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It is finally my most beloved season here in the Southeast! We’ve been getting some consistently cooler weather these past few weeks, and the leaves are all changing their colors to vibrant reds and burgundys and yellows.
Fall is wonderful for so many reasons, but one HUGE one is that I get to brew a steaming hot cup of coffee, grab a cozy blanket, and sit down with a good book on my front porch swing!
Because fall is the perfect time to cozy up with some quality reading, I’m here to tell you about several books from my personal library that may cause you to question everything you’ve been doing!
At the very least, they will definitely provoke some fresh perspective into your life!
I used to be much more of a novel reader when I was in my teens, but as I have gotten older, I have found the nonfiction genre to be much more riveting, and at times, earth-shatteringly helpful in navigating this thing we all do called life.
Now don’t get me wrong, I do love to curl up with a good classic from time to time, as some of my favorite fictional authors are Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte. But this particular round-up of good reads will be from my nonfiction section of the library.
Seeing Beautiful Again by Lysa Terkeurst
I cannot say enough good things about this devotional! I have gone through it 3 times now, it’s seriously THAT good!
Lysa thoughtfully and compassionately cuts to the chase with real talk, and gets to the heart of the matter when dealing with disappointment and heartbreak in your life, ultimately guiding you to re-discover your joy which can only be found through Jesus Christ.
This devotional is broken into 50 daily portions of thought-provoking wisdom, with powerful, related Scripture passages woven throughout the pages.
7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Now this New York Times bestseller is truly a book for anyone, not just women. Its rich content can get weighty, but so inspiring!
The 7 Habits broken down within the pages bring a principle-based approach to personal and professional relationship issues, with practical application for resolving conflict.
With over 40 million copies sold and nearly 30 years of influence on families, individuals, and even presidents and company CEOs, this is definitely a MUST-ADD to any library!
Money Making Mom by Crystal Paine
This book is so good that I actually have 2 copies, a hardcover and paperback!
Crystal Paine is a mom, entrepreneur, as well as a New York Times bestselling author, and this book is chock-full of insightful nuggets of wisdom for Mamas in all stages of life.
With practical ideas, resources, and true stories from her own journey, Crystal shares her entrepreneurial spirit, and gives moms the boost they need to re-think their productivity and creativity, and unlock their potential of making money while still being Mama!
The Whole and Healthy Family by Jodi Mockabee
This book offers such a fresh perspective into parenting, and gives practical insight on cultivating the deeper areas of mental, emotional and spiritual maturity in your children to prepare them for adult life outside of your home.
Jodi covers important areas within the parenting realm, such as:
- learning each of your children’s unique personalities(and your spouse’s)
- cooking wholesome + nutritious meals
- understanding the importance of spiritual growth
- creating a simpler and more welcoming environment in your home
- and so much more!
Your whole family will benefit greatly from the wisdom and ideas presented throughout this encouraging read!
Created to Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl
Now this one right here is much tougher to read! And by tougher, I mean convicting! Debi gets right to the nitty-gritty of marriage, and will expose all the flaws and weaknesses in yourself that you didn’t even know you had!
But don’t let that scare you away! Her fresh perspective is so needed in our culture today, and her insightful wisdom has much to offer as we ladies strive to be the best wives we can be for our husbands.
I personally have read this book 4 times, and every time I do, it convicts me in different areas in which I can grow!
Her husband also wrote a companion book for husbands called Created to Need a Help Meet, and it’s a terrific read FOR HUSBANDS ONLY! I highly recommend both, but will strongly caution you to not push your husband to read it. He needs to be ready and willing to, as it can be just as convicting and heart-changing!
Successful Women Think Differently by Valorie Burton
This one has also been a multiple-time read for me! The Godly wisdom Valorie offers within the 9 habits she teaches has been the difference between “just getting through the day” and waking up each morning with intentionality, knowing my true purpose!
As a professional certified coach, Valorie explores various aspects of our lives as women, and guides us on how we can positively change our perspective in each.
She gives Biblically sound advice, offers practical solutions for difficult relationships, and delivers encouragement in seeing our own worth and value through God’s lens!
The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
I honestly had heard about this one for years before I ever read it myself. The principles within this book are something my parents had incorporated in our family while I was growing up, and I guess because I was familiar with the concept, I didn’t feel the need to read it myself!
Boy, was I wrong!
This book was assigned to me and my then-fiance during pre-marital counseling, and it was incredibly eye-opening for us both!
The love language concepts that once were vague ideas to me as a child transformed into more concrete action steps for creating meaningful and fulfilling relationships, and truly getting to know my partner.
There is a reason this book has been a New York Times bestseller for over a decade, with over 20 million copies sold! The pragmatic wisdom, along with applicable lessons and activities for building stronger relationships make this book a definite must-have for any marriage, and family, relationship, whether there are current struggles or not!
If you want to go even deeper, the companion workbook offers some more in-depth study and questions to get you thinking, and digging into many of the hidden causes of the most common issues that can arise in any marriage relationship.
