Best devotional books according to redditors
We found 143 Reddit comments discussing the best devotional books. We ranked the 85 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 143 Reddit comments discussing the best devotional books. We ranked the 85 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
John Chrysostom was awesome:
> The text, "God so loved the world," shows such an intensity of love. For great indeed and infinite is the distance between the two. The immortal, the infinite majesty without beginning or end loved those who were but dust and ashes, who were loaded with ten thousand sins but remained ungrateful even as they constantly offended him. This is who he "loved." For God did not give a servant or an angel or even an archangel "but his only-begotten Son." And yet no one would show such anxiety even for his own child as God did for his ungrateful servants. ... He laid down his life for us and poured forth his precious blood for our sakes-even though there is nothing good in us-while we do not even pour out our money for our own sake and neglect him who died for us when he is naked and a stranger.... We put gold necklaces on ourselves and even on our pets but neglect our Lord who goes about naked and passes from door to door.... He gladly goes hungry so that you may be fed; naked so that he may provide you with the materials for a garment of incorruption, yet we will not even give up any of our own food or clothing for him.... These things I say continually, and I will not cease to say them, not so much because I care for the poor but because I care for your souls. Homilies on the Gospel of John 27:2-3.
EDIT: My friends and I have been studying out of the Ancient Christian Devotional series for a couple of years, and I can't recommend it highly enough! There are three books and it covers the entire lectionary cycle. The quote above was from this week's readings.
cracks knuckles
The Imitation of Christ. Whether you're a Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Hindu, hell, even an atheist, you should read that book.
Here are some ideas.
RC Sproul's Essential Truths of the Christian Faith is a great summary of many key ideas.
His The Holiness of God is a classic that packs quite the punch.
Also by Sproul, The Crucial Question booklet series is a great series of shorter booklets that explore a few important topics in a bit more depth without being overwhelming.
Sproul's What is Reformed Theology? is a decent overview that is pretty approachable.
Beeke's Living for God's Glory is a decent introduction that I think can be helpful in that it starts to unpack some of the broader implications.
Looking at creeds and confessions is also solid. Here are decent ones for the Westminster Confession of Faith (and this one too) and Westminster Shorter Catechism and the Heidelberg Catechism.
In case you want to watch instead, Ligonier Ministries will post 1 free video from their teaching series every day.
As for listening, there is Renewing Your Mind
The "person of Christ" typically refers to Christology. Christ as having a human nature composed of body and soul and a divine nature.
At any rate, I think you would benefit from Mark Jones' work "Knowing Christ" and John Stott's work "[The Incomparable Christ](https://www.amazon.com/Incomparable-Christ-John-
Stott/dp/083083222X)"
And, FWIW, if we are to follow the inspired apostle, the best way to know Christ, will be a life marked with suffering becoming like him in his death and resurrection
> that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
--Phil 3:2-11
My top recommendation is Reformed Catholicity: The Promise of Retrieval for Theology and Biblical Interpretation by Allen and Swain. If you haven't read it please do. It's not the easiest read, but well worth the effort.
A close second is Rejoicing in Lament: Wrestling with Incurable Cancer and Life in Christ by Todd Billings. If you or a loved one are suffering, read this right away. If not, read it anyway for when the time comes.
A few more that I have on my list to read, but have not yet read:
When my kids were younger, they really enjoyed Grandpa's Box by Starr Meade. They also enjoyed several of the biographies by Simonetta Carr.
Currently, we're using Training Hearts, Teaching Minds in our family devotions and it's been very good.
An alternate-universe Shauna:
Prompted by a couple of the comments below referring to Amazon reviews, I went there to take a look, and ended up coming across this other author, who also happens to be named Shauna. I think it's pretty funny how familiar these titles seem (even though I'd never heard of her before). One of these has a forward by Brene Brown. Check out these titles!
Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living
Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life
Savor: Living Abundantly Where You Are, As You Are
Bittersweet: Thoughts on Change, Grace, and Learning the Hard Way
Bread and Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipes
The Amazon summary for Bread and Wine describes her as a mix of Anne Lamott and Barefoot Contessa.
