I believe the content that fills our minds and occupies our time shapes the lives we live and the people we become, very much like the adage, “you are what you eat.” This is the meat that feeds the ministry I’ve felt called to pursue and is why I intentionally prioritize my role as both a student of God’s Word and a continuing education reader and learner. 

I added book reviews to my platform in 2017 with the hope to share what I’m currently reading, to partner with authors and publishers to critique new releases, to introduce books of potential interest to my audience and to promote books I have personally found to be compelling, constructive, or informational.

It’s always interesting for me to compile all the books I read throughout a given year for this post. Some years my reading content is diverse in topic or theme (like last year) while other years I discover commonality amongst the books and studies I completed. 2022 was a year centered around spiritual growth and many of the books I read pertained specifically to American culture, Christianity, and the biblical way forward. 

In total, I finished 8 Bible studies and read 25 books that will be featured in this year’s book recap. For your benefit and consideration, I organized the following “works completed” by:

1. General topic or theme.
2. Title and author’s name. There are links included for each book I publicly reviewed.
3. A list of my favorite MUST-READ books for the year

Enjoy!

Non-Fiction Books & Bible Studies Completed in 2022

Bible Studies

1. Arise: A Study on the Book of Nehemiah by the Daily Grace Co.
2. Seek: A Walk Through the Psalms (Psalms 61-90) by the Daily Grace Co.
3. More Than Anything: A Study on Idolatry by the Daily Grace Co.
4. Opposition & Opportunity: The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah by Proverbs 31 Ministries (in coordination with the First5 app)
5. Covenant: The Books of Ruth, Esther, and Song of Songs (by Proverbs 31 Ministries in coordination with the First5 app)
6. James: Faith/Works by Matt Chandler
7. Isaiah: The Promise of the Messiah by John MacArthur
8. Discovering Your Identity: Understanding Who You Are in God’s Eyes by Charles F. Stanley

Spiritual Growth/Faith

1. God So Close: Experience a Life Awakened to His Spirit by Becky Thompson
2. In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character by Jen Wilkin
3. My Yes Is On The Table: Moving From Fear to Faith by Jennifer Hand
4. Identity Theft: Satan’s Greatest Crime Against Humanity by Duane Sheriff
5. Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World That Rejects the Bible by J. Warner Wallace
6. The God Who Stays: Life Looks Different With Him By Your Side by Matthew West
7. So Help Me God by Mike Pence (review posted on my IG & FB pages)

Apologetics/Christianity

1. Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Gregory Koukl
2. A Practical Guide to Culture: Helping the Next Generation Navigate Today’s World by John Stonestreet and Brett Kunkle (review coming in January 2023!)
3. Live Your Truth and Other Lies: Exposing Popular Deceptions That Make Us Anxious, Exhausted, and Self-Obsessed by Alisa Childers
4. No Reason to Hide: Standing for Christ in a Collapsing Culture by Erwin W. Lutzer
5. Faithfully Different: Regaining Biblical Clarity in a Secular Culture by Natasha Crain
6. Cultural Counterfeits: Confronting 5 Empty Promises of Our Age and How We Were Made for So Much More by Jen Oshman (review posted on my IG & FB pages)

Women’s Interests 

1. Find Your People: Building Deep Community in a Lonely World by Jennie Allen (review posted on my IG & FB pages)
2. You’re Not Enough (And That’s Okay): Escaping the Toxic Culture of Self-Love by Allie Beth Stuckey
3. Who Are You Following? Pursuing Jesus in a Social Media Obsessed World by Sadie Robertson Huff

Motherhood/Parenting/Family

1. More Than A Mom: How Prioritizing Your Wellness Helps You (and Your Family) Thrive by Kari Kampakis
2. Shiny Things: Mothering On Purpose in a World of Distractions by Amanda Bacon and Anne-Renee Gumley
3. Take Back Your Family: From the Tyrants of Burnout, Busyness, Individualism, and the Nuclear Ideal by Jefferson Bethke

Culture/Social Issues

1. The College Scam: How America’s Universities Are Bankrupting and Brainwashing Away the Future of American’s Youth by Charlie Kirk
2. The Grand Design: Male and Female He Made Them by Owen Strachan and Gavin Peacock (not pictured)
3. What Does the Bible Teach About Transgenderism by Owen Strachan and Gavin Peacock
4. Them Before Us: Why We Need a Global Children’s Rights Movement by Katy Faust and Stacy Manning
5. Oneness Embraced: Reconciliation, The Kingdom, and How We Are Stronger Together by Tony Evans
6. Revolution in World Missions: One Man’s Journey to Change a Generation by K.P. Yohannan

Books of the Year

It is incredibly challenging to narrow down my favorite reads of 2022 because so much of what I read this year was SO GOOD and SO RELEVANT to our current cultural moment. 

Even so, I’m holding myself accountable to choose the top books that had the biggest impact on me. To reemphasize, each of these picks are books or studies that I cannot stop talking about or recommending to friends, family members and fellow-book lovers I encounter (both online and those lingering around my local bookstore!).

So, without further ado, here are my TOP picks for the year…

Top Bible study recommendation of 2022: Tie!

Top book of 2022 for Things You Need To Know: 

MUST READ of 2022:

Runner-Up Books (ranked):

1. A Practical Guide to Culture: Helping the Next Generation Navigate Today’s World by John Stonestreet and Brett Kunkle
2. Faithfully Different: Regaining Biblical Clarity in a Secular Culture by Natasha Crain
3. The Grand Design: Male and Female He Made Them by Owen Strachan and Gavin Peacock
4. Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Gregory Koukl
5. The College Scam: How America’s Universities Are Bankrupting and Brainwashing Away the Future of American’s Youth by Charlie Kirk

***

I hope you found value in my recap of the books and bible studies I read and reviewed in 2022. I acknowledge my personal interests, life experiences and current season of life have directly contributed to how these books have impacted me throughout the year. Still, I believe my reading selections can speak to a variety of individuals who are seeking new reads for the new year. As always, feel free to comment, share, or message me about any and all books you have loved and can’t stop talking about! Referrals are the best way to discover new reads!

My biggest takeaway for you, though, is this: 

Whatever occupies your time or your mind, may it be overflowing with positive, life-giving, truth-filled, and Christ-centered things that come from the Word and not the world. While I love to read, what I love more is refreshing my mind and spirit with biblical truth that speaks life and love into my heart. 

^“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into His most excellent harmonies.” 

Philippians 4:8-9 (MSG)

*This number does not include any fictional books I leisurely read nor any formal or group bible studies I completed through church or through Christian women’s groups. I primarily read non-fiction books written through the lens of a biblical worldview, but also read books written from secular perspectives when the subject matter is of personal interest or is topically beneficial.

**A portion of the Christian non-fiction books I read in 2022 were in partnership with publishers, authors and/or faith-based marketing agencies in exchange for promotion and an honest review (partnerships are always mentioned in the footnotes of my reviews). Any other book I read was of my own choosing and personal purchasing.