Today, I bring you Stephany of Stephany Writes. Stephany is a dear friend of mine, not just in the blogging sphere, but I would totally ask her to be my bridesmaid. She lives in Florida with her mom and Dutch, her furry, four-legged friend. She has a passion for books and writing and God and tater tots. I’m just kidding, as far as I know she is a French fry girl. Okay, I will stop pulling your wands and let you get to her post now.
****
When Lauren asked me to write a guest post for her about what book has impacted me the most in my life, I won’t lie, I struggled with the topic. You see, I don’t have a favorite book. I am a bookworm and read incessantly - anything from smutty romance novels to religious non-fiction – and I can’t pinpoint one book that irrevocably changed my life and made me see the world in a new way. Every book I read changes me in some way. It can be from a character whom I understand so much, or from writing that inspires me to write, or from a plot that I just can’t seem to put down. Books are game changers. They cause you to think outside the box, go to new places, and can even help you figure things out in your own life that aren’t working.
And, so, instead of giving you one book that has changed my life, I give you five books that have had the biggest impact on me as a person:Messy Spirituality by Mike YaconelliI just recently read this book last month and it has had the biggest impact on my faith than any book I’ve ever read. (I mean, aside from the Bible!) Mike breaks down all the pre-conceived notions of spirituality and needing to be perfect and how God loves our messy selves just the way we are. I’ve been struggling for a long time with a faith crisis, feeling as if I needed to be better, be more, to prove my worth to Jesus. What this book did for my faith was turn it on its face and force me to realize that God just wants me, mess and all. He doesn’t care how screwed up we’ve let our lives get. He just cares about our heart and our thirst for Him. I wholly, wholly recommend this book — especially if you’re struggling with your faith.The Harry Potter seriesI was never one who bought into the Harry Potter craze. It took me all the way until the Summer of 2011 to actually sit down and read the books — and this was only because of a blogger organizing a Twitter chat surrounding the books. So I started reading them and ended up absolutely loving the series. I still wouldn’t consider myself crazy about the series and I live an hour from The Wide World of Harry Potter yet still haven’t been there but as a writer, you can’t help but feel inspired by JK Rowling. She completely transformed the YA fantasy genre.The Fault In Our Stars by John Green Before reading this book, I knew it wasn’t going to be a fluffy, easy read where everything gets tied up neatly at the end and I can hug the book to my chest, knowing my characters are in love and happy and all is well with the world. I knew it was going to be a dark, messy, hard-to-handle book because the book centered on a girl with cancer. I can’t say I was excited to read the book because let’s face it: I like my books with happy endings. But this was a #twookclub pick a few months ago and as moderator, I had to read it. This book is life-changing. As an aspiring writer, I enjoyed the back-and-forth between the characters (whom some say talk way above the level of normal teenagers. I say these are NOT normal teenagers and yes, some actually DO talk like they did.) and the entire book was so, so well-written. He made me care for these characters and what they were dealing with. It was a book that changed the way I viewed writing and how much meaning and depth you give to any novel — even a YA one. The Help by Kathryn Stockett I made the “mistake” of seeing the movie adaptation of this book before reading it. I actually had no interest in reading the book until I saw the movie, quite frankly. The movie was fantastic and so much better than I imagined it would be. So then I picked up the book and the book was just as good. Possibly better, but not by much which is not the usual M.O. for books & movies. The book weaves a tale of suffering, hardship, and a girl who wanted her writing to make a difference. It’s a book with characters that were real and honest and quirky and believable. It’s one of those books I know I could read over and over again and never tire from. The plot, characters, and issues make it one of the best books I will ever read. What Women Fear by Angie Smith It’s a well-known fact that I struggle with anxiety and fear so I picked this up knowing it would be a perfect read for me. Angie Smith is a lady who has been through hell and back and still has the strength, grit, determination, and strong belief that God knows what He’s doing. This book broke down fear into all it’s different parts and she dissected each by relating it to a Bible story and then to her own life. It captivated me from start to finish and I ended it with a better understanding of my own anxiety and how to combat it. This is a book to read if you’re struggling through fear and need a more Biblical application on how to live with it. So there you have it! Five books that has currently transformed my life or inspired me as a writer. I’m sure I could write this same post a year from now and have 5 totally different books on it, which is the magic behind reading. We always find something else that turns our thinking on its head. What book has transformed your life?
