When you walk into any bookstore, or sift through the pages and pages on Amazon, you will be greeted by several appealing book covers and plot lines. It is easy to gravitate towards book titles that are running through the mainstream at the time, but what about the thousands of books that fly under the public eye?
How can someone possibly find decent books that don't revolve around sex, drugs and society's warped idea of love? It's a hard task to find books that are authentic and captivate audiences of all ages.
With that being said, I wanted to share my complied list of the top five Christian books that I have found throughout the years ranging from personal stories to life beyond our earthly existence.
1. "Heaven is for Real"
My first choice might seem super cliché and maybe many of you have already read the book (or have seen the movie), but if you're just starting to dip your toes into reading Christian books, why not start with the story of a small-town family and their son's account of heaven? This book shows that the innocent, child-like faith is one of the surest ways to have an amazing relationship with God.
2. "A World Away: The Quest of Dan Clay: Book One"
This has been, hands down, one of the best series I have ever read and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good, fictional, Christian-based book. "A World Away" is about Dan Clay's adventure to find his long lost brother. He had recently received information on the history of a nearby forest and after analyzing the facts and legends, Dan thinks his brother fell through a portal and is being held captive in a parallel world. This series follows not only Dan's quest, but also encompasses what life could be like after death.
3. "The Screwtape Letters"
To begin, C.S. Lewis is able to articulate his thoughts clearly and precisely that it's hard to not fall in love with any of his works. In this book, C.S. Lewis complies a set of letters showing the correspondence between a senior devil, Screwtape, and his nephew Wormwood. Throughout the letters, Screwtape gives insightful advice instructing Wormwood to tempt a human (the patient) away from heaven and closer to hell. This book not only points out the simple ways humans are tempted and fail to reach their fullest potential, but also sheds light on these temptations so that we can overcome the obstacles and see that God's grace and love reaches far beyond the powers of hell.
4. "The Boy Who Met Jesus"
This book is one of the most compelling accounts I've ever read. I say that because this book is about a 15-year-old boy, Segatashya, who was born penniless, illiterate and uneducated. He never set foot in any sort of church and had never opened a Bible, yet Jesus dared to come into this boy's life in 1982 and ask him questions that have consumed mankind for thousands of years. Jesus wanted to work through Segatashya to remind people how to live a life that leads them closer to heaven. This powerful account spread across the world as Segatashya's simple words touched even the coldest of hearts. Some even claimed that they were witnessing a modern day miracle. Add this to your list of must-reads this summer so that you too can go back a short 34 years to relive one of the greatest stories never told.
5. "Between the Savior and the Sea"
Between the Savior and the Sea is another good book to add to your summer reading list. This book is a novelization of Jesus' public ministry. Bob Rice brings the Gospel of Mark to life and gives these sacred words a tangible and meaningful taste to them. Rice is able not only able to shed light on some of the teachings throughout the Gospels, but is also able to bring to light the importance of St. Peter. As with any well-written work, this book will leave you wanting to deepen your relationship with the God who loves you unconditionally.
Whether you're looking for a lighter read or are ready to dive into the harder questions of the Christian faith, these five books are some to add to the summer reading list.
Check them out and enjoy what each book has to offer!
