12 Inspirational Resources

 

Issue No. 666 of Your Weekly Staff Meeting (Dec. 17, 2025) strongly recommends a baker’s dozen of devotional and inspirational books as Christmas gifts this year. In light of this issue number (!), I’m urging you to bulk up on all things spiritual. Plus, click here for recent issues posted at the NEW site for John Pearson’s Buckets Blog, including six resources in the recent “Questions Issue.” Also, check out the 20 management buckets (core competencies). Enjoy this delicious selection of inspirational and devotional resources—a baker’s dozen of tasty books for 2026!   12 Inspirational Resources: 1 per month in 2026! Here are a dozen inspirational Christmas gift ideas (and one do-it-yourself option) for your family, friends, and co-workers. (Books, of course!) Books can be meaningful gifts for others and yourself. In this issue: one book-a-month for 2026. Some are designed as 30- or 40-day devotionals. I’ll set others aside for weekend reading. I’m old school (a real book and a pen), but others may prefer audio books. Happy Gift-giving! [   ] BOOK #1: The Path: What If the Way of Jesus Is Different Than You Thought? by Robby Angle, Brittany Coulson, Benjamin Crawshaw, and Bruce McNicol (April 8, 2025). Order from Amazon and watch for my review. From the team at TrueFace, this “modern Pilgrim’s Progress” is described as “a contemporary allegory of faith, purpose, and identity in today’s world.” From the webpage blurb: “Studies show that Gen Z and young Millennials are struggling with questions of identity and meaning more than any previous generation. While they're searching for answers, many are looking in the wrong places—chasing success, followers, or experiences that leave them feeling more empty than before.” We have already ordered three gift copies! Learn more here and view a short video. Watch for my review. [   ] BOOK #2: Praying the Parables of Jesus: A 40-Day Devotional Journey in Word and Image, by Stephen A. Macchia and S. K. Skinner (Sept. 9, 2025). Order from Amazon and watch for my review. I’ve never prayed the parables of Jesus, have you? You’ll love this new guide from Macchia, Skinner, and the Leadership Transformations team. Using both the Lectio Divina method (Pause, Read, Ponder, Pray, Reflect, and Live) and also the Visio Divina approach (“See” replaces “Read”), each meditation is focused on one parable. Forty stunning art pieces by S.K. Skinner—graphite pencil—enrich your 40-day journey. (Here’s a sneak peek on the artist’s slant on the parable of the talents.) My 40-day journey in this gem began on Thanksgiving Day. (Watch for my review.) On Day 5, “The Weeds,” I was struck by this: “REFLECT: What is it like to consider yourself as wheat growing up in proximity to thistles, weeds, or wheat imposters? What is the temptation? What is the invitation?” [   ] BOOK #3: Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools: An Invitation to the Wonder and Mystery of Prayer, by Tyler Staton (Oct. 4, 2022). Order from Amazon and watch for my review. My wife, Joanne, discovered this book—and the author’s summer morning daily prayer walks as a 13-year-old! (Not a typo—Tyler Staton was 13 and a mentor challenged him to pray.) I hope you’ll order an extra book for the youth pastor at your church—but, at least, click on “READ SAMPLE” on Amazon and enjoy reading pages 7 to 11. [   ] BOOK #4: Finding Courage: A Four-Week Devotional Journey, by Steve Brown (May 1, 2025). Order from Amazon and watch for my review. Any book from Steve A. Brown is worth the read. (I mentioned his list of over 200 questions in the “Questions Issue” in my last eNews.) So when is the last time you read a book about courage—much less invested four weeks in a “courage journey” from Scripture? This is my pick for the first four weeks of January 2026. Join me! [   ] BOOK #5: Lead Like a Saint: Lessons and Values from the Life of Saint Patrick, by Carson Pue (Jan. 15, 2025). Order from Amazon and watch for my review. With a foreword from Leighton Ford, and 15 leadership lessons from Saint Patrick, plus a dozen “Guiding Values” from Patrick, you’ll love this