Christian Books I Recommend

I'm reading some fiction Christian books this summer and really enjoying them. I've also just finished some BDSM-related ones, including The Story of O, and I've just gotten the Marquis de Sade's 120 Days of Sodom from the library. I'm not terribly into reading it just yet, since I think the subject matter will gross me out, but it is a famous book. Anyway, right now I can't bother with the heretical and blasphemous writings of the world's greatest pornography writer because I'm burning through Timothy LaHaye's Left Behind series. Do I have eclectic tastes in books, or what?

During the summer months, we all try to catch up on our reading. (My hubby is reading the Harry Potter series for the first time ever.) If you want some good spiritual food for thought, here are some of my favorite Christian books. You don't have to be a Christian to enjoy them, for for Christians especially, not only are these books entertaining and good reads, but they offer Biblical insights and can help you get closer to Jesus Christ.

Christian Fiction

• The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. One of my all-time favorite books, although a really deep wade for the non-theologians among us (including me!). I liked it better than any of his other good books, such as The Great Divorce or even the Narnia series.
• Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis. This trilogy is a sci-fi, futuristic look at Christianity as played out on Earth and other planets. My favorite, favorite of the trilogy is the second one, Perelandra, and you don't need to read the first one to understand Perelandra. I highly recommend it! This story re-enacts the story of Eden on Venus as Satan tries his old tricks on the King and Queen of the new world on Venus. Will these two fall as Adam and Eve did, or persevere and build a world based on obedience to God we here on Earth can only imagine?
• This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti. I love this one more than any of his other works, although his series for teens is also pretty good. Told from a fundamentalist perspective, the book follows the angelic and human characters as they fight demonic influences in the world. The sequel, Piercing the Darkness, is also good. I will say that though Peretti's look at demons in our world changed my life, my husband thought it was just okay and my mother was too freaked out by the darkness and the clear descriptions of demons to enjoy it.
• Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. The story of Hosea retold in the 1800s follows the story of a God-fearing man who struggles to love his unfaithful wife. It's the story of his wife that is so touching as her life changes and she slowly turns to Christ.
• Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. This series is one of the most famous modern-day works of Christian fiction and hit the bestseller list every time. Anyone interested in Revelations or apocolyptic literature will love it. The writing isn't up to par with Tokein or anything, and its told from a very evangelical and anti-Catholic point of view (which bothers me because I'm both Christian and Catholic) but is still a good read that brings to light a very interesting interpretation of biblical prophecy. I'm learning a lot about the Bible as I read this series.
• The Yada Yada Prayer Group. This one is a good, easy story about a group of Christian women with nothing in common who come together to pray and help each other survive.

Christian Non-Fiction

• The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. A must-read for any Christian in (or wanting to someday be in) a relationship.
• Liberated through Submission by P.J. Wilson. This book changed my life when I read it. It's hard to follow, enough that I keep re-reading it for a refresher every few years, and it's terribly simple, but the message of Christian submission is one that is firmly grounded in the Bible and not in popular culture. A great read for married men and women alike.
• The Spirit-Controlled Woman by Beverly LaHaye. I love this book and it changed my relationship with God and myself forever. However, I was disappointed with Beverly LaHaye that she and her husband just basically plagiarized entire chapters from his book The Spirit-Controlled Temperament and put her name on it. Still, I highly recommend this for any Christian women wanting to turn their lives around and walk more in the spirit. This is also a great book for anyone who likes psychology or to self-analyze.
• Too Blessed to Be Stressed. This one is by a black Baptist female preacher and talks about her walk and life.
• Love and Respect by Emerson Eggreichs. This book is a marriage help book told from a Christian point of view. Of course, the author acts as though his way is the ONLY way to have a marriage (nor surprisingly, women need love and men need sex---sigh), but it does have some good points and food for thought.
• And the Bride Wore White by Dannah Gresh. A wonderful book on sexual purity for unmarried women hoping to get married and have a Christian marriage someday. For men, there is a similar book co-written with her husband called Who Moved the Goal Post?
• Sex and the Soul of a Woman by Paula Rinehart. This book was so conservative it made me feel guilty and I didn't finish it the first time, but Paula has a valuable message about sexual purity before and after marriage. This book is especially helpful to victims of past sexual abuse.

Enjoy the summer and enjoy the readings!