Books Archives - Kristi Woods

A Christian Top 10 of the Year

December 30, 2019 by Kristi 4 Comments

We’re nearing the end of the year; do you make a list of your top 10 for the year? Here’s one–with podcasts, musicians, Bibles, books, posts, and more–compiled for Christians like you and me.

Sorry, but there’s nothing scientific about this post–mostly. A few of the top items made the list because you have read the posts, clicked the pins, or something similar. They’re your favorites. Those are scientific–or at least based on numbers. Others made the list simply because they’re loved. 🙂 Either way, I hope you find something new, encouraging, and faith-building. Comment with some of your favorites as well. After all, sharing is caring. 🙂

1. 2019’s Most Popular Post

Folks love this one. I have to admit, I do too because there’s such a wealth of maturity, focus, and desire combined in the podcasts in this blog post: Top Christian Podcasts to Encourage You.

2. Favorite Outreach this Year

In the past, children in India have received books about Jesus from us. We’ve sent hurricane goods to Puerto Rico. I’m sure you’ve served in many other ways, too, and have a favorite service organization or outreach this year.

Many organizations and people await, but this year’s favorite award goes to Finally Family Homes. This group helps fund housing for foster children who are aging out of the system. It offers a safe place for them to launch into adulthood–not into homelessness or the sex trade which are both far too common. Its ministry is laser-focused on the orphans God so dearly loves. And we can be part of that.

3. Top 10 of the Year: Podcast

How about a tie?

This specific podcast episode encourages Christian writers and possibly others as well. Recorded earlier but found in 2019, it features John Bevere on The Thrive Time Show.

A testimony-based podcast that I’ve grown to love is the By His Grace podcast with host Misty Phillips. When I drive nearly 2 hours to Oklahoma City for Christian fiction writer meetings, I listen to this podcast. So many stories. Such beautiful encouragement.

***Stay tuned for my podcast on iBelieve.com. Coming in 2020.***

4. Top Christian Non-Fiction Book

Seated with Christ blew me away. It’s one of those books that will sit on my shelf for years to come. I’ve already purchased and given away several copies. Have you grabbed your copy yet? (Yes, it’s that good!)

413437: Seated with Christ: Living Freely in a Culture of Comparision

Seated with Christ: Living Freely in a Culture of Comparision
By Heather Holleman

Many of us live half alive. We compare, compete, self-analyze, and self-promote in our endless, busy pursuit of perfection. Seated with Christ heralds a new kind of living. If it’s true what Scripture says, the we are treasured by God and given a place at his table, then all we need to do is to take our seats. Heather Holleman shows us how. Take your seat and live–simply, freely, fully–because of Jesus, for Jesus, and in the love of Jesus. Quit trying: be free.

5. Top Christian Novel of the Year

Soooo…there might be another tie for my favorite Christian novel of 2019. You won’t find any church potlucks in these two, but what you will find is a closer look at relationships through storytelling.

Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan, a historical fiction piece about the wife of C.S. Lewis, mesmerized me. It contains some tough subject-matter and a rough word or two, but this author kept me reading like a parched soul sucks down a tall glass of cold water on a humid, sun-scorched, hundred-degree day.

Becoming Mrs. Lewis
By Patti Callahan

Call Charles Martin a prolific writer and an award-winner. For good reason, goodness! He submerges deep into relationships and social topics–all while weaving the beautiful thread of Christ’s love and redemption within stories. It’s amazing, really. Deep with description, reading past the first chapter sometimes requires extra gumption, but carry on. You’ll be glad you did!

Long Way Gone is my all-time favorite (so far) novel of Charles Martin’s. And it makes our list for the top 10 of the year.

Long Way Gone
By Charles Martin

Announcing the Faith Library - light green with gold

6. Top Christian Musician/Group

It’s Lauren Daigle and for King and Country for the tie. (I just couldn’t choose. Really.) Both albums were published in 2018, but gained popularity in 2019.

Tony and I swayed, clapped, and jumped around at a for King and Country concert last year, and the creativity BLEW ME AWAY! Well worth the time.

Burn the Ships
By For King & Country

We missed Lauren Daigle’s concert this year due to Caleb’s football game, but her music…pure worship. How about you? Who’s your top Christian musician?

