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10 Inspiring Books I Read in 2017

At the start of 2017, one of the goals I set out for myself was to read. Don’t get me wrong: I read all the time, but my goal was to intentionally read books.

This goal was about quality reading not quantity.

I found in this fast-paced, social media-driven world that I was too-often reading lines and posts and headlines, but seldom reading for depth, understanding, reflection. I had this bad habit of starting books and never finishing them because my schedule was too jam-packed.

This past year I gave myself permission to put down my smart phone and feel the delicious pages of books between my fingers. I let my kids play at the beach or the park, while I read. I spent Sunday afternoons reading for long stretches. I brought actual books with me wherever I went like i did when I was a child. I underlined and wrote notes in the margins. These books became my companions, my journals of sorts.

And now I have a stack of books that I actually read. These 10 books especially have been a part of my 2017 journey. They have challenged me, encouraged me and inspired me. They have walked me through grief and helped me see God’s glory. I hope you will explore some of them too.

  1. The Broken Way by Ann Voskamp

Subtitle: A Daring Path Into the Abundant Life

Genre: Christian Life/Spiritual Growth

Quotable: “Wounds can be openings to the beauty in us. And our weaknesses can be a container for God’s glory… God does great things through the greatly wounded. God sees the broken as the best and He sees the best in the broken and He called the wounded to be world changers.”

My review: The theme of this book is identifying our brokenness and stepping into the brokenness of others as the path to a more abundant life. If you feel broken and bruised, if you are wondering whether there could possibly be a way forward through grief, if you are burdened by the suffering in our world, you must read The Broken Way. It may just be your path to the abundant life.

For the full book review, click HERE.

  1. Nothing to Prove by Jennie Allen

Subtitle: Why We Can Stop Trying So Hard

Genre: Christian Living

Quotable: “We get to trade striving for rest. We get to trade striving for confidence – not confidence in ourselves but in the power of a sturdy heroic God, eager to rescue.”

My review: Nothing to Prove is written for the weary traveler, the woman who is overwhelmed by expectations and pressures, as well as the hidden belief that she is not good enough, talented enough or spiritual enough. Jennie shares real-life stories of her own struggle with inadequacy and insecurity, and then invites readers into a more spacious, grace-filled place.

For the full book review, click HERE.

 

  1. You Are Free by Rebekah Lyons

Subtitle: Be Who You Already Are

Genre: Christian Life/Inspirational

Quotable: “God cares more about our presence than our performance.”

My review: In You Are Free, I felt like Rebekah invited me to sit down for a cup of coffee to talk about freedom and all the many ways I need to walk in it. Rebekah tells her story of rescue from striving and approval, but she also invites readers to reflect on their own story.

For the full book review, click HERE.

 

  1. Never Unfriended by Lisa-Jo Baker

Subtitle: The Secret to Finding and Keeping Lasting Friendships

Genre: Women’s Issues/Spiritual Growth

Quotable: “I am convinced that the shortest distance between strangers and friends is a shared story about our broken places.”

My review: Lisa-Jo offers up a healthy mix of authentic, personal anecdotes and rich biblical teaching. About three chapters in, I realized this book wasn’t just about friendships gone awry or girl drama like I thought. This book is actually about cultivating real, authentic community. There couldn’t be a topic more near and dear to my heart.

For the full book review, click HERE.

 

  1. At Home in the World by Tsh Oxenreider

Subtitle: Reflections on Belonging While Wandering the Globe

Genre: Personal Memoir

Quotable: “Travel has taught me the blessing of ordinariness, of rootedness and stability. It’s courageous to walk out the front door and embrace earth’s great adventures, but the real act of courage is to return to that door, turn the knob, walk through, unpack the bags, and start the kettle for a cup of tea.”

My review: When I opened Tsh Oxenreider’s recently-released travel memoir, I knew I had found a kindred spirit. Tsh understands what it is like to feel At Home in the World. She, too, is a mama fueled by wanderlust but also longing for a sense of rootedness, a sense of community, a sense of home.

For the full book review, click HERE.

 

  1. Remarkable Faith by Shauna Letellier

Subtitle: When Jesus Marveled at the Faith of Unremarkable People

Genre: Christian Living/Inspirational

Quotable: “Whether you have built a synagogue, an orphanage, or a fine Christian reputation, you cannot earn God’s favor. God’s grace to us in Christ is a gift! … We cannot place God in our service by stockpiling good deeds and dangling them before him as a currency, as though we hold the carrot that makes him do our bidding.”

