Best Devotionals & Christian Books for Women

I often get asked, “What are the best devotionals for women?” — and, honestly, I love that question. It tells me someone is hungry for more: more peace, more connection with God, and more rest in the middle of their day.

I’ve collaborated with Sara on my team to share our favorite devotionals, plus some Christian books for women we think you’ll love. Whether you’ve been walking with Jesus for a long time or are new to the faith (or to spending time in the Bible!), we think you’ll find something here that fits you well.

And listen — if Bible study has ever felt intimidating or out of reach, you’re in good company. Between work, family responsibilities, and just the pace of everyday life, carving out time to sit in Scripture isn’t always easy. That’s where a good devotional comes in — it can help you know where to start, interpret what you’re reading, and see the Gospel in each part of God’s Word.

Let’s get started!

Best Devotionals for Women:

A Verse a Day for the Anxious Soul

A Verse a Day for the Anxious Soul is a fantastic book for anyone who tends to be more anxious or worry. It is packed with an encouraging 100 devotionals that will remind you of the truth of God’s Word and His faithfulness.

The Compassionate Christ: Draw Near to the Risen Savior

This 31-day devotional retells stories from the life of Christ, inviting you to encounter him in a whole new way. These stories focus on his kindness, his compassion, and his endless love and forgiveness for you. This perspective on Jesus is such a beautiful antidote to legalism or “keeping up appearances”. From there, seeing Jesus’ compassion changes so much about how we parent, face frustration, engage with those we don’t agree with, and more. I also recorded a podcast episode with Sherri Hughes-Gragg!

Lift Your Eyes: Daily Invitations to Behold Christ in Motherhood

I love Whitney and this devotional is a beautiful collection of encouragement for weary moms. She reminds us to look to Jesus and not be discouraged or overwhelmed by the hard parts of motherhood.

Word Before World: 100 Devotions to Put Jesus First

Gretchen Saffles’s 100-day devotional emphasizes God’s goodness and faithfulness. I found it such an encouraging reminder to prioritize my time with him and to let my reactions be shaped by Him.

Embraced: 100 Devotions to Know God Is Holding You Close

My friend and beloved podcast guest, Lysa Terkeurst, wrote this wonderful devotional. Each reading will assure you that God is always with you and caring for you, no matter your circumstances. I especially appreciated the reminder that there are unexpected blessings even when things aren’t going according to my plans!

New Morning Mercies

Paul Tripp specializes in connecting the Gospel to everyday life and in exposing the heart of the Gospel in every part of the Bible (even the laws and long genealogies!). New Morning Mercies has a Bible lesson for each day of the year, suggesting related Scripture for further reading. Each day’s reading is under two pages long, making it an accessible and inspiring way to start your day.

Sara also recommends reading Paul Tripp’s Everyday Gospel as an approachable, encouraging, and meaningful companion to reading through the Bible in a year!

You Are Loved

The back cover copy begins: “Dare to believe you are loved with an everlasting love . . . and loved completely, for who you are.” And that’s what you’ll experience as you work through this 8-week Bible study from Sally Clarkson and Angela Perritt. Following the SOAP method (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer), you’ll read Scripture passages to help you more deeply understand that you are known and loved in Christ.

Mom Set Free Bible Study

You might have heard me rave about Mom Set Free, but did you know there’s also a Bible study? Sara highly recommends it — it’s great for moms in all stages of life from littles to adults and will help you release Mom Guilt and the pressure of being “good enough.” This 7-week daily study can be done alone or with a group.

Best Christian Books for Women:

We’re also throwing in some of our favorite Christian books for women because both of us have had our lives genuinely shaped by them. These Christian books have helped us each grow in our faith and shaped our habits and thoughts to align with who God says we are.

Not every book on this list was written specifically for women — but we’ve found each of them deeply relevant to the seasons, experiences, and struggles that women walk through. We hope you’ll enjoy this list of our favorite Christian books for women:

Liturgy of the Ordinary

In this book, Tish Harrison Warren explores everyday life as liturgy and encouraged each of us to see the ordinary parts of each day — making the bed, checking email, and sitting in traffic — as opportunities to notice God’s presence and to appreciate God’s extraordinary grace.

Habits of the Household

SO many people said this book was a must-read and I was cynical, worried it would be legalistic… and then I read it! YES! Please do yourself a favor and read it! Once I finished it, I wanted to go back and read it again! I so appreciated the thoughtful, Christ-centered, non-legalistic approach to habits and how we can create more rhythms in our home to be intentional and point our kids to Jesus. It really challenged and inspired me in very practical ways. Highly, highly recommended! Jesse and I ended up doing a whole podcast on the topic of habits, inspired by this book.

Unoffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better

One of my favorite books in 2022, I still have not been able to stop recommending it, thinking about it, or talking about it!

