I came across a blog post today that posed a simple question, What Books Influenced Your Christian Formation the Most? A number of thoughtful comments followed with lists of writers, some of whom I had read or heard of and others new to me. I responded to the post with the following comment (edited of course, since I am addicted to rewriting):

This is an interesting question for me as a woman and an author. My list is filled with wonderful books like Sit, Walk, Stand by Watchman Nee, the Screwtape Letters by Lewis, The Inner Voice of Love by Nouwen, The Exemplar by Henry Suso and others. As I examined my list, I was surprised to notice that I’d not included any women. Upon further reflection, I recalled that Beth Moore and Joyce Meyer belonged on the list, as I’d read both of them frequently when I first came to faith. The writings of Sister Ellen Stephen, a Benedictine nun who became my spiritual director for a season, and Julian of Norwich, who she had suggested I read also belonged on my list. 

So, knowing that many readers here are not Christian, I ask…