8 Books that Have Changed my Life

     God works in mysterious ways.  He sovereignly uses people, circumstances and other things in our lives to get us where we need to be.  Romans 8:28 (my life verse) states, And we know all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.   If we follow this passage through verse 29 to verse 30, we discover that the ultimate destination is Christlikeness in the believer's life.  God is constantly working for our good, to make us the people He wants us to be, and to be in the plans He has for our lives.  I often think of the different people He has used in my life.  I have had great friends and mentors.  Some of the people He has used, however, have been those who have never met me, and may have no idea God used them to impact me.  Some haven't even lived in the same time as me, but their writings have had a part of God's work in my life.  What books have impacted you?  What has God used in your life?  I am going to share the eight books that God has used in my life, both to make me more like Jesus, and to lead my life to where He wanted me to be (the Bible is obviously the greatest Book, being God's only true word, but I am not including it here, because it is in a league of its own)!  The first four are nonfiction, and the second four are fiction.  

     As a quick disclaimer, I will say that it is not necessary to agree with every point a certain author makes in order to love and glean from their book.  In sharing about and recommending these books, I am not claiming that to always agree 100% with everything they might say.  It is okay to think critically and have a different view than an author you might really respect.  As always, compare any teaching to the Bible!  That is always going to be our authority!

Non-Fiction

Heart Hunger--Letting God Meet Your Emotional Needs, by Cindi McMenammin

     I found this book on an obscure shelf at a Christian bookstore in 2002.  I was twenty years old, serving full-time in ministry at a neck-breaking pace, and dealing with heartache.  I had just been dumped by a boyfriend I had thought I would marry.  Many people I did my ministry with were on his side, and were very condemning of me.  Every day was a battle back then.  I got up with a heaviness in my chest, and sometimes didn't know how I would go forward.  There were some spiritual victories going on in my ministry that I had no idea about until later, which explained all the spiritual attacks I encountered.  This book was republished a year later in 2003 as simply Letting God Meet Your Emotional Needs.  It is about what the title implies.  God alone can fulfill any of us.  Trying to get that from other people, experience, or anything else in this world will leave us empty.  It will wear out our loved ones if we are depending on them to fulfill us.  They simply cannot, but when we let God do that, we are fulfilled, and then are free to love and enjoy others without expecting anything in return.  That time back in 2002, reading this book, and going deeper with the Lord, was one of the hardest times, but also one of the most precious times in my life.  This book prepared me to be the right kind of wife for my husband (it isn't a marriage/dating book at all, but the principles apply to every relationship you could have).  You can order the book here.

Experiencing God, by Henry Blackaby, Richard Blackaby, Claud V. King

     This book was originally published in 1994, and has been updated and expanded over the years.  I read the first 1994 edition of it in 1999.  A gentleman in our church introduced it to us, and led a study.  I was a senior in high school at the time, and I believe it was in God's Divine Providence and Sovereignty that I read that book at that time.  It really firmed up my theology before it was tested in the years that followed, as well as made my calling clear to me.  In fact, my husband and I more recently read a newer edition of it, and God used that to lead us into the ministry we are currently in.  This book talks about how what God wants most is a love relationship with the people He created.  Loving and knowing Him in a personal way is more important than His plan for us (though He does have a plan for us).  As we obey His leading in our lives and see Him work, we come to know Him by experience.  God's will for our lives is really a smaller part of His overall will for the world.  We join Him where He is working.  This book talks about the ways God speaks to us.  It is a very biblical book, with many scriptural references and citations for every point they make.   One of the ways my theology was tested as a college student was that I met believers who saw God as a theological concept more than a loving creator who wanted to work in our lives.  When I shared with a certain friend of this persuasion a way God had led me in a certain decision I was making, this friend told me that God doesn't lead us today the way He did in the Bible, and that God doesn't speak to us or work in our lives.  This friend (and many others I knew at the time) believed that the Bible was an infallible guidebook, and that we needed to obey the claims and commands found in it, but did not have personal implication for the specifics of our lives.  The only people who find joy in those types of beliefs are those who don't want to be surrendered to the Lord in the specific areas of their lives, but still want to technically obey the Bible.  These people believed that applying scripture personally to our lives was equivalent to creating new doctrine or even a new religion.  I was labeled as a heretic by these people, and even compared to Joseph Smith (the founder of Mormonism), simply because I prayed to the Lord for an answer to something I was going through, and God led me to the answer in my personal Bible study that day.   Experiencing God had given me the foundation I needed to refute these believers who believed in a less personal God than the one of the Bible.  Sometimes, there is a fine line between being open to the leading of the Spirit and being open to error.  This book will really help to share the right view of hearing God's voice, loving God, obeying God, seeing God work in your life, and at the same time, rightly dividing the word of truth (Second Timothy 2:15).  You can purchase this book here.

