Good morning, everyone! I just wanted to pop in and say congratulations to the giveaway winner (chosen at random by Rafflecopter 😉 )… so, congratulations, Cheyenne! I’ll be emailing you with more info shortly. Also, as yesterday was Mother’s day, I thought I’d link back to my post from last year, “An Open Letter to My Mom” in case anyone wanted to read in. Finally, in other news, I was published on TheMudroom blog this past week! You can read my post sharing about the night before publishing He’s Making Diamonds here. Now, one to heart-healing (nonfiction) books!

So, I have a problem. I just finished my third round of edits, and I’m having trouble deciding what quotes to include in my book. There are just way too many good ones. But technically, since it’s going to be my name on the cover, it probably should be more than just a collection of quotes. Right? Anyway. Since it’s wrong to just copy out all my favorite heart-healing books, I thought I’d share them with you so that you can read them for yourself.

Throughout the last year of healing from long-term illness, books have been really healing things God has used in my heart. If you’ve followed this blog for any length of time, you know that books are the way I process the world. Especially fiction ones. (Though I’m overly proud of myself for the number of nonfiction ones I’ve read this year. Imagine that, a nonfiction writer reading nonfiction books. XD)

So open Goodreads and let’s get to it.

• Fiercehearted by Holley Gerth

A friend raved about this book for so long, I finally splurged and bought it for myself. I am so glad I did. I sobbed and laughed my way through this, each chapter hitting a different deep, tender place inside my heart. Within a week of finishing it the first time, I started rereading it — this time out loud to my mom on the way home from doctor appointments. [See my review.]

• Live Fearless by Sadie Robertson

I didn’t expect to like this book so much. And at first, there were parts that seemed shallow, a message I’d heard a thousand times. But then I got to chapter five and six, and sobbed. Though I only read a chapter every month or so, this book ended up being just what I needed when I needed it. And healing involves a lot of courage. [See my review.]

• Mended by Blythe Daniel and Helen McIntosh

My emotions were all over the board with this book. From wondering if the suggested actions would even help or how at all they could be applied to everyday life to highlighting stuff on every page that I wanted to remember. I wasn’t sure about all the theology, but you can see my full review here.

• Freedom! by Jennifer Renee Watson

I think I highlighted half the book. It encouraged you to do the hard things needed to heal — but it didn’t stop there. It spoke to what happens after breakthrough and pointed to life beyond healing. [See my review.]

• Amazing Love by Corrie ten Boom

Nothing like some basic reminders of the truth to help you heal. I would escape by myself, and cry-pray through this book, curled up on the couch after the lights were out. It helped me remember that we are already victorious, and the healing power of forgiveness. [See my review.]

• Through the Eyes of a Lion by Pastor Levi Lusko

I can’t believe I hadn’t read it before — we’d owned it for a long time, and we watched Levi Lusko’s sermons online every Sunday as a family. But God knew just when I would need this book, as I grieved what illness had stolen. My sister got me my own copy for Christmas, and I’m so glad she did — I scribbled all over the margins. Levi wrote such powerful, precious truth in a way that was so me . . . fictional references and all. [See my review.]

Okay, guys, you know how hard it was to limit my gushing to that? These books were so good, and God used them in so many ways too personal for me to recount to you. Even if you’re not ill or healing, I highly recommend all of these.

So . . . have you read any of them? Are you going to? What books have been healing to your heart in the midst of chronic illness?