I read a lot for work and for fun. These ten books have shaped my mind and the way I live my life.

Counseling/Mental Health Books

• The Cost of Control by Sharon Hodde Miller

Sharon took the conversation around anxiety by the neck in this book. She goes for the root issue of anxiety gave us a birds eye-view and the anatomy of control. Her excellent suggestions of how to wrestle with control issues gives the reader a reliable roadmap for themselves and the people they are helping.

• Troubled Minds: Mental Illness and the Church’s Mission by Amy Simpson 

This book is Amy’s raw account of her own struggle with a mentally ill family member. It is also her love letter to the church. Every Christian leader needs to read this book for motivation, but also for suggestions on how to make the church a hospitable place for people who struggle with mental illness and their family members.

Women and Theological Studies

• The Making of Biblical Womanhood by Beth Allison Barr

This is the first year that I have had the chance to read a book for fun and read books on topics that I am curious about. So I started the year reading this book.

In this book. Beth allows us into her life as pastor’s wife and as a history professor. For some people her stories are just stories. But for me, her stories are my similar to mine. Her personal story fuels her excellent research which are the foundations for her arguments. Some academic books are dry because it lacks heart. This book is definitely appeal to your heart and mind.

• Jesus through the Eyes of Women by Rebecca Mclaughlin

Rebecca is an objectively great communicator and storyteller. The characters are made to come alive in the very pages of the book. She compels you to empathize with the women and feel what Jesus felt. Theology must not only appeal to the mind, but also to the heart. Rebecca is able to do both in this masterpiece.

Historical and Political Studies

• Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez

Kristin is a gender historian (I didn’t even know that this was a thing). Her research and writing prowess were in full display. She grabbed my hand and took me through closed doors and pulled back the curtains to expose the motivations and goals of people I respected and looked up to. It felt very emotional as I read through this book.

Spiritual Formation

• Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazzero

I regret not reading this book earlier. As a Christian counselor, I believe that conversion is a life-chaning event. But I also believe that your life prior to conversion has to be processed (or transformed by the renewing of the mind) properly so that our ways during our old life would not be brought into our new life. This book will help you assess those old ways that need to be given to God.

• Hearing God by Dallas Willard 

After reading multiple books by Dallas Willard, I was not surprised that I loved this book as much as I do. Prayer has always been a struggle for me and traditional solutions such as “just pray,” or “prayer is a command so you should do it,” do not work for me. Willard goes deeper than that. Using his deep understanding of man’s soul and the character of God, he puts the puzzle pieces together for me. This book has truly transformed my view of prayer.

Fiction: Murder-Mystery

• The Maidens by Alex Michaledis

I am not a fan of fiction, but this fiction, psychological, murder-mystery convinced me to explore more fiction books. Alex created effective twists and turns which made it hard for me to guess who the killer was. Additionally, this psychological thriller tickled the counselor in me.

Marriage, Sex, and Divorce

• Life-saving Divorce by Gretchen Baskerville

In this self-published book, Gretchen tells her story and the story of many other people who had to get a divorce to literally save their life. She appeals to the rationality of judgmental and close-minded people and the emotions of people who are apathetic towards divorce. Some people attempt to write on divorce and they butcher Scripture. Not Gretchen. Her love for God and His Word is apparent in this book.

• The Great Sex Rescue by Sheila Wray Gregorie, Rebecca Gregorie Lindenbach, and Joanna Sawatsky

I am very picky when it comes to books on marriage and sex. So when Rachel Denhollander told me to read the Great Sex Rescue, I picked up the book. And I am glad I did. Sheila and Rebecca are joined by Joanna who is a trained researcher and statistician. Together, they review the mainstream marriage and sex books to separate what is actually the writer’s opinion and what God really said in His Word. If you care about the truth, you need to pick up this book.