I could recommend a few books :
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis
Quite light reading and have a good references for spiritual reflections in daily life.
Theology of the Body by John Paul II
This book change my perspective toward "sexual" issues in the modern world, nowadays.
My Daily Bread by Fr. Anthony J. Paone
I read this book daily, personally, whenever i found my faith challenged. As if the book understand my problem at that day.
I hope this help, God bless.
"My Daily Bread" is fantastic, that's a great place to start. Another one is In Conversation with God which is expensive, but could keep you busy for 30 years. Some bookstores sell it one volume at a time.
> further understanding of Christianity
https://www.amazon.com/Sources-Catholic-Dogma-Henry-Denzinger/dp/1930278225
https://www.logos.com/product/5206/summa-contra-gentiles
https://www.amazon.com/Treasure-Tradition-Ultimate-Guide-Latin/dp/193663936X
https://www.amazon.com/Hell-Its-Torments-Robert-Bellarmine/dp/0895554097/
https://www.amazon.com/Great-Heresies-Hilaire-Belloc-ebook/dp/B00V2S7OQ2/
>and how people practice and live with their faith
https://www.amazon.com/Imitation-Christ-Dover-Thrift-Editions/dp/0486431851
https://www.amazon.com/Way-Perfection-Image-Classics/dp/0385065396
https://www.amazon.com/Story-Soul-Autobiography-Therese-Lisieux/dp/0935216588/
>Fiction
https://www.amazon.com/Lord-Rings-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0395974682
https://www.amazon.com/Man-Who-Was-Thursday/dp/1603863303
>nonfiction
https://www.amazon.com/Orthodoxy-G-K-Chesterton/dp/1515241394
https://www.amazon.com/Heretics-Gilbert-K-Chesterton/dp/1490303022
https://www.amazon.com/Revolt-Masses-José-Ortega-Gasset/dp/0393310957/
https://www.amazon.com/Reality-Synthesis-Thomistic-Reginald-Garrigou-Lagrange/dp/1453612661/
Some ideas I've seen used around the churches I've been a part of and seen or read:
Sounds like a great opportunity to depend on God and grow in faith.
Books:
http://www.catholicgentleman.net/book/
http://www.amazon.com/Imitation-Christ-Dover-Thrift-Editions/dp/0486431851
http://cart.dynamiccatholic.com/Free-The-Four-Signs-of-a-Dynamic-Catholic-p/1fs-sc.htm
http://www.amazon.com/Christian-Fatherhood-Burnham-Steve-Wood/dp/0972757163/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1463572670&sr=1-2&keywords=christian+fatherhood
http://www.ignatius.com/Products/JWAY-P/josephs-way-the-call-to-fatherly-greatness.aspx
http://cart.dynamiccatholic.com/Free-Every-Mans-Journey-p/1emj-sc.htm
http://cart.dynamiccatholic.com/Free-Mission-of-the-Family-p/1motf-sc.htm
http://cart.dynamiccatholic.com/Free-A-Father-Who-Keeps-His-Promises-p/1fkp-sc.htm
http://cart.dynamiccatholic.com/Free-The-One-Thing-p/1ot-sc.htm
http://cart.dynamiccatholic.com/Free-Journey-to-God-p/1jtg-sc.htm
CDs:
https://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/facing-your-fears
https://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/the-3-stages-of-the-interior-life
https://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/contemporary-sainthood
https://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/becoming-the-best-version-of-yourself
https://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/title/discerning-god-s-will
Much more at:
http://dynamiccatholic.com/
https://www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/
http://www.ignatius.com/
Here are all the local Amazon links I could find:
amazon.co.uk
amazon.ca
amazon.com.au
amazon.in
amazon.com.mx
amazon.de
amazon.it
amazon.es
amazon.com.br
Beep bloop. I'm a bot to convert Amazon ebook links to local Amazon sites.