My review: When I opened Shauna Letellier’s book, Remarkable Faith, I was filled anew with childlike wonder over the Bible stories. Like a master storyteller, Shauna draws us into eight Bible stories of “unremarkable” people who went to great lengths to get to Jesus. As a result of their faith, Jesus healed them and used them as examples of remarkable faith. I was immediately drawn into this book because of the way Shauna reimagines these stories in such a vivid and historically accurate way.

For the full book review, click HERE.

  1. And Still She Laughs by Kate Merrick

Subtitle: Defiant Joy in the Depths of Suffering

Genre: Christian Life/Spiritual Growth

Quotable: “We want the blessing of a Christian life but none of the pain. We think twice about diving in, risking love because we might lose it, risking reputation, comfort, all these things we think will keep us safe and happy. We sit in a beach chair across the street because we don’t want to get dirty or uncomfortable or become a target for sea gulls.”

My review: Kate Merrick’s book, And Still She Laughs, examines the Bible’s gritty stories of resilient women as well as her own experience losing a child to reveal surprising joy and deep hope even in the midst of heartache. What I appreciate most is Kate’s honesty. She doesn’t sugarcoat the pain. She doesn’t offer up pat answers or trite, happy thoughts for navigating grief. She’s frank, funny and real. She’s not afraid to talk about the day of her miscarriage or the time a dog peed on her at the beach or how she and her daughter pranked the nurses during her daughter’s cancer treatment.

For the full book review, click HERE.

  1. Shalom Sistas by Osheta Moore

Subtitle: Living Wholeheartedly in a Broken World

Genre: Christian Living/Social Issues

Quotable: “A Shalom Sista recognizes that brokenheartedness and whole- hearted living are not opposites. No, we hold these things in tension. We’re beautiful and we’re broken.”

My review: Osheta Moore’s book, Shalom Sistas: Living Wholeheartedly in a Broken World, reached out to me right where I am today – heart-weary, wanting more shalom in my life, and wondering where I can contribute in this chaotic world. Osheta describes a “shalom sista” as a woman who loves people, follows the Prince of Peace, and never gives up her sass.

For the full book review, click HERE.

  1. Picturing Heaven by Randy Alcorn, Illustrated by Lizzie Preston

Subtitle: 40 Hope-filled Devotions with Coloring Pages

Genre: Devotional/Adult Coloring Book/Inspirational

Quotable: “God’s children are destined for life as resurrected beings on a resurrected Earth. We must not lose sight of our true destination!”

My review: This book features beautiful spreads illustrated by Lizzie Preston with special gold overlays and short devotionals by Randy Alcorn. The beautiful images designed for coloring initially attracted my attention, but it was the deep reflections paired with scriptures that invited me into the Heaven conversation anew. What I like most about this book is that it breaks down some of the main themes from Alcorn’s original Heaven book into easy-to-understand nuggets.

 For the full book review, click HERE.

  1. Daring to Hope by Katie Davis Majors

Subtitle: Finding God’s Goodness in the Broken and the Beautiful

Genre: Christian Living/Inspirational

Quotable: “My hope is a flickering flame that has weathered wind and storm. Somehow, God will not allow it to be completely blown out. He sustains me. No matter how desperate things become, somewhere deep inside me He has placed the audacity to hope, the daring to believe that this time, things could be different.”

My review: Daring to Hope is a book about holding on to hope when you’re bone-weary and broken. Katie’s poignant storytelling and vulnerable sharing invites readers in. She grapples with the death of a friend, the sickness of many in her community, the suffering of her children. She walks a tightrope across life and death and still manages to embrace the extraordinary in the ordinary. She returns again and again to God’s Word and her purpose to give Him glory.

For the full book review, click HERE.

 

What are some of the books you read in 2017? What is on your bedside stack for the new year? Comment below. I share reviews and recommendations regularly in my Glorygram. Join my community HERE.

*Disclaimer: DorinaGilmore.com uses affiliate links for things Dorina has bought and/or used personally. If you click through her referral link, at no additional cost to you, she earns a commission if you make a purchase. 

