I’ve put together a list of great Christian books for women on parenting, marriage, the Bible and Christian living, and some fun fiction reads too!
Christian Books for Women
Some of these are books I’ve read and recommend. Others are books that were recommended by trusted friends or on sites that I love. I’ve divided the books into categories to make it easy to find something just right for this moment. You’ll want to pin the post so you can refer to it the next time you’re ready for a new book!
Check them out and then leave your favorites in the comments!
Christian Books for Moms on Parenting
As women, parenting takes up a lot of our time, doesn’t it? Those of us who are moms spend at least a couple of decades raising our kiddos, and–let’s be honest–sometimes we could use a little help. You’ll find some wise counsel in these excellent books.
Help Your Kids Learn and Love the Bible
- Help Your Kids Learn and Love the Bible – My book from Bethany House is a crash course on teaching the Bible to your kids.
Raising Real Men: Surviving, Teaching and Appreciating Boys
No Longer Little: Parenting Tweens with Grace and HopePitchin’ A Fit!: Overcoming Angry and Stressed-Out ParentingParenting is Heart WorkGive Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of JesusParenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your FamilyPraying for Girls: Asking God for the Things They Need MostPraying for Boys: Asking God for the Things They Need MostMissional Motherhood: The Everyday Ministry of Motherhood in the Grand Plan of God (Gospel Coalition (Women’s Initiatives))Treasuring Christ When Your Hands Are Full: Gospel Meditations for Busy MomsThe Shaping of a Christian Family: How My Parents Nurtured My FaithIdols of a Mother’s Heart (Focus for Women)
- Raising Real Men – Hal and Melanie Young have written a wonderful book about raising your boys to be men. I highly recommend this book!
- No Longer Little – Hal and Melanie Young give direction for those raising tweens. Navigate this unique phase of parenting with aplomb.
- Pitchin’ a Fit – Are you an angry parent? It matters, and you can change it. Find out what Israel and Brook Wayne have to say about angry parenting.
- Parenting is Heart Work – This is a great book about reaching your child’s heart rather than trying to force good behavior.
- Give Them Grace – Parenting with grace? Find out how to point your children to God’s grace, and speak to their heart.
- Parenting – Paul Tripp outlines 14 parenting principles centered on the gospel.
- Praying for Girls – One of the most important things we can do is pray for our kids. Find out how to pray for your girls.
- Praying for Boys – This book on praying for your boys promises to be an important read.
- Missional Motherhood – Motherhood comes with a mission. Find out what Scripture has to say about that mission.
- Treasuring Christ When Your Hands are Full – As a mom, you’re busy–but you can still treasure Christ in the mess!
- The Shaping of a Christian Family – Elizabeth Elliot talks about parental expectations, daily Bible reading and prayer, and why our character as moms is of the utmost importance.
- Idols of a Mother’s Heart – Christian moms have pitfalls we must look out for. Discover what idols we need to avoid, and what the Lord calls us to instead.
Christian Books on Marriage for Women
Like parenting, marriage is another area of our lives that we, as Christian women, have the opportunity to walk out our faith on a daily basis. Marriage isn’t always easy, but these excellent books can help us focus on living for Christ in this area of our lives.
My Beloved and My Friend: How To Be Married To Your Best Friend Without Changing SpousesWhat Did You Expect? (Redesign): Redeeming the Realities of MarriageThis Momentary Marriage: A Parable of PermanenceThe Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of GodGod on Sex: The Creator’s Ideas about Love, Intimacy, and MarriageMarried for God: Making Your Marriage the Best It Can BeLove That Lasts: When Marriage Meets GraceWhen Sinners SayPeacemaking for Families (Focus on the Family)Why You Do the Things You Do: The Secret to Healthy RelationshipsThe Excellent Wife: A Biblical Perspective
- My Beloved and My Friend – Hal and Melanie Young tackle every aspect of marriage in a winsome and helpful way.
- What Did You Expect? – A married couple consists of two sinners living together in a fallen world. Learn how to do that biblically and in love. This is a great book.
- This Momentary Marriage – Focus on the Scriptural view of marriage, and how to live for Jesus in yours. John Piper explains why we might be looking at marriage wrong.
- The Meaning of Marriage – Tim Keller talks about the biblical meaning of marriage, and how our cultural expectations cloud our vision.
- God on Sex – Find out what the Bible has to say about this important aspect of marriage.
- Married for God – Learn how to center your marriage on God, and how to serve out of a biblical understanding.
- Love that Lasts – Come to understand why we must focus on God and not on our spouse in order for our marriage to succeed.
- When Sinners Say I Do – Learn how to make the gospel central in your marriage, and to deal with the sin that impacts your union.
- Peacemaking for Families – Are you having trouble finding peace at home? Learn how to deal with the conflict in your home together.
- Why You Do the Things You Do – If you or your husband were raised with any kind of trauma, this is a really helpful book to help you understand attachment styles, and to move toward healthy relationships.
- The Excellent Wife – I’ve heard so many women suggest this volume on becoming a biblical wife. I haven’t read it myself, but I know ladies who say it transformed their marriage.
Christian Books on the Bible and Christian Living for Women
The Bible is for women. These books are excellent sources of wisdom as you seek to follow Jesus in your life.
Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical DoctrinePraying the BibleStop Your Complaining: From Grumbling to GratitudeNone Like Him: 10 Ways God Is Different from Us (and Why That’s a Good Thing)Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our MindsIn His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His CharacterPractical Theology for Women: How Knowing God Makes a Difference in Our Daily LivesIs the Bible Good for Women?: Seeking Clarity and Confidence Through a Jesus-Centered Understanding of ScriptureThe Good Portion – Scripture: The Doctrine of Scripture for Every Woman (Focus for Women)Good Portion – God: The Doctrine of God for Every Woman (Focus for Women)
- Systematic Theology – OK, I know this is a little hefty for a women’s list of books. But let me just point out that you’re already dealing with kids and marriage–you can do the heavy lifting to really explore and understand the basics of theology! Besides, this volume is not hard to understand, and it’s subdivided really well, so you can just read a little each day or week.
- Praying the Bible – I LOVE this book. I wish I could send a copy to every one of my readers. This book changed the way I pray. I’m teaching my kids how to pray the Bible, and I’m having them read this book next school year. READ this. Hurry.
- Stop Your Complaining – This is written by a man, and once in a while I rolled my eyes at his self-deprecating stories. BUT… do you know many women who don’t struggle with griping? It’s an epidemic, ladies. This is a good book.
- None Like Him – I’m reading this right now with a group of friends and it’s excellent. Who wouldn’t want to read about the character of God?
- Women of the Word – I’ve heard so many great things about this book. Wilkin talks about how to study the Bible.
- In His Image – We are made in the image of God, and our character ought to reflect his. Find out how.
- Practical Theology for Women – This is another book I’ve heard nothing but good things about. Theology matters for women. Explore why this is true.
- Is the Bible Good for Women? – A friend recommended I include this volume on how the Bible talks about women in this list. It looks like an interesting read.
- Scripture – This book explains the Doctrine of Scripture. I love books about the Bible–this looks like a great one.
- God – Read about the Doctrine of God. We want to worship the God of the Bible–the one, true God–not a God of our own making.
Fiction Inspirational Books for Women
Are you looking for some fun books to read on the beach–or while you wait for soccer practice to end? April McGowan and Christina Suzann Nelson are friends of mine who love Jesus, and I love their work. They both address real life issues in a way that honors God and tells the story of strong women grappling with their pasts.
Hold the LightShine the LightJasmineMacyIf We Make It Home: A Novel of Faith and Survival in the Oregon WildernessSwimming in the Deep End
- Hold the Light – April specializes in healing fiction. In this novel, Amber–an artist–copes with her gradual loss of sight.
- Shine the Light – Shannon has a lot to cope with–a father on the streets, her career, a boyfriend she can’t marry, and her past that just won’t go away.
- Jasmine – When Jasmine’s mom dies, she’s forced to deal with her past. She’s a survivor, but can she survive this?
- Macy – Pregnant and abandoned, Macy is forced to find a new life for herself.
- If We Make it Home – Twenty-five years after college, three old friends set off on an impromptu journey into the woods. But will they make it home?
- Swimming in the Deep End – This story of how the lives of four women become entwined is so worth reading. I don’t want to give away any of the secrets, so go read it!
Help Your Kids Learn and Love the Bible
You want your kids to learn and love the Bible.
You want to teach the Bible…
As parents, we deeply desire the best for our kids. We look for the right schools, we make them eat right and exercise, and we get them involved in extracurricular activities. We take our job as parents seriously.
But are we also putting our time and energy into
teaching them the Bible? Giving them the life-changing, soul-nourishing words of Scripture is not only doable, it’s an essential part of parenting kids for Jesus. And the good news is, studying God’s Word as a family doesn’t have to be difficult!
2 Timothy 2:15, ESV, says:
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,
a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Our job, as parents who love Jesus, is to help our kids become approved workers, unashamed and rightly handling the word of truth.
The good news? Teaching the Bible isn’t hard. Your family can learn the Bible together.
…and you can!
A Crash Course in Teaching the Bible to Your Kids
Danika Cooley’s book, Help Your Kids Learn and Love the Bible, will give you the tools and confidence to study the Bible as a family. It will help you identify and overcome your objections and fears, give you a crash course in what the Bible is all about and how to teach it, and provide the guidance you need to set up a family Bible study habit.
You will finish this book feeling encouraged and empowered to initiate and strengthen your child’s relationship with the Lord through His Word.
Help Your Kids Learn and Love the Bible will equip you with everything you need to know to teach the Bible to your kids!
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I love this list of books!!! Thank you for putting it together!
Thank you for these book recommendations. It is hard to weed through all the Christian books for women to find ones that are truly worthwhile. There are several in these lists that I have read and appreciated.
Thank you for the recommendations. Have already checked to see if the library had a few of them. Will look forward to reading them.
Thank you for the recommendations. I put the book “If we make it home” on my hold list at the library. Always look for inspirational fictions to read.
This list makes me wish I had time to read.
These look like great reads!
Thank you for the book list. Almost finished with my series and needing something to read while I spend time outside and traveling this summer.
This is a great book list
Thank you for this book list. I need to bookmark it. I really appreciate all that you do, Danika, to enrich the lives of others.
What a great list of books! I have already found several to add to my TBR list!
Thanks for the books lists! Those titles sound great.
Thank you for this list! I’m planning to use it for my summer reading plan.
I love so many of these books and am looking forward to reading the ones I haven’t read yet.
Such a n amazing giveaway, whoever wins this will be blessed!
Thank you for putting together this list. I was especially interested in the parenting section, but there were definitely others I will be looking into as well!
I have heard of many of these before, but there are definitely some I hadn’t heard of but would be interested in reading. Thanks!
I was so excited to find this site. I work for a parish and have been wanting to incorporate more Scripture study and activities into our curriculum. Thanks so much!!