my favorite books of 2011

I love to read. As a child I was always getting in trouble for reading because that’s all I would do, I wouldn’t clean my room, or do my homework, or go outside and play, I would just read. Over the years I’ve gotten a little less intense but I still love reading and I read some really great books in 2011. For me a good book is one that a) makes me feel emotion or b) makes me take action, and a really great book does both. Here are some that I recommend:

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From The American Dream by David Platt

This was my absolute favorite book of the year. It is a life changer. It was this book that made me stop dreaming about going to Africa one day but to actually do it. If you have not read this book yet I can’t recommend it more highly, I like it so much it is going to have it’s own blog post soon.

Cold Tangerines & Bittersweet both by Shauna Niequist

I love books where the author can have me laughing and crying along with her, and Shauna did just that. Each chapter are short stories of her life and how she has been able to find the beauty and blessings around her.

The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson

I read this book every year and I think it gets better every time. It’s a story about Ordinary who was a Nobody from the Land of Familiar and how he sets out to find his Big Dream. It was while I was reading this book for the first time that I realized what my Big Dream was and then while re-reading it this last year I realized I had forgotten about my Big Dream and now I make sure I am always working towards it.

Kisses From Katie by Katie Davis

Oh how I cried while reading this book. Katie is such an inspiration, giving up the ideal teenage life and going to live in Uganda working with orphans and ultimately becoming mother to 14 girls. I’m so inspired by this girl that is just a few years younger than me.

Heaven Is For Real by Todd Burpo

An inspiring true story of a five year old that went to heaven for a few minutes. This book has made me look forward to my time there.

Crazy Love & Forgotten God both by Francis Chan

I find these books both to be really great, though I did feel like they were lacking on how to take action, which is where I think David Platt did a really good job in Radical. Nonetheless, these are both great reads.

Out of the 40 books I read in 2011 these 8 were my favorites. For 2012 I am actually planning on reading less books so I have time for actually doing things.

What were your favorite books from last year? Any books to recommend for 2012?

with love,
Chantel