OUTSTANDING BOOKS OF THE YEAR
Out of all 2026 Illumination entries, these Outstanding Books of the Year rose to the top for their inspiring messages and excellence, earning Gold Medals.
GOLD
Front Porch Wisdom: Navigating Leadership Pressures and Barriers as a Woman of Color by Froswa’ Booker-Drew (IVP)
GOLD
Love Made Me an Inventor: The Story of Maggy Barankitse - Humanitarian, Genocide Survivor, Citizen without Borders by David Toole (Orbis Books)
GOLD
Knock at the Sky: Seeking God in Genesis After Losing Faith in the Bible by Liz Charlotte Grant (Eerdmans)
GOLD
God Must Love by Tori Higa (Fusion Hybrid Publishing)
GENERAL CATEGORIES
1. Bible Study
- GOLD: When God Speaks Through Pain: Beatitudes that Heal the Heart by Andriy Hrenok
- SILVER: Esteemed: God and His View of Women by Jamie B. Hulker (Redemption Press)
- BRONZE: Overcoming the Narcissist, Sociopath, Psychopath, and Other Domestic Abusers: Workbook for Support Groups and Bible Studies by Charlene D. Quint, J.D., C.D.V.P. (Redemption Press)
2. Christian Living
- GOLD: A Taste of Joy and Liberty: A Philosopher Encounters the Gospel of Jesus by Jeffrey Wattles (Origin Press)
- SILVER: Hidden Heartache: Finding Courage When Your Husband Struggles with Pornography by Jody Allen (Bold Vision Books)
- BRONZE: Broken Can Be Beautiful: Embracing New Beginnings by Jess Ward (WestBow Press)
3. Devotional
- GOLD: God Didn’t Make Us to Hate Us by Rev. Lizzie McManus-Dail (TarcherPerigee)
- SILVER: Bless Your Heart by Debora M. Coty (Christian Art Publishers)
- BRONZE (TIE): Wading in the Waves: A 40 Day Journey of Healing Grief, Identity and Belonging in the Presence of God by Anita Garber, LSW (Tall Pine Books)
- BRONZE (TIE): The Common Rule Youth Edition by Justin Whitmel Earley (IVP)
4. Theology
- GOLD: A Theology of Flourishing: The Fullness of Life for All Creation by Paul J. Schutz (Orbis Books)
- SILVER: The Transforming Fire of Divine Love: My Long, Slow Journey into the Love of God by John H. Armstrong (Cascade Books)
- BRONZE: It Doesn’t Have to be This Hard by Mike Nappa (Whitaker House)
5. Ministry/Mission
- GOLD: More Than Half Way Home: A Story of Accompaniment in the Shadows of Incarceration by Dustin Feddon (Orbis Books)
- SILVER: Church Privacy Team by Grace Buckler (NAD Publishing)
- BRONZE: A Charge to Keep: Immutable Leader Lessons from the C-Suite to the Pulpit by Rev. Kevin T. Taylor (Advantage Books)
6. Catholic
- GOLD: Peek-a-boo Saints by Raquel Rose (The Little Rose Shop)
- SILVER: I am a Mission on this Earth: Selected Writings Edited by Robert Ellsberg (Orbis Books)
- BRONZE: No Greater Gift: A Prayer Guide for Catholics by Gregory P. Steffine (Sanderson Press)
7. Family/Parenting
- GOLD: Growing with God: A 52-Week Family Devotional by Monica Stoltzfus (Paige Tate & Co.)