In a society where it feels like we are wired to find offense everywhere we look, what would it be like to choose to not be offended? Regardless of what other people have said or done, We get to choose how we respond. 

This doesn’t mean that we let people walk all over us or that we don’t set boundaries, but it does mean that we can choose to either be a victim or a victor. We can choose to either be offended and hurt and upset, or we can acknowledge our feelings, grieve our loss, and choose to forgive.

I highly recommend that every Christian read this book! Jesse and I did an entire podcast episode centered on it because I found it so helpful!

Breaking the Patterns That Break You 

I loved getting to interview the author on my podcast (listen here) and found that this book was packed with so much good inspiration and food for thought. In addition, Tori’s story is just so hope-filled and encouraging and I love how she weaves parts of it into this book.

Love-Centered Parenting

Okay, we’ll admit we’re a little biased on this one — but hear us out, because we genuinely believe this is one of the best parenting books out there for anyone who want to raise their kids with love and grace. I wrote it from personal experience of what it feels like to parent from a place of fear, and the freedom that came when I finally learned to let go. It’s part story, part practical wisdom, and completely honest. I hope that after reading it, you’ll have a clearer understanding of what your role as a parent truly is — and what it isn’t — and that you’ll feel more equipped to lean in and love, listen well, lead with humility, and let go.

Mom Set Free

This book is SO good. I slowly savored it — reading just a little bit every day — to make it last as long as I could and to really soak in the truths from it.

If you struggle with Mommy Guilt or feel like you are always failing or never doing enough or just can’t get it right as a mom, this book will encourage you in powerful ways! I highly, highly recommend it!

You can also listen to the podcast episode the author and I did together here on The Secret to Being a Happier Mom, and check out the devotional we mentioned above.

Liturgies for Hope: Sixty Prayers for the Highs, the Lows, and Everything in Between

If you’ve ever wanted to pray but found yourself at a loss for words, I (Sara) think you’ll appreciate these liturgical prayers. There are liturgies (written prayers) for:

• when you’re wrestling with God
• those who’ve been hurt by the church
• when you’re paying bills without enough money
• creativity
• going on a walk
• falling asleep
• struggling to forgive
• showing kindness to strangers
• and so much more

I’ve found this book beautifully encouraging as I’ve prayed the specific prayers or used them as inspiration for praying my own words. It’s also an excellent gift, especially for a friend who is walking through a tough season.

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality

We both think this is one of those truly life-changing books. It’s all about how everyone’s emotional and spiritual health are so tied together and how we all often overlook this.

The author talks about how often we seem to think that our past and our baggage and all the things we try to pretend don’t exist or stuff down or not deal with won’t affect us in the long run… but it will!

This is definitely one of those books we both still think about years after reading it. It especially helped us each learn and embrace these truths: In Christ, we are enough. We are loved. We are redeemed. We are forgiven.

When we live in light of this truth, we can walk in amazing freedom and confidence — and we can love other people so much more deeply and authentically.

Raising Emotionally Strong Boys

Do you struggle with kids who get easily irritated or have angry outbursts? Do YOU find yourself getting frustrated by your kids and then beating yourself up because you are frustrated at your kids and you don’t want to be? 

Do you wish you had practical tools and suggestions for how to navigate hard conversations with your kids and how to help them face difficulty and disappointment in life?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, PLEASE do not walk, RUN and go get a copy of Raising Emotionally Strong Boys by David Thomas. This is one of my most-recommended books, by far.

Even if you don’t have boys, even if you don’t have kids, it’s worth a read. If you want a taste of it, go listen to the 30-minute interview I did with the author on The Crystal Paine Show. I learned so much and it impacts me every single day in how I parent.

Start Reading, Start Growing

Whether you’re in a season of seeking, growing, or rejoicing, the right book can meet you exactly where you are. The devotionals and Christian books on this list were written by people who have walked through doubt, grief, joy, and transformation — and came out the other side with wisdom worth sharing.

So whether you start your mornings with a five-minute devotional, pull a favorite Christian book out while waiting at the doctor’s office or in the carpool line, or savor Sunday afternoons for deeper study, we pray that these moments will help you remember just how much God loves you and cares for you.

Pick one of these, grab a cozy drink, and let the words remind you of what you already know to be true — God sees you, He loves you, and you are never walking alone.

Related Links:

• 6 Strategies to Kickstart Your Morning Success (plus FREE printable!)
• An honest conversation about faith with Angie Smith
• Only Jesus Gets to Tell You Who You Are
• Helping Our Teens Develop a Relationship with Jesus
• How to Find More Time to Read — Even When Life is Busy
• Change Your Life and Challenge Your Mind By Making Time for Reading Good Books
• Where to Get Books for Free (Yes, Really!)

What are your favorite devotionals and Christian books for women? We’d love to hear your favorites in the comments!