As a believer and a woman, one of the things that I hope for most in life is to be able to grow closer to God every day and to mature, not only as a Christian, but also as an adult. This has led me down a path of reading cheesy self-help books that try to patch up and fix my life by providing tips and tricks to get my life together. In reality, such books never truly help because they don't really address the key to our problems: our soul. As believers in Christ, we have been equipped with many tools to grow in all the senses of our life. Primarily the Bible, God's direct word, followed by fellowship and a community of believers found at church. What I want to focus on today is books and guides written by wise men and women to help guide us with their own experience. These are but a few books that I, as a Christian woman, would like to read.

1. The Best Yes: Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands (by Lysa TerKeurst)

This amazing book is all about making right and godly decisions. In the words of the author herself, "deciding which situations deserve a 'yay' and which a 'nay.'" This book offers scripture filled insights on effective decision making. TerKeurst will encourage you to be honest, trusting, and focused (to name a few characteristics) as we discover the role that God wants for us to play. This great book has received 5/5 from Christianbook.com and 4/5 from Barnes and Noble. It can also be bought as a book and study guide set in both stores.

2. How to Love Your Neighbor Without Being Weird (by Amy Lively)

Many times in my life I have felt like God was pushing me toward someone so that I could talk to them about Christ and to share his wonderful love for us. However, many times I found myself frozen and not being able to do it because of fear and doubt. In this book, Amy Lively shares her own experience and tips she has learned along the way about reaching out to those around you even when you don't know them. From how to share the gospel, to using social media to form relationships, to taking the first step into loving your neighbor. How to Love your Neighbor is filled with bits and pieces of tips for Christians that long to form better relationships based on Christ with those who surround them. This book has a 3.9/5 from Goodreads and 4.5/5 from Christianbook.com.

3. Rising Strong (by Brene Brown)

With a nomination for Goodreads Choice Awards in the Best Nonfiction category, this book by Social scientist Brene Browns is sure to teach us a thing or two about getting up after having been thrown to the floor by our circumstances. "This is a book about what it takes to get back up and how owning our stories of disappointment, failure, and heartbreak gives us the power to write a daring new ending." says the book description. it has been given 4.6/5 by Barnes and Noble and is not only seen as a great book for believers, but also as a great self-help book for everyone looking to get back up after a hard fall in life.

4. Wild and Free: A Hope-Filled Anthem for the Woman Who Feels She is Both Too Much and Never Enough (by Jess Connolly and Hayley Morgan)

There are two main thoughts that constantly fill our minds with doubt and fear and make us wonder if we truly are worthy of grace a.k.a. Insecurities. Those insecurities are " I am too much..." and "I am never enough..." as women we constantly let ourselves be defined by what others think about us, but in reality it is all about what we think about ourselves and how worthy and wonderful we are to God no matter what baggage we carry or how much we lack. The Barnes and Noble description calls Wild and free "an anthem and an invitation in equal parts to find freedom from the cultural captivity that holds us back, and freedom to step into the wild and holy call of God in our lives. With fresh biblical insight tracing all the way back to Eve and a treasury of practical application, Jess and Hayley reveal how women today can walk in the true liberty we already have in Jesus." With 4.5/5 from Barnes and Noble and 4.4/5 from Goodreads.

5. Unashamed: Drop the Baggage, Pick up your Freedom, Fulfill your Destiny (by Christine Caine)

In this book Caine calls for women to leave their shame-filled life and to become a shame-free person. But how exactly can I do this? By finding my freedom in God from our apparent flaw filled self and thoughts of worthlessness. With her book Cain will prepare us "to step into the future confident, dearly loved, and empowered to be shame-lifters for others." This wonderful and empowering book is given almost five stars from Barnes and Noble.

This are but a few books that serve as amazing guides and

amazing reading material to improve your life. If you are a Woman and a believer in Christ, I exhort you to drop the cheap self-help books that try to fix your life without actually fixing your soul and to find yourself a book that will not only feed your life in this world but also your spirit.