I currently look here: amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, amazon.com.au, amazon.in, amazon.com.mx, amazon.de, amazon.it, amazon.es, amazon.com.br, if you would like your local version of Amazon adding please contact my creator.
Living the Christian Year: Time to Inhabit the Story of God
Journey into the Heart of God: Living the Liturgical Year
I'm looking at [this] (http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/0995056706?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER) one
Two books on this topic you might benefit from are The Liturgical Year by Joan Chittester and Living the Christian Year by Bobby Gross.
https://www.amazon.com/Liturgical-Year-Ancient-Practices/dp/0849901197/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=liturgical+year&qid=1554396993&s=gateway&sr=8-6
https://www.amazon.com/Living-Christian-Year-Inhabit-Story/dp/0830835202/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=liturgical+year&qid=1554397106&s=gateway&sr=8-8
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01B76KBR2/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1524544905&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=adult+coloring+cards+to+color
My grandparents and dad always used [Living Faith] (http://www.livingfaith.com/).
Personally, I bought a Roman Missal and read the daily readings from that. The Catholic Company also has a wonderful "Morning Offering" email that formats like this.
As for a book that isn't meant to be a daily devotional but served as a great one for me on my first reading of it, thanks to its short sections, is Thomas a Kempis' The Imitation of Christ.
Good luck and welcome home!
As somebody that has been in a similar situation, I recommend the New testament challenge by Chuck Orr (amazon
It helped me read through the New testament in a structured format. As for going to church, you are fine going by yourself. If you are really nervous choose a larger church where you will most likely not be the only new person. I highly recommend making yourself vulnerable and stepping out of your comfort zone and participating in church activities. Most importantly pray about it. God will guide you in the right direction.
The most life-changing and influential book I have ever read is The Way to Love by Anthony de Mello.
Each chapter is short but powerful. De Mello gives simple advice that really makes you rethink the most fundamental parts of life, relationships, and the way you see yourself.
You might want to try meditation/mindfulness. Read the book Mindsight, it will teach you how and why this will help.
Think of your mind as the hub of a wheel. Imagine the spokes moving out in all directions, connecting to our sensations (our five senses & the external world), our internal body (heart, lungs, etc), mental activities (feelings, thoughts, memories), and interconnectedness (with other people and our surroundings). The rim.
At the center (the hub), we are at peace. Everyone has a hub. But often times we get stuck on the outer parts of the wheel (in your case, feelings, thoughts, memories & maybe interconnectedness) and we can't find peace. Meditation can teach you to recognize when you are on focusing on the rim instead of being at the hub. Being your thoughts instead of seeing them for what they are.
I'd also recommend "The Way to Love: The Last Meditations of Anthony de Mello". It's a very short book with solid advice. You've attached your happiness to your STBX. Any time we attach to something for our happiness, we can't be happy because we become anxious of losing it. In your case, you have lost it. I'm in the same boat, so no judgement. We have to learn that we don't need them (or anyone or anything else) to be happy. It takes time, and mindfulness can help with this as well.
Maybe these can help you.
You assume it is hard. It is not if you run into the proper arguments.
I used to be a Catholic until I've read The Kingdom of God Is Within You by Leo Tolstoy. This book is not against religion but FOR it. However, it presented Christianity in a light that made it so beautiful that my old view on my faith seamed like a distorted ugly monster.
For a more recent work with some eastern flavor, read The Way to Love: The Last Meditations of Anthony de Mello. It's palm sized and packs such a great punch.
The first one was banned by the Russian Orthodox Church. The books of the second author were banned for a while by Vatican (by the current pope to me more precise, back when he was a cardinal) The ban was lifted but the damage was already done (accidental publicity).
Both books are somehow PRO Christianity. If you read them you will discover a beauty in your own faith way beyond what you can imagine right now. And then, you will try to evolve your understanding... and in this evolution, you will probably reach atheism at some point.
Non-mobile: this
^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?
