As an avid reader and an author myself, I’m always a proponent of people learning to love reading. I’m convinced that there is a book out there for everyone - you’ve just got to find the right one - and one of my great joys is sharing books I love with others so that maybe they will find that book that makes the world of reading come alive to them.
One of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is to start reading or to read more books, so I thought now would be a perfect time to share with you some books I’ve enjoyed. For this list, I’m focusing on non-fiction (or non-fiction-ish) books, though I read fiction more often. If you’re looking for a boost of inspiration or some spiritual edification moving into this new year, these five books might be just the thing for you!
**Click on the title of the book to view it on Amazon!**
The Greatest Salesman in the World
This book is a very short, quick read, but it packs a punch. One of the things I love about it is the fact that part of it is written as a story, so I guess it’s really more of a fiction/nonfiction hybrid than strictly nonfiction. I highlighted something on almost every page of this book—it’s that good!
It centers around an elderly merchant in the 1st century Middle East, seven ancient scrolls that helped make him into a successful man, and his search for the next man meant to inherit the scrolls. There’s even some surprising plot twists towards the end that weave in with real Biblical events, which left me mind blown and loving the book even more. But you’ll just have to read it to find out what those exciting Biblical connections are!
The Traveler's Gift
The Traveler’s Gift leans even more to the side of fiction than the previous book, as almost all of it is a fictional narrative. The main character, David Ponder, is at the end of his rope. His life is falling apart all around him and he thinks his family might be better off if he was dead. But God intervenes and whisks him away on a journey through time to meet seven historical figures. Each one is armed with a letter written for him, containing the lesson he must learn from their own life experiences.
I cried multiple times during this book taking in these lessons through the words and actions of people who lived decades or centuries ago. As with The Greatest Salesman in the World, I highlighted like crazy! There are so many beautiful nuggets of wisdom to be found here.
A Tale of Three Kings
This book is also a super short, but immensely impactful read! My husband and I read it as part of a leadership class at our church this year, and man… I have not forgotten it since then. The book takes a look at the lives of Saul, David, and Absalom, and their relationships with each other from a leadership standpoint and with God. Again, there’s so much to be gleaned from these pages, some great lessons and humbling words of warning to anyone that may find themselves in a leadership role.
The Fred Factor
This book is another that our leadership class read this year, and it was so good! It’s all about a postman the author knows and how this ordinary, humble man’s dedicated, above-and-beyond service impacted his life–and now impacts the lives of people all around the world. A highly recommended read for anyone wanting to have a true servant’s heart!
The Mothers & Daughters of the Bible Speak
My mom gifted this book to me this year, and I loved it so much! It examines the relationships between mothers and their children in the Bible - those related by blood, by marriage, and by love. It was such an interesting and inspiring read that enabled me to look at these women from new perspectives.
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