Welcome to the series, Books for Introverts! At least once a month, I’ll share with you a book that will encourage authentic connection with God, yourself, and/or others. These book choices will encourage you in at least one of the following areas: resting in God’s love for you, learning more about your inner world, moving with quiet confidence as you live to please God, or showing up for those around you in healthy ways. Too see all Books for Introverts recommendations, click this link.
This is my third edition of Books for Introverts! This time I’d like to share with you books I’ve read that are specifically for introverts. Three of these books are written from a Christian perspective. Quiet is the only exception out of these four books.
I’m going to list these in the order that I read them, because I enjoyed the first ones the most. After reading “new” information in the first couple, the others seemed to have lots of repeating information. You don’t have to read all of these to learn about your introversion, but you can choose one that sounds the most suited for your interests. Then you may want to choose another one!
Introverted Mom: Your Guide to More Calm, Less Guilt, and Quiet Joy by Jamie C. Martin
This book was such a welcome hug for me as an introverted mom with four other family members home together in the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. It was an encouraging assurance that just because I desired to escape my family doesn’t mean I don’t love them—you can be an introverted mom who craves solitude and still be a loving mama. Martin’s loving acceptance of how God made her allowed me to do the same, and that is what I’m here encouraging you to do.
This book is for you if you are an introverted Christian mom. Buy it for you and your introverted friends!
Amazon Description: “Life as Mom is LOUD, but you long for quiet. When the volume of family life clashes with your personality, frustration, guilt, and overwhelm naturally result. In Introverted Mom, author Jamie C. Martin lifts these burdens from your shoulders, reminding you that your steady strength is exactly what your family needs in this chaotic world.”
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
This is the essential text for all introverts or people who want to know them better. Cain does a great job of providing research that explains why introverts are the way they are and also using stories from her own and others’ lives to illustrate these findings. Cain discusses the “extrovert ideal” in America and explains how that wasn’t always the case, and in some cultures an introverted personality is still more “ideal.” She even addresses how the trend in schools to favor group projects favors extroverts and sometimes ends with introvert children being labeled as distant or difficult.
This book is more business focused with lots of discussion around how introverts adapt in the workplace. However, I am a stay at mom and found lots of encouragement in here. You can view Cain’s TED talk here to get a taste of what the book offers.
Amazon Description: “In Quiet, Susan Cain argues that we dramatically undervalue introverts and shows how much we lose in doing so. She charts the rise of the Extrovert Ideal throughout the twentieth century and explores how deeply it has come to permeate our culture. She also introduces us to successful introverts—from a witty, high-octane public speaker who recharges in solitude after his talks, to a record-breaking salesman who quietly taps into the power of questions. Passionately argued, superbly researched, and filled with indelible stories of real people, Quiet has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how they see themselves.”
Introverts in the Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture by Adam S. McHugh
I love that this book talks specifically about introverts in the worship setting. McHugh addresses how the modern American church is set up for those who are outgoing and gregarious. When your level of faith is determined by how much you show up, how much you do on the outside, you can feel pretty out of place when you have no desire to attend every event your church holds. When you’re no good at small talk, how do you avoid the meet and greets that are so common in our churches? Or more importantly how can you show up as yourself in those situations? McHugh offers advice on handling these uncomfortable times in church, but he also reminds us that our faith is not determined by just what people can see.
McHugh offers great encouragement if you’ve felt out of place, judged, or like you could never measure up even in your own church.
Amazon Description: “Introverts have gifts for the church and the world. But many churches tend to be extroverted places where introverts are marginalized. Some Christians end up feeling like it’s not as faithful to be an introvert. Adam McHugh shows how introverts can live and minister in ways consistent with their personalities. He explains how introverts and extroverts process information and approach relationships differently and how introverts can practice Christian spirituality in ways that fit who they are. With practical illustrations from church and parachurch contexts, McHugh offers ways for introverts to serve, lead, worship, and even evangelize effectively.”
“When introverts go to church, we crave sanctuary in every sense of the word, as we flee from the disorienting distractions of twenty-first-century life. We desire to escape from superficial relationships, trivial communications and the constant noise that pervade our world, and find rest in the probing depths of God’s love.”
–Adam S. McHugh
The Powerful Purpose of Introverts: Why the World Needs You to Be You by Holley Gerth
This is an uplifting book for Christian introverts. I would even call it the Christian version of Quiet, looking at the science behind introversion from a spiritual perspective instead of a business one. Gerth is an excellent encourager having written over 20 books! I enjoyed Powerful Purpose, but because I had just read the first three books listed in this post, I felt like much of the information was the same as what I’d already learned.
I recommend this book for you if you’re a Christian and you’d like a book that explains how you’re wired but also with some spiritual encouragement to use your gifts for the good of God, yourself, and others.
Amazon Description: “In this eye-opening book, Holley Gerth shares everything you need to know, from brain science to the psychological, relational, and spiritual aspects of being an introvert. She also reveals exactly what will help you beat your struggles and maximize your strengths so you can live with clarity, courage, and confidence in a world that needs what only you can give!”
“When we have spiritual truth but don’t understand who God made us, we do what others tell us we should do rather than discover his best for us. Or we place expectations on those around us based on our opinions and preferences. Both lead to misery—and sometimes religious meanness. Self-awareness helps us give and receive grace.”
–Holley Gerth
If you’re an introvert, I hope that these books allow you to receive God’s purpose for your life with grace-filled assurance. Who you are is a gift, and displaying that gift honors the gift giver—God himself.
Have you read any of these books? What other books have you read that you would recommend for introverts? I’d love to hear about them in the comments.
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