The Books That Challenged My Thinking in 2025

I tend to read the way I live — broadly, curiously, and a little unevenly. Theology next to neuroscience. Leadership next to memoir. And every now and then, a book that’s just meant to be fun.

What I’ve learned over time is this: books don’t just inform us. They quietly shape how we see people, power, faith, pain, and responsibility. Some do that gently. Others by friction. A few by showing us what we don’t want to become.

Here are the books that walked with me this year — some I loved, some that stretched me, and one I genuinely disliked — and a quick take away from each of them.

Secret of Secrets & Origin — Dan Brown

I actually bought Origin by accident, thinking I was pre-ordering Secret of Secrets. Instead of returning it, I read it — and then ended up reading both. In the end, they were exactly what you expect from Dan Brown: fast-paced, conspiratorial, intellectually playful, and entertaining. These aren’t books you read slowly. You read them because the story keeps pulling you forward.

Big Idea: Stories that mix mystery, science, and faith tap into our deep hunger for meaning.

Opinion: Neither book is profound or particularly accurate, but both were entertaining. And honestly, sometimes fun is enough. Not every book has to carry the weight of formation to still be worth reading.

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry — John Mark Comer

This book felt less like a suggestion and more like a confrontation. Comer exposes how hurry, distraction, and productivity quietly reshape our souls — often more than we realize. His argument isn’t about laziness or retreat from responsibility; it’s about presence, love, and learning to live at the pace of Jesus.

Big Idea: If we don’t intentionally resist hurry, it will shape us more than Jesus does.

Opinion: This is a book I need to return to regularly. Not because I forget the message, but because I drift so easily.

Practicing the Way — John Mark Comer

Practicing the Way builds on the same foundation but moves toward discipleship as formation rather than performance. Comer reframes following Jesus as apprenticeship — learning rhythms, habits, and practices that slowly reshape who we are over time, in real community.

Big Idea: Discipleship is not information transfer; it’s life formation through shared practices.

Opinion: This feels like an important corrective to outcome-driven Christianity. It’s patient, grounded, and faithful.

Reset — Dan Heath

Reset gave language to something I’ve felt for years in leadership: systems rarely drift toward health. They drift toward clutter, complexity, and inertia. Heath shows how intentional resets restore clarity and energy without burning everything down.

Big Idea: Complexity quietly strangles mission unless leaders intervene.

Opinion: This made me less afraid of pruning. Resetting isn’t failure; it’s stewardship.

We Who Wrestle with God — Jordan Peterson

Peterson approaches Scripture psychologically rather than theologically, exploring meaning, suffering, responsibility, and truth. You don’t have to agree with him to appreciate how seriously he treats the biblical story and the human struggle to live honestly in a painful world.

Big Idea: Faith isn’t avoidance of reality; it’s engagement with it.

Opinion: This book reminded me that wrestling with God is often a sign of sincerity, not rebellion. Faith that never wrestles usually isn’t very deep.

A Promised Land — Barack Obama

This book took me all year to finish — not because it dragged, but because it was thoughtful and dense. What stood out most was how clearly you can hear his voice on the page. It felt sincere, reflective, and more personal than I expected. For someone carrying so much public weight, the tone felt surprisingly human.

Big Idea: Leadership is shaped as much by reflection and restraint as by action.

Opinion: I really enjoyed this book. Regardless of politics, it felt honest and engaging — and more entertaining than I anticipated.

Think Again — Adam Grant

Grant challenges the idea that confidence equals wisdom. Instead, he argues that growth comes from intellectual humility — the willingness to rethink assumptions and revise beliefs when new information emerges.

Big Idea: Wisdom isn’t certainty; it’s openness to learning.

Opinion: This softened my grip on being right. Asking What if I’m missing something? has made conversations healthier and leadership better.

Unreasonable Hospitality — Will Guidara

This was one of my favorite reads of the year. On the surface it’s about restaurants, but underneath it’s about attentiveness, care, and choosing to exceed expectations in ways that actually matter. Guidara shows how small, intentional acts can turn ordinary experiences into meaningful moments.

Big Idea: How people feel in your presence matters more than efficiency or excellence alone.

Opinion: I loved this book — and honestly, I think more people should figure this out for their lives, not just their work. Hospitality isn’t a tactic; it’s a posture. And when people feel genuinely seen, everything changes.

Let Them Theory — Mel Robbins

This book is built around the idea of emotional detachment: stop trying to manage other people’s reactions and simply “let them.” While that sounds like healthy boundaries, the longer I read, the more uneasy I became. What begins as freedom from people-pleasing slowly turns into a vision of life centered on personal comfort and disengagement.

Big Idea: Peace comes from withdrawing from others’ expectations.

Opinion: I actually hated this book. In the end, it felt like hedonism cloaked in self-help language — selfish self-fulfillment framed as emotional maturity. There’s a real difference between healthy boundaries and abandoning love, responsibility, and sacrificial presence. This book blurred that line in ways I found deeply unhelpful.

Remarkable — Randy Ross

Ross explores what makes people and organizations impactful over time. The answer isn’t charisma or hype — it’s culture shaped by consistently practiced values.

Big Idea: Culture is formed intentionally, not accidentally.

Opinion: Quiet, steady leadership wisdom. No flash — just depth and durability.

Addiction, Attachment, and Trauma — Oliver Morgan

Morgan reframes addiction through attachment theory, trauma, and neuroscience. Instead of moralizing behavior, he helps readers see addiction as an attempt to cope with unresolved pain and broken connection.

Big Idea: Addiction is less about substances and more about unhealed attachment wounds.

Opinion: Heavy but essential. This book deepened my compassion and reshaped how I understand healing.

The Case Against Reality — Donald Hoffman

Hoffman argues that human perception may function more like a survival interface than a window into ultimate reality. It’s philosophical, scientific, and unsettling in a good way.

Big Idea: What we perceive may not be the full truth of what exists.

Opinion: I didn’t agree with everything, but it expanded my humility and sense of mystery — especially when thinking about God and reality beyond our senses.

Final Thought

These books didn’t agree with one another — and I’m glad they didn’t.

Some slowed me down. Some sharpened leadership. Some stretched faith. Some challenged assumptions.

Together, they shaped a year of learning that felt honest, grounded, and unfinished — which is exactly how formation should feel. Now I’m curious:

What should be on the list next?