- SILVER: Keep Us This Day, Keep Us This Night: A Morning Prayer and an Evening Prayer for All God’s Children by Todd R. Hains and Natasha Kennedy (Lexham Press)
- BRONZE: Love Because…30 Devotions for In-Law Relationships
by Arden Remnant Gewirtz Levine (Rx for God)
8. Education
- GOLD: All Together Sunday School Series (Group Publishing)
- SILVER: Catholic 123 and ABC Board Books by Raquel Rose (The Little Rose Shop)
- BRONZE: The Art of Grace, Christ-Centered Manners and Etiquette for Everyday Life by Paola Lecanda (Perpetua Press)
9. Spirituality
- GOLD: If I Should Die Before I Live: Sorting Out What Matters Most by Ken Jones (Watermark Ink Publishing)
- SILVER: Taking the Stairs and Liking It: Seven Steps to an Amazing Life by Lauren Speeth, PhD (Self-Published)
- BRONZE: Epiphany: Seeking Light in the Darkness–Our Divided Nation by Ann Ridge, PhD (O’Ridgenal Publishing, LLC)
10. Illness/Death/Dying
- GOLD: Seeing Things by Marjorie Maddox (Wildhouse Poetry, an imprint of Wildhouse Publishing)
- SILVER: Washed in Blue by Noelle Cablay (Phatpiano Publishing)
- BRONZE:
Touched by Hannah by Chris Hennessy (HennSchtick Productions)
11. Self-Help
- GOLD: Must: Becoming the Person You are Meant to Be by Stephen Rue (Houndstooth Press)
- SILVER: Win Without Losing What Matters Most: A Blueprint for Men to Succeed in Life, Lead Their Homes, and Live with No Regrets by Waikiki Paulino (Self-Published)
- BRONZE: Cathedrals of Connection by Matthew G. Mattson (Turner Publishing Company)
12. Biography/Memoir- Inspiration
- GOLD (TIE): When the Light Finds Us: From a Life Sentence to a Life Transformed by Judy A. Henderson (Worthy Books)
- GOLD (TIE): Two Euro Candles: A Memoir of Faith, Trauma, and Quiet Miracles by Maxsense Maximus (Euraus Publishing)
- SILVER: Restored in Tuscany by Angela Correll (Harvest House)
- BRONZE: Unlikely: The surprising personal story behind the garage startup that became a $100m national health brand by Jason T Smith (Ark House Press)
13. Biography/Memoir- Personal Struggle
- GOLD (TIE): Straight to Hell: Memoir of an Ex-Evangelical Pastor by John Wesley Wilson (Lazarus House Press)
- GOLD (TIE): Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet by Ryan McDermott (KӧehlerBooks)
- SILVER: Pale Pink Roads: A Journey of Faith, Pedals, and American Byways by Joe Tarantino (Pleasant Valley Publishing)
- BRONZE: Running into Me: A Memoir of Resilience, Relationships, & Recovery by Elisemarie DiCarlo (Talk 2 Me)
14. Holiday
- GOLD: A Merry and Bright Adventure: A Christmas Devotional for Family, Faith, Food, and Fun by Katie J. Trent (Whitaker House)
- SILVER: The Daze Before Christmas by Laurie Germaine (Scattered Whimsy)
- BRONZE: Miracle on 134th Street by Chris Storm (Chris Storm Books)
15. Children’s Picture Book
- GOLD (TIE): Guess How Much God Loves You by Little Lantern Storybooks, Illustrated by Carola Vergara (Little Lantern Storybooks Press)
- GOLD (TIE): Sparrow’s Prayer by Roger Hutchinson, Illustrated by Ag Jatkowska (Beaming Books)
- SILVER: Abigail and the Waterfall: Loving God’s Good Earth by Sandra L. Richter, Illustrated by Michael Corsini (IVP)
- BRONZE: Kaylee Prays for the Children of the World: God Hears Every Prayer by Helen Lee, Illustrated by Shin Maeng (IVP)
16. Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction
- GOLD: Justified by V. Romas Burton (Quill & Flame Publishing House)
- SILVER: Titus and the Christian Coin: An Adventure of Faith and Freedom by Dennis Conrad with Derinda Babcock (Write4Christ Publishing)
- BRONZE: Smoke and Mirrors by Jeff Maxim (Fusion Hybrid Publishing)
