Inside: My top books from 2022 are an eclectic mix of Christianity, fiction, and productivity reads, along with an Audible listen.
Where has the year gone? I do feel I did not read as much this year as in past years, but I was still able to take in quite a few books. Keeping track is still an issue for me. I’m not consistent. Goodreads is helpful, but I forget to update it. I need to put tracking my books on my list of priorities for 2023.
Audible is still a favorite way to take in more books. Somehow audiobooks help my chores and drive time fly by. I almost want to keep cleaning to finish a chapter!
You can see all my past book recommendations and visit my online bookshop of favorites here.
If you’re looking for more book recommendations, you can check out G3 Ministries and Tim Challies.
(See the bottom of the post where I share a link to my hopeful list to read a bit more widely for next year – I’m utilizing a mix of physical books, Kindle, and Audible reads. It’s a bit over the top for me, but I’m going to choose at least ten to prioritize and work through the rest as the year goes on. My rule was to only read books I already had in my possession, and I utilized the G3 ministries 2022 & 2023 lists to choose them.)
I am an eclectic reader, and not all my books are Christian books. The first book is my favorite of the year, and the rest are in no particular order.
If you’d like to get some encouragement on how to read more books take a listen to the EP 103 Simple Tips to Read More Books below:
Top Books of 2022:
Living Life Backward: How Ecclesiastes Teaches Us to Live in Light of the End by David Gibson
This book came to me from Truth for Life, and it was one of their Truthpartner monthly gifts. It was sitting in my pile to read, and I picked it up when I started reading Ecclesiastes in my yearly Bible reading. I highly recommend this one! It was the perfect read to take a moment and slow down and camp in Ecclesiastes for a bit. True wisdom remembering that as we keep the end in mind “shapes how we live out lives in the here and now.”
From Heartbroken to Hopeful: Gospel Hope for Parents of Prodigals by Shirley Elliott
I came across this book from a podcast from ACBC on encouraging parents with prodigal children with Stuart Scott, and he mentioned it, so I picked it up, and it was a hard one to put down. I shared thoughts from the book at one of our ladies’ morning devotionals (which could turn into a future podcast episode here). If you have a prodigal or know someone with one, this is a worthwhile read, and give the podcast episode from ACBC a listen too.
Devoted: Great Men and Their Godly Moms by Tim Challies
This book has been on my Kindle for a bit, and I finally sat with it this year. I enjoyed that it was easy to pick up and read various sections at a time, and I didn’t finish it in one sitting but over several weeks. Such a good reminder that you are a theologian mama, and your kiddos are listening and watching you, and you never know how you will impact their relationship with the Lord.
Redeeming Productivity: Getting More Done for the Glory of God by Reagan Rose
We are all given the same 24 hours a day, and we all desire to be good stewards of the time the Lord has gifted us. Reagan’s blog and podcast have greatly impacted how I manage my time to the glory of God. This book is one every Christian should pick up and read.
Here’s my review I shared on it:
“Reagan does such an excellent job in Redeeming Productivity to remind us that being productive as a believer isn’t about getting the most things done, but about being faithful stewards of what the Lord has entrusted to us. If you read one book on productivity as a Christian, whether you’re a full-time homemaker like me or a business executive, this should be your first choice. It’s practical, grace-filled, and applicable to all seasons of life. I am so thankful for this resource.”
The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age by Dave Jenkins
Dave’s book is a very timely one for the age we find ourselves in.
Here’s my review of his book:
Martyn Lloyd-Jones stated in referring to the Christian, “He is a man of one book; he starts with it; he submits himself to it; this is his authority.” The Word of God is truth, and it is our standard and definition of truth. In his most excellent, informative read, The Word Matters, Dave Jenkins lays out for us the importance of why we need to have a correct theological understanding of the doctrine of Scripture. When we grasp what terms like inerrancy, infallibility, and inspiration mean, it equips us to live out our daily lives in a way that honors the Lord. I’m grateful how Dave walked us through these terms and so many more issues and challenges we face as believers as we find ourselves in a world where the Bible is under attack. The Word Matters is a helpful, practical read that gives us a clear picture of what it looks like when God’s Word is your authority for all of life. My favorite reminder he gives us is, “Doctrine is not only to be believed; it should adorn our lives.”
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Everyone needs a good classic on their list, and I so loved this one on Audible. The narrator was perfect, and I continued on from here to Sense and Sensibility and to Persuasion. I did utilize free lectures from Covenant Theological Seminary to listen to along with my reading.
Loving Messy People by Scott Mehl
We are all messy, and we all need to learn as believers how to love one another well – this book is a good place to start. Scott takes real-life stories and shows us how to use biblical principles to come alongside others in a redemptive way. It’s a practical and encouraging read.
31 Ways to Be a “One-Another” Christian: Loving Others with the Love of Jesus by Stuart Scott
This book I kept this on my Kindle app on my phone and read it whenever I was waiting somewhere. I appreciate Stuart Scott’s ministry, and I listened along to the podcast he did in conjunction with this book on the one another’s. Great read as a devotional book to keep near your bible.
Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte
I’m a bit of a techy geek when it comes to personal knowledge management, and I use Roam Research and Readwise to keep track of quotes from all my various resources and to keep track of my personal notes and journal entries. Tiago’s book was a help to me in how to sort out the information I captured and especially helped in how to highlight and utilize quotes from books I’m reading.
Knowing God by J.I. Packer
Our church elders recommend quarterly book reads, and this was our Pastor’s recommendation for the last quarter of the year. I’m still finishing it as I’m writing this, but it makes the list. Chapter 5 on the incarnation alone causes it to make the list. I read it years ago, but this one is worth a re-read if it’s been a bit, and again, it’s another book every believer should put on their list to read. It takes time and is so worth it to sit with and work through all the good treasures that are in this book. If you desire to know God and get closer to Him, pick this one up.
You can see all my selections in my bookshop here or by clicking on the button above. Below is a glimpse into the physical books on my list. I did put all my physical books in one pile, my Kindle 2023 reads into a collection and organized my Audible listens too so everything is easy to find when I’m ready to make my next selection.
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