I love books! And I love reading book lists! And surprisingly (not really!), most of my clients are avid readers. As such, we often discuss what books continue to be relevant and useful. This list of books includes both oldies and recently published ideas from my personal reading, client finds, and others suggested or written by colleagues. These books intentionally support Christian women who want to pursue personal growth through the lens of faith and as Jesus followers. Therefore, I love it when women ask me what books I suggest, and I can say this list of 10 books for living free and focused!
The Bible– Many times, we will pick up another book before picking up this one. But always, when this one is the first one to be read, it filters all the other information, allowing us to focus on what wisdom to carry forward into the day, and puts everything else we read under the perspective of God’s word. One of my favorite apps is https://my.bible.com.
The Gifts of Imperfection/Daring Greatly– Brenè Brown—Actually, anything by her moves me to be intentional about how I do life!
Holiness– Nancy Leigh DeMoss- I read this at least once a year to remind me of what Holy means. This tiny book is one of a series. She also does a podcast and speaks truth into the messy of the day-to-day.
Boundaries for the Soul– Alison Cook- This book is a beautiful blend of information about how we develop thought patterns and acknowledging God as the creator, the focus, and the healer. Alison has a beautiful blog that addresses the science of neurobiology through the lens of faith.
Get Out of Your Head- Jennie Allen- I have to admit that I haven’t read this all the way through (it’s on my bedside table), but according to my clients- This book is a great one to redirect thoughts and does a great job of explaining how the thought spirals get generated and how to address them. Jennie also has a wealth of resources for women who desire to live aligned with their faith.
My Utmost for His Highest– Oswald Chambers This devotional is my standard gift to graduating seniors. First published in 1927, this beloved book continues to be a source of daily depth, relevance, and insight. It has become a beautiful journal with prayers, dates, tidbits of life written in the margins.
Perfectly Imperfect- Shauna Niequist. If you want simple and soulful over frantic and chaos, here’s your book. If you are a gal who gets things done, but you are tired, exhausted, and bone-weary- read this. I promise!
The CBT Workbook for Perfectionism- Sharon Martin This is the manual for all the overachieving, people-pleasing, and overly-responsible women! Also, Sharon is the go-to gal for wonderful blogs and resources for living intentionally and aware!
Boundaries- Kevin Lehman and Henry Cloud. Certainly, most of the distress in our lives comes from not understanding boundaries and setting them. This book and all the Boundaries books are a great resource for learning the importance, the what, and the how of boundary setting.
Breaking Free– Beth Moore. This Bible Study is powerful. To change, we must first be aware of where we are stuck. This study leads you gently through God’s words to us on freedom and worth.
If these resonate- GREAT! I have a ton more books I love!! But the feedback and value of these 10 books my clients and I return to repeatedly keep them on the top of the list. Hoping you will find them interesting and helpful.
You may have some on your shelf now- if not, click on the authors’ names to visit their websites to learn more about them and these books.
Let me know in the comments what you are reading, or your go-to books for inspiration, resilience, skill development, or just good-to-know books!!
As always, if you are curious about how I can support you as you grow in awareness, let’s talk about how that might look and set some goals.
This is where my passion meets your desire for a life that is intentional and resilient!
Remember I am here for you- click here for a free clarity call.
With lots of grace,
