There are many Christian books that have influenced my life by either helping me to increase my knowledge and/or helping me to grow in my walk with the Lord. Yet, out of the many books I’ve read, these five are the ones that have made the most significant impact in my life thus far.
Each of these books have challenged me and have practically ministered to me as I’ve read, meditating and prayed over the truths and wisdom they exposit from God’s Word.
Please note: If you opt to purchase any of these books using the affiliate links below, a small portion of the sale goes to support The Nourishing Home at no additional cost to you. There is no obligation to purchase, but if you do, you are helping to support the free resources, meal plans and recipes here at The Nourishing Home. Thank you!
The ESV Study Bible
The ESV Study Bible provides a wealth of resources that make studying God’s Word an easier and richer experience.
One of my personal favorites are the introductions to each book, which include helpful information about the author; date/place of writing; an extensive chart of key themes; a summary of how the book fits in with the rest of the biblical storyline; an outline of the book; and maps showing the setting of the book.
I also really appreciate the ESV’s system of 80,000 cross references and a thorough concordance – these two resources help to facilitate easy location of important words, passages, and biblical themes.
I am so thankful for my ESV Study Bible – it has been an invaluable resource in helping me to really dig deeper into the truths of God’s Word!
The Knowledge of the Holy
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
If there was just one book outside of the bible that I would urge everyone to read – it would hands-down be A.W. Tozer’s The Knowledge of The Holy.
This incredibly insightful and awe-inspiring book explores the attributes of God with the purpose of helping us see God for who he really is – in all of His majesty, glory and power! I cannot recommend this book enough. Reading this book will not only help you grow deeper in your understanding of God, but in your worship and praise of Him!
Because He Loves Me
Fitzpatrick has written an incredible book that beautifully illustrates that the gospel is not only essential for bringing us to saving faith in Jesus Christ, but it’s also central to living out an effective, Spirit-led Christian life!
She reminds us and expands upon our knowledge of the fact that as a believer, our true identity is “a beloved child adopted by the Father, espoused to the Son, and empowered by the Holy Spirit!” Throughout the pages of this heart-lifting book, Fitzpatrick encourages Christians to accept God’s forgiveness, walk in love, and live gospel-centered relationships.
For me personally, this book has ministered to me in helping me to be able to fully release the baggage of a past filled with a works-based faith and embrace the grace and love of the Lord through living out the gospel everyday.
Idols of the Heart: Learning to Long for God Alone
Many of us don’t stop to think about the idols in our lives, I know I didn’t think about them as fully and rightly as I should have before I read this life-changing book!
Idols of the Heart reveals that “idolatry lies at the heart of every besetting sin.” If you think of idols as statues in far-off lands, think again. Idols are the desires, longings, and expectations we worship instead of the true God.
This book is an incredible resource in helping Christians to honestly assess (through prayer and petition to God) the idols in our lives and provides solid biblical counsel on how to effectively overcome them in order to live a more holy, God-focused life.
Feminine Appeal
This inspirational book comes along side women (like a kind and wise mentor-friend) to help us better understand and live out the Titus 2 principles that God desires for His daughters to embody.
Each of the seven Titus 2:4-5 principles has an entire chapter devoted to helping us understand and live out these virtues by providing amazing biblical insight, practical real life examples and thought-provoking study questions for introspection.
Feminine Appeal is truly the BEST book I’ve read on living out the principles of Titus 2! That’s why, I’m forever grateful to God for spurring me on to read it and to Carolyn Mahaney for being the willing instrument that the Lord has used to encourage so many women to strive to His higher calling for us as wives, mothers and women of God!
Share Your Thoughts!
I hope you will consider reading one or more of these wonderful resources. And if you have already, please feel free to share a comment below on how these have made a personal impact in your life. Also, please feel free to recommend other books that you’ve found to be exceptionally helpful to you in increasing your knowledge of and love for the Lord. Thanks, friends!
