If You Were to Read 10 (Life-Changing) Books this Summer...

1. THE HOLY BIBLE. I love to read the Bible. I have read parts of it almost every day for the past 20 years. When I am not studying the bible, but reading it for pleasure, I use the New Living Translation because it is easy to read and written in modern language. Now, I know the bible is actually 66 books, and even though they all contain great stuff, I will direct you to a couple of particular ones to start out with. You can continue reading the rest afterwards. I would recommend that you read the book of John before you read anything else in the bible. The book of John contains the beautiful life of Jesus Christ and describes the great love that He has for us all. The second book to read from the Bible is the book of James. This book was actually a letter most-likely written by James, the half-brother of Jesus, in order to encourage his readers. James teaches about patience, money, wisdom, watching what comes out of our mouths, and about prayer.

2. CRAZY LOVE, Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan. This book will knock your socks off. It literally takes everything you know, puts it in a big box, shakes it all up and pours it back out. But now, those things you knew have taken on a new shape, a new life, a new beauty about the love of God that I cannot begin to articulate here. You simply have to read it.

3. LEADERSHIP 101 by John Maxwell. This is a small, gift-type book that I got at a garage sale. It is full of wonderful, inspirational quotes by John Maxwell and many others that he has gathered and compiled. Out of the approximately 475 quotes in the book, I would say that at least 475 are useful and inspiring - :) The book is specifically aimed at persons in leadership, but given that everyone has influence upon other people, anyone who reads it can use this information to greatly improve their relationships.

4. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID by Jeff Kinney. Ok, so I know this book is for children, but I am telling you right now that this book is hilarious. Actually, the entire series is fantastic. I got started reading them because my son was reading them and he would constantly come to me to show me funny parts of the book. Jeff Kinney is a genius in that he, as an adult, has actually captured what life is like through the eyes of kids - causing adult readers to remember their childhoods and making these books to be relevant to all ages. If you want to lighten up your life and experience some joy relating to your children and your own childhood, then this book (and the rest of the series) is a must-read!

5. 7 THINGS HE'LL NEVER TELL YOU (BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW) by Dr. Kevin Leman. Well, all I can say is that Dr. Kevin Leman has sold out men and the secret to how they think. He very eloquently reveals 7 different insights into men that most women would kill to know :) But you don't have to kill him, honey; just read the book. It is a very accurate and funny description of the differences between men and women and how to understand and relate to your man in a greater way.

6. THE PURPOSE-DRIVEN LIFE by Rick Warren. I actually wrote a lens about this book. You can find it at The Purpose-Driven Life. I believe it is one of the best books written in our time. It can be used as a manual or devotional and read repeatedly. The chapters can be read daily, weekly, or you can take each entry and chew on it for a month. Awesome book.

7. GOD THINKS YOU'RE WONDERFUL by Max Lucado. This is a gift book that I purchased for all my children one year. It is the sweetest, cutest, most precious book describing, in a delightful way, how much God loves us. It is a keeper and I continue to purchase copies of it when I happen upon it so that I can give them to friends and family.

8. YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES by John Eldredge. Actually, this is an excerpt from John's book Wild at Heart. My husband read Wild at Heart, and highly recommends it. Although Wild at Heart is written for men, this short excerpt contains invaluable information about how our father's relationship with us can affect our lives. It explains the principle of the desire we have of having the stamp of approval from our fathers and the solution if we don't have it. It is a wonderful, eye-opening read. This is another book that I I have bought many copies of and passed along.

9. THE BELIEVER'S AUTHORITY by Kenneth W. Hagin. This is a rather thin book, but it is thick with incredibly valuable information. I have found no other publication which explains in plain and practical language the biblical authority that every believer has through Jesus Christ. I highly recommend this book!

10. YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE: Transforming your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin. This book opened my eyes to a new understanding of what money really is. In a nutshell, we trade our life for money in our careers. Although there is some new-age type stuff in it, overall the book is great to shake up your current understanding of money and budgeting, and should have a permanent place on your bookshelf/Kindle. Eat the meat and throw away the bone. There is some excellent information in here; just step over the junk :)

1. Just Like Jesus by Max Lucado
2. Praying the Ten Commandments by Cleddie Keith
3. How to Live Life on Purpose by Art Sepulveda
4. Love & Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
5. The Fire of His Holiness by Serio Scataglini

1. Kingdom Life by Larry Burden
2. Healing is a Choice by Stephen Arterburn
3. The Kingdom of God in You by Dr. Bill Winston
4. Possessing your Inheritance by Chuck Pierce and Rebecca Wagner Sytsema
5. Things I Want my Daughters to Know by Alexandra Stoddard
6. Under Cover by John Bevere (no, I really haven't read this one YET)
7. Everyday Greatness by Steven Covey
8. Becoming a Woman of Influence by Carol Kent
9. Victory over the Darkness by Neil T. Anderson
10. 8 Steps to Create the Life You Want by Dr. Creflo A. Dollar
11. Being Christian by Stephen Arterburn
12. Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado
13. The Top 10 Mistakes Leaders Make by Hans Finzel
14. Drawing Near to the Divine Presence by Kent Henry
15. The Secrets Men Keep by Stephen Arterburn