1. Life Is _____ by Judah Smith

I got this book as a present because my mom knows how much I connect with sermons given by Judah Smith. Judah and his wife Chelsea are the lead pastors of the City Church in Seattle, Washington. I started listening to sermons by Judah about a year ago and just can’t stop listening. I get so excited when the City Church puts up a new sermon I haven’t listened to yet. So, it was no surprise to me that I loved this book just as much as I love Judah’s sermons. This book digs deep into the question, “what is life?” This is a question that if you think about it too long can kinda make your brain hurt! However, the approach Judah takes makes it all seem really clear. He uses a great mix of light humor and incredible deep biblical truth to get across the message that “God’s illogical love will change your existence.”

2. Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst

I went into Barnes and Noble looking for a new book to read. Not really knowing what I was looking for, I just started pulling books from shelves, hoping one would speak to me haha! When I read this title, I was intrigued. “Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely.” I, like a lot of people I imagine, can struggle feeling truly wanted. So, I bought the book and began reading immediately. I felt so connected to Lysa and her story. Her story was my story in many ways. I finished this book knowing that circumstances do not determine my worth. Instead, I choose to live in the truth that I am loved and wanted by God.

3. Presence by Amy Cuddy

So I’m not going to lie, I didn’t want to read this book. It was assigned to me to read over the summer. So I buckled down and started reading. Although it isn’t a book I would pick up on my own, I can honestly say I enjoyed reading it. Have you ever heard about power posing? Maybe you have. There was a Ted Talk given by a women that went viral about these poses that induce feelings of self-empowerment. Amy Cuddy, the author of this book, was that lady in the Ted Talk. I didn’t believe in what she said at first, but with all the research laid out in this book, it’s hard to deny the obvious benefits of these poses. They have given many people the ability to feel powerful and live their life with undeniable presence.

Check out Amy’s Ted Talk here:

*Bonus book: I haven't read this entire book yet, but I have on good authority that it is a must read. I just started Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist. From what I've read so far, I'd say you should pick this one up as well.