Right now through December 21st, Amazon has a $5 off $20 for books! Today I want to break away from my regular stories to share a list of some of my and my family’s favorite books that this coupon could be used on. In no way is this an exhaustive list. There are many others I wish I could add here, but… you know.. word count. I don’t receive any compensation for sharing about these books (well ok, I do for the first one on the list…) I am sharing them because they truly have changed my life. That said, here are some of our favorite books!

 

936 Pennies: Discovering the Joy of Intentional Parenting

Okay, of course I am going to include my own book here. And not only because book sales help put groceries in the fridge and diapers on my babies. But because I am one-hundred-percent to-the-moon-and-back for this message! From birth to eighteen, we only get 936 weeks with our children. That number changed everything for my husband and me. This message brought so much more joy into our parenting, I hope it will yours, too! Read the story that went viral here, and buy the book it led to, here.

 

 

Growing a Spiritually Strong Family by Dennis & Barbara Rainey

This year I had the privilege of interviewing on the FamilyLife Today Radio broadcast (photo above), with Dennis Rainey and Bob Lepine. I had read Dennis and his wife, Barbara’s book, Growing a Spiritually Strong Family. This book, as compact as it is, packs so much truth and application between its front and back covers! I read it in a couple of sittings, and knew it would be one I revisit. I especially loved chapter 5, Set The Course, about getting clear on your family’s direction by knowing your core values. This would be a great one to start the New Year with! Get it here. Or you can also buy this one straight from Family Life.

Also, Dennis and Barbara have a brand new book out that I am super excited about. It’s called The Art of Parenting. This is the only book in this list that I have not yet read cover to cover (it’s new), but I am eager to do so. My husband and I are partway through the accompanying video series and it is top-notch.

 

 

Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World by Gary Chapman and Arlene Pellicane

This book made a huge impact in how my family addresses technology in our home. Not only is today’s generation the first one navigating this tech-saturated world, but that means that my generation is the first of parents to navigate our children through this realm. There is a lot of pressure, and a lot at stake. Thankfully, Gary Chapman and my friend Arlene Pellicane have brought grace and practical help in this book. I loved the emphasis on raising relational kids, it helped to lessen the guilt, and instead focus on the positives of setting solid boundaries. If you want to rein in technology in your home in the new year, here is a great resource to start with! Get it here.

 

The Messy Life of Parenting: Powerful and Practical Ways to Strengthen Family Connections by Lori Wildenberg

This is a book I had the privilege of endorsing this year, and I was so pleased to do so! It really is a great and helpful read. In fact, I will just leave you with what I wrote as my endorsement: “Ever since I became a mom, I have been praying that my children would grow up to be best friends. Messy Parenting has helped me to envision what that can look like, and has provided me with a roadmap, and a whole lot of grace, for the journey. I love how Lori combines both practical help and encouragement of heart to meet parents in whatever season they are in, from parenting newborns to adult children. Going back to the original mess that Adam and Eve made in the garden, Lori reminds us that God is relational, coming alongside of us, His children, in whatever spills we find ourselves in, and shows us how we can, in the appropriate ways, do the same for our own children. The Scriptures and biblical truths she brings in to support each section are foundational in this must-read book for parents.” Get it here.

 

The Read-Aloud Family: Making Meaningful And Lasting Connections With Your Kids by Sarah Mackenzie

This book is so true to its tagline. It’s not a how-to book on reading to our kids, most of us know how to make that happen. Instead, this book focuses on the joy and blessing it is to nurture relationship with our children through books. Although we have made reading a priority in our home, I had so much to learn from Sarah Mackenzie’s wisdom in this book. I especially loved the questions she provides for diving deeper into the lessons behind stories, and drawing out great dialogue with our kids. She also provide robust book recommendation lists for specific age groups.  Get it here. 

 

Wild And Free: A Hope-Filled Anthem For The Woman Who Feels She Is Both Too Much And Never Enough by Jess Connolly & Hayley Morgan

Let’s break away from parenting books now. To nurture our Littles, we must nurture our own souls. First with God’s Word, and also with good books. This one is certainly one of those. This book was inspiring and true to Scripture. It takes women back to the garden and challenges us to consider God’s original design for womanhood, and how we can thrive in that design even in a broken world. This one helped me to pinpoint some areas of struggle in my heart (Cue, control issues….), and to battle them with truth. Get it here.

 

Crossing The Waters: Following Jesus Through The Storms, The Fish, The Doubt, And The Seas by Leslie Leyland Fields

Here is another book that made me really think about my faith. The author, Leslie, challenges readers to think about the Gospels, and the time Jesus spent on earth, with a whole new perspective. Leslie married an Alaskan fisherman and they raised their six children on their own island off the coast of Kodiak Island in Alaska. She has also spent time where Jesus lived and walked during His time on earth. She brings context to life by the sea, and what it must have truly been like for Jesus and His disciples. The stories in this book are riveting. After the last page, I just wanted it to keep going. Get it here.

 

Why Christmas Trees Aren’t Perfect by Richard H. Schneider, Illustrations by Elizabeth J. Miles

I would go amiss here, during the Christmas season, to not mention my favorite Christmas book. While this one is not directly about the nativity scene and Jesus coming as a baby to save the world, it opens the door for that conversation in a creative and beautiful way. Based in the Carpathian Mountains of Europe, beautiful illustrations and storytelling follow the tale of a young tree growing itself just right to be chosen as the Queen’s royal tree. Yet the young pine, time and again, extends costly love to animals fleeing predators and hard winter conditions. He gives and gives of himself until he is a bit bent and bruised, and certainly no match for a royal ball. And yet….. Ok you guys. It’s so good. Just get it.

 

Alright friends, happy choosing! But hey, with $5 off, why not get them all… Hopefully this list leaves you with plenty of ideas for what to get yourself for Christmas! Or perhaps a few to add to your 2019 reading list. The messages in these books are so very important, and I hope they bless you and your family as they have mine.

-Eryn