The Top 10 Books I Read In 2015

I've read so many books during 2015. Some were quiet and uplifting while others made me think and desire a change in my life.

As with all books that talk about Christianity, faith and other people's interpretations, always compare what you're reading with what God's Word says. You won't agree with everything an author writes, but it must agree with Scripture.

Here are 10 of my favorite books from the past year - some are new releases while others are tried-and-true titles. It was terribly hard to narrow it down to 10, especially after giving myself 25 books for Christmas. It was, however, a lot of fun to look back to see what I really did read.

Give some of these books a place in your own library.

1. Opening the Door to Your God-Sized Dream by Holley Gerth (2013). This book was instrumental in preparing me to leave my job at the newspaper in February and prepare myself for my dream of working from home. Holley is by far one of my favorite writers, and she so eloquently encourages her readers to take a look at the dreams God has placed in their hearts.

2. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis (1952). Written by the author who penned The Chronicles of Narnia, this book has sold millions of copies over the decades. If you're looking for some challenging perspectives on why we believe what we believe about our faith, this is definitely the book for you.

3. What Happens When Women Say Yes To God by Lysa TerKeurst (2007). This is another of the books I read earlier this year while I was in job transition. It's a great walk-through of how to hear God's voice in your life and make choices based on what He wants for you, not just what yo think you want right at this moment.

4. Praying God's Will For Your Life by Stormie Omartian (2001). If you think you're seeing a theme here, you're quite right. Written by the author of Power of a Praying Wife, one of my personal daily devotionals, this book uses a wide variety of Scripture that will show you how to deepen and expand your prayer life.

5. A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller (1970). Here is my favorite book of the year. Phillip Keller, a shepherd himself, walks you through the 23rd Psalm and through the pasture as he explains the language and word choices used by David. Those of us city girls reading this book will have new insight into the Lord has leader, protector, guide and keeper.

6. Sandcastle Kings by Rich Wilkerson Jr. (2015). The subtitle for this book is "Meeting Jesus in a Spiritually Bankrupt World." Using Luke 7 as his main text, Rich shows how building your house on a foundation of sand leads to crumbled walls, but a foundation of rock provides stability and strength. He packs the book with personal illustrations and powerful Scripture to point us back to God in all situations.

7. The Best Yes by Lysa TurKeurst (2014). This second of Lysa's books that I read this year is another heart-warmer. If you're like me, you probably say yes to too many things, running yourself ragged in the process. Lisa knows that feeling, so she outlines how to listen for God's voice before you make any decision of how to spend your time, talents, gifts or service.

8. Girl Meets Change by Kristen Strong (2015). Change is scary, and it can happen at any point in your life - and it does! As a fellow military wife, I love the way Kristen uses the story of her ever-changing life to encourage women experiencing the anxiety and stress that comes along with daily living. This is Kristen's first book, and it is amazing.

9. It's Not What You Think by Jefferson Bethke (2015). If you're looking for a book that will jump-start you out of a mundane Christian life, this is the one to start with. Jefferson starts with Creation and works his way through the Bible to Revelation, looking past the surface of simple religious belief to expand upon the topics Christians throw around these days.

10. Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver (2000). Since you've probably read the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10, you probably also know which of these personalities you are. Joanna has a special way of explaining the characteristics, good and bad, that Christian women have when compared to these two Biblical women. Instead of just being busy, she says, you can be busy for the Lord while spending time at His feet.

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