Happy New Year!
I love ringing in a new year. After the chaos and hustle-bustle of the Holiday Season, it’s nice to take a breath and start fresh. It’s also a great time for setting goals.
If your goals include reading more, challenging yourself personally, growing in your relationship with God, or any combination thereof, I have five great books you will want to read this year (listed in no particular order).
1. You’ll Get Through This: Hope and Help for Your Turbulent Times by Max Lucado
In the way only he can, Max takes you through the life of Joseph and shows you how the very God who was with Joseph in the pit and the prison, and the same God who placed Joseph in an Egyptian palace, is the very same God who is working in your circumstances, no matter how bleak or grim they may seem. If you know someone facing a difficult life-circumstance, this is the book for them!
2. The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson
Prepare to have your prayer life revolutionized. If you desire a stronger prayer life in 2014, you need to read this book. It will answer questions you’ve always had about why/how prayer is answered, and it will challenge you to go deeper in prayer and in faith. I read it last year and just pulled it off the shelf to read again.
3. My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers
This timeless devotional grows better each time I read it. In fact, it’s the only devotional I’ve read multiple times. I’ll be reading it again this year. Yes, it’s that good!
4. 1000 Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp
Ann will challenge you in ways you never realized you needed to be challenged. With her comfortable and friendly writing style, she will gently urge you to “fully embrace” every moment you experience and learn to be truly thankful for it.
5. The Bible
I don’t include this to be trite, or even because it’s a “given.” The truth is, it should be a given. As the highest all-time selling book, and the only one ever written by God himself, it should be at the top of the list. But I put it last intentionally. Because too often we (myself included) are quick to give lip-service to the promises and truths of the Bible, but we neglect to crack it open on a regular basis.
I can’t wait to see what God does in 2014…let’s get started!
What books would you add to the list?
I have Ann’s book and plan on re-reading it this year. Will be checking out the rest. Happy New Year!
Yes, Barbie…Ann’s book is definitely a re-read! Hope you enjoy the others as well.
I’m in! Whoo-hoo!
Yay, Lindsay!
I loved ‘My Utmost for His Highest.’ I’ll have to read it over again someday. I also want to read more of my Bible this year. It just gets more awesome with each read. : )
Cathy, we’d love to have you join the 30-Day Challenge on the There Is Grace Facebook page…a great way to hold yourself accountable for daily Bible reading. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Wishing you a wonderful New Year. Thanks for the reading list and, yes, I always include the Bible in my daily readings. There’s nothing so refreshing as the Bread of Life.
Thank you, Dayle. A Happy New Year to you, too!!
Great idea! I’m excited to make my way through the Bible for the first time this year. Ann’s book is also first on my list to read as my word for this year is JOY.
Many Blessings.
Happy New Year.
I have a friend that has read the Oswald Chambers book many times. I need to get a copy 🙂
Yes, Marty. I highly recommend it…it’s a great read!
Great list! I love the 30 for 30 idea, definitely signing up for that! Thanks for linking up with Recommendation Saturday! Heart Hugs, Shelly <3
Thanks, Shelly!
Love your challenge idea! Consistency in prayer and Bible reading is on my list of goals for 2014. I’ve used My Utmost for His Highest in the past. It can be a very thought provoking devotional book. Thanks for linking up to Family Fun Friday!
Thanks, Stephanie! Congrats on the Family Fun Friday…glad to see you are a part of it!
So nice to meet you today, Nancy! Here’s a couple more must-reads to add to the growing pile …
http://creeksideministries.blogspot.com/2014/01/on-huddling-with-stack-of-books.html
Linda, thanks for stopping by and for leaving more reading options. Can’t wait to check them out !
I love all 5 books that you listed! It’s been the longest since I’ve read Oswald Chamber’s though; I need to dig it back out. Thanks for sharing this list. A book I’m reading right now and loving is John Piper’s “When I Don’t Desire God.” I’d been putting it off because I DO desire God, but a friend highly recommended it for any time and I’m glad she did.
Thanks for the recommendation, Lisa. I’ll have to check it out.
I just recently read a review on the Circle Maker and it seems that I definitely need to add it to my list this year! Thanks for the recommendations! I wrote my five favorite from 2013 just last week, let me know what you think 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, Becca. Can’t wait to see check out your list!
Just dug “My Utmost…” out of the bookshelf a couple weeks ago (with a little help in finding it from my husband). Then I used it once for something and just let it lie around. Great day by day book to read through in a year, and so I think, with your reminder, I’ll now start doing just that. Thanks for your post, and list!
You are so right, Sylvia…a fantastic day-by-day read. Hope you enjoy it as much (or more) this time around!
My Utmost for His highest is one that has been on my reading list for a while, I need to read that soon. Also, the Bible should be a given, it’s sad that it isn’t for many.
Lauren, yes DEFINITELY read My Utmost…you will never be the same!
These look like great books! Particularly The Circle Maker.
I look forward to finding it to add to my list of books to read for 2014!