and Demanding World by Denise Hughes. This book was just published earlier this month, but I was honored to be a part of the launch team. This book was a much needed respite. We live in a fast-paced world, with a lot of “noise” everywhere we go. These days, much of our noise comes from our devices. Being constantly connected deflates us, pulls us away from the people around us, causes us to miss out on our own lives, and affects our relationship with God as well. This book helps us to lay aside the distractions, find unique ways to restore our souls, build the relationships with the loved ones in our lives, and have a closer walk with God. This book is a treasure.

The 40-Day Feast: Taste and See the Goodness of God’s Word by Wendy Speake. This book will not be published until January. However, I am on the launch team, so I had a sneak peek. This is a 40-day devotional all about the Word of God. This book helps us to get an appetite for the Bible, savor each bite, and apply biblical truths to our daily lives. Whether you read your Bible daily or not, this book will have golden nuggets for you to enjoy. I have read each of Wendy’s 40-day devotional books and I have found each one to be rich with insight and encouragement.

For Advent. The books in this group I didn’t necessarily read this year. But I felt it would be appropriate to share my favorite Advent devotionals in case you are looking for a rich December read:

Waiting Here For You: An Advent Journey of Hope by Louie Giglio. I loved this Advent devotional. Each day’s reading was short, so you could squeeze it into a busy schedule. Yet, each day also held so much meaning and impact.

The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas by Ann Voskamp. This book was so rich as it walks through the genealogy of Jesus and helps the reader to savor the Savior.

Prepare Him Room: A Daily Advent Devotional by Susie Larson. I’m currently in the midst of reading this book, so I can’t give my full thoughts yet. But I can say that I am deeply enjoying it so far.

If you’re looking for a unique Bible:

Illustrating Bible NIV: The Gospels. I love this Bible. It contains only the four gospels, in NIV translation. There is plenty of space on the side of each page to write or draw or whatever your creative side wants to do. It is spiral bound, which means no awkward issues when trying to write (as you find in regular paperback type books). If you want to spend time with Jesus, this would be a perfect place to start. Of course this is not my main Bible, since it only contains the Gospels. But I really enjoyed the time I spent in this Bible as I sat at Jesus’ feet.

For Lent:

Uncovering the Love of Jesus: A Lent Devotional by Asheritah Ciuciu. This is the best Lent devotional that I have ever read. This book was divided out into 7 weeks, intending to take the reader from Ash Wednesday through Resurrection Sunday (and beyond). Each passage talks about a different Biblical story from the Gospels. The author provides a lot of rich insight, amazing details, and helps the reader to read each of these stories with fresh eyes. At the end of each devotional passage, there is also a challenge, a prayer, and Bible verses for further reading. The author also provides activities for the weekend days. These are things that help you to focus on Lent and Easter and all that they mean. You can do them alone, or with your family. The devotions can be read at any time of year; they don’t have to be reserved for Lent. This book is absolutely wonderful. I cannot recommend it enough. You will grow closer to Jesus and see His love for you from a new perspective.

Fiction:

All of the above sections were Christian Non-Fiction. But I also wanted to take a moment to recommend some fiction reads. Mainly the Holiday series by my friend Laurel Hawkes. Laurel has written a series of novellas, each set around a different holiday. These are each quick reads for those with a busy schedule. All of them are available in e-book format. But if you prefer paperback, that is an option as well, with several novellas printed together in one book. Here is a link to the first e-book in the series: Happy New Year? (Holiday, USA Book 1). And here is the link to the first paperback in the series, which contains the first four novellas: Holiday, USA Anthology 2014.

If you want some Christmas fiction reads, check out my friend Summer’s recent blog post – Christmas Reads 2022. Each December, Summer will write a post that outlines her favorite Christmas reads from the year.

And now for a giveaway!

As a way of spreading Christmas cheer, I am giving away copies of my first two books – Every Day is a Gift and You Are Redeemed. (For more info on my books, check out this page.) * I’m sorry but U.S. addresses only, and while supplies last.* If you would like a copy of your own, please send me your name and address via this form.

Thank you for your time! And thank you for being here! I am honored to walk this path with you! Let me know in the comments if you have any great book recommendations.