“What really knocks me out is a book that, when you’re all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn’t happen much, though.”

― J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

I totally relate to what Salinger is saying in these words. Every now and then, I read a book and it feels like I have begun an incredible conversation with the author. Only, with the last page, not knowing the writer, the conversation ends. It is both a joy and disappointment of reading—having the sense that in a book’s pages you’ve found a kindred spirit, yet one that can’t meet for coffee in real life.

Today, I want to share with you some of the books I read in 2017 in which I have felt this way. In their pages, I have gleaned important truths about life, the world, wholeness, and even what it means to be successful. If you pick even one of them up, I hope you find the same.

How To Fix A Broken Record by Amena Brown

The first time I heard of Amena Brown, she was spouting beautiful, raw poetry on a stage at a conference I attended. A spoken word poet by trade, Amena knows how to write in a way that makes you pay attention. Using the sound of a broken record as a metaphor for the voices and lies in our heads that fill us with shame, in this book, Amean shares how she has overcome them in her own story. With humor and honesty, she provides a path for self-reflection and freedom. She talks about dating and marriage, building a business, and “adulting,” in a way that makes us all feel less alone. It’s fabulous, and a quick read.

At Home In the World by Tsh Oxenreider

If you’ve been following the blog for a while, you know this book was on my summer reading list. And it is fabulous. In At Home In the World, Tsh Oxenreider takes us on her nine-month trip around the world with her husband and three kids. From snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, to walking on the Great Wall of China, to going on an African safari—reading this book will make you feel like you have been on a trip without having to deal with airport security. It’s a great read for when you want to escape the cold, dark days of winter. I highly recommend it!

Nothing to Prove by Jennie Allen

If there is one book I read this year that I will probably read over and over, it’s this one. I don’t know about you, but for many years I struggled with feeling like I wasn’t enough. As a sister, friend, leader, and minister, there were times I felt crushed under the weight of expectations (mine or other’s). Over the years, God has freed me from this in many areas, but there are still times I struggle. In this book, Jennie shares her own battles with feeling like she is not enough, points out ways we often try to numb this feeling, and outlines the way to the freedom that God has for us. If you are feeling like you are not enough, put this on your Christmas list. Or if you know someone who has this very real struggle, put it in their stocking.

Grit by Angela Duckworth

In this book, Duckworth, a psychologist and a researcher, takes us through years of study that reveal that talent is not the secret to achieving greatness. In fact hard work and perseverance have more to do with success, than how good we are at something. If you or someone you love, has a dream or goal that feels impossible—this would make an excellent Christmas gift. Duckworth interviews famous people we all know whose success has seemed effortless, and reveals what has helped them achieve their goals. It is encouraging and can inspire even the most fearful dreamer, to get to work.

Braving The Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone

By Brene Brown

In Braving The Wilderness, Brene tackles two crucial lessons we need for living in our world today. The first, is our universal quest for belonging and how it so often gets tied up with our identity. And the second, is how if we can find belonging within ourselves, we can find the courage to do the important work each of us has been created to do in our broken world. Then, she addresses the division that is currently going on in our country. And she talks about how seeking to find our belonging outside of ourselves has put us in camps that have neither given us belonging or connectedness. This book is a fantastic read for us as individuals and as leaders who have a role to play in making our world better.

What books did you love in 2017?

And what is on your list to read for 2018?

 

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