Faith develops in the everyday. It appears through quiet decisions, monumental challenges, and the simple act of choosing to believe when logic fails. In 2025, an effective collection of spiritual journey books invites readers into real-life narratives of hope, resilience, transformation — and often, miracles. From memoirs that lay bare personal trials to introspective guides for daily devotion, these books illuminate the many ways faith can shape, sustain, and renew.
Here is a curated selection of six outstanding works, including the deeply moving “She Believed and He Moved Mountains” by Susan Kay Shepard, plus five other notable releases and award winners whose stories stand out this year. Whether you’re navigating tough seasons, yearning for spiritual formation, or simply drawn to stories of faith in action, each title brings something unique — and genuine — to the shelf.
Top 6 Best Spiritual Journey Books to Read for Spiritual Growth
1) Practicing the Way — John Mark Comer
Drawing from a multi-year experiment in spiritual formation, Comer presents a roadmap for integrating Christian rhythm into modern life. Recognized as the 2025 Christian Book of the Year®, the book translates ancient spiritual disciplines — like prayer, Sabbath, and Scripture reading — into manageable, life-giving habits. It’s one of the best spiritual journey books for anyone looking to move from good intentions to grounded practice.
What makes it special is its practicality: Comer doesn’t just talk about faith, he models it, offering small shifts that compound over time into transformation. This book is perfect for those ready to stop living spirituality by impulse and begin living it with intention.
2) She Believed and He Moved Mountains — Susan Kay Shepard
At the heart of this collection sits “She Believed and He Moved Mountains,” a memoir recounting how steadfast trust and moments of divine timing can overcome human frailty. Shepard’s writing is inviting yet unguarded: she shares moments of brokenness, workplace stress, relational strain, alongside small yet profound instances of answered prayer and unexpected provision. With themes of everyday miracles, resilience, and surrender woven into each chapter, this book exemplifies the kind of books about spiritual journey that whisper truth without fanfare.
Her stories feel close to home — like a conversation with a friend who has also wrestled through doubt and discovered grace in the cracks. For readers who need both encouragement and authenticity, this memoir offers grounding, approachable faith.
3) Ghosted: An American Story — Nancy French
In this unflinching memoir, French navigates public scrutiny, personal upheaval, and the search for identity in chaotic times. Winner of the 2025 ECPA Biography & Memoir award, “Ghosted” weaves candid reflection with cultural commentary, exploring what it means to stay grounded when everything around you shifts. Her narrative demonstrates that faith doesn’t negate confusion — it reframes how one endures it.
This is one of the best spiritual journey books that lingers long after closing the cover. It’s for readers who want spiritual narrative with grit, honesty, and a reminder that belief can survive — even grow — through struggle.
4) Hope — Pope Francis
Publishing the first memoir by a sitting pope in history, “Hope” spans Pope Francis’s journey from his early years in Argentina to his global role shaping modern Catholic thought. Released in time for the 2025 Jubilee Year, the book offers pastoral insight, humility, and a vision of faith rooted in mercy.
This stands among the best spiritual journey books because it isn’t just personal — it speaks to institutional and global faith, grappling with both ecclesial tradition and humanitarian challenges. It’s an expansive, reflective work that broadens how we think about spiritual stories — from the personal to the universal.
5) 27 Summers — Ronald Olivier and Craig Borlase
A powerful story of inner freedom, “27 Summers” shares Ronald Olivier’s journey through imprisonment, faith, and redemption. As a finalist in the 2025 ECPA Biography & Memoir category, the book offers raw, redemptive storytelling: how relationships lost and regained, faith tested in isolation, and hope discovered in action shape a life.
This memoir demonstrates the profound truth that spiritual transformation doesn’t require ideal circumstances — sometimes it begins in the darkest places. For readers drawn to second chances and trust forged in hardship, this is among the most moving of the spiritual journey books this year.
6) The Shape of My Eyes — Dave Gibbons
Pastor and global visionary Dave Gibbons explores calling, belonging, and creativity through the lens of cross-cultural experience. A finalist for the 2025 ECPA Biography & Memoir award, this book is both reflective and deeply practical, offering stories from community-building, cross-border ministry, and personal identity.
Whether you’re charting your own vocational path or curious how faith intersects with culture and creative expression, this book joins the ranks of books about spiritual journey that invite thoughtful exploration. Gibbons writes with clarity, patience, and a heart for intersection — a needed voice in our times.
How to Choose a Book That Resonates With You
1. Identify Your Current Spiritual Need
- Seeking hope in hardship? “She Believed…” or “27 Summers” might offer what you need.
- Longing for spiritual structure? “Practicing the Way” gives tangible practices.
- Looking for a broader perspective? “Hope” or “Ghosted” delivers both personal insight and cultural commentary.
- Curious about cross-cultural vocation? “The Shape of My Eyes brings both nuance and vision.
2. Try Before Committing
Browse publisher excerpts or listen to sample podcasts or interviews. Let the author’s voice resonate before you dive in.
3. Consider Format and Companion Materials
Some of these books include study guides, reflection questions, or digital extras — ideal if you want to journal, discuss in a group, or revisit later.
Why These Books Matter
- They are grounded in truth: Each title doesn’t pretend faith is easy — they lean into struggle and emerge with tenderness, maturity, or renewed conviction.
- They offer variety in form and tone: From pastoral memoir to devotional guide, this list spans storytellers, thinkers, pastors, and pastors-in-training.
- They reflect the now: 2025’s publications capture our moment — navigating distraction (Practicing the Way), cultural change (Ghosted), institutional renewal (Hope), emotional grit (27 Summers), creative calling (The Shape of My Eyes), and daily miracles (She Believed…).
Final Reflections
These six spiritual journey books represent some of the most compelling reading available in 2025. They are not just stories — they’re invitations to walk alongside those who have wrestled, trusted, and grown. Whether you’re building your personal reading list or planning a group study, each title offers a unique vantage on how faith unfolds in real life.
Let these stories open space in your own spiritual path — for prayer, for curiosity, for seeking. May the faith in these pages encourage