I have an addiction to reading. It’s pretty bad, actually. I would rather eat ramen noodles so I can buy books. (Okay, I’m not that desperate, but you get the point.)
I get made fun of all the time for saying, “You need to read this book. It’ll change your life.” It’s usually pretty much true. Every book you read will change your life in one way or another, whether for the right or wrong reasons. I can’t imagine my life without a book in my hand.
Harry S. Truman, 33rd President of the United States, once said, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” It’s true. Though not everyone is called to a level of leadership like Truman, everyone is called to keep growing and learning. When you read, you grow. You can share that quote and give me credit. 🙂
I read over 29 books in 2018, a personal best for me. You can actually see the full list here. But I specifically wanted to share some books that have been impactful in my growth journey that you should read in 2019. This list isn’t just compiled from 2018, but many are.
Here are 7 books you should put on your reading list for 2019:
Redeeming Love – Francine Rivers
I actually read this book again last year. It’s actually a Christian novel that will rock your world. Angel, a prostitute without an ounce of hope in her life meets a man who challenges her ability to accept real love. Michael, the man who knows God has called him to marry Angel, faithfully follows God’s call to pursue her, even though she makes it very difficult.
It’s an amazing book weaving the love of Christ in an out of the story. It’s a reminder that God never stops pursuing us, despite our ugliest efforts to destroy ourselves. Click here to get your copy. P.S. You’re going to need some tissues.
The Inner Voice of Love – Henri Nouwen
Yes, it’s true that I have 5, 265 1/2 favorite books, but seriously, this book will go down in history as one of the most life-changing books in my library. I’m not sure I’ve ever been shaken to the core as much as I was reading this book. Henri Nouwen, a priest who served all over the world, shared some of his most personal struggles in his journal entries. He lost his self-esteem, his hope in God, and felt no one loved him. He was struggling with rejection.
I started this book in the Winter of 2017 but didn’t finish it until last year. I had to read through each entry and process it, then process it again. I’ve never cried so many snot bubbles in my life over a book. It was as though Nouwen and I were experiencing the exact same things. I was begging God to help me overcome rejection and the hurtful words of others. He spoke to me so clearly through this book. I love to lend books to others, but not this one. I refer to it often.
I don’t say this lightly. If you struggle with an ounce of rejection or hopelessness, this book is a must read. God used it to help save my life. Someday I’ll tell you that story. You can order your copy here.
Everybody Always – Bob Goff
If you’ve never heard of Bob Goff, you’re missing out. You cannot hear this guy speak or read his books and not feel joy. Nor can you read his books and not be challenged to love well. Everybody Always is a great read for overcoming fear. The steps Goff takes to love others with the love of Christ is beyond inspiring. As a matter of fact, I’m not sure I can love that much.
This book will challenge you to do the impossible and stop living in the ordinary. Get your copy here.
Pigs in the Parlor – Frank Hammond
After surviving a battle of spiritual warfare that’s hard to even explain to others, I set out to understand warfare and deliverance at a deeper level. This book is a great asset to my library. For those wanting a better, practical understanding of warfare and deliverance, this is a great book.
Here’s my warning though… Don’t read this book if you don’t want to be expected to do something with the knowledge you gain. You can’t just unlearn what you learn about deliverance. Hammond discusses demons, how to receive deliverance, how to give deliverance, and more. Yes.. he’s going to talk about demons and possession. It’s a real thing the church must stop pretending doesn’t exist. You can get your copy here.
Abba’s Child – Brennan Manning
This is another book that made me snot bubbly cry. Even after being called to the ministry and impacting thousands of lives through spreading the Gospel, Manning fell hard. But he got back up and God never stopped partnering with him to change lives. It was an amazing reminder to me that God is never done with us. This book helped me have some grace for myself.
Manning talks about overcoming the imposter syndrome, taking the mask off and being who God really called us to be. “He longs for us to know in the depth of our beings that He loves us and accepts us as we are. When we are our true selves, we can finally claim our identity as God’s child – Abba’s Child – and experience His pure pleasure in who we are.” I tear up reading those words. Click here to get your copy.
Follow the Cloud – John Stickl
I was meeting a friend I’d met in a Facebook group for the Full Focus Planner. Her daughter was going to college close to my hometown and she drove up from Texas to get her settled in. We decided to have lunch. She didn’t know about the brokeness I was in or the fact that I was struggling in ministry, but she felt led to give me a copy of this book. Wow, was it ever a gift from God.
[ctt template=”3″ link=”b580e” via=”yes” ]If you’re not learning then you’re moving backwards. Don’t go backwards. Keep reading. Keep learning. [/ctt]
If I could sum up this book with one word, I would say, “Grace.” In a time where I knew God had called me to something specific, yet man was set out to destroy it, I was desperately asking questions about what to do next. It was a time where I had to decided if I was going to focus on God’s faithfulness to me or to trust myself. This book was profound in helping me do that. You can get your copy here.
They Shall Expel Demons – Derek Prince
Yep, another spiritual warfare book. This book answers some great questions. Have you wondered if Christians can be possessed or not? Prince gives great answers in this biblically based book. Do you wonder why things keep going wrong in your life? Maybe it’s because there’s something set out to destroy you. Prince teaches you how to take authority in Christ and tell the demons to flee.
But be warned.. It’s another book you can’t go back from once you learn the truth. It’s a call for the church to stand and fight back. If you’re ready for that, you can get your copy here.
Remember this.. if you’re not learning then you’re moving backwards. Don’t go backwards. Keep reading. Keep learning.
What books do you recommend I read in 2019? Feel free to share in the comments section.
Please note that some links provided are affiliate links and I may get a small commission for any links you purchase through.