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

Foundations

By Gil Stieglitz

(PTLB Publishing)


6. Catholic

GOLD

The Works of Mercy

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

Jesus, One on One

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

Servie’s Song

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)

Broken

By Ryan Casey Waller

(Forward Movement)

 

Love Heals

By Becca Stevens

(Thomas Nelson)

 

BRONZE

From Basement to Sanctuary

By Holly Christine Hayes

(Westbow Press)


12. Biography / Memoir

GOLD

At Play in the Lions’ Den

By Jim Forest

(Orbis Books)

 

SILVER

You Carried Me

By Melissa Ohden

(Plough Publishing)

 

BRONZE

A Walk Along the Path

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

Leo’s Gift

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

Lizzy the Lioness

By Lisa Bevere; illustrated by Kirsteen Harris-Jones

(HarperCollins Christian Publishing)

 

SILVER

The Bubble Who Would Not Pop!

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

Huntress (Life After Book 1)

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

The Breeding Tree

By J. Andersen

(Brimstone Fiction)


16. General Fiction

GOLD

Liar’s Winter

By Cindy K. Sproles

(Kregel Publications)

 

SILVER

A Conspiracy of Breath

By Latayne C. Scott

(TSU Press)

 

BRONZE

A Town Called Redemption

By Jodi Gardner Bremer

(Xulon Press)


17. Inspirational / Romance Fiction

GOLD

The One True Love of Alice-Ann

By Eva Marie Everson

(Tyndale)

 

SILVER

A Rebel in My House

By Sandra Merville Hart

(Smitten Historical Romance)

 

BRONZE

Redemption

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 Book

By 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)

 

Mead Mountain

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

The Reckless Way of Love

By Dorothy Day

(Plough Publishing House)

 

SILVER

Trusting God in the Journey

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

Rush

By Jayme H. Mansfield

(Heritage Beacon Fiction)

 

SILVER

The Gills Creek Five

By Greg M. Dodd

(Harvest Chronicles)

 

BRONZE

Island of Miracles

By Amy Schisler

(Chesapeake Sunrise Publishing)


L5. Christian Children’s Book

GOLD

I Will Not Be Afraid

By Michelle Medlock Adams; illustrations by Jeremy Tugeau

(Concordia Publishing House)

 

SILVER

Birth of an Angel

By Petra Malinova; illustrated by Tze-Chiang Lim

(Mascot Books)

 

BRONZE (tie)

The Legend of Cypress River

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)