Summer 2020 Christian Non-Fiction Book Picks

These are my summer 2020 Christian non-fiction book picks. They are great picks for men and women who want to grow in faith. I’d love for you to tell me which ones sound best to you in the comments below. Books on prayer, women’s ministry, choosing joy and peace, navigating middle age, wrestling with life issues, and learning from King David’s life.

I Am David

I’m finding LOTS of new insights into David’s life in this book. If you’ve been intrigued by the “man after God’s own heart,” you’ll find inspiration in this great book.

We get a peek at David’s faith-focused thinking in many of the psalms. What a gift that the Lord inspired him to write them down and preserve them for us. Author Jimmy Evans gives us more layers of insights into David’s life as a son, brother, warrior, father, and king.

Though I’ve studied David’s life in the Bible many times on my own, I learned much more about him in this book filled with practical lessons I can apply to my own life. I gained insight on how to fight spiritual battles, stand strong in my marriage, be intentional as a parent, and lead others with integrity.

Quotes I’ve Enjoyed:

“Your greatest successes will come through serving Jesus Christ and warring against the devil, not just for your own life but also for the lives of others.”

“The devil will promise you a life of leisure and rest – then he will hack your heart out.”

“What matters is never forgetting that you have an evil enemy you can defeat if you will fight…The instant you withdraw from the battlefield, you give him entrance into your life.”

“You are a warrior at heart. God created you for that and it is who you are. He made you to be a devil killer.”

I received a preview copy of I Am David from Gateway Publishers.

Get your copy at Amazon or ChristianBook.com. Order it direct from the publisher for only $15 plus FREE shipping HERE!

I Am David: A great book to teach you about Christian living and spiritual warfare. #spiritualwarfare #christianliving #bookreview Click To Tweet

Becoming Sage

In my fourth decade, I’m discovering the joys and challenges of middle age. This wonderful book affirms, directs, encourages and strengthens you if you are grieving, confused, or weary in your middle years.

I love the focus on how middle-aged women can find new purpose and meaning in this life stage. The author spends a lot of time talking about how the church has not always accommodated middle aged people well, and offers great suggestions for changing this around.

I was originally drawn to this beautiful cover, because I love botanicals. I’m even more drawn to the inner content, which has blessed me with new motivation. It’s full of insightful research and hopeful quotes. I especially enjoyed the breakdown of spiritual stages, which helps me understand myself and others better.

Quotes I’ve Enjoyed:

“Many of us don’t discover how lopsided we are in our [spiritual] formation until we approach or enter midlife.”

“Midlife should unsettle us.”

“Chronological age does not automatically translate into spiritual maturity.”

“As we move into our second adulthood, the shifts that happen in our families can be used by God to reintroduce us to the truth that we’re first and foremost apprentices, not headmasters.”

I received a preview copy of Becoming Sage from Netgalley.

Get your copy at Amazon or ChristianBook.com.

Becoming Sage: Affirmation, direction and new purpose for midlife. #midlife #GenX #bookreview Click To Tweet

Secrets of the Happy Soul

I’m naturally wired as a melancholy soul, but I intentionally choose joy to balance out my blue side. This joyful book speaks of shalom, the Hebrew sense of deep, abiding joy and peace in all things. Though shalom may seem elusive to us, especially in these challenging times, Katie Orr shows us why we are wired for shalom and how we can pursue it.

She bases the book’s framework on the Psalms, and shows us how we are made for delight in many of them. I enjoyed her personal stories in each chapter, which showed me how she chose to delight in her circumstances.

This is a balanced book. It’s not sugar coated with fake joy. It teaches you how to choose joy, delight and happiness because that’s what you were made to be. Too many of us Christians are sour, and this book can help us reorient our views to be more joyful.

Quotes I’ve Enjoyed:

“Happiness is not something we pursue, it’s something we are. It’s in our spiritual DNA.”

“I started following God’s Way not just to avoid the consequences, but in order to stay close to Him.”

“Though our lives are very far removed from the way of ancient life, perhaps we could benefit greatly from their perspective. They loved God’s Word–it was life-giving to them–because it was clear and specific, personal and provisional.”

I received a preview copy of Secrets of the Happy Soul from Bethany House Publishers.

Get your copy at Amazon or ChristianBook.com.

Happiness is not something we pursue, it's something we are. Book quote from Secrets of the Happy Soul. #christianbook #joy #bookreview Click To Tweet

All Shall Be Well

This is a beautiful book with poetic prose and gorgeous imagery. It’s built around the rhythms of seasons, and gave me great hope as I read it during the quarantine. It’s a perfect reminder that God is still in control in all the rhythms of our lives, just as he has been since creation began.

I enjoy escaping through lovely language that transports me to deep wells of thought, and this book is an ideal escape. It’s deep and rich, which helps me ponder wonderful truths about God. If you love poetry, nature imagery, and contemplative prose, you’ll love this book.

Quotes I’ve Enjoyed:

“How could a world so full of trouble and pain warrant careful attention, be worth lingering in? Yet I’m convinced that God can be found in both: the beauty and the pain.”