Joyfully Serving Him, Kelly
In the spring I finished up a monthly online bible study of Feminine Appeal at gracelaced.com. An amazing book! I think it’s one I need to reread often. All the books you have on your list are fantastic and ones I need to get to. I know that there have been many through the years, but a couple that stand out to me as being very influential are:
Around the Wicket Gate by C.H. Spurgeon
Reforming Marriage by Douglas Wilson
There have also been a few biographies like George Mueller, Noelle Piper’s Faithful Women & Their Extraordinary God, and a couple more.
I love this post — a break from the “normal”. 🙂
Thanks so much, Michelle! I totally agree with you about re-reading Feminine Appeal often. I also did a bible study on it two times in a row! I really needed it twice for it to start to sink in – LOL! I love your recommendations and appreciate you leaving them here for all of us to see. You’re such a dear friend and I praise God for you! 🙂
Books that have changed my life are Be Fruitful and Multiply by Nancy Campbell. I was so trained by the world that I needed to have my rights and I controlled the number of children I am to have and me me me and more me. But when I accepted Christ, He said I am no longer my own, I belong to Him. His ways are best. And in the beginning of the Bible, the very first command that God ever gave was to be fruitful and multiply. He didn’t say have as many babies as you want. He said multiply and subdue the earth. Subdue means to take over and have all submitted to your authority. Christ would have us rule the world but sadly many Christian mothers bought into the idea that working outside the home was good, stopping the godly seed was good, putting our children into public school was good, and thus nullified the possibility of us ruling the world. We were supposed to be home, have babies and raise them with a passion for Christ to take dominion. So I’m 44 years old and I only have 5 children. I could have had so many more for the glory of God. I just had my 5th child in December. I love this blog. I love the recipes. God is bringing me a passion for healthy food, and helping mothers keep the worldliness out of their homes and raise their children for the glory of God.
Hi, Connie. I share your love for the Lord and wanting to follow Him as you seek to bring Him glory in raising children. It’s obvious He has blessed you with the ability to be at home with your children and a passion/opportunity to homeschool. I am sure you already know how privileged you are to have this special blessing. Which is why I do want to share that we need to be careful in binding upon others the concept that all mothers should be at home FT, or that all mothers should homeschool and if they don’t, they are somehow less of a Christian. God calls us all to different paths in life.
What we should seek to do instead is to encourage all mothers to seek the Lord in all their decisions and present their desires and plans to Him with deference to His guidance and His will, respecting that just because a mother doesn’t stay at home, or doesn’t homeschool her children that it does not mean she is not seeking the Lord. It may mean He has her on a different path. It’s important to realize that someone can be following hard after the Lord, but not have the same opportunity as we do to be at home.
My heart here in creating this site is to encourage women and families to seek first the Spirit’s leading in all matters and not allow anything to become an idol in their life (which can easily happen from children becoming a mother’s primary focus, to healthy eating becoming someone’s primary focus, rather then the Lord).
I wish you many blessings as you continue to follow His leading. Joyfully Serving Him, Kelly 🙂
I very much appreciated this comment, Kelly! As for the preceding comment, I agree with it wholeheartedly and appreciated it also. But thank you for recognizing and putting your arms around the mothers who aren’t able to do all we wish we could. Truly encouraging. And I appreciate the reminder to seek out things we have made idols in our lives.
I am so happy the Lord is using this site to bring HIM the glory and lead more families to draw closer to HIM and follow hard after HIM. I appreciate YOU and your sweet heart in being an encourager. Thank you for taking the time to leave a kind comment. Many blessings to you, Kelly 🙂
I have had such a fun time looking at your blog! Besides being so very helpful in the food department, I am especially touched by your heart for the Lord and sharing His wonderful gospel message. Thank you! I have read Because He Loves Me and the A.W. Tozer book is on my bookshelf (which means I really need to read it!), but a book that has been particularly challenging to me this year is The Gospel According to Jesus by John MacArthur. Great truth in those pages. Anyway, I need to check out the rest of the books on your list. 🙂 May God continue to use you mightily as you seek to glorify Him!
Thank you for taking the time to leave a kind note, Heather! I love the MacArthur book too. There are so many it’s hard to pick just 5. 🙂 Appreciate you sharing this one as I highly recommend it as well! May God bless you and your sweet heart! So glad He’s led you here! Welcome!! Blessings, Kelly 🙂