book. Lesson 7’s wisdom is must-read: “Be a Good Strategist or Get One.” Carson Pue pairs his rich ministry experience with these tantalizaing leadership lessons. Watch for my review on or before Saint Patrick’s Day, along with my review of Paul Johnson’s book, Ireland: A Concise History from the Twelfth Century to the Present Day, (Aug. 30, 2005) – How concise? (272 pages!) This will be my umpteenth review of a book by Paul Johnson (1928-2023). [   ] BOOK #6: Guerrillas of Grace: Prayers for the Battle, by Ted Loder (40th Anniversary Edition, June 13, 2023). Order from Amazon and watch for my review. In my book-of-the-year for 2009, Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership: Seeking God in the Crucible of Ministry, Ruth Haley Barton concludes every chapter with a prayer. Ted Loder’s prayers are featured prominently in Barton’s book—so I had to find out more. Guerrillas of Grace will not disappoint. Visit Cultivare and scroll down to the prayer, “I Teeter on the Brink of Endings.”   [   ] BOOK #7: Wanderings: 40 Days of Faith Devotional, published by Free Wheelchair Mission (2019). For a free digital copy, visit Free Wheelchair Mission. Written by Stephen Bay, the graphics in this pocket-size devotional are arresting. Ditto the message! For more on Free Wheelchair Mission, read my review of Miracle Wheels: The Story of a Mission to Bring Mobility to the World, by Don Schoendorfer, FWM’s founder. [   ] BOOK #8: Discipleship Discussions: 13 Transformative Disciple-making Studies, by Jeremy Matlock (July 11, 2025). Order from Amazon and watch for my review. Just 60 pages and designed for a mentor and a disciple to discuss together, the 13 studies offer great flexibility. You’ll love the questions and the simple guidelines for the new disciple and the more experienced mentor—and Jeremy Matlock answers the obvious question: “Why write another discipleship manual?” I was blessed to see that Jeremy’s brother and author, Mark Matlock, endorsed the book. (That’s never a given! It reminded me of the time my five grandchildren endorsed my book on mistake-making. Read their LOL comments!) [   ] BOOK #9: Ancient Secrets to Project Management: How to Lead and Thrive in Your Professional and Personal Life, by Robert M. Schraeder (Aug. 17, 2025). Order from Amazon and watch for my review. While not a “devotional” or “inspirational” book per se (wait…it is inspirational!), Bob Schraeder’s excellent book will make a great chapter-by-chapter study as part of your “10 Minutes for Lifelong Learning” segment at your weekly staff meeting. (You do that, right?)  With ample endorsements, including Greg Leith, CEO of Convene, the book is crammed with memorable one-liners (and Scripture!) on project management. Start with this one: “You must recruit people who are teachable.” [   ] BOOK #10: Leadership Prayers, by Richard Kriegbaum (October 1, 1998). Order from Amazon and read my review here.   Kriegbaum, a former college president, serves up 30 powerful prayers on leadership (Identity, Values, Action, Delegation, Loss, Weariness, Planning, Courage, Marketing, Failure, Budget, Anger, Board, Intuition and 16 more). In his praying, the "board" prayer follows the "anger" prayer. Hmmmm. [   ] BOOK #11: A Diary of Private Prayer, by John Baillie (Updated and revised by Susanna Wright, with an introduction, Oct. 7, 2014). Order from Amazon.   The book has sold more than one million copies and I have prayed the morning prayers (31 morning and 31 evening prayers) literally thousands of times over the years since 1988. Read my mini-review (and confession) in "Mistake #22: Checking the Box, But Missing the Message,” in Mastering Mistake-Making. The prayers are also available online here. [   ] BOOK #12: Your God Is Too Small: A Guide for Believers and Skeptics Alike, by J.B. Phillips (1952). Order from Amazon and watch for my review. C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) recommended that we read at least one “old book” for every three new books. So, since I haven’t read Your God Is Too Small since the 1960s, it’s on my list for 2026. Watch for my review. You’ll recall that