Hey, arguing was the wrong word to use. You know, we may disagree on stuff, but if seeking God makes you happy and makes you feel like you're changing for the better, you keep on keeping on. I'm honestly really happy for you, ya know?
Also, I want to recommend this. I just finished reading it myself, and it helped me to really understand the deepness of our savior's love. It takes the gospels and expounds them in short story form with little explanations at the end.
Anyway. Have a good day, yeah?
Not from a book. It's from this small card collection called Creative Expressions: Cards to Color and Share
I got this one - and now that I check, it doesn't actually start til August 1st. Ahh! They have a ton of really cute designs.
I bought this Bible study journal with it too, interested to see how it goes.
I always recommend Face to Face by Kenneth Boa. Very accessible and combines Scripture and prayer for a powerful devotional.
One thing that is cool is the Forward Day by Day from the Forward Movement: http://prayer.forwardmovement.org/forward_day_by_day.php?d=28&m=8&y=2017
Year A/B/C Ancient Christian Devotionals: the late Thomas Oden started this series with Year A and others completed the B & C volumes. Year A is the current one until Advent, then we move to Year B. Might be a cool addition to your prayer practices.
A: https://smile.amazon.com/Ancient-Christian-Devotional-Readings-Lectionary/dp/0830834311/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503944031&sr=8-1&keywords=0830834311
B: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005JZ33AK/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
C: https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Christian-Devotional-Lectionary-Cycle-ebook/dp/B002Y289F0/ref=pd_sim_351_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=FXX2DCV93YCEDYC4778N
Gently? Not sure, but try The Way to Love by Anthony de Mello, a Jesuit priest. Read the Amazon preview.
It's not a 365 devotional, but I have enjoyed this book recently. Scriptural prayer without being rote.
My husband's parents were curious as to why I was getting packages literally EVERY SINGLE DAY.. between personal orders, my bestie surprising me, & you guys! So he explained RAOA to them. I'm not sure what was said, or their reaction.. but I'm sure mom gave him one of her famous looks. You know the type. I want to get her this, this, & this. (Sorry for more than one item -- I couldn't choose! I'm not religious in the slightest, so I don't know which she'd appreciate the most) She always writes verses on Post-its & places them around the house ALL the time. I feel like she'd LOVE them.
My husband on the other hand.. completely different reaction. He thought it was really cool, bc it allows me to socialize (since I don't have friends out here), fulfills my need to gift people & spread happiness, and he knows how much I like getting mail. He totally gets it. He even stole one of my gifts! 😂
Well, okay, but you asked people to describe how it feels. I am saying that it feels very much like when you get the warm-fuzzies looking at a sunset or cuddling a puppy or whatever. It's no coincidence many poets compare love to nature.
Anthony De Mello was a Catholic priest, but don't let that put you off reading his works, as he was essentially banned by the Church. This book describes what I was talking about - attachments vs preferences and how love is not something that can be "found," but something that is always with us:
http://www.amazon.com/Way-Love-Meditations-Anthony-Classics/dp/038524939X
I've been researching love for years - all different angles. One of my favorite topics!
You may also be interested in this book as well:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_General_Theory_of_Love
... more of a scientific/rational approach. Discusses the concept of limbic resonance:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limbic_resonance
You might also just want to start here -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love
> I am talking about the love people feel for each other, not some ethereal love for the universe.
It's not a love for the universe. It's love as energy, something within us. When we feel love for another person, what we are experiencing is a reflection of the love that is already within us.
Please buy this book and read it everyday...one chapter at a time
http://www.amazon.com/Way-Love-Meditations-Anthony-Classics/dp/038524939X/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1317512197&sr=1-2
>Also, ebook available? I'm usually a fan of hardcovers, but in recent years I've bought more digital books.
It's available on Kindle.
Sure! I guess it's a first step, but it's not enough or something one can really do apart from religion, i.e. without entering in the Church he founded and using of the sacraments he instituted for us.
... You might find intersting this classic of Christianity: the Imitation of Christ, and here's an online version.