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This reading list is a great place for Orthodox moms to learn, refresh, and be inspired by the richness of our faith. Often it is difficult to find time for ourselves to read; our lives so are busy with juggling all of the things, books seem to get put aside—sometimes indefinitely. When we find a minute here and there (usually those three minutes before we fall asleep), it may be hard to know what to pick up. There are so many great and edifying books out there; the Orthodox community is showing up on the book scene! Following are some reading lists specifically for you—some are specifically Orthodox, and some are just great books that have fed us along the way. Feel free to comment and add to these lists. Happy reading!

 

Prayer Resources

 

1.     

Ascetic Lives of Mothers by Annalisa Boyd 

      *All Orthodox moms should own this book!

 

2. 

Abide in Me Prayer Journal by Sylvia Leontaritis

 

3.

Songs of Praise by Sylvia Leontaritis

 

4.

Mother of Light: Prayers to the Theotokos by the V. Rev. Archimandrite Maximos Constas

 

5.

Jordanville Prayer Book by Holy Trinity Monastery Amazon/Bookshop

 

6.

Orthodox Study Bible by St. Athanasius Academy of Orthodox Theology Amazon/Bookshop

 

7.

The Prologue of Ohrid by St. Nikolai Velimorovic

 

Orthodox Parenting 

 

1.

Parenting Toward the Kingdom by Philip Mamalikis

 

2.

Family Life by Elder Paisios

 

3.

Raising Them Right by St. Theophan the Recluse Amazon/Bookshop

 

4.

Blue Prints for the Little Church: Creating an Orthodox Home by Elissa Bjelitich & Caleb Shoemaker

 

5.

Fertile Ground: A Pilgrimage Through Pregnancy by Laura S. Jansson

 

6. 

A Sacred Beginning: Nurturing Your Body, Mind, and Soul During Baby's First Forty Days by Sarah Brangwynne & Sasha Rose Oxnard

 

7. 

Under the Laurel Tree: Grieving Infertility with Saints Joachim and Anna by Nicole Roccas

 

8.

Orthodox Christian Parenting from Zoe Press

 

9.

Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne

 

Orthodox Must-Reads

 

1.

Wounded by Love: The Life and Wisdom of St. Porphyrios

 

2.

Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: The Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica

 

3.

Everyday Saints and Other Stories by Archimandrite Tikhon

 

4.

Monastic Wisdom: The Letters of Elder Joseph the Hesychast

 

5.

Glory and Honor: Orthodox Resources on Marriage, Edited by David C. Ford, Mary S. Ford, and Alfred K. Siewers

 

6. 

Seven Holy Women: Conversations with Saints and Friends by Melinda Johnson, Laura Jansson, Georgia Briggs, Molly Sabourin, Anna Neill, Summer Kinard, Katherine Bolger Hyde, and Melissa Naasko

 

Newly-Orthodox

 

1.

Facing East: A Pilgrim's Journey into the Mysteries of Orthodoxy by Frederica Mathewes-Green

 

2.

At the Corner of East and Now: A Modern Life in Ancient Christian Orthodoxy by Frederica Mathewes-Green Amazon/Bookshop

 

3.

Beginning to Pray by Metropolitan Anthony Bloom Amazon/Bookshop

 

4.

Close to Home: One Orthodox Mother’s Quest for Patience, Peace, and Perseverance by Molly Sabourin

 

5. 

Know the Faith: A Handbook for Orthodox Christians and Inquirers by Rev. Michael Shanbour

 

6.

Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy: Finding the Way to Christ in a Complicated Religious Landscape by Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick

 

7.

Law of God by Priest Daniel Sysoev

      *This is an updated version of the classic by Archpriest Seraphim Slobodskoy

 

8.

Toolkit for Spiritual Growth by Fr. Evan Armatas

9.

A Long Walk with Mary: A Personal Search for the Mother of God by Brandi Willis Shreiber

10.

Becoming Orthodox: A Journey to the Ancient Christian Faith by Fr. Peter Gilquist

 

Homeschooling

 

1.

The Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer

 

2.

Read-Aloud Revival: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections with Your Kids by Sarah Mackenzie

 

3.

Teaching from Rest: A Homeschooler's Guide to Unshakeable Peace by Sarah Mackenzie

 

4. 

The Liberal Arts Tradition: A Philosophy of Classical Christian Education by Kevin Clark and Ravi Jain

 

5.  

Charlotte Mason's Education Series

 

6.

Know and Tell: The Art of Narration by Karen Glass 

 

7.

Lost Tools of Learning by Dorothy Sayers 

 

8.

How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig

 

Other Great Books

 

1.

The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi

 

2.

Mere Motherhood: Morning Times, Nursery Rhymes, and My Journey Toward Sanctification by Cindy Rollins

 

3.

Habit of Being by Flannery O'Connor

 

4.

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis

5.

The Mother Tongue: English and How it Got That Way by Bill Bryson

6.

The Complete Lord Peter Wimsey Series by Dorothy Sayers

7.

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis

 

 

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