As I mentioned in my previous post, this year my only goal is to be closer to God and let Him lead the way. For that, everything I am doing and plan to, will revolve around that.
I’m a book lover, bookworm,... whatever you call someone who loves reading books so much. I find comfort in them. I’m happy when in their presence, like when I’m in the library or bookstore or just sitting in a corner with a small bookshelf. That being said, in today’s blog post I’ll share with you books I plan on reading in 2024. They are books of different genres but have few things in common namely beautiful covers, interesting stories and God.
Without additional fuss, here are the books and their blurbs in no order:
A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers
While wealthy Roman citizens indulge their every whim, Jews and barbarians are bought and sold as slaves and gladiators in the bloodthirsty arena. Amid the depravity around her, a young Jewish slave girl becomes a light in the darkness. Even as she’s torn by her love for a handsome aristocrat, Hadassah clings to her faith in the living God for deliverance from the forces of a decadent empire.
Hi God, One More Thing: How To Talk To God About The Tough Stuff by Nicole Crank
Hi God, One More Thing is an easy way to start a conversation with God about the tough stuff; starting with our problem and ending in his promise...in about 90 seconds! The tough stuff isn't tough for him. And he's just waiting for us to bring it to him, so he can help! That's it! Let's start NOW! Hi God. . . One More Thing!
Damaged but Not Destroyed: From Trauma to Triumph by Michael Todd
Damaged but Not Destroyed will give you tools to identify the impact of your damage, see yourself the way God sees you, and realize that healing is all about progression, not perfection.
No matter how badly you’ve messed up, and no matter the pain you’ve experienced, nothing can destroy the God-given value of your life. It’s time to turn your damage into destiny! You may be damaged, but you are not destroyed.
The Value Is Still in You
You're Not Enough (and That's Okay) by Allie Beth Stuckey
We're told that the key to happiness is self-love. Instagram influencers, mommy bloggers, self-help gurus, and even Christian teachers promise that if we learn to love ourselves, we'll be successful, secure, and complete. But the promise doesn't deliver. Instead of feeling fulfilled, our pursuit of self-love traps us in an exhausting cycle: As we strive for self-acceptance, we become addicted to self-improvement.
The truth is we can't find satisfaction inside ourselves because we are the problem. We struggle with feelings of inadequacy because we are inadequate. Alone, we are not good enough, smart enough, or beautiful enough. We're not enough - period. And that's okay, because God is.
The answer to our insufficiency and insecurity isn't self-love, but God's love. In Jesus, we're offered a way out of our toxic culture of self-love and into a joyful life of relying on him for wisdom, satisfaction, and purpose. We don't have to wonder what it's all about anymore. This is it.
It Will Cost You Everything: What it Takes to Follow Jesus by Steven J. Lawson
Nestled in a few verses in Luke’s Gospel is a Jesus who would not have been tolerated today: He was not politically correct and He certainly did not try to save people’s feelings. Steven Lawson unpacks these few verses, looking at the unashamed honesty, passion, and urgency with which Jesus explains the life–long cost involved in choosing to follow Him. True Christianity is the biggest sacrifice any person ever makes … but it is in pursuit of the most precious prize ever glimpsed.
Someone Like You by Karen Kingsbury
One frozen embryo. Two families with life-long secrets. And a guy who never planned to fall in love again.
Maddie Baxter West is shaken to the core when she finds out everything she believed about her life was a lie. Her parents had always planned to tell her the truth about her past: that she was adopted as an embryo. But somehow the right moment never happened. Then a total stranger confronts Maddie with the truth and tells her something else that rocks her world—Maddie had a sister she never knew about. Betrayed, angry, and confused, Maddie leaves her new job and fiancé, rejects her family’s requests for forgiveness, and moves to Portland to find out who she really is.
Dawson Gage’s life was destroyed when London Quinn, his best friend and the only girl he ever loved, is killed. In the hospital waiting room, London’s mother reveals that London might have had a sibling. The frozen embryo she and her husband donated decades ago. When Dawson finds Maddie and brings her to Portland, the Quinns—her biological parents—welcome her into their lives and hearts. Maddie is comforted by the Quinns’ love and intrigued by their memories of London, who was so much like her. Is this the family and the life she was really meant to have?
Now it will take the love of Dawson Gage to help Maddie know who she is...and to help her find her way home.
Loving him well by Gary Thomas
In Loving Him Well, Gary Thomas builds on concepts from his best-selling book Sacred Marriage to reveal the inner workings of a man's heart and mind. He delves into Scriptures that help women gain biblical insight to influence their husbands. Exploring the research of neuroscientists, trained counselors, and abuse victim advocates, Gary also interviews dozens of wives to find what has worked and what hasn't as they've sought to build the best marriage possible. In this newly updated version of Sacred Influence, Gary Thomas outlines practical applications you can begin using today.
The power of a praying parent by Stormie Omartian
In 32 short, easy-to-read chapters, Stormie shares how you can pray through each stage of your child's life, from early childhood to adulthood. Learn how to put your child's life in God's loving hands in such areas as his or her
safety
walk with God
success in school
friends
family relationships
gifts and talents
It's never too late to discover the joy that comes from being a part of God's work in your child's life. You don't have to be a perfect parent. But you do need to be a praying parent. And you can do that.
The power of a praying woman by Stormie Omartian
It may seem easier to pray for your spouse, your children, your friends, and your extended family, but God wants to hear your requests for your life too. He loves it when you come to Him for the things you need and ask Him to help you become the woman you have always longed to be.
The Power of a Praying Woman is just for you. You'll find personal illustrations, carefully selected Scriptures, and heartfelt prayers to help you
trust God with deep longings, not just pressing needs
cover every area of life with prayer
maintain a right heart before God
Each chapter concludes with a prayer you can follow or use as a model for your own prayers. Women of all ages find hope and purpose for their lives with The Power of a Praying Woman.
The power of a praying wife by Stormie Omartian
Today’s challenges can make a fulfilling marriage seem like an impossible dream. Yet God delights in doing the impossible if only we would ask!
Stormie Omartian shares how God can strengthen your marriage as you pray for your husband concerning key areas in his life, including:
His spiritual walk
His emotions
His role as a leader
His security in work
His physical protection
His faith and his future
Those are the books I set myself on reading this year. Just a book a month. I'll share the progress, snippets and more about my reading on my blog's WhatsApp channel.
Happy reading!