What I've Been Reading

​One of my favorite things to do is to read, and when I find a book that I love, I want to tell others about it. So, below are some of my favorite non-fiction books that I’ve read this past year. What’s a book that you’d recommend?

​Do you feel like you have to prove yourself to others and to God? Do you compare yourself to others and then feel inadequate? In Nothing to Prove, Jennie Allen poses the question, “What if there was a story where the ones who aren’t enough, the ones who recognize they don’t measure up, are the very ones the God of the universe picks to move wildly in and through?” For someone who has been an overachiever her whole life, after reading this book, I am finally able to say it’s ok if I don’t measure up, because my worth comes from the One who does. 

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​“This wasn’t my story of struggle, it was his story of rescue.” Rebekah Lyons shares these words towards the beginning of her book, and I couldn’t wait to read more. She goes on to explain how God has rescued her and that, through Christ, freedom is available for everyone. When we do experience freedom over a particular struggle/area of our life, Rebekah encourages us to share that story of rescue and to use our freedom to serve and help others. 

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​If you have ever felt rejected, alone, or inadequate, this book is for you. Lysa TerKeurst writes, “The enemy loves to take our rejection and twist it into a raw, irrational fear that God really doesn’t have a good plan for us.” Even though we'll all experience rejection at some point in our lives, Lysa helps us understand how we can still have hope in the midst of rejection. 

*To read about a rejection I experienced, click here. 

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​Shame is powerful. It makes us stay silent, hide, and believe we are unworthy of love. Shame is something I’m very familiar with. Maybe you are too. Shame is something the enemy uses to try to prevent us from living the life that God intended for us. Christine Caine shares how shame has impacted her life and the lives of others, but she also reveals that freedom is possible: “When you choose to focus more on what Jesus has done for you than on what others have done or said to you, you will have the faith to stand up and start moving forward.” 

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There is also a companion workbook (Soar​) and 7 video sessions that you can watch for FREE.

If you or someone you know is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, I highly recommend Hush by Nicole Braddock Bromley. In an earlier blog, I shared my story, but when I read this book for the first time years ago, it was as if the author somehow took all my thoughts/feelings and put them on paper. Since then, I've read this book multiple times. Nicole is also a survivor, and reading her words allowed me to feel less alone. For the first time, I felt understood. This book helped me understand the power of sharing our stories, and it gave me courage to attend counseling and support groups with other survivors. Nicole shares common lies that survivors of sexual abuse often believe, how abuse impacts our relationships with others and with God, and how healing is possible when we allow people to support us on our healing journey. This is the best book about childhood sexual abuse that I have read from a Christian perspective. 

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​Breathe is not only for survivors of childhood sexual abuse, but it is also for anyone who loves them. Each chapter has stories and letters from survivors, friends, and family members. Nicole shares how sexual abuse can affect relationships and gives insight into the mind of a survivor - “Inside there’s a constant battle raging between our greatest desire and our greatest fear. We want so much to just be real and lay ourselves out there, but we’re ashamed and afraid of what others will think, so we shrink back.” Nicole also gives practical advice about what you can do to help someone who is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. 

Click here to check out Nicole’s website for more resources. I also highly recommend her podcasts.