Some of my favorite books

“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.”

Charles W. Eliot

I love to read. Having a good book to get lost in is something that always brings me joy. Below are five of my favorite books. I recommend that you check out each one if you want to be inspired or just carried away by a good story. Happy reading!

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

I found this book at a time in my life when I really needed it, as I was going through a really difficult time with my health and dealing with strong feelings of depression. This book totally changed my perspective on life and helped me through that time. The author’s raw honesty and almost poetic style of writing drew me in immediately.

Ann asks the question, “how do we find joy in the midst of deadlines, debt, drama, and daily duties? What does the Christ life look like when your days are gritty, long, and sometimes dark?”

She embarks on a journey to find the beauty in everyday life after being dared by a friend to make a list of one thousand things that she is grateful for. This gratitude list changes her and her view of the world.

I decided to start my own gratitude journal after reading this book and it was amazing to begin seeing so many blessings in my life when I began to intentionally look for them. This book answers some hard questions and will challenge you to see life from a different perspective. Starting a gratitude practice after reading this book really did change my life, and it just might do the same for you.

There I Am by Ruthie Lindsay

I can’t say enough good things about this book. It is by far one of my favorite books that I’ve ever read. I loved it so much that I read it in less than 2 days. If you deal with chronic pain or illness, it’s a must-read. But even if you don’t, this book is still one that you should pick up.

Ruthie Lindsey is an amazing storyteller and this memoir of her life is both captivating and inspirational. At age 17, Ruthie was in a serious car accident and was given a 5% chance to live and a 1% chance to ever walk again. Amazingly, she beats the odds and walks out of the hospital a month later.

Years down the road, Ruthie begins to experience excruciating pain which her doctors can’t seem to figure out. Finally, they discover that a wire from her spinal fusion is piercing her brain stem and causing the pain. After undergoing another surgery to correct the problem, Ruthie’s pain does not improve. She becomes increasingly hopeless as she becomes more and more dependent on prescription painkillers that leave her bedridden most days.

As her life continues to fall apart, Ruthie one day makes the decision to wean herself off of the painkillers and attempt to rebuild her life. Her journey to find joy once again is both beautiful and inspirational. In the process of coming home to her body, Ruthie’s experience reminds us of the potential for joy, healing, and wholeness that lives inside each one of us. If your soul needs some lifting up, this is the book to do it.

Untamed by Glennon Doyle

I love Glennon Doyle. Her raw, honest memoirs always leave me feeling empowered and inspired. This newest one is no exception.

In this book Glennon encourages her readers to stop living according to the rules and expectations set by society and to instead start listening to our own inner voice to drive us. If you’ve read any of her other books, you can tell in this one that Glennon is finally at peace with herself and she encourages her readers to find that peace for themselves.

Full of honest insights on being a woman in today’s world, Glennon helps us navigate and challenge the rules we learn and the lies we come to believe as women. She encourages us to learn to trust the deep inner “knowing” in our hearts and step out bravely into the world.

This book will make you laugh, it might make you cry, but it will definitely make you think. Full of soul and wisdom, this book teaches the reader to learn to trust herself, make peace with her body, and become her truest self. It’s a must-read for any woman who desires to live more freely and know herself more deeply.

Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom

This book has been a favorite of mine for many years. It’s a memoir that documents a series of visits that the author has with his former sociology professor, Morrie Schwartz, during the end of Morrie’s life as he battles ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. During their visits, Morrie teaches Mitch some of the greatest lessons that he has learned in his life. The author does a wonderful job of making the reader feel like they’re sitting with Morrie themselves, learning about life and love.

This heartfelt book will make you laugh, cry, and ultimately view life through a different lens. The lessons that Morrie teaches Mitch on how to live life well are lessons that we can all use in our own lives. This is one of the most inspirational books I’ve ever read. It’s so good that I’ve read it more than once. It’ll make you think deeply and may even change your perspective on life.

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

If you’re looking for a good fiction novel and you like nature, this is the book for you. Barbara Kingsolver has a gift for weaving a rich description of nature into the narrative of this story. It follows a wildlife biologist who lives by herself in a cabin in the woods of Appalachia. One day while searching for animal prints in the woods, she runs into a rugged hunter, Eddie, who she eventually develops feelings for. The novel focuses on their lives and relationship over the course of one humid summer.

In the book, Barbara Kingsolver paints such a vivid picture of the natural world that surrounds the two main characters that you feel like you’re right there in the woods with them. This was one of those books that I just couldn’t put down. Upon finishing this book, I felt like I just returned from a summer vacation in the mountains myself—a vacation that I never wanted to end.

I hope that you’ll check out some of these books. Reading is so good for our minds and souls. These books are sure to lift you up and inspire you. I encourage you to take some time away from social media or electronics and get lost in a good book. Your mind and spirit will thank you.