Top Ten Books of 2018 (and a Giveaway!)

 Putting books I love in the hands of people I love is one of my favorite things! So to wrap up 2018 and usher in 2019, I have a copy of each of my 10 favorite books of 2018 to give away. If you'd like to play along, comment on this post with the title of the book you'd like to be entered to win. You have through Wednesday, January 2nd to enter. We'll draw a winner for each of the 10 books at the end of the week :) I hope you enjoy this giveaway and have a wonderful New Year!

Here's my top ten reads of 2018:

The Ministry of Ordinary Places by Shannan Martin

This is the book I pushed the most people to read in 2018 :) Shannan's journey from living her dream as a cute little country housewife to ministering in her inner city neighborhood has clearly broken her open in the best of ways. You'll put this book down inspired to be a better neighbor and a better friend.

The Eternal Current by Aaron Niequist

Niequist makes a compelling case that our church culture focuses far too much on getting people to assent to the right beliefs, and not nearly enough on inviting people to embody the right practices. He gives beautiful examples of how a faith community can bring the ancient inheritance of our faith into a contemporary context using tools like centering prayer, forgiveness, the liturgical calendar, and the discipline of listening.

The Map of Salt & Stars by Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar

This hauntingly beautiful novel weaves together the stories of a modern Syrian refugee family and  an adventuring mapmaker's apprentice living 800 years prior. The storytelling is masterful. If you're looking for a book filled with strong, resilient women or written by woman of color,this is a great pick for you.

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

An inspiring true story of how the author walked alongside his mother as she slowly succumbed to pancreatic cancer and how reading together cemented their bond in her final days, this is not a cheerful book, but it is a beautiful tribute to a life well lived in service and a fascinating record of a diverse collection of books.

The Read Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie

As a homeschooling mom of 6, there's no one better equipped to encourage and equip us in building a family culture around books than Sarah Mackenzie. There are lots of helpful tips and wonderful booklists for every age group, including not only the typical read aloud standbys, but also some great modern titles. 

 The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

This tale of four exceptional children who must use their unusual gifts to thwart a dangerous villain won over our entire family. Witty and clever with delightful themes of friendship, teamwork and truthfulness, we devoured the entire series. Ideal for ages six and up, I'd say.

I'm Still Here by Austin Channing Brown

Brown's description of what it's like to live with the daily reality of racial injustice as a black woman in America is utterly compelling. I learned a lot from this book. It exposed plenty of places in me where my thinking and behavior are not nearly as open-minded or equitable as I'd like to think. If there is one book from this year that I would get everyone in my life to read if I could, it'd be this one.

Pilgrimage of a Soul by Phileena Heuertz

In this book, Heuertz describes how Christ led her deeper into her True Self showing her how contemplation is essential to the active life. Through her pilgrimage along the Camino in Spain, she experienced the transformation her marriage, her identity, and her understanding of what it means to live in service to the poor.

Stretched Too Thin by Jessica Turner

With vulnerability and humor, Jessica offers practical strategies around common stressors for working moms including boundaries, housekeeping, relationships, a self care drawn from both her personal experience and her survey of over 2000 working moms. 

Forgiving God by Hilary Yancey

This gripping memoir recounts Hilary's wrestling with God after learning that her son, Jack, would be born with significant disabilities. In the midst of her pain, the paths that had once led her to God no longer worked. She describes with raw emotion how she journeyed through her pain to a deeper, more authentic path. If you've ever felt abandoned by God, I'm sure this book will speak to you.

Don't forget to comment below with the title if you'd like to add one of these books to your library. I hope you win!