J.B. Phillips (1906-1982) also gifted the next generation with The New Testament in Modern English. (Example: Matthew 25:14-30) [   ] BOOK #13: Your pick! Ask a colleague, or family member, for their favorite inspirational or devotional book. Or check out the list of five books in Part 15, "Feeble Faith and Flabby Worship," in Mastering 100-Must Read Books. (Note: I may need to increase this list to 112 Must-Read Books!) Reminder: Some of us are readers, while others are listeners. Visit Libro.fm for audio books and gift credits. Here's Book #3 on audio, Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools (8 hours, 3 minutes).   YOUR WEEKLY STAFF MEETING QUESTIONS: 1) What’s your favorite devotional or inspirational book that you’ve read (or listened to) more than once? Share an “elevator speech” about the book—and how it has enriched your life. (Be specific!) 2) View the 5-minute video for Chapter 1 of The Path (see Book #1 above). The book creatively uses a modern day allegory to inspire the next generation to address timeless issues and opportunities. The journey begins in the city of Ican. (Yikes! Maybe even the city name means something?) DISCUSS: Describe two friends or family members (under 30) who seem to be on different paths (success and disappointment). How might you encourage both friends?       SECOND READS: Fresh Solutions From Classic Books You have changed—and your problems have changed—since you read this the first time! Book #36 of 99: A Message to Garcia For your team meeting this week, inspire a team member to lead your “10 Minutes for Lifelong Learning” session by featuring Book #36 of 99 in our series, “Second Reads.” The big idea: REREAD TO LEAD! Discover how your favorite books still have more to teach you and the people you’re coaching and mentoring.   A Message to Garcia  by Elbert Hubbard (1899) This pamphlet is perfect for a department or all staff meeting. Just google “A Message to Garcia” and you’ll find reams of resources (PDFs, Amazon books and booklets, etc.)—and how teams, including the U.S. military, have used this. Charlie “Tremendous” Jones (1927-2008) was a big fan of the “A Message to Garcia.”    • Reviewed in Issue No. 202 (Nov. 20, 2010).    • Order from Amazon.    • Note: As of today, just 19 cents on Kindle!    • Management Bucket #16 of 20: The Delegation Bucket I slot A Message to Garcia in the Delegation Bucket—but I won’t spoil the story for you. And by the way, the U.S. Marine Corps listed A Message to Garcia as required reading for many years. Some sources suggest that more than 40 million copies of the pamphlet were printed during the author’s lifetime (1856-1915).   CLICK HERE FOR BOOKS BY JOHN      Mistake #5 of 8: “Obsessing Over Programs and Not Owning the Strategy.” Read more in the new workbook, The 8 Big Mistakes to Avoid With Your Nonprofit Board—and rate your board (scale of 1 to 5) on page 56 on “The 14 Questions Every Board Member Needs to Ask.” BOARD BLOG! More than 200 board governance topics are covered in the short blogs posted by John Pearson at ECFA’s Governance of Christ-Centered Organizations Blog. For blogs on "18 Best Board Books," click here for the "Index to 18 Good Governance Stimulators." And click here for my review of Best Board Books #5, Owning Up: The 14 Questions Every Board Member Needs to Ask, by Ram Charan. MORE RESOURCES: • BLOG: Pails in Comparison • SUBSCRIBE: Your Weekly Staff Meeting eNews • JOHN'S BOOK REVIEWS: on Amazon  • WEBSITE:  Management Buckets • BLOG: Governance of Christ-Centered Organizations Inspire Your Team to Read a "Book-a-Month" on Time Management! On the Pails in Comparison blog, check out the list of 12 time management books—with the suggestion that you inspire your team to read a “book-a-month” on time management. See Option #11: 42 Seconds: The Jesus Model for Everyday Interactions, by Carl Medearis. Find more reviews at my Pails in Comparison blog. Note: This is the NEW location for John Pearson's Buckets Blog. Slowly (!), the previous 650+ blogs posted (between 2006 and 2025) will gradually populate this blogsite, along with new book reviews each month.