My 2023 Q1 Reading List

My reading year is off to a great start!! 

A handful of biographies and memoirs, a handful focused on soul care and self-care, and a couple on cultural hot topics.

Gone are the days of reading a book because I feel like I ‘should’ or ‘have to’ - every book on this list is there because I wanted to read it. 😊

On to the list…

2023 Book 1: Good and Beautiful and Kind by Rich Villodas 

A helpful and wonderful examination of trauma, contemplative prayer, healthy conflict, and forgiveness – all with the goal of being more loving. This is one of those books that, if taken seriously, could literally lead to a complete transformation of our culture. 

2023 Book 2: The 40-Day Feast by Wendy Speake 

A truly helpful book that inspires and guides us to create a habit and practice of reading God’s Word, The Bible, thus learning from God and being developed and transformed through wisdom.

2023 Book 3: Martin Luther by Eric Metaxas

A fascinating biography! I learned so much, not only about Martin Luther himself, but about the Catholic church and the Reformation as well. Though we take it for granted today, our ability to pick up a Bible and read it ourselves rather than waiting for a clergyman to read it to us is due in large part to Luther challenging the church leaders. His wife commented at one point that she believed he would change the world – and oh, how true that is! 

BTW: The best biography I’ve ever read is also by Eric Metaxas.

2023 Book 4: A Prayer Journal by Flannery O’Connor

I shouldn’t be surprised that her journal reads like artistic, thoughtful literature sprinkled with her genius for dramatic, attention-grabbing words and figures of speech. Lacking in piousness, it made me wish for a bosom-buddy conversation with her, knowing that we would be fast friends. Her comments on struggle were particularly thought-provoking, “All our lives are consumed in possessing struggle but only when the struggle is cherished and directed to a final consummation outside of this life is it of any value.” 

This biography of her is a must-read.

2023 Book 5: What Your Mind Needs for Anxious Moments by Holley Gerth 

Anxiety is a hot topic and a critical conversation. Over the last two years I read nearly a dozen books about worry, anxiety, and/or depression. This one is by far the best because it gets to the root cause and a sustainable solution. I think that has something to do with the fact that Holley has truly struggled with her own anxious moments and shares vulnerably about her experiences and what did and didn’t work for her as she faced them. 

This is a ‘highly recommend’ and one that I will read again.

2023 Book 6: Women Who Risk by Tom and Joann Doyle

As we have seen, especially in the last 2 years, oppressive laws and customs continue to exacerbate the patriarchal gender roles, domestic violence, marital rights, discrimination, and human rights issues that women of the middle east face. Tom and Joann bring firsthand stories of women who are breaking free from these systems. 

Malala Yousafzai’s story of being shot by the Taliban was incredibly eye-opening. 

2023 Book 7: Judges for You by Tim Keller

God never desired for the Israelites to submit to the rulership of kings, He wanted the Israelites to trust that He would take care of them (as He had been doing for hundreds of years) through the use of stewards (aka judges). This study goes through the Old Testament book of Judges and does a deep dive on each of the judges/stewards that God put in place – who they were, what their background was, how they helped or failed the Israelites, and their personal characteristics (strengths and weaknesses). It is a fascinating look at history and human behavior, with learnings that are definitely applicable to life today.

2023 Book 8: The Mothers and Daughters of the Bible Speak by Shannon Bream

I always enjoy seeing Biblical stories through someone else’s eyes; hearing what resonates or stands out, seeing something new or different than what I saw. Shannon shares thoughts and ideas that create curiosity and investigation and draws out themes and patterns of the stories that help them feel more relatable. Regardless of our beliefs, we can all learn from the lives of these women of history.

2023 Book 9: The Moment of Lift by Melinda Gates

My experiences of working for an international disaster response organization and being on the board of a human rights organization showed me the transformational healthy changes that can and do take place for families and communities when women are educated and championed. 

Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Kofi Annan said, “There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women.”

It’s hard to believe that the stories Melinda shares are happening in the 21st century, but they are. Which makes me honored to personally support the work of organizations like Medical Teams International, Compassion, World Vision, and The Canby Center in their life-changing programs for women and girls.

2023 Book 10: All My Knotted-Up Life by Beth Moore

I deeply love this woman – a sentiment I am by no means alone in. It is no exaggeration to say that Beth has impacted millions of women’s lives, she is the spiritual mother of nearly the entirety of Gen X women (not to mention many boomers and millennials as well). She has taught us, discipled us, prayed for us, protected us, advocated for us, and fought for us, and has done so at extreme cost to herself, her marriage, and her family. No amount of money or fame or notoriety or influence is worth what she has endured, but it has never been about any of those things to her (as anyone with an ounce of discernment can plainly see). Similar to the remarks I made after reading Michelle Obama’s memoir a few years ago, Beth’s memoir is a must-read for every western world woman, regardless of spiritual or political views.  

2023 Book 11: The 40-Day Sugar Fast by Wendy Speake

A guided sugar detox with daily reminders that our dependence on and addiction to sugar is not actually about the sugar itself. I sincerely appreciated Wendy’s encouragement, willingness to share her own struggles, and wisdom to help us not only address the sugar itself but the challenges going on inside our hearts and heads that are causing us to reach for the sugar to begin with. 

She also has a 40-Day Social Media Fast.

2023 Book 12: Clementine: The Life of Mrs. Winston Churchill by Sonia Purnell

Seeing how she was portrayed in The Crown, I was curious to learn more about Clementine Churchill, and this biography brought her to life. A privileged childhood lacking in warmth, nurture, and good role models led to an early adulthood and motherhood full of meltdowns and breakdowns. She seemed to finally find a healthy stride in her mid to late 40s. The comparisons that the author makes between Clementine and Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt are interesting – the two women seemed to learn from each other though both seemed too proud to admit so. The world owes a lot to Mrs. Churchill, though appearances would deceive us into thinking she was a typical 20th century housewife.

This is a fantastic biography of another understated woman of the 20th century.

2023 Book 13: The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

With four different guests (Drea, Stephanie, Ashley, and Erin) on the Courage Becomes Her podcast saying that this book transformed their life, I had to re-read it (over 20 years since my previous reading). I was humbled as it brought into focus my bent toward cowardice. I hope and pray for the bravery, resoluteness, patience, fortitude, compassion, and humility that she and her family exuded in the face of evil and danger. 

You can always find my reading lists from previous years here.

And the books that literally transformed my life are here.

As always, please share your must-reads with me!! I’m specifically looking to fill the year with inspiring biographies and memoirs, life-giving soul care, and stimulating thought leadership on culture.