**I have just continued to go back and edit this so its pretty much just a recommendation spree. Books are my friends. Its so hard to choose between them.(I’m a nerd I know)

So a couple people have asked me to do this so here it is.

If you guys have any books that you think I would like, please comment! I’m always looking for another book to love:)

1. The Shadow of the Almighty by Elisabeth Elliot *The biography of Jim Elliot as told by his wife. Incredible insights into the life of this man of God and martyr of the faith. This is #1 because Jim Elliot in a lot of ways reminds me of myself, and he reminds me I’m not crazy. haha!

2.  The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S Lewis  *I refer back to these books constantly because the stories in them relate directly to reality. They are constantly teaching me about the Lord and about the world around me. There are many things about the Lord that are better understood by myself when related in allegory. If you haven’t already read these, you definitely should. C.S Lewis also wrote these that are awesome; The Four Loves, Surprised By Joy, The Screwtape Letters, The Weight of Glory (a compilation of his essays), and Mere Christianity.

3. Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza *The memoirs of a woman who survived the Rwandan Genocide. Trapped in a tiny bathroom with seven other women for three months, she found incredible depths in her communion with Christ.

4. If I Perish by Esther Ahn Kim *The memoirs of a woman who was thrown in jail for not bowing to Shinto Shrines during the Japanese occupation of Korea in WW2. Likewise, she recounts incredible stories of miracles, persecution, and how the Lord remained faithful through it all. The greatest strength of this book is that she relates all of her experiences to Scripture, and it has made me view so many Scriptures in entirely new light.

5. Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes by Brandon O’Brien and Randy Richards *This book will get you out of your western bubble to have insights into Scripture you never would have dreamed. So many lenses in our culture rob us of the deeper meanings found in Scripture.

6. Hinds’ Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard *An allegory about a young girl; “Much-Afraid” and how she is lead by “Suffering” and “Sorrow” to follow the path of the “Great Shepherd” to the High Places of faith and trust. Once again, allegory speaks to me profoundly.

7. Humility True Greatness by C.J Mahaney *Not only a description of what humility really is, but practical principles that will help us remember how insignificant we really are before the Lord.

8. Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxas *The biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a man who worked undercover in the Nazi regime to assassinate Hitler. Bonhoeffer also wrote much about what true discipleship and true fellowship is like. I highly recommend his books The Cost of Discipleship and Life Together. Bonhoeffer was caught and executed in a concentration camp two weeks before the war ended. Eric Metaxas does a wonderful job of compiling writings, letters, and family interviews to create a comprehensive and extremely encouraging account of the life of Bonhoeffer.

9. Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ by John Piper *A great description of the various characteristics and roles of Jesus found in Scripture. This will stir your affections for Jesus!

10. Reckless Abandon by David Sitton *David Sitton’s account of his own missionary journey into Papua New Guinea. Not only do his experiences give a very real and raw account of what foreign missions is really like, but his account reminds me of how real spiritual warfare is.

11. Israel My Beloved by Kay Arthur *I can’t believe I almost forgot this one because it is seriously one of my favorites AND one of my absolute favorite authors. Kay Arthur writes the history of Israel with Israel personified as a woman (as Israel is often depicted in the Old Testament). It begins with Israel leaving her Husband for secret meetings with other lovers, and ends with Him redeeming and rescuing His wayward, rebellious bride. I love this book so much I want to reread it right now! This will also stir your affections for the Lord. Kay Arthur also created my favorite Bible studies ever, Precept on Precept. These Bible studies gently guide you in searching out the Scriptures for yourself; book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. They can be a lot of work, but isn’t anything that gives us spiritual rewards? Heres the link: http://store.precept.org/By-Series/NASB-Workbooks/

There are so many more amazing books…maybe I’ll post some more later. But at this season of life, these are the ones that have impacted me the most. If you’re a young college student seeking to do some form of missions in the future, this is a great list.