September 2020 Christian Book Picks

Looking for some great fall reads in the genre of Christian non-fiction? Here are my September 2020 Christian book picks for you!

Proverbs 31 in 5 Minutes a Day

This quick and easy read is perfect for busy women. It really only requires 5 minutes a day! The readings are short and encouraging. I enjoyed Mari’s personal stories, plus the way she wove in many other verses of the Bible outside of the Proverbs 31 chapter for additional understanding.

If you want to know more about the woman in Proverbs 31, and gain practical applications for your own life, this book is a good place to start your studies.

Favorite quotes:

• In the midst of working hard and providing for and serving others, don’t forget the one thing needed is time with Jesus.
• We serve God because we are loved, not in order to be loved.
• For six months, God whispered this truth to me in various ways: “Come to Me, and I will give you rest. I love you, brokenness and all….in your mess…with an everlasting love.”
• Don’t let the fruit of His gifts go to waste by comparing yourself to others, wishing away your circumstances, or complaining about your lot.
• The Lord sings over you with words of truth: You are loved. You are known. You are precious in My sight.

I received a preview copy of Proverbs 31 in 5 Minutes a Day from the publisher.

Get your copy from Amazon.

Love Has a Name

Want to learn how to love EVERYONE in your life? Adam Weber has lots of practical encouragement for you!

I enjoy the format of this book. Adam uses real-life stories of surprising people in his life, both the good guys and the “bad” guys you wouldn’t expect, to teach us how we can both receive and give love in God’s name to others. He tells personal stories with honesty, humor and self-effacement, getting real with us, and showing us examples from Scripture too. I love that as a fellow Gen Xer who appreciates authenticity.

For example, Adam talks about showing love to homeless people, homosexuals, and even sex offenders. It’s what we need to hear in the gritty cultural days in which we now live. The church needs to get its hands dirty and truly show love to EVERYONE, not just the “nice” people. By the way, Adam even has a chapter on loving someone who is like a Pharisee, which I needed to read.

I read over 100 Christian books every year, and this one will make my top 20 list. I recommend it to start stretching you in your spiritual life, and inspire you to show true love to imperfect people all around you. You’ll find practical, everyday encouragement in this great book.

I received a preview copy of Love Has a Name from the publisher.

Get your copy from Amazon or CBD.

Stand All The Way Up

Want a book that will make you laugh out loud? This is a great pick to help you lighten up and still learn important spiritual lessons.

I have not been familiar with Sophie Hudson until now. But she has a popular podcast, and is a well-known speaker. This book is a great way to “meet” her too.

Her humor is self-deprecating and so relatable for Christian women. I love her stories that encourage us to look up to God for encouragement even when we are feeling low, embarrassed or self-conscious. I’m putting this on my bedside table to reread when I need a pick-me-up, and I recommend you do the same.

I received a preview copy of Stand All The Way Up from B & H Publishers.

Get your copy from Amazon or CBD.

The Fire of God’s Presence

Are you a fan of A. W. Tozer’s writings? You’ll love this new compilation of his writing on seeking God’s presence for true Christian living.

This book is magnetically drawing me to deeper truths in God’s Word that transcend the division and politics in our current culture. It takes me to a spiritual mountain, where the clutter is cleared away and I can hear God’s voice more truly.

I love the insights into several Bible stories where God’s presence is revealed through fire. It’s a wonderful, powerful book that I will return to often, and it will easily make my top picks of 2020 list.

Favorite quotes:

• I believe that God sits upon the throne overseeing all events. That is why I can sleep at night. If I thought the events of the world were in the hands of politicians, I would not sleep at night.
• If you want to see humanity at its most delightful, perfect stage, look at Jesus Christ, our Lord. He never tried to be anything He was not, and He had nothing to hide.
• What does Baal offer? What does the chief shallow religious world offer? They offer a few things. They offer the customary fun and conformity…But Jehovah, He called you to the good, hard way; the good, hard way with its present cost and its eternal compensation.

I received a preview copy of The Fire of God’s Presence from Bethany House Publishers.

Get your copy on Amazon or CBD.

Half the Battle

I’m passionate about helping people heal from their past hurts, and this book is an excellent tool on the subject. I love its simple, yet profound writing style, much like the style in Craig Groeschel’s Dangerous Prayers, currently my favorite book of 2020. Half the Battle is just as well-written as that book, and even has a foreword by Groeschel.

So many people have hidden hurts. They hide them deep inside because they are afraid to deal with them. Jon Chasteen helps you uncover the pain and deal with it in biblical ways. It’s a truly insightful book that is helping me work through past pain, and it can help you too.

This book is so good, I plan to feature it on an upcoming podcast of mine for adult children of divorce. It will also make my list of top picks for 2020.

Favorite quotes:

• You can never tear down the walls of Jericho unless you first let God tear down the walls of your heart.
• When we carry Egypt with us, it influences every aspect of our lives.
• [Jesus] was not okay with His permanently sealed tomb, and He is not okay with yours either.
• Healing and pride aren’t compatible.
• Jesus was offered bitterness, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it. [referencing Mt. 27:34].
• The pain of rejection will lead you to do things that can never be reversed.

I received a preview copy of Half the Battle from the publisher.

Get your copy on Amazon or CBD.

Overcoming

This is an important book that could literally save your life. Unfortunately, I’ve experienced emotional abuse for most of my life, so this book resonates with me. Yet, I know I’m not alone in experiencing this type of abuse. I receive prayer requests each week from my readers who feel trapped in situations like this, and they are desperate for practical and spiritual help.

If you feel like the “regular” marriage and relationship self-help books don’t really apply to your situation, you need to get a copy of Overcoming. It will give you much-needed perspective and wisdom that don’t apply to run-of-the-mill relationship issues. I know, because I’ve had to scour the bookshelves for the books that actually applied to my messy problems. And if this one had been available to me years ago, it would have served as my lifeline.

