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“I want to be a writer who cracks hearts wide open with true and honest words about the devastating, raw, radical and amazing love of Jesus Christ.
And I want to be a reader whose soul stays cracked, just a bit, always ready to be filled with more words from other writers doing the same thing.”
This is what I wrote in my journal a few months back after reading the last word of a particularly inspiring book. These are the kind of thoughts that great pieces of writing bring out in me.
Profound, I know.
Long before I ever knew that I wanted to be a writer, I was a reader, an insatiable one at that. In books I found an escape from my everyday where I felt powerless and small (though I wasn’t either, really) to worlds where beautiful gardens grew in secret behind lock and key or shipwrecked kids learned to live on beautiful islands inhabited by blue dolphins. I dreamed of living in Green Gables and wished I could be as spunky and cool as Ramona. I didn’t just read books, I lived them.
Today, nothing has changed. Books are still my home. They are my relaxation. They are my safe place. They are my “me too” and “a-ha” and “on no” moment creators.
Books connect us. They pull the string of humanity tighter.
Books are powerful.
And while novels move me, real-life books change me. I am drawn to authors who write soul-baring works of bravery and depth. Works that are unashamed in their nitty-gritty. Authors whose stories are anything but perfect, but who somehow speak of grace and love with better depth than any that have walked the line their whole life. They are mess-ups, screw-ups and outcasts. They have dirt under the fingernails and scars on their souls. But they fight hard with their words for others. They know immeasurable grace and kindness because of, not in spite of, their less than perfect lives.
These are my people. Sure, they may be rough around the edges and probably curse more than they should (seriously, if you are opposed to cursing, don’t read any of them except the Niequest book), but they’re real. And they’re honest. And these books moved my soul back into place. Led me with their words closer to Jesus each day. And changed my life.
So, friends, if you read or even if you don’t, give these a try. If you’re searching, wandering, wondering for something to make sense grab one of them and start reading. They speak a language we can all understand, and we all need to hear. They speak soul.
Hallelujah Anyway by Anne Lamott
In life, timing is everything. And sometimes books enter your life at the exact moment you need them. This is no accident, I’m sure, and it happened to me with this tiny little sliver of a book. I read it this summer sitting on the shores of Lake Michigan during one of the hardest seasons of my life, a moment of deep inner turmoil, and it spoke right to my heart. There is something about Anne’s combination of humor, truth and grit that speak deep to my heart. This book is about rediscovering mercy, letting it seep deep into your soul. It is a life-altering hug from a writer who has lost and found mercy many times over. It is soul food at its finest.
Rising Strong by Brene Brown
These things, they’re life. Face down moments happen. We all need to sit down with pen to paper sometimes and write out a Sh***y First Draft once in a while. And we all rumble with life. We are all looking for a way to rise out of our circumstances, our lives, and our own mess to finally find freedom. Brene helps us do it. Rising Strong is about falling down, getting up, and moving on. It’s about life and love and failures and winning. It’s meant to be read, devoured, poured deep into our souls. I promise, it’s a game changer, no matter where you are in your rumble.
Let’s Pretend this Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
This isn’t a deep, life-altering book that feeds your soul like most on this list. It’s honestly more of a laugh-til-you-cry-almost-too-hilarious-to-be-true memoir. It’s a romp of a book through the authors unimaginable childhood filled with taxadermied squirrel puppets (if you read that story and don’t laugh you have no soul), deer carcasses in the living room, and mildly insane parents. It’s the funniest book I have ever read. But that’s not the main reason I included it. The main reason is that when I read this book with Jennys wry take on even the craziest and saddest things about life, when I was so moved to laughter and tears by her words, I knew that that is what I wanted to do. I knew then that I had a similar voice, one with humor mixed with honesty mixed with love mixed with realness. I knew then that I could use it and people might actually like it. And while I’m not there by a long shot, I strive to be better each and every day so that I, too, can make others laugh through the sadness and crazy that is this life.
Accidental Saints by Nadia Bolz-Weber
Oh how true….
Soul-cracking. That is this book to its core. It’s a love story about life, loss, love and hate, mistakes and mess ups. All tied together with the unmistakable thread of the love of this radical guy named Jesus. And maybe some cursing.
This is the book that inspired that quote from my journal. This is the book that reminds me, each and every day, that God is in all things, even when we can’t see him.
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Call it sacrilege. Call it what you will. But I was not a fan of Eat, Pray, Love. So when my dear friend Megan over at The Messy Mingling handed me this book I was wary. But I’m glad that I put aside all prejudices (see, they really are bad) and read this one. Because Elizabeth gave me permission to stop taking my writing so seriously. To just stop. To have fun again. To embrace inspiration and creativity and thank it for stopping by. But never to panic or get angry and frustrated when it passes over me because as long as I’m open to it, it will come back. This is a book of freedom for creatives and a breath of fresh air for those that are passionate about their craft, whatever it may be.
Small Victories by Anne Lamott
Is it cheating that there are two Lamott books on this list? This lady doesn’t care if it is. I love her that much (spirit animal for sure). In this one she explores grace. Grace that we need. Grace we cannot walk away from. Grace that is bigger than our mess ups. Our failures. Our mistakes. Grace we don’t deserve and never could earn. And she brings it all home in her language of tough love mixed with a hint of humor and sarcasm. Love it. Love her. You’ll be glad you did.
Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequest
This is my only true “Bible Study” book on the list, though honestly all of the bible studies I’ve done and all of the books I’ve read through them have been life changing. The thing about this one, though, is Shauna’s complete and utter vulnerability with her story. Yes, I know it’s trendy and cool to be “vulnerable” and honest about our “brokenness.” I actually love to see the pendulum swing this way, though I could do without the selfie confessionals, but hey, that’s just me. But Shauna, her voice in this seems more authentic than most. She shares dark stories of mess and break down. And then the redemptive power of love to change even the messiest of lives. I loved her through this book. I love her now. You will too.
As a side note, she’s a huge foodie too, so I feel like we’re meant to be best friends.
Yeah, that’s not weird at all, right?
Welcome to BurntToast! My name is Meaghan, and this is my safe space, a place where we can share stories, share recipes and share life. It’s my dream that you can come here, kick your shoes off and pour yourself a glass of wine while you read, laugh, and maybe even hop into the kitchen. This is my heart, for all of you to see. And ALL are welcome here.
No, it’s not cheating to have 2 Anne Lamont books on the list! I love Bird By Bird and have read it multiple times over the years. Having said that, I probably should open my heart to her newer books. Thanks for reminding me that she is still cranking out great work. ?
Oh I’ll have to read Bird by Bird! I love her writing so much!
What an amazing round up! My 2018 book challenge is 50 books, glad I found some terrific suggestions here. Nice blog!