Three Books that Changed My Life [and Book Giveaways]

Book Giveaways: But before I get to the list – One of the benefits of blogging is I get free books! So in light of sharing the love I’m giving a book away every month once a month! This month the book is Love Does by Bob Goff.  I’ll choose three people who subscribe below (or are already subscribed) I’ll shoot an email out to everyone and let ya’ll know who the lucky three are! Just subscribe right here:

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There’s not enough time in the world for me to read all of the books that are my “must-read” list.

I don’t know about you but a good book to me is a book in which I get lost in. One of those “I-forget-that-real-life-is-happening-around-me” type books. For me, in order for a book to be a must-read I want my life to be changed because I read that book. Here are 3 books I’ve read in the past that have completely changed my outlook on life and a new perspective on my faith.

Mans Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl – I just got around to reading this, and it was just as amazing as I heard it was. Frankl, a survivor of the Nazi Death Camps, documents his life-altering experiences. He acknowledges the fact that we cannot avoid suffering, we can choose how to cope with suffering so that we can move forward as healthy better people. Frankl having studied underneath Sigmund Freud, disagreed with freud’s belief that we are meant to pursue pleasure, he believes man is meant to pursue purpose and meaning and that it is only when man cannot find purpose he fills this void with meaning.

The Historical Christ and the Theological Jesus By Dale Allison – This is such a great read for anyone who’s Christian and has struggled with doubt due to intellectual thought. It’s personal, raw, and therefore completely relatable. Allison openly discusses his faith journey as an evangelical diving into his search for Jesus and comparing his findings about Christ Historically to what he knew about Jesus “biblically”. Anyone struggling with faith, doubt, or the tension between academia and Christianity, this is a must read.

Crazy Love by Francis Chan  – I know for many “intellectuals” out there, you’re probably rolling your eyes at this. For me this book was life changing in so many ways. Partly it was the timing. What I mean by that is I caught word of Francis during my first year-long internship at a 2,000 congregant Presbyterian/evangelical church located in the suburbs of San Francisco. Pastoral ministry was not exactly what I had expected it to be, and this book was written for those of us who are just crazy in love with Jesus and willing to do, say, or go anywhere despite the suffering involved… It’s an easy read (some say shallow) but for me it was just what I needed to rekindle my faith and hope for the Church who’s love for Christ might be considered “crazy”.

What about you guys? Any books you reccomend I should read this summer?