Standing Firm, by Dan Quayle

     This book is autobiographical, written by former Vice President Dan Quayle.  Mostly, he is recounting his four years in the nation's second-highest office.  Because this occurred in my lifetime (while I was growing up), I enjoyed reading about it from his perspective.  As Quayle is a conservative evangelical Christian, his insights are valuable as well.  He even shares his testimony of coming to salvation as a teenager.  However, even these things aren't why I say this book changed my life.  God used it at a very specific time.  I was in the process of stepping out of a particular ministry I had been a part of.  Some unfortunate things had occurred, and I would have been within my rights to speak up about them.  Some might have said I would have been right to burn bridges.  I was seriously planning to do that, when God brought this book to me.  I read it for sentimental reasons (I grew up when this was going on), but one particular quote he made after losing reelection in 1992 made me stop in my tracks and evaluate what God wanted me to do in my situation.  The quote was as follows: How you leave is important, especially if you're thinking of coming back.  God really impressed this lesson on my heart like a lightening bolt.  I needed to leave this ministry graciously, because God just might lead me back into it one day...and He did!  I'm so glad I headed the advice of this book and exited graciously.  There are many other nuggets of wisdom in this book as well, from one of the most underrated men in recent American politics.  I think former Vice-President Quayle has a good balance of humility and honesty in some of the unjust ways he was viewed and treated, and his attitude was a challenge to me.   You can order this book here.

God's Smuggler, by Brother Andrew

     Originally published in 1967, this book is also autobiographical.  It is the story of a Dutch missionary named Andrew van der Bijl, known as Brother Andrew.  As a young man, Andrew found his parent's Christian faith dull and unsatisfying.  He longed for something more to fulfill his life.  He soon had the opportunity to find adventure as a soldier fighting in Indonesia.  During his time in the Dutch army, he did many things he was ashamed of, and did not find that fulfillment he was looking for.  Not only did the Dutch lose this war (thus losing power over Indonesia), but Andrew was wounded in battle.  His adventure had gone sour.  Would he ever have a fulfilling life?  The answer was a very unexpected yes.  Upon returning home, he found the Lord, and a new sense of purpose.  Through each step along the way, God led his life and showed him clearly what to do.  Every time something happened, Andrew's faith in the Lord grew, and prepared him for the next test.  From almost running out of money while in missionary school in Scotland, to ministering to unlikely people, to seeing God provide for his needs and heart's desires, Andrew saw God at work in his life, and cultivated a personal relationship with Him.  I love that this book emphasizes a personal relationship with God, not just a theological idea about Him.  Andrews journey with the Lord eventually took him into Communist countries at the height of the Cold War.  There are points when this book reads like a spy novel!  He had many close calls with government agents, and many opportunities to bring his Christian witness to unexpected people.  Even though there is no relation, I consider this book to be a perfect companion to Experiencing God.  Andrew lived the principles taught in that book, and we get to see the result.  The way God worked in Andrew's life is the same as I have seen Him work in mine.  At one point in the story, Andrew faces a crisis of faith. After having left his job at a Chocolate Factory to pursue missions, he had to decide what He believed about God.  Was God an impersonal force who no longer spoke to His people today, or was He a living God who wanted to lead and guide?  Here is a quote from the book on this:  ...if [God] were a King in name only, I would rather go back to the chocolate factory. I would remain a Christian, but I would know that my religion was only a set of principles, excellent and to be followed, but hardly demanding devotion. Suppose on the other hand that I were to discover God to be a Person, in the sense that He communicated and cared and loved and led. That was something quite different. That was the kind of King I would follow into any battle.  I have learned this lesson right along with Andrew.  You can order this amazing book here.

