Five Book Recommendations to Read Right Now
I’m an advocate of reading because of the abundance of knowledge and lessons that can be acquired from books. I’ve written about this a number of times on my blog and want to continue encouraging each of you to pick up a book.
One of the challenges of becoming a fervent reader is the uncertainty of knowing what to read. I find most of my favorite books through asking my friends, family, colleagues and fellow leaders for recommendations that they’ve found impactful and would consider a “must-read.”
Here are some of my recent favorite reads that I highly suggest.
“The Good Dad: Becoming the Father You Were Meant to Be” by Jim Daly
This is a necessary read for any fathers or parents. As parents, it is easy to compare ourselves and feel like we are less than adequate for the job. This book will encourage you. It tells incredible stories from the life of Focus on the Family President and CEO Jim Daly, specifically detailing his difficult childhood and how he overcame the challenges, essentially becoming an expert in fatherhood. Daly grew up in the Los Angeles suburb of Compton and was orphaned by age 13. One of the key takeaways Daly shares is the message of trying to be a better father rather than a perfect one. Daly stresses the value of building relationships with your children to lead them into who God made them to be.
“Finding Home: An Imperfect Path to Faith and Family” by Jim Daly
Unfolding the life of Jim Daly, this memoir takes a deeply personal look at his traumatic childhood. Daly’s story is inspiring for all readers to see how a young boy faced with great adversity emerged into a great man through God’s grace and provision.
“Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work,” by Tim Keller
Drawing from biblical wisdom, this book is phenomenal for understanding that God intended for us to labor. Keller offers insight on how to live a well-balanced life that lets us take our workplace passions and use them to impact society for God’s glory. This book transformed my outlook on how I can humbly serve and lead my co-workers and employees while cultivating a good attitude and perspective on my job.
“The Meaning of Marriage,” by Tim Keller
A book that I continually recommend because I believe it is one of the best written on marriage. I walk couples through premarital counseling, and I always require every single couple that I lead to read this book. It is just that good. Applicable for people in all stages of life - single, married, engaged, newlywed - Keller focuses on themes like friendship and commitment, discipleship and ministry through the lens of marriage among many others.
“Management Waste: 5 Steps to Clean Up the Mess and Lead with Purpose,” by Larry O’Donnell
Of course, my own book is a wonderful choice if you are looking to learn about servant leadership and consider how you lead others. Additional books for Christian business leaders that I’ve previously suggested can be found on this blog post.
I believe when you find a book that relates to your current stage of life, is on a topic you have a passion for, or one that tells a captivating story that pulls you in, it is so much easier to build the habit of reading and actually begin to love it. There are endless wonderful books to read and I hope this short list starts you off in a good direction. I’d encourage you to develop an ongoing list of recommendations you receive from others so that you never have to wonder what to read next - the ideas are already there.
I hope you are making reading a habit and consider these great books. Happy reading!