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Feature
2018 Illumination Awards Bookstore
Below you will find the winners of the 2018 Illumination Book Awards contest, the year's best Christian books.
To purchase a book, click the link/title.
We love indie bookstores, and so should you! Be sure to check at your local bookseller to see if they carry the title you are looking for.
Happy reading!
1. Bible StudY
GOLD
Void if Detached: Seeking Modern Spirituality Through My Father’s Old Sermons
By Sarah Bowen
(Teras Publishing)
SILVER
The Social Justice Bible Challenge
ed. Marek P. Zabriskie
(Forward Movement)
BRONZE
Live SoulFULL: A Music Driven Study of How God Fulfills Your Deepest Needs
By Scott Tabot and Ginger Tabot
(Ginger Tabot Music Publishing)
2. Christian Living
GOLD
Reclaiming the Lost Art of Biblical Meditation
By Robert Morgan
(HarperCollins Christian Publishing)
SILVER
Costly Love: The Way to True Unity for All the Followers of Jesus
By John H. Armstrong
(New City Press)
BRONZE
Say Goodbye to Regret: Discovering the Secret to a Blessed Life
By Bob Santos
(SfMe Media)
3. Devotional
GOLD (tie)
Unshakeable: 365 Devotions for Finding Unwavering Strength in God’s Word
By Christine Caine
(HarperCollins Christian Publishing)
Jesus Always: Embracing Joy in His Presence
By Sarah Young
(HarperCollins Christian Publishing)
SILVER
The Pink Toolbelt: Spiritual Remodeling for Women
By Mary Dodd
(Carpenter’s Guide Publishing)
BRONZE
Wheels of Wisdom: Life Lessons for the Restless Spirit
By Tim & Debbie Bishop
(Open Road Press)
4. Theology
GOLD
Church Planting in Post-Christian Soil
By Christopher James
(Oxford University Press)
SILVER
Heaven’s Doors...Wider Than You Ever Believed
By George W. Sarris
(GWS Publishing)
BRONZE
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus
By J.D. Myers
(Redeeming Press)
5. Ministry / Mission
GOLD
ReImagine: Preaching in the Present Tense
By Mark Whittall
(Wood Lake Publishing)
SILVER
Renewed: A 40-Day Devotional for Healing from Church Hurt and for Loving Well in Ministry
By Leigh Powers
(Faith Words)
BRONZE
By Gil Stieglitz
(PTLB Publishing)
6. Catholic
GOLD
By Pope Francis
(Orbis Books)
SILVER
The Marian Option: God’s Solution to a Civilization in Crisis
By Carrie Gress, PhD
(TAN Books)
BRONZE
Our Common Home: Visual Meditations on Pope Francis’ Encyclical Laudato Si
By Michael O’Neill McGrath
(World Library Publications)
7. Family / Parenting
GOLD
Pockets of Joy: Deciding to be Happy, Choosing to be Free
By Roxanne Battle
(Whitaker House Publishing)
SILVER
A Spoonful of Grace: Mealtime Blessings in Bite-Sized Pieces
By Annette Hubbell
(Credo House Publishers)
BRONZE
Healing Our ADHD Children: An 8-Week Program for Moms by a Mom
By Linda Artis
(Spark Publications)
8. Education (Home School, Bible School, etc.)
GOLD
Come Let Us Worship: An In-Depth Study of Psalms
By Elizabeth Bagwell Ficken
(W&E Publishing)
SILVER
Children of the Light: Precatechumenate Sessions for Children and Families
By Blessie La Scola
(World Library Publications)
BRONZE
By Kathryn Spurgeon
(Memory House Publishing)
9. Spirituality
GOLD
I Live, No Longer I: Paul’s Spirituality of Suffering, Transformation, and Joy
By Laura Reece Hogan
(Wipf & Stock)
SILVER
Vesper Time: The Spiritual Practice of Growing Older
By Frank J. Cunningham
(Orbis Books)
BRONZE
By Heidi Tucker
(The Pickled Sunflower)
10. Illness / Dying / Death
GOLD
Littlest Suffering Souls: Children Whose Short Lives Point Us to Christ
By Austin Ruse
(TAN Books)
SILVER
When Tragedy Strikes: Rebuilding Your Life with Hope and Healing After the Death of Your Child
By Laura Diehl
(Morgan James Publishing)
BRONZE
Where is My Daddy NOW? A Trip to the Cemetery
By Marcia and Phil LaBossiere
(Book Publishers Network)
11. Self-Help / Recovery
GOLD
Push Back the Dark: companioning Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse
By Elizabeth M Altmaier
(Cascade Books)
SILVER (tie)
By Ryan Casey Waller
(Forward Movement)
Love HealsBy Becca Stevens
(Thomas Nelson)
BRONZE
By Holly Christine Hayes
(Westbow Press)
12. Biography / Memoir
GOLD
By Jim Forest
(Orbis Books)
SILVER
By Melissa Ohden
(Plough Publishing)
BRONZE
By Jessica Roby
(WestBow Press)
13. Holiday
GOLD
The Greatest Gift: The Wise Ones' Journey
By Tom Roberts; illustrated by Jim Brummond
(TnT Publishing)
SILVER
By Susan Blackaby and Joellyn Cicciarelli; illustrated by Carrie Schuler
(Loyola Press)
BRONZE
The Star: A Journey to Christmas
By Outreach, Inc.
