As we all know, spring is a time of new birth — and, lucky for those of us who love to read, that includes lots of new books! We are so excited to share some of our favorites that have been released recently. From children’s books to memoir, from decorating to biography, this list truly has something for everyone.

Get ready to add to your to-be-read stack now!

When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner – From early on, children are looking to discover their place in the world and longing to understand how their personalities, traits, and talents fit in. Knowing that they are deeply loved and a unique creation in our big universe is certain to help them spread their wings and fly. Written in playful, charming rhyme and brought to life with vivid, fantastical illustrations, this children’s book will encourage young readers and get them excited to learn about their own special gifts and how they fit into God’s divine plan as they grow, explore, and begin create for themselves.

Simple Decorating: 50 Ways to Inspire Your Home by Melissa Michaels – This new book by (in)courage contributor Melissa Michaels says to forget the renovation and, instead, add inspiration! If you want to jump-start your style and refresh your home without needing power tools and a winning lottery ticket, make Simple Decorating your go-to resource for can-do decor. Whether you start with one tip or take these on as a challenge for the month, it’s never been more fun (or possible) to create a home you can’t wait to come home to.

Katharina and Martin Luther: The Radical Marriage of a Runaway Nun and a Renegade Monk by Michelle DeRusha – Their revolutionary marriage was arguably one of the most scandalous and intriguing in history. Yet five centuries later, we still know little about Martin and Katharina Luther’s life as husband and wife . . . until now. Until Michelle DeRusha wrote this unique biography of two extraordinary people and their extraordinary relationship. Together, this legendary couple experienced joy and grief, triumph and travail. This book brings their private lives and their love story into the spotlight and offers powerful insights into our own twenty-first-century understanding of marriage.

She Reads Truth: Holding Tight to Permanent in a World That’s Passing Away by Raechel Myers and Amanda Bible Williams – This book tells the stories of two women who discovered, through very different lives and circumstances, that only God and His Word remain unchanged as the world around them shifted and slipped away. Infused with biblical application and Scripture, this book is not just about two characters in two stories, but about one Hero and one Story. Every image points to the bigger picture—that God and His Word are true. Not because of anything we do, but because of who He is. Not once, not occasionally, but right now and all the time.

Fear Fighting: Awakening Courage to Overcome Your Fears by Kelly Balarie – We all live with fear. It hangs around, whispering in our ears, reminding us of all we can’t do or will never be. But that’s not the end of the story. We also have a God who draws close to say, Fear not. I am with you. This Spirit transforms us into fear fighters–women breaking free of trepidation to find bold dedication to God’s peace-, purpose- and joy-filled callings. With remarkable compassion born from personal experience, Kelly Balarie shows women how to cultivate unstoppable faith, pray in lasting peace, implement daily bravery decrees, and more as she pulls back the curtain of fear so you can find the beautiful woman God created you to be.

You Are Free: Be Who You Already Are by Rebekah Lyons – Christ doesn’t say you can be or may be or will be free. He says you are free. Dare you believe it? In this book Rebekah invites you to overcome the exhaustion of trying to meet the expectations of others and rest in the joy God’s freedom brings, uncover the peace that comes from abiding in His presence, and find permission to grieve past experiences, confess areas of brokenness, and receive strength in your journey toward healing. She also encourages readers to throw off self-condemnation, burn superficial masks, step boldly into what our good God has for you, discover the courage to begin again, and use your newfound freedom to set others free.

Nothing to Prove: Why We Can Stop Trying So Hard by Jennie Allen –  Are you trying your best to measure up—yet you still feel as if you’re losing ground?  You are not alone.  Jennie Allen understands the daily struggle so many of us face with the fear that we are not enough. And she invites readers into a different experience, one in which our souls overflow with contentment and joy. As you wade into the refreshing truth of the more-than-enough life Jesus offers, you’ll experience the joyous freedom that comes to those who are determined to discover what God can do through a soul completely in love with Him.

The Lucky Few: Finding God’s Best in the Most Unlikely Places by Heather Avis – When Heather and her husband decided to grow their family ten years ago, they were surprised to find that getting pregnant was not as easy as they had thought it would be. They’d never planned on having three adopted children, and certainly never imagined that two of them would have Down syndrome. But once they stepped into the craziness and confusion of the unknown and unplanned, they quickly realized that they were indeed among the lucky few.  Even though at times God’s plan seemed terrifying and even downright foolish, so much goodness, blessing, and joy flowed out of loving the three little people He put into their lives. And through it all, every new and uncomfortable situation has only proven to be another chance to see how very good God’s plan is and how downright lucky they are to be able to live it out.

Different: The Story of an Outside-the-Box Kid and the Mom Who Loved Him by Sally Clarkson and Nathan Clarkson – From his early childhood, Nathan was bursting with creativity and uncontainable energy, struggling not only with learning issues but also with anxiety and OCD. He saw the world through his own unique lens—one that often caused him to be labeled as “bad,” “troubled,” or someone in need of “fixing.” Bravely choosing to listen to her motherly intuition rather than the loud voices of the world, Sally dared to believe that Nathan’s differences could be part of an intentional design from a loving Creator with a plan for his life. She trusted that the things that made him different were the very things that could make him great. This book shares Sally and Nathan’s stories from a personal perspective as mother and son. If you are in need of help and hope in your own journey with an outside-the-box child, or if you’re an adult trying to make sense of your differences, you’ll find deep insight, resonance, and encouragement in the pages of this book. Dare to love and nurture the “different” one in your life.

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Wow! What an amazing collection of books! Now we’d love to hear what you’re looking forward to reading this spring. Please share what’s on your to-read list in the comments!

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