Books for the Christian Mom on Mother's Day

Joseph Addison once said, "Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body." With Mother's Day just around the corner, why not consider giving mom a gift of mind exercise? For Christian moms who like to read, here are a few suggestions for the perfect Mother's Day gift.

Fiction Books for the Christian Mom-

If your mom likes to read for pleasure and lose herself in the world of fiction, these books are a fantastic gift for her. (Click on the title for more information.)

Mark of the Lion by Francine Rivers

If your mother loves historical fiction, this series is for her. This is a set of three books, A Voice in the Wind, An Echo in the Darkness, and As Sure As the Dawn. Set in the decadent days of Rome during the reign of the Caesars, Rivers draws you into the world of passion, vice, heartbreak, and redemption. Story lines include: a young slave girl holding fast to her faith in God, an aristocrat must find his way to God while dealing with the darkness of his past, and a German warrior and gladiator wins his freedom through his fierceness. Rivers is an amazing historical writer and includes so much detail about the time period while drawing you into a fictionalized family's story. Unlike other historical fiction set in this time period, you come away with a true sense of the era but uplifted by the faith of the early Christians.

Cape Refuge by Terri Blackstock

Blackstock, a reformed secular romance novelist, writes amazingly intricate thrillers and mysteries now. She combines genres of faith, romance, mystery and intrigue and produces a book you cannot put down. Cape Refuge is the first in a series by the same name. Hanover House, on a small island off the coast of Savannah, Georgia, is the setting for the mystery. It is a retreat for derelicts, ex-cons, and other lost and weary souls run by Wade and Thelma Owens. When they are found murdered, there is no end of suspects due to the nature of their retreat. However, as the case drags on, more suspects emerge and secrets thought long buried are uncovered. Blackstock keeps the story moving with just enough revelations to whet the appetite and characters you either identify with, love or hate. This is a must-have for Christian moms who love mystery and intrigue.

The Parting by Beverly Lewis

Book one in the new series, The Courtship of Nellie Fisher, by Beverly Lewis is called, The Parting. Fans of Lewis know her for her gentle handling of romance, mystery and life in the Old Order Amish communities. Her fiction stories have even inspired the movie The Redemption of Sarah Cain. While her stories are excellent, I personally believe her newest series to be one of the best undertakings to date. The Parting centers the story on a young Amish girl, Nellie Fisher, who has recently lost her younger sister. The manner of her sister's death is suspicious and her family is on the outs with proper Amish society. It is beginning to interfere in her courtship with Caleb Yoder, a steadfast Old Order Amish boy. While her personal issues are hard enough to deal with, Nellie also begins to see the changes in the community. Old Order Amish are beginning to read the Bible and start studying on their own in direct defiance of the bishops. With such a divide coming, Nellie and Caleb have to find where they stand and if it is together or apart. Lewis handles Old Order Amish faith in her usual gentle style, without condemnation but a gentle leading to true faith. With her roots in the Lancaster Mennonite community, Lewis writes from experience and fact.

The Elevator by Angela Elwell Hunt

If you are looking for an author who is extremely versatile in style, genre, and storyline, Angela Elwell Hunt is a perfect fit. She has authored several novels over the years including the Keeper of the Ring series set in 1500's Jamestown; The Heirs of Cahira O'Connor series about women of Ireland and their legacy; and the award winning picture book, The Three Trees for children. Her stories take you into the world of ethics, the supernatural, history, and even funeral homes.

The Elevator is one of her modern undertakings and is not a part of a series. The story is set in Tampa, Florida during a hurricane. Three women are trapped in an elevator and are connected in ways they do not even begin to fathom. The three women are from vastly different walks of life and their only hope of being saved from their prison is a man dealing with his own demons.

Though None Go with Me by Jerry B. Jenkins

Jerry Jenkins is more popularly known for his series with co-author Tim LaHaye, Left Behind. This latest fictional endeavor touches on the life of Elisabeth LeRoy, a woman whose faith is severely tested. The book follows her spiritual development as she deals with car accidents, Alzheimer's, chronic illnesses, death, and more. In typical Jenkins fashion, the story moves smoothly and keeps focus on Elisabeth's story without many subplots. This book was made into a movie on the Hallmark channel starring Cheryl Ladd.

The authors listed above have a plethora of books and any would make a great gift for mom.

Non-Fiction Books for the Christian Mom

Try these great non-fiction books as the perfect gift for an avid Christian reader. (Click on the title for more information.)

End of the Spear by Steve Saint

No fiction book was ever so chilling, so moving, or as dramatic as the true life story of Nate and Steve Saint. Nate Saint was the missionary airplane pilot for the group who went deep into the jungles of the Amazon to make contact with a Stone Age tribe, the Auca (or Waodoni as Saint refers to them), who had not yet been in touch with the outside world. Jim Elliot, of Elisabeth Elliot's famous memoir, Through Gates of Splendor, was a part of the same group as Nate Saint. Nate, Jim, and their companions were murdered by the tribe before they were able to share their faith. Steve Saint, Nate's young son, takes up the story from his perspective and shares his amazing journey from Ecuador to the United States and back to Ecuador again to live with the tribe that had murdered his father. It is a beautiful, moving story of forgiveness and faith.

This was also made into a movie in 2006 starring the fairly unknown but wonderful actors, Chase Ellison as young Stevie Saint and Louie Leonardo as Mincayani.

Traveling Light by Max Lucado

No spa date could ever give Mom such long lasting relaxation as the suggestions in Lucado's book, Traveling Light: Releasing the Burdens You were Never Intended to Bear. Taking his cues from Psalm 23, Lucado uses his usual simple, straightforward style to help the readers discover God's plan for "traveling light." Topics included are how to release the burdens of worry, discontent, guilt, self-reliance, and more.

Bad Girls of the Bible and What We Can Learn from Them by Liz Curtis Higgs

Higgs's style is easy and fun and reads like a chatty fiction novel. It is seamless in transitions and engaging to the last page. Bad Girls is all about the tramps from the Bible and why/how we can learn from them. From the first "bad" girl, Eve to Delilah and Jezebel, Higgs gleans insights and presents them in an easy-to-identify-with manner.

A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael by Elisabeth Elliot

Before Mother Teresa, there was Amy Carmichael. Carmichael was a young, female, single missionary to Asia and that was practically unheard of in the late 1800's. She boldly went into India and founded the Dohnavur mission which was a place of refuge for young girls and orphans. She worked tirelessly for over fifty years in India, trying to save girls from the inevitable temple prostitution. She was never married or had children of her own, but was the first woman missionary in India to be known as "mother" or "Amma" to the children she cared for. She was also a prolific writer in her own right and wrote simple but beautiful poetry.

For more great books for the Christian mom, check out online or visit your local Family Christian Store or LifeWay store. For inexpensive books, check out: ChristianBooks.com