One of the most popular book genres is “Beach Reads.” Those books you can take with you on a summer vacation or holiday and casually read while you stare at the ocean. This summer, we want to give you some beach reads that can do more than entertain you – they could change your life!

 Over the last nine years, I have read well over 500 books for the iWork4Him show. Many of them are excellent, and a few have made a lifelong impact on me! For instance, Halftime by Bob Buford, the study Identity and Destiny by Tom and Pam Wolf, and a book on the Holy Spirit titled Our Unfair Advantage by Dr. Jim Harris. More recently, I’ve been enjoying Lead Like It Matters to God by Rich Stearns. Again, each of these books has made a lasting impact on me. In fact, I often keep copies of them handy to give away!

 And if we are talking about impactful books, I can’t help but mention the trilogy that Martha and I wrote in 2020. iWork4Him, sheWorks4Him, and iRetire4Him. And I don’t say that just because we wrote part of them… we also collaborated with over 50 other leaders in the Faith and Work Movement to put together a series of resources that are genuinely applicable no matter what stage of life you are in! Each one was written in a casual, easy-to-understand voice with a focus on helping you to activate your faith in whatever part of life you’re in. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to check them out online at iWork4Him.com/bookstore!

 Finally, it’s easy to highlight all kinds of books, but I want to tell you about the GREATEST book; it’s one I’ve read repeatedly, year after year, and I never get sick of it. It’s a compilation of 66 books written by 43 authors over 1,500 years. It covers genres such as poetry, narrative, law, history, wisdom, and prophecy. It’s called the Bible. The Bible holds every answer to every question I’m looking to answer; either it’s written in the text directly or through the stories recounted within its pages. If you haven’t read through the Bible entirely in the last year, I recommend you do! Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and powerful…” and it is! Every time you read through it, God will reveal new things to you. I find that the New Living Translation, in chronological order, in a Life Application Version is the best for me. So, I invite you to read the Bible and really learn how God intends for us to live every day!

 There are so many incredible books out there that I can’t possibly mention them all here on the blog. However, Martha and I have our reading lists published on the website so that you can see some of our current picks and recommendations! And if you are looking for something more specific or aren’t sure where to start, email me at Jim@iWork4Him.com and I would be more than happy to give you a book recommendation! Enjoy your summer reading!

- Jim