“We don’t like to hang suspended; we prefer to arrive. But if we can summon the courage to linger and look, mystery may captivate us–and offer exactly what we need.”

“When our eyes open to the pain, the danger, the trouble, it takes courage to pry our hearts open long enough to come alive. But when we live closed off and hardened, we pave over the garden with concrete; we shut the door to possibility, to coming alive.”

I received a preview copy of All Shall Be Well from Netgalley.

Get your copy at Amazon or ChristianBook.com.

All Shall Be Well: A lyrical book with gorgeous prose and lovely imagery. #peace #spiritualgrowth #bookreview Click To Tweet

Stay

One thing the pandemic has forced us all to do is stay put. Many of us have resisted this, but Anjuli Paschall teaches us that when we stay put in the hard places, we can learn the most about ourselves and our God.

This is a book of brief vignettes into Anjuli’s life, somewhat like a memoir. But it’s also intended to help the reader grapple with hard truths about spiritual identity, striving too hard, being too worldly, depending too much on relationships, and wanting to give up. With colorful metaphors, she describes her failures in plain view while also telling her personal story of redemption.

Young women will especially appreciate her openness. It’s an ideal book for newlyweds struggling with finances and new moms in the trenches of diapers and the daily grind. Her writing is relevant and raw, which holds great appeal for people wearing masks who long to be understood, affirmed, and led forward.

Quotes I’ve Enjoyed:

“This never-ending hurt for home is down there, deep inside of me. Even when life is falling gracefully as I hoped it would, the ache persists.”

“I think God moves into the little cracks and crevices and corners of our lives to surprise us with His delight.”

“Jesus turns all my bent-out, turned-in, twisted-around brokenness into this — goodness.”

“Every day, God is nudging my heart to stay awake and savor this one incredible life. There are love winks from the Lord everywhere.”

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

Get your copy at Amazon or ChristianBook.com.

There are love winks from the Lord everywhere. Book quote from Stay by Anjuli Paschall. #momlife #christianliving #bookreview Click To Tweet

Worthy

Are you curious about the role of women in the church? Do you want to become more involved in women’s ministry? This excellent book will give you a biblical foundation for understanding how God values women and their contributions to the worldwide church.

As one with a complementarian view of women’s roles in the church, I’ve been nervous to read books on women’s ministry, much less engage in conversations about this topic. But it is becoming more and more important, and we can’t avoid this topic if we want to reach more women for Christ.

This book is well-researched, well-balanced, and thorough in its presentation. It gives many examples of women in both the Old and New Testaments and thoughtfully details how they added much to God’s redemptive plan. It’s co-written by a male pastor and a female women’s ministry leader, which lends two interesting perspectives to the topic.

Though they write from a complementarian viewpoint, their writing has much to teach both complementarians and egalitarians. Pastors will gain much insight and understanding on how to preach sermons that will resonate well with women. Women’s ministry leaders will receive practical encouragement for how to minister to women in all different stages of life and faith. Husbands will also learn how to affirm their wives’ worth as women of faith. The book creates a vision of what fully affirmed and fully engaged women can do to advance the Gospel.

Quotes I’ve Enjoyed:

“Women have never been ancillary to God’s redemptive story. They have never been secondary or an add-on to God’s plan of salvation. They were the conduit through whom he brought forth redemption by faith.”

“Do you seek the kind of women through whom Jesus arrived?”

“If we’re honest with ourselves, we must admit that we have all failed to glorify God in the way we have treated women.”

“If men began to see women as co-laborers, as integral to the mission of the church, how would our churches begin to look?”

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

Get your copy at Amazon or ChristianBook.com.

Worthy: A well-researched, affirming book about women's roles in the church. #womensministry #christianliving #bookreview Click To Tweet

My Heart, Ever His

Do you ever struggle with knowing what to pray? This book offers many honest, thoughtful, heartfelt prayers in contemporary language. It can open up your heart to God as a woman of faith.

It is a beautiful book with a metallic-finish cover and artistic layout. The prayers are raw and real (see quotes below) about topics we all think about. Several prayers also include a short devotion. They are meant as a springboard for your own personal conversations with God.

These prayers are ideal for weary moms struggling with all their responsibilities, questioning their self-worth, and wondering if they’ll ever feel beautiful again. Barbara Rainey has obviously been there before, and shares her wisdom in these real, unvarnished prayers. This book is a great gift to give yourself, mama.

Quotes I’ve Enjoyed:

“My husband/so completely other than me./Not just opposite./Foreign.”

“My limbs leaden this morning./My head pounding./My thinking dull from interrupted sleep. Jesus did You ever feel this way?”

“Well, Lord, I, um,/want to talk to You about sex./Again.”

I received a preview copy of My Heart, Ever His from Bethany House Publishers.

Get your copy at Amazon or ChristianBook.com.

My Heart, Ever His: A collection of real-life, honest prayers for weary moms. #momlife #prayer #bookreview Click To Tweet

Want more great Christian books? Check out the Christian books available on Books A Million, including my book, Transforming Your Thought Life!