Fiction

This Present Darkness, by Frank Peretti

     Now we move into fictional books that have been life-changing for me.  Don't ever underestimate the impact of fictional books.  Stories can teach us very real truths at a time when we're not so on our guard.  This Present Darkness (as well as its sequel Piercing the Darkness) is a very powerful read.  We see a pastor of a struggling congregation and a curious newspaper editor coming up against strange forces of evil in a small town.  As the readers, we are given the vantage point of being able to see not only the physical world of these characters, but also the angelic and demonic warriors at war.  While this is a work of fiction, and we can't build theology from it, it is a very strong reminder that there is a battle between good and evil--God and Satan--angels and demons--going on around us all the time.  If we just make judgments about things from what we can see, we will miss out on what is really happening.  As Christians, we are equipped to fight in these battles.  There is sufficient scripture to support the idea of spiritual battles.  Peretti is not making claims that this is exactly how spiritual warfare happens.  He is simply writing a fictional account of how it could happen.  Having read this book multiple times (most recently listened to the audio version with my husband on a long car trip), I think I am more aware of the battle.  I am less likely to see people as the enemy, because I'm reminded who the real enemy is...and whose side I'm really fighting for!  This book is a very exciting page-turning!  You can order it here.

And the Shofar Blew, by Francine Rivers

     This novel is about church corruption, betrayal, and redemption.  Centerville Christian Church is a small congregation in Central California that is a little beyond its prime.  Ten years ago, the members were out sharing the gospel, bringing new people into the church.  Sunday school was full.  Ministries abounded.  Fellowship flourished.  Families and friends were close.  Now, the elderly had passed on, the middle-aged had become elderly, and the younger families had moved to towns with more job opportunities.  The church is at the end of its spiritual rope.  Things can't seem to get worse, when the pastor of forty years has heart failure and must retire.  The few remaining members consider closing down, but instead call a young man fresh out of seminary to be their new pastor.  Enter Paul Hudson.  Paul is initially humble.  He has a supportive wife, Eunice, and a preschool-aged son.  This family seems like the answer to the church's need.  Over time, Paul grows the youth group and brings in families.  Ministry again seems to be flourishing...but at a cost.  Paul has some unresolved insecurities, and is influenced by his need for approval from his father, who pastors a Los Angeles megachurch.  We see Paul's struggles, the church politics, the temptations, the tensions, and the battle between good and evil.  We see the corruption cause hurts to the Body, and godly people are shamed.  I relate so much to this, because I have been through church abuse in my life.  Reading this book helps me to appreciate what those in leadership may be struggling with, and also validates some of my experiences.  When I experienced the church abuse in the 90's, I had no frame of reference that these things actually happen.  There was no Internet back then to help compare stories with others.  It was more common for people in that time to stuff their feelings instead of expressing them.  I was only a high schooler at the time as well, and hadn't lived long enough to realize that things like this can happen in ministry.  Sometimes, churches can be so into reaching "the unchurched" that they fail to have biblical integrity or to minister to their own.  In this book, we see some people having moral failures, and others choosing to do right in the face of overwhelming temptations.  Such a reminder of the battle.  I was overall glad with the ending, but there were some aspects that were not quite satisfying to me, and that is how it often is in real life.  This book is a great commentary on church culture.  You can order this in-depth book here.

Julia's Last Hope, by Janette Oke

     This is a story about losing one's life to find it (Mark 10:39).  Janette Oke is known for writing 19th century romance stories.  Many of her books have been made into Hallmark Movies.  The Hallmark TV show When Calls the Heart is also based on Oke's writing (though many liberties were taken).  This book, a less well-known one by Oke, has more depth.  What I appreciate about everything I have read by Janette Oke is that she always has the Gospel clearly presented in her stories, so an unsaved person reading it could understand and known what he/she had to to in order to be saved.  However, some of her stories don't really seem to have any depth for the believer.  This book breaks that mold.  Julia's Last Hope is different from all other book in that:

1) It is not a romance (it is about a family, though the love between husband and wife is present).