Did you know that children also speak in love languages? Gary Chapman has also written The 5 Love Languages for Kids, and my husband and I have read it through this one as well! Some parts we needed to re-read a few times! It has been so constructive in building deeper relationships with our kids, and learning their unique love languages as well!
Snatching Joy: Cause Sometimes Life Just Stinks by Megan Ann Scheibner
This amazing gem is written by a dear friend of mine who, along with her husband, Dr. Steve Scheibner, has designed an INCREDIBLE series of resources on all things parenting, personal character building, marriage, and more!
This particular book covers the tough subject of disappointment as well as the harder seasons of life, and Megan beautifully points us back to our true source of Joy, Jesus Christ! Her practical wisdom and personal experiences are such a refreshing encouragement, making this a must-have in my library!
The Scheibners have quite a long track record in ministry and conference speaking as they travel all over, sharing their compassion and wisdom with other couples, and equipping them with vital tools for successful Christian living!
They have also homeschooled their 8 children, and have been remarkably influential in my own parents’ discipleship throughout the years!
My husband and I personally have used many of their available resources, and every one has drastically changed our perspective of marriage and parenting!
This dynamic duo has been featured on platforms such as Dr. James Dobson’s Family Talk, Fox News Channel, Discovery Channel, Parade magazine, Hannity talk show, and more!
I am not a Character Health affiliate, but I have been so impacted by this particular book and other amazing resources, along with the Scheibner’s ministry and invaluable friendship, so I’m just sharing the good news!! Be sure to check out all of their incredible products!
These are the ones my husband and I personally use on a regular basis in our home:
- Parenting Matters course – 9 resources included, which can also be purchased separately
- Marriage Matters course – 12 resources included, which can also be purchased separately
The Resolution for Women by Priscilla Shirer
Written in partnership with Sherwood Pictures film, Courageous, Priscilla implores women to resolve to be steadfast and full of courage, just like the fathers from the film!
In this compelling book, she discusses the multiple aspects and relationships of a woman’s life, and challenges us to find the courage to honor the Lord in each of these.
By living a life of intention and purpose, we can be women of real impact in our circles of influence!
If you’re feeling a little fancy like I did, you can get the beautiful, red leather-like edition just like mine!
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
This is such a good one that I have read it 5 times!
In this timeless classic, we discover the secrets of building meaningful relationships in both personal and professional realms by using our power of influence…in a good way!
This book is packed full of common-sense ideas and solutions to issues that can arise, and many practical ways of being proactive in relationship building, getting what you want out of life, and pursuing your full potential!
Let Me Be a Woman by Elisabeth Elliot
In case you’re not familiar with this woman, she has an incredible story of being a missionary’s wife to Jim Elliot, one of the 5 missionaries killed by the Auca Indians in Ecuador in the 1950s. Her testimony and legacy make her one of my personal beloved heroines of the faith!
“Let Me Be a Woman” explores the uniqueness of who we are as women, and calls us to embrace our God-given design of femininity.
Elisabeth offers personal stories and candid advice in a warm, conversation-like way, and teaches how we can live joyfully and purposefully in our current stage of life.
By using Scripture, she helps us to explore the answers to what it means to be a woman who honors God!
Virtuous by Nancy Wilson
I found this devotional study at a homeschool book fair about 3 years ago, and have just NOW gotten around to reading it!
Man, was I missing out!
I just finished it a few months ago, and it was so compelling and convicting! I’m pretty sure I highlighted and underlined over half the book! It was THAT good!
The book is super easy to understand and covers 14 important character virtues that all women should strive for! To be honest, some of these I had never thought of to include in a woman’s life.
Her simple and no-nonsense writing style makes it easy to digest, with discussion questions for personal application at the end of each chapter.
Our Mothers, Ourselves by Dr. Henry Cloud + Dr. John Townsend
I am currently in the middle of this book, but it’s so powerful that I wanted to include it in my list, even though I haven’t finished it yet!
I am a deep thinker, INFJ personality type, so I am always trying to figure out and solve the root causes of relationship issues, learn different people’s personalities, and what makes people who they are today!
This book is profoundly educational in understanding your relationship with your own mother, and how her personality has influenced yours! It has also caused me to consider how my own personality as a Mama affects my children’s lives as well!
Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung
Do you ever wonder if you’re ACTUALLY fulfilling God’s will for your life? How do we even know what His will is? What if we mess up? Then what?
This witty and practical guide to discovering what God really wants us to do with our lives is a light-hearted and wise approach to being useful for the Lord!
Several of my siblings have also read this one, and we all have enjoyed the great insight and encouragement Kevin offers!
He exposes some of the unbiblical approaches to this subject(yes, they’re out there!) and gives pastoral wisdom concerning the freedom of obedience to the Lord in the here and now, while exploring our full purpose within God’s grand design!
And that’s a wrap!
I hope you have enjoyed a sneak peek into my world, and seeing a sample of what I enjoy reading! Have you read any of these? Which of these do you plan on reading next? I’d love to hear from you! Just drop me a comment below!
Great list! Some I have read (or gave you 😉) and a few I will need to check out.