This book is solidly grounded in the principles of God’s Word. The author is an attorney and domestic abuse advocate. She has seen many cases gone wrong, and is passionate about educating and helping victims before it’s too late for them to get help. Consider this your best supplement to regular Bible reading, prayer and Christian counseling for yourself (not for you and the problem person, as she wisely notes). It could literally save your life, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

I received a preview copy of Overcoming from the publisher.

Get your copy from Amazon.

Bend

Do you feel like your life is breaking in two? You’re not alone. Beth Lueders shares the stories of people who have chosen to bend rather than break in some of the toughest circumstances of life.

The author is a former journalist, and she conducts interviews in an engaging, exciting style. After the interviews of these amazing people (not all people of Christian faith, by the way), she offers her own perspective on how God was inviting them to bend, rather than break, in their trials. Her commentary is encouraging and thoughtful, inviting you to consider how the lessons from their stories may apply to your life.

I enjoyed the unique format of this book. It’s easy to read one of the vignettes in a short time frame, then return to the book for another story later. A great read for people who love real-life stories of overcoming.

I received a preview copy of Bend from the publisher.

Get your copy from Beth’s website.

Come Away My Beloved

I have an old-fashioned side, and this lovely book appeals to that side of me. It’s a repackaging of a classic I’ve never read before. But it reminds me of the books God Calling and Jesus Calling in its voice, with an old-fashioned twist.

Here’s an example of the language:

“And I have opened thine eyes to see, so shall I open thine eyes to hear, and ye shall come to know Me even as did Moses, yea, in a face-to-face relationship.”

Since I’m wanting to go deeper in my relationship with Jesus, this devotional book appealed to me. Its small size and mini-devotional setup is perfect for me to enjoy during lunch breaks or while I’m on the go, since it fits in my purse. If you have an old-fashioned side, you’ll enjoy this pretty little book too.

I purchased my own copy of Come Away My Beloved from CBD.

Get your copy from Amazon or CBD.

Prevail

Susie Larson is one of my favorite authors of books for Christian women. She speaks with such wisdom, I am eager to slow down and listen. I loved her books Fully Alive and In Over Your Head, so I was excited to check out her new devotional.

First, this book is beautiful. It is clean and white with touches of bold colors. I love the visually appealing layout. And though I have the hardcover version, it feels good in my hands because it has a soft-touch overlay.

Second, these devotions are short yet powerful. Susie packs a lot into a single paragraph – Bible knowledge, personal stories, and application. You’ll enjoy her short, two- or three-sentence prayers at the end. You also get a “flourish” tip to help you apply what you’ve learned.

One great tool is the Table of Contents by Subject at the beginning of the book. If you’re struggling in a certain area, you can turn right to the devotions that cover the relevant topics. This is a wonderful idea for a 365-day devotional. I’ll put it in my regular rotation of favorite devotionals to use.

I received a preview copy of Prevail from Bethany House Publishers.

Get your copy from Amazon or CBD.

The Answer to Your Deepest Longings

I am loving this Bible study that leads you through the entire Bible in 40 days. Right now (September – November 2020), there is an online Bible study component you can join at the Proverbs 31 Ministries website. I appreciate the study on its own, and when layering it with the videos and blog posts, I get so much more out of it.

Though I’ve read the entire Bible through every year since 2003, I have been blown away with new insights into God’s Word through this study. Such as, thinking about the unity that may have been possible had the Tower of Babel event not occurred. Also, that God predicted that the Israelites would be enslaved when he revealed his promise to Abraham, so enslavement was actually part of God’s plan of redemption. Very thought-provoking truths.

This study is a collaborative effort from the entire team at Proverbs 31 Ministries. As a member of the devotional writing team, I highly recommend it to you. It’s a deep, thoughtful, affirming study like no other. Join now to be blessed by the online study component too!

I received a preview copy of The Answer to Your Deepest Longings from the publisher.

Get your copy from the Proverbs 31 Ministries Bookstore.

Renewed

Heather Dixon’s study titled Determined made my top book picks list of 2019, so I was happy to join the launch team for Renewed, her study on Naomi’s life.

Heather has a wonderful style of weaving personal stories in with stop-you-in-your-tracks reflection questions, plus lots of details to explain the historical context. I enjoyed this style in Determined, and it works well in Renewed too.

Renewed is a bit shorter study, only 4 weeks of 5 lessons each. This is ideal for busy women who may be hosting or participating in online Bible studies rather than live ones during this pandemic. It would be perfect to watch and discuss with a small group of friends, or do on your own. The videos that accompany this study are lovely and thoughtful.

Once my small group starts meeting in person again, I will recommend Renewed as our first pick. It’s well-written, encouraging and wise.

Favorite quotes:

• Difficult stories can become setups for the display of divine strength.
• You have permission to grieve.
• Our days of mourning can be some of the most precious days simply because God is near.

I received a preview copy of Renewed from Abingdon Press.

Get your copy from Amazon or CBD.

The Move Forward Journal

I’ve been journaling since age 10, but this is the first year I’ve tried a line-a-day journal. And The Move Forward Journal is a wonderful, simple tool to help me stay on track with my goals.

My friend Christa Hutchins has produced this journal in both print form and digital form. The one I’m using is for September through December 2020. Each page has a line for each of these days, which will make it easy for me to reflect on my progress.

I’m using this journal to record writing goals and accomplishments. You could use it to track many other things, including health goals, gratitude lists, spiritual growth, and more.

Christa wants to print a full version to release in 2021. You can watch the video for more information below, and get your own copy here:

Print

Digital

September 2020 Christian Book Picks

Which book looks most interesting to you? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

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