Sunglasses? Yep. Ice tea? Yep. Comfy chair? Yep. You’re all set . . . except for a book. You need the best summer reading list for personal growth. Yes, I know you have a novel all picked out, but you really do need a more serious book too. Just to balance you out. So here you go—four of my favorite mentoring books that deal with all sorts of issues that trip us up in life.
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Safe People
Safe People by Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend
*book cover from Goodreads
Have you ever lost a friendship or other relationship and wondered what went wrong? Do you live on planet earth?!? Safe People explains what it is that qualifies some people to be relationally safe and others not. You’ll also learn how to be a safe person—just in case . . . you know . . . you might be *oh-my-gosh* part of the problem.
Townsend and Cloud’s 20 traits of relationally unhealthy people nail it. The practical explanations for growing healthy relationships serve as encouraging tools to move forward after a relationship sours. Wish I had read this book years ago. And reread it every five years.
Hidden in Plain Sight
Hidden in Plain Sight: The Secret of More by Mark Buchanan
*book cover from Goodreads
Beautifully written. Truth that hits you in the gut and wipes your tears. Stories that bring a point home. Hidden in Plain Sight uncovers the secret to getting past the old wounds, fears, and bad habits that haunt your life.
Virtue, no longer an archaic term, becomes your #1 word and its practice your joy. You’ll find Jesus closer and more real at the end of your reading than at the start. And you won’t want to go back to your old way of living.
Mark Buchanan is one of my most favorite authors. Honest. His candor draws me in and I ride for hours on his creative turn of words. Grab a cup of coffee, this book, and sit down for a summer of growth.
“oh shift!”
“Oh, Shift!”: How to Change Your Life With One Little Letter by Jennifer Powers
*book cover from Goodreads
Fun. A little off the wall. Honest. Witty. Testy language. And full of advice for those who need a shift in their relationships. The author’s secret? Practical steps to look at life differently through small gear shifts in your perspective.
Jennifer’s style is different, and I like it. (Any author who admits to being a “self-reflection whore” has my attention.) The layout in “Oh, Shift!” makes an easy read with various font styles and sizes, indents, and wisely placed white space—a good memory tool.
This book’s headed to my college aged kids—they tend to make mountains out of mole hills. I’m thinkin’ they’ll read something in their own lingo and style. (Admit it. Don’t you pass books on to your kids who need advice from someone other than a parent?)
Loyalty, the Reach of the Nobel Heart
Loyalty: The Reach of the Noble Heart by Bob Sorge
*book cover from Goodreads
Bob Sorge’s book sounds a battle cry for loyalty to God and to the leaders in your life. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a book on this subject. But it’s needed. Loyalty is a lost art and a little known weapon of spiritual warfare. Bob defines loyalty through stories and Scripture. He explains how to express it during difficult times in very practical examples.
In my opinion—you did ask for my opinion, right?—Loyalty: The Reach of the Nobel Heart should be required reading for all friendships. Marriages. And leadership. The hard part is living it out in our day-to-day lives. This book makes it easier.
Best summer reading challenge
List one book in the comment section below that you plan to read this summer—one that will help you stretch and grow in your relationship with Jesus and others.
Thanks! Susan
“Jesus likes it when we share.” -Adelaide, age 3: Pass this along to everybody and their brother. OK, maybe not everybody’s brother, but you know . . . all of your friends would be nice.
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