Look Up, Child
By Lauren Daigle

7. Favorite Bible of 2019

Two Bible reviews hit the blog this year. Which one was my favorite Bible? I’m choosing the Fresh Start Bible. It included extras that most other Bibles don’t have, and was exceptionally functional for both new and seasoned Christians.

8. Top 10 of the Year: Pin

Being a visual girl, I love Pinterest. So do other folks. And the top pin (one that folks clicked through to the blog) at KristiWoods.net this year is this one for 5 Ways to Grow Your Faith Today.

cross on a sky blue background with post title written in black in front — **Pin Me for Later!**

9. Top Message for the Year

When God delivers a message straight to your heart…goodness! 2019’s was strong. It came on the heels of the message “believe” which resulted in these two Bible studies. 2019’s message centered on perseverance. When God births a desire in us, when we run the race so beautifully, but then we grow weary due to opposition…then what?

A friend named Robin (check out her fiction works) encouraged me with Nehemiah 6:9. She felt impressed by God to share it. I soaked up every bit.

"Strengthen these hands, Lord." Joining me in praying Neh. 6:9 this new year. Listen to the message at #9 in the link, too. 🙂 Click To Tweet

Will you ask that of Him today, too, that He’ll strengthen your hands for the ministry journey ahead–however that might look? Scroll to the video at the bottom of this page to soak up the encouragement I shared with others. The Holy Spirit felt incredibly strong in and through me this night. And it all started with Robin sharing Neh. 6:9 at the breakfast table at a fiction writer’s retreat. Praise God! Enjoy the message, a definite top 10 for the year.

10. Favorite Scripture of the Year and Beyond

“I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 WEB)

I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of a Christian’s Top 10 of the year. Subscribers, don’t forget to stop by the Subscriber Library to gather your free faith-building downloads. Use these tools generously in your faith journey. Run the race well this year! (Not a subscriber, join us here.)

Happy New Year, friend!

The Jesus Bible {Review}

December 10, 2019 by Kristi Leave a Comment

Bible and title of blog post — **Pin me for later!**
*This post may contain affiliate links.*

Just in time for Christmas and our roll into the new year, we find another Bible review: The Jesus Bible. And the Scripture fanatics among us are cheering with delight. 🙂 Because isn’t God’s Word good?!

Have you crossed paths with The Jesus Bible yet? Zondervan Bible released this version in 2019. Oh my goodness, it’s absolutely beautiful!

What to Expect with The Jesus Bible

The Jesus Bible focuses on story–that of Jesus as told in one Bible, woven together by sixty-six books. After all, doesn’t story impact each and every one of us? Yours intersects with mine. Ours, whether together or individually, intersects with others. And so forth. Those stories, well as the Word of God, make a powerful impact on our faith.

The publishers and contributors to this Bible believe it’s best viewed as one story about one name broken into six acts: Beginnings, Revolt, People, Savior, Church, and Forever. The “Welcome” section gives a good overview of each of these.

What Will I Find in Each Book of the Bible?

At the beginning of each book of the Bible, you’ll find a brief introduction and a timeline. Look for sidebar articles that reveal Jesus–over 700 of them dotting the outer column of most pages. This layout proves easy to read and simply makes sense. It’s organized well.

Sidebar articles in Job include: “Suffering as Punishment?” and “To Judge or Not to Judge.” Matthew’s include “Paying the Temple Tax” and “Wealth and the Kingdom of God.”

Readers will also find helpful sidebar space for journaling and those beautiful artistic doodles and pictures.

Essays in The Jesus Bible

Also, readers will find seven compelling essays in this Bible. In Genesis, for example, John Piper provides one called “Beginnings: Jesus as the Supreme Display of the Glory of God.” Find other thought-provoking essays from other trusted and popular writers Louie Giglio, Max Lucado, Ravi Zacharias, and Randy Alcorn.

Components of This Jesus Centered Bible

Here are other components included:

Expect a comprehensive copy of the Word of God. It’s quite thick compared to others.

I’d rank it as one of the most beautiful Bibles I’ve encountered – when buying the one listed below. (There are a variety of options.) This one is artistic and feminine looking. Look for hardback and black options as well.

