Must-Read Books: My 2024 Reading List as a Christian Mom, Wife, & Homemaker

As fall sets in, I'm thinking about which books I'm going to dive back into from my reading list I made earlier this year. I haven't always been an avid reader, but if a book pertains to my season of life (and am needing lots of help), and if it's recommended by someone I gleam from, then chances are, I will add it to my library.

Life currently has me in the thick of motherhood to three precious little boys and I can say that though I am already over 4 years into it, I am looking to strengthen my skills as a parent, wife and homemaker. These years are short but I believe so crucial to the foundations in the making that my boys will take with them into their future and into the world. Most of my reads pertain to either motherhood or how to create a thriving home environment as I love learning about child development, neurology, emotional health in kids, all while building healthy habits at home. As a wife, having a growing family has thrown in new challenges of making time for each other and maximizing the time we do have together. Even after being married for over 7 years, I still consider myself a life-long student when it comes to learning to love and growing as an individual and wife. As a follower of Jesus, growing in my faith and in His likeness is a non-negotiable for me as I seek Him daily in everything I do, especially when it comes to building a family and having Him as the cornerstone. With that said, most of the books I'm reading are from a Christian author's perspective, but there are only a few that I still consider worth reading where there is research involved for wider understanding and implementation.

Even with this year almost through, it's never to late to pick up a book and grow ourselves and our resources to flourish in our heart (connections), home (environment), and health (body, mind, spirit). These are the books I have either already loved reading or am looking forward to! You will find the links in the titles with a short description of the book below.

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1. Designing God's Dream Home by Seth Dahl

If you're a young parent looking for a fresh perspective on what to focus on while raising your children from the time they are young, I hands down recommend this book for Kingdom principles we may not have seen modeled before that will leave you wanting to be curious about Seth's other books. Seth is a husband and father himself who has been ministering to children and families for over 15 years and is passionate about activating families to create an atmosphere of joy for their children while leading them to walk out their destiny.

1. Imperfect Parenting by Brittney Serpell

I have personally been mentored by Brittney at a point in my life and I know from personal experience that she practices what she preaches as she and her husband Ben have the ability to breathe life onto any hopeless situation with compassion, wisdom and some very helpful tools. They have three amazing teenage children who are equipped to shift atmospheres everywhere they go. Imperfect Parenting is a refreshing and incredibly relatable read for any parent looking to connect with their child on a deeper level.

1. Holy Hygge by Jamie Erickson

If you are a Jesus-loving and Scandinavian or hygge enthusiast like me then this book will easily inspire you to set up your home, and hosting in ways that point everyone to the love, hospitality and comfort that Jesus to offer. Jamie Erickson brings a beautiful parallel to the life of Jesus and to the meaning of home through a Scandinavian lens in their hygge way of life.

1. The Creative Family Manifesto by Amanda Blake Soule

This book is an excellent choice for someone wanting to develop an intentional and mindful home that is filled with wonder and creativity for the whole family. Sometimes it's easier to turn on the television when the kids get bored, and it's not always easy to dig into our creative side with endless responsibilities, but Amanda offers simple solutions to the modern family in order to create the desired lifestyle of connection and fun.

1. The Whole & Healthy Family by Jodi Mockabee

With a whole-person and whole-family perspective, this book is intended to guide you to a family life that is connected, nourished, spiritually mature, and in a home that is simple and also wholesome. An enjoyable read for any young mom looking to grow in creating a healthy environment for their family.

1. The Wild & Free Family by Ainsely Arment

I'm currently reading this book and it is definitely one of my favorites so far! Ainsely is a mother of five who has done the work and the research for what it means to thrive as a mother in restoring awe and wonder in childhood and what it means to create a safe haven for any child to thrive in. Especially if you have children that have any sort of special needs, Ainsely writes with compassion as she too has fought to give what her children had needed most.

1. The Vagus Nerve Reset by Anna Ferguson

As I'm reading this one as well, it is a deep science-dive that also contains some very practical holistic tools that I think everyone needs that wouldn't know otherwise. With an incredibly rare but relatable story, Anna shares her journey of how a roller coaster accident not only impacted her body, but impacted her entire nervous system that ultimately led her on a journey of healing the long-term effects of the trauma. For anyone who knows someone or has chronic pain themselves, or struggles with anxiety or depression and feeling disconnected, this book is a must-read.

1. Wild things: The Art of Nurturing Boys by Stephen James and David Thomas

I am very excited to read this as a mom of 3 very active boys. Nurture is something we all need, especially boys if we are going to raise them into authentic and healthy manhood. Too often behaviors can be misleading if we only look at the symptoms and these co-authors focus on how we can accept the wildness of boys and rather than taming them, we can learn to understand, love, challenge and encourage them.

1. Play The Forest School Way by Jane Worroll and Peter Houghton

This is a fun read for moms who look to the idea that spending time outdoors is the secret to a healthy and happy childhood. The Forest School movement revealed the ancient way of looking to nature to learn and develop skills through adventure and play, something we all can gleam from!

1. Modern Miss Mason by Leah Boden

The legendery Charlotte Mason was like a Mother Teresa in the whole-child based learning and education background, and we have lots to learn from her. In our modern day and busy world, we have lost touch with what it means to live a life of curiosity and have access to a world of resources without feeling overwhelmed. Leah Boden shares practical wisdom on how to implement Mason's philosophy into a homeschooling way of life with methods we can explore with our children through outdoors, books and living experiences. I'm excited to read this with homeschooling in my journey ahead!

1. Habits For a Sacred Home by Jennifer Pepito

As Believers, we were made to be the light wherever we go, and it all begins in our home. As mothers, as we can learn how to push back on chaos and create an environment of peace, hope, simplicity and stability through the rhythms we create daily. We can all reclaim our home culture and set our kids up for success when they leave the nest one day!

1. 7 Principles For Making Marriage Work by John Gottman

Whether you've been married for 2 years or twenty years, this best-selling book contains research from 25 years of studying marriages and what it means to thrive. In the book, Gottman prescribes several practices that can lead to a longer lasting, more connected, and properly equipped marriage to create common ground and resolve conflict, all while creating deeper intimacy. Any marriage can use the insight that this book has to offer!