Every year is a year of discovering great books—some old, some new, some best sellers, some obscure.
Here are our top picks from 2018. Some we chose because they are customer favorites, others because they won awards in 2018, and others just because we like them.
Which of these is your favorite? Find other top books from 2018 on Faithlife Ebooks.
1. Finding God in the Margins by Carolyn Custis James
In Finding God in the Margins, Carolyn Custis James reveals how the book of Ruth is about God, the questions that surface when life falls apart, and the way God uses two culturally marginalized women. This bracing narrative displays a radical gospel way of living together that proclaims the kingdom of God, foreshadows the life of Jesus, and raises the bar for women and for men. (Fun fact: Faithlife’s own Brittany Schrock won a Top Shelf award for her design work on this cover.)
2. Wondrous Pursuit by Jarrid Wilson – Faithlife Favorite
Whether you’re a new Christian looking for direction in your spiritual walk or a longtime Christian in need of fresh perspective on how to follow Jesus, Wondrous Pursuit is for you. In it, Jarrid Wilson walks with readers through 30 days of intentionally chasing after God, helping you discover renewed strength in moments of fast growth and careful waiting alike.
3. Mending the Divides by Jon Huckins and Jer Swigart – Christianity Today Book Award Winner
Conflict, hatred, and injustice seem to be the norm rather than the exception in our world, our nation, our communities, and our homes. Instead of disengaging, Jon Huckins and Jer Swigart invite us to move toward conflict and brokenness. Using biblical and current-day illustrations of everyday peacemakers, Mending the Divides equips disciples of Jesus to move toward conflict and seek the restoration of our relationships, our communities, and our world, offering practical steps to engage in the kingdom-building work of waging peace.
4. Evidence That Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell – Christian Book Award Winner
The modern apologetics classic that started it all is now completely revised and updated—because the truth of the Bible doesn’t change, but its critics do. With the original Evidence That Demands a Verdict, bestselling author Josh McDowell gave Christian readers the answers they needed to defend their faith against the harshest critics and skeptics. Now, with his son Sean McDowell, Josh McDowell has updated and expanded this classic resource for a new generation. This is a book that invites readers to bring their doubts and doesn’t shy away from the tough questions.
5. Jesus Calling by Sarah Young – ECPA Best Seller
After many years of writing in her prayer journal, missionary Sarah Young decided to listen to God with pen in hand, writing down whatever she believed he was saying to her. It was awkward at first, but gradually her journaling changed from monologue to dialogue. She knew her writings were not inspired as Scripture is, but journaling helped her grow closer to God. Others were blessed as she shared her writings until people all over the world were using her messages. They are written from Jesus’ point of view, thus the title Jesus Calling.
6. The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren – ECPA Best Seller
The Purpose Driven Life is far more than just a book; it is a guide to a spiritual journey. Once you take this journey, you’ll never be the same again. On your journey you’ll find the answers to three of life’s most important questions:
- The Question of Existence: Why am I alive?
- The Question of Significance: Does my life matter?
- The Question of Purpose: What on earth am I here for?
Living out the purpose you were created for moves you beyond mere survival and success to a life of significance—the life you were meant to live.
7. The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman – ECPA Best Seller
Falling in love is easy. Staying in love—that’s the challenge. How can you keep your relationship fresh and growing amid the demands, conflicts, and just plain boredom of everyday life? In this #1 New York Times best seller, you’ll discover the secret that has transformed millions of relationships worldwide. Whether your relationship is flourishing or floundering, Dr. Gary Chapman’s proven approach to showing and receiving love will help you experience deeper and richer levels of intimacy with your partner—starting today.
8. Everybody, Always by Bob Goff – ECPA Best Seller
Everybody, Always reveals the lessons Bob learned—often the hard way—about what it means to love without inhibition, insecurity, or restriction. From finding the right friends to discovering the upside of failure, Everybody, Always points the way to embodying love by doing the unexpected, the intimidating, and the seemingly impossible. Whether losing his shoes while skydiving solo or befriending a Ugandan witch doctor, Bob steps into life with a no-limits embrace of others that is as infectious as it is extraordinarily ordinary. Everybody, Always reveals how we can do the same.
9. Hope in the Dark by Craig Groeschel — ECPA Best Seller
“I want to believe, I want to have hope, but . . .” Pastor and bestselling author Craig Groeschel hears these words often and has asked them himself. We want to know God, feel his presence, and trust that he hears our prayers, but in the midst of great pain, we may wonder if he really cares about us. In Hope in the Dark, Groeschel explores the story of the father who brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus, saying, “I believe! Help my unbelief!”
10. The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers — ECPA Best Seller
New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers returns to her romance roots with this unexpected and redemptive love story, a probing tale that reminds us that mercy can shape even the most broken among us into an imperfect yet stunning masterpiece.
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Find other award winners, best sellers, or Faithlife Favorites on Faithlife Ebooks.