The Jesus Bible, ESV Edition–soft leather-look, multi-color/teal

Concordance included! (This is a VERY helpful tool to have at the back of a Bible…and if you’ve been around for a bit, you know this is one of my all-time favorite Bible study tools.)

I received an ESV (English Standard Version) copy. NIV (New International Version) is available as well. Its colors appear to be a tab more brilliant versus the ESV pastel version.

NIV, The Jesus Bible Comfort Print–soft leather-look, teal/multicolor

The version I received for review also includes gold page edges and two ribbon bookmarkers. I’d definitely rank this one high on the list for gift-giving Bibles. But regardless of how you use it, whether for self or others, I hope you enjoy this beautiful, life-changing story as it’s presented in The Jesus Bible.

A special thanks to BibleGateway and Zondervan for supplying a free copy of The Jesus Bible in exchange for an honest review.

She Prays { Book Review }

October 22, 2019 by Kristi 2 Comments

Have you heard of She Prays?

She Prays: A 31-Day Journey to Confident Conversations with God, a nonfiction Christian book, released recently. Have you heard of it? I hope so. If not, dive in and learn more. Because if you’re like me, this one’s a resource you’ll come back to again and again.

Is This a Book on Prayer or…?

It’s a gem! And a challenge to converse with God–with comfort and ease.

As I began scouring the pages of this book, that’s what came to mind. I hope we see She Prays around for years to come. It’s a challenge well worth taking.

Debbie Lindell authored this ministry tool. She and her husband, John, serve as lead pastors of a church in Springfield, Missouri. You also might associate her name with the Designed for Life women’s conference. (I’d not heard of it but wondered why after reading of its attendance reaching 10,000 women–just three hours from my home.)

She Prays is not a book on prayer specifically, but it is a challenge for new believers and seasoned Christians alike. This 31-day prayer challenge reads like a book but breaks each day’s reading into short and sweet daily portions. It’s easy to devour the allotted 2-4 pages each day.

She Prays — Tell Me More

I fell in love on the first day. There, on those opening pages, Debbie dives into prayer but handles it through the vehicle of salvation. Then she progresses to other topics–all through the vehicle of prayer. Call it authentic and gentle, not in-your-face, Bible-thumping style. I’ve honestly never read words threaded together, addressing prayer and the Christian walk in the way she does.

It’s broken into four, overarching sections and categorizes the prayer focus accordingly:

She Prays with Understanding
(Salvation, who we are in Christ, etc.)
She Prays with Knowledge
(Who God is, His provision, etc.)
She Prays with Trust
(God understands, waiting, lessons amid the darkness, etc.)
She Prays with Power
(Praise, Ask, Prayer, etc.)

Here’s What Else I Like About this Christian Read

The daily reading ends with an action step. Each is different and not your typical, end-of-the-chapter version. They’re creative. Unusual. Interesting. Impactful. And more.

Examples: Read a passage out loud, write a letter to God, or set a phone reminder to pray daily.

I also like that she includes space at the end of each day for notes, prayer, and journaling.

Other Helpful Book Reviews

Purple background with white oval and words announcing Created to Believe Bible Word Study

How to Use this Book

Use this book as a birthday, Christmas, Mother’s Day, or graduation gift. It lends itself to younger believers, but the author mentions growth as well, and that’s for all of us. (Because we’ve never learned it all, have we?)

It’d be a wonderful challenge for women or small groups. I imagine Christians growing in faith as they dive into this 31-day challenge together, sharing their insight and understanding.

Give it to a variety of folks. It crosses many categories.

Where Can I Purchase She Prays?

She Prays, the paperback and ebook versions, are available through the links below, which support Christian business, or wherever books are sold.

736822: She Prays: A 31-Day Journey to Confident Conversations with God

She Prays: A 31-Day Journey to Confident Conversations with God
By Debbie Lindell

102688EB: She Prays: A 31-Day Journey to Confident Conversations with God - eBook

She Prays: A 31-Day Journey to Confident Conversations with God – eBook
By Debbie Lindell

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The publisher supplied a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book Club Starts TONIGHT

Our book club starts tonight, Oct. 22. Find out more on the Free Christian Resources page under the Seated with Christ picture. Sign up today!

And don’t forget to go out and grab a copy of She Prays, too. It’s a book most will enjoy.