Required Reading --Debbie’s Top 5 Countdown…Okay, 6… or 8…

My struggle hasn’t been choosing which books I believe every Christian should read.  My struggle is trying to inspire you to go read them!  Here is my best attempt.  Outside of the Bible, no books have changed my life in more important ways than these.  I tried limiting to 5 but I just couldn’t do it.

6) RESTORED by Neil T Anderson.  This book leads you step by step through the process of dealing with spiritual baggage and strongholds, bringing healing and freedom.  It details who we are in Christ and helps us live it.  Remarkably helpful.

5) DISCOVER YOUR GOD-GIVEN GIFTS by Don and Katie Fortune.  Through this book I discovered who I was created to be, my strengths and weaknesses, and how I can best fit into a ministry opportunity.  It’s also helped me learn how to recognize and work with others with different gifts, and gives me a clue into my husband’s and children’s gifts.

4) HEAVEN by Randy Alcorn.  Do you believe Heaven will be a never-ending church service or floating around playing harps?  WRONG!  This book has made me SO excited about eternity in Heaven and here on the restored Earth.

3) TOTAL FORGIVENESS by RT Kendall.  One of the hardest things we are called to do is forgive.  What is true forgiveness, what is not, and how do we do it?  This is a fantastic guide to freedom from bitterness.  Hugely important.

2) DISAPPOINTMENT WITH GOD by Philip Yancey.  THE most life-altering book I’ve read to date.    Yancey answers “the three questions no one asks aloud: Is God Unfair?  Is God Silent?  Is God Hidden?”  We ALL need to know these answers.

 

1) BEAUTIFUL OUTLAW by John Eldredge. The subtitle is, “experiencing the playful, disruptive, extravagant personality of Jesus.”  This book is an absolute revelation.  THIS is Jesus—cunning, kidding, love in action, a Jesus that I want to share with others.

And I’ll add a quick plug for WILD AT HEART and CAPTIVATING, also by John Eldredge.  READ UP, MY FRIENDS!  LEARN!   GROW!  TRANSFORM!