(Self-Published)
14. Children’s Picture Book
GOLD
By Lisa Bevere; illustrated by Kirsteen Harris-Jones
(HarperCollins Christian Publishing)
SILVER
By Shelly Roark; illustrated by Simone Krüger
(Little Lamb Books)
BRONZE
Franny and Pom Pom and the Painted Leaves
By Kristi Smith and Nena Jackson; illustrated by Cyril Jedor and Andy Barry
(Relevant Pages Press)
15. Juvenile / Young Adult Fiction
GOLD
By Julie Hall
(Julie Hall)
SILVER
The Baker’s Daughter- Braving Evil in WWII Berlin
By D.P. Cornelius
(Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas)
BRONZE
By J. Andersen
(Brimstone Fiction)
16. General Fiction
GOLD
By Cindy K. Sproles
(Kregel Publications)
SILVER
By Latayne C. Scott
(TSU Press)
BRONZE
By Jodi Gardner Bremer
(Xulon Press)
17. Inspirational / Romance Fiction
GOLD
The One True Love of Alice-Ann
By Eva Marie Everson
(Tyndale)
SILVER
By Sandra Merville Hart
(Smitten Historical Romance)
BRONZE
By Olivia Rae
(HopeKnight Press)
18. Keepsake / Gift / Specialty Bible
GOLD
Sketching the Bible: A Graphic Journal (The Old Testament)
By Travis Dougherty
(Travis Dougherty Illustrations)
SILVER (tie)
Drawing Closer to God: Coloring Meditations for Your Spiritual Journey
By Michael O’Neill McGrath
(World Library Publications)
Angelikon: A Coloring BookBy Stephen Barnwell
(Antarctica Arts)
BRONZE
Ribbons, Lace, and Moments of Grace: Inspiration for the Mother of the Bride
By Leigh Ann Thomas
(Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas)
19. Best Ebook
GOLD (tie)
Denial: Abuse, Addiction, and a Life Derailed
By Nanette Kirsch
(Deep River Books)
By B.K. Dell
(Authoritative)
SILVER
Prayer Plus Faith Equals Miracles: 31 Days of Fervent Prayer
By Sharon Crittenden
(Rhema Word Press)
BRONZE
Ancient Ways: The Roots of Religion
By Diane Olsen
ENDURING LIGHT CATEGORIES
L1. Christian Thought
GOLD
By Dorothy Day
(Plough Publishing House)
SILVER
By Gary Christopher
(Riverstone Group)
BRONZE
Understanding the New Covenant: A Returning to our First Love
By Phil and Colleen Livingston
(The Naked Apostles)
L2. Devotional
GOLD
Psalms For Living: Daily Prayers, Wisdom, and Guidance
By Mark Lanier
(Big Bear Books, an imprint of Baylor University Press)
SILVER
The Gospel According to Jonah; A Call to Obedience 121 Days of Devotions
By Kevin Foster
(Carpenter’s Son Publishing)
BRONZE
Skunk Tales: Making Sense of Scents: A Family Devotional
By Lynn Marie Hurtado
(New Lineage Publications)
L3. Inspirational
GOLD
The Powers: 12 Principles to Transform Your Life from Ordinary to Extraordinary
By Mark W. Erwin
(Skyhorse Publishing)
SILVER
Penned Without Ink: Trusting God to Write Your Story
By Sarah Lynn Phillips
(Straight Street Books)
BRONZE
Behind the Darkest Hours- Where Hope Lies
By Sylvie R. Teague and Edward A. Teague
(Westbow Press)
L4. Christian Fiction
GOLD
By Jayme H. Mansfield
(Heritage Beacon Fiction)
SILVER
By Greg M. Dodd
(Harvest Chronicles)
BRONZE
By Amy Schisler
(Chesapeake Sunrise Publishing)
L5. Christian Children’s Book
GOLD
By Michelle Medlock Adams; illustrations by Jeremy Tugeau
(Concordia Publishing House)
SILVER
By Petra Malinova; illustrated by Tze-Chiang Lim
(Mascot Books)
BRONZE (tie)
By Adam Gellert; illustrations by Danielle Bilen
(Cypress River Publishing)
Ricky Red Bird: A Lesson in Virtue
By Stacy Lievens; illustrated by Carol Sicha
(Self-Published)