2) It has a plot that keeps the reader wondering and engaged all the way to the last chapter.

3) It has an unexpected ending.

4) The characters learn various lessons through each phase in their experience.

The basic plot is: the Harrigan family lives in Calder Springs, a small town in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.  John Harrigan works for the lumber mill, the town's only real industry.  He and his wife Julia are devout Christians, along with their teenage twin daughters.  The Harrigan family has led a pleasant life in Calder Springs, deeply involved in their church and community.  One day, it is announced that the mill is going to close.  Calder Springs will become a ghost town, and the houses will have no resale value.  Julia Harrigan rallies the town women together to try to see what can be done to save the town and life they all love.  They seek to make their struggling little city into a resort town.  Several adventures ensue as guests come to Calder Springs--from spoiled brats to thrill-seekers, from criminals on the lam to sinners seeking to hide their transgressions.  The Harrigans have the opportunity to grow in faith and be a witness at every turn.  Difficult decisions must be made, but nothing ever done in this journey is a waste.  I am reminded that nothing done in faith is ever in vain, and that God is always at work in all of our circumstances.  I'm also struck by the way the townsfolk deal with the losses they experience, because I have been there (I've never lived in a ghost town, but I have seen a church I loved dwindle from a thriving congregation to a shell of its former self, and I've seen neighbors move away and the community change).  Sometimes, losing is still winning, because of everything you glean from the journey.  You can order this book here.

 The Magician's Nephew, by C.S. Lewis

     For the record, I highly recommend all of the Chronicles of Narnia series, by C.S. Lewis.  I used to conduct an evangelism team for junior high students in California.  Between ministry assignments, we would read this series as a group together, and really enjoyed it.  This particular book was the agreed-upon favorite.  All of the books in the series are allegorical of the Christian life.  The first book written, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe portrays the gospel, while the other six books portray different biblical concepts.  The Magician's Nephew is about creation, sin entering into the world, and the promise of redemption.  There are elements of faith involved, where the protagonist, Digory, must choose to trust Aslan (the Christlike character), even in the midst of seeming to have what his heart most desires if he disobeys.  When he victoriously chooses right, Aslan praises him and says, "Well done, son of Adam.  For this fruit you have hungered and thirsted and wept. No hand but yours shall sow the seed of the Tree that is to be the protection of Narnia. Throw the apple towards the river bank where the ground is soft."  It is a reminder of the reward that ultimately awaits us when we do God's will...even if we don't initially see the results.  It's living in faith that we will one day hear Jesus say "Well done."  There have been times that I needed that reminder that I'm on the right track in living by faith.  Sometimes, I have felt God met me in this book.  Another sobering quote is: Oh Adam's sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good.  This quote has reminded me several different times that God wanted me to step out in faith, instead of letting fear keep me away from what God had in store for me.  A final quotation from this book that I will share is a reminder of the joy that waits beyond this life, and that God just occasionally lets us experience now--what I call a "prelude to Heaven."  And all at once (they never knew exactly how it happened) the face seemed to be a sea of tossing gold in which they were floating, and such a sweetness and power rolled over them that they felt they had never really been happy or wise or good, or even alive and awake before. And the memory of that moment stayed with them always, so that as long as they both lived, if ever they were sad or afraid or angry, the thought of all that golden goodness, and the feeling that it was still there, quite close, just around the corner or just behind some door, would come back and make them sure, deep down inside, that all was well.  I have had some experiences with the Lord where He let me experience just a little bit of that joy that only He can give.  If we lived in that constant state of bliss, we wouldn't do anything for the kingdom while we're here on earth.  God just seems to give us that at those moments when we really need the reminder.  That "golden goodness."  It's really His presence in a very concentrated dose, giving us a hunger for Him...for eternity.  When we need it, we can look back on those "prelude" times, and know that is what we have to look forward to!  The best is yet to come for believers!  

     Those are eight of the books that have most impacted my life.  I highly recommend them.  I am always on the lookout for new books to read and be encouraged by, so please tell me your favorites, and how God has used them in your life!