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January 2, 2018 Categories: Book Reviews, Navigating GriefTagged: community, compassion, death, family life, flourishing, friendship, Grief, inspirational, relationships, self-care, serve, social justice, struggle, transitions, world travel

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Meet Dorina

Aloha, friend! If you love stories, you are in the right place. I write about grief, glory, running, food, and more. I hope these words inspire you to chase after God’s glory in your life today!

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👀 Seeing this book baby on Amazon for pre-sale today made my day! I can’t wait to for you to hold her in your hands next Spring when she enters ...

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Aug 15

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👀 Seeing this book baby on Amazon for pre-sale today made my day! I can’t wait to for you to hold her in your hands next Spring when she enters the world! 📚 
📖 When Zayla asks her mom to describe God’s glory, Mama knows it’s time for an adventure! Together, Mama and Zayla discover how sunrises and dancing, daffodils and green peppers, kind words and loving hugs—and more!—are all reminders of God’s glory. ☀️ 
🥳 Huge shout out to @alyssadeasis for creating this gorgeous cover! 
👉🏾Where did you see God’s glory today?
🏷 TAG a friend who might like this multicultural book for kids of all ages! 
Pre-order using this link: https://amzn.to/3dymw2w or DM me and I’ll send it to you!
#kidlit #picturebook #bookcover #bookcoverdesign #glorychasers #weneeddiversebooks #multiculturalbooks @waterbrookmultnomahkids #kidsbooks #christianbook #jesusgirl
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Today I’m walking through Psalm 96 with you. This one kind of just puts a spring in my step. I can hear the music behind the words! 🎶

...

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Aug 12

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Today I’m walking through Psalm 96 with you. This one kind of just puts a spring in my step. I can hear the music behind the words! 🎶 
I’ll be honest. I’ve been feeling wonky and weighted this week. I just turned in my book Tuesday and then had to tackle my mile-long to-do list and get my kids ready to go back to school. 
I woke up feeling down but this praise psalm lifted my head and reminded me who God is. I can lean on him and count on His character when I feel weary.
🌥Friend, how are you on this Friday? How can I pray for you? 
#devotional #prayer #biblestudy #encouragingwords #jesusgirl @incourage #glorychasers #hisword
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I loved this conversation we had on Episode 10, Season 2 of Eat Pray Run with Gena Anderson. Gena is a Jesus-lover, writer, and nurse practitioner who...

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Aug 12

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I loved this conversation we had on Episode 10, Season 2 of Eat Pray Run with Gena Anderson. Gena is a Jesus-lover, writer, and nurse practitioner who loves to share wellness information and inspiration to the world around her. She is the author of The Well Woman: A Journey to Wellness Through Loving Jesus. She proudly holds the title of wife, mom, and the world’s most average CrossFitter. She shares why rest and meekness are strengths!
🎧 Listen anywhere you find your podcasts! 🎧
29 7

✏️ First day of school for my 5th, 8th, and 11th graders! We love how our school kicks off the year with a Convocation, including worship, prayer ...

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Aug 11

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✏️ First day of school for my 5th, 8th, and 11th graders! We love how our school kicks off the year with a Convocation, including worship, prayer and encouragement for students (and parents!)
I will miss my girls - as I always do this time of year - but I’m excited for what God has in store for them this school year! 
👉🏾Are your kids back in school? What grades are they going into this year? 📚
#backtoschool #schoolgirl @fresnochristianschools #fresno #jesusgirl
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📚 This summer I helped co-lead a book club for women leaders with @sybilkolbert & @mari.tuten We read Ruth Haley Barton’s 📖 Strengthening ...

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Aug 11

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📚 This summer I helped co-lead a book club for women leaders with @sybilkolbert & @mari.tuten We read Ruth Haley Barton’s 📖 Strengthening The Soul of Your Leadership. 📚  This was such a powerful book that both challenged and inspired our group. 
Ruth Haley Barton invited us to an honest exploration of what happens when spiritual leaders lose track of their souls. Each chapter included a spiritual practice for soul nourishment. 
I loved the way she unpacked the story of Moses and his leadership journey. This book came right on time as I’m discerning next steps and next projects. 
👉🏾Do you have a process for discernment? What are you saying yes and no to this fall? 
@ruthhaleybarton #discernment #jesusgirl #leadershipdevelopment #leadership #womenleaders @leadloved #leadon #sabbath #soulcare
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