17. General Fiction
- GOLD: Turning Toward Eden by Cate Touryan (Winged Publications)
- SILVER: The Memory Garden by Jessica Brodie (Valor Publishing Group)
- BRONZE: The Ties That Loose by Felicia Ferguson (Salt & Light Publishing)
18. Romance Fiction
- GOLD: Tissue by Renee Leonard Kennedy (End Game Press)
- SILVER: Anything: A Romance for Jesus Freaks by Kristina Welch (Self Published)
- BRONZE (TIE): Libby’s Lighthouse by Susan G. Mathis (Wildheart Books)
- BRONZE (TIE): The Mother’s Day Bargain by Martha Fouts (Self Published)
19. Mystery/Thriller
- GOLD: The Wagers of Sin by Emily Hanlon (Chrism Press)
- SILVER: The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie’s Biscuits by Wanda E Brunstetter & Martha Bolton (Barbour Publishing)
- BRONZE: A Bridge to Die On by Fayla Ott (Heritage House Publishing)
20. Keepsake/Gift/Specialty Bible
- GOLD: Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene, a Prose Rendering by Rebecca K. Reynolds (Sky Turtle Press)
- SILVER: Let’s Go! Bible Adventures: Real Bible Stories for Kids Who Love Trains, Tractors, Ice Cream Trucks, and More! by Valerie Ellis, Illustrated by Carolina Farias (Tyndale House Publishers)
- BRONZE: Mom’s Keepsake (Nelson Productions)
21. Poetry
- GOLD (TIE): Four Fields by Dorinda Wegener (Trio House Press)
- GOLD (TIE): The Role of the Moon by D.S. Martin (Paraclete Press)
- SILVER: The Wisdom I Can’t Teach by Paul Coyne (Self-Published)
- BRONZE: Bright Mornings, Lit Paths: Poems, Prayers, and Prose Along the Way by Patti Jones Morgan (Signature Seasons Editions)
22. Digital Media (eBook, Audiobook)
- GOLD: FLOURISH in Life Loved by Jesus: Christian Devotional for Women with Relatable Bible Verses
by Lisa Wilt (Rx for the Soulful Heart) - SILVER: Beyond The Whisper by Tina L. Williams (Truthline Publishing)
- BRONZE: The Infinity Within by Kris Land (Balboa Press)
ENDURING LIGHT CATEGORIES
Most book awards focus on recent releases, but the Enduring Light medals honor outstanding Christian-themed books published since 2000. Entry fees and judging requirements match regular categories, and both older and current titles are eligible.
L1. Christian Thought
- GOLD: Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women’s Health by Wylin D. Wilson (NYU Press)
- SILVER: Rejoicing in His Glory by Kim S. Kinney (Pearls of Glory Publishing)
- BRONZE: The Divine Plotline: How God Uses Trials, Triumphs, and Transformation to Write Your Story by Chelsea Fain (Staten House)
L2. Devotional
- GOLD: Recipes for a Sweet Child by Katie J. Trent (Whitaker House)
- SILVER: Faith in the Unseen by Vanessa Smith (Upendo Ministries)
- BRONZE: Grace in the Grind by Wanda Marie Thibodeaux (Faithful on the Clock)
L3. Inspirational
- GOLD: Dear Bob: Bob Hope’s Wartime Correspondence with the G.I.s of World War II by Martha Bolton with Linda Hope (University Press of Mississippi)
- SILVER: The Day My Heart Turned Blue by Karla J Noland (Reveal Heal Thrive LLC)
- BRONZE: Triage: Healing Mental and Spiritual Roots by Denise Renken (Redemption Press)
L4. Christian Fiction
- GOLD: Fingerprints in Frost: A Wild Blue Wonder Press Anthology (Wild Blue Wonder Press)
- SILVER: Dead Air: A Waco Mystery by Mary L. Hamilton (Blue Mist Press)
- BRONZE (TIE): Prisoner of War by Kinsey M. Rockett (Christian Faith Publishing)
- BRONZE (TIE): King of Thieves by Kevin Casebier (Vinings House Press)
L5. Christian Children’s Book
- GOLD: Charlie Can’t Sleep by Rachel Joy Welcher, Illustrated by Breezy Brookshire (IVP)
- SILVER: Mother Earth by Dorothy Phillips (Self-Published)
- BRONZE: If You Can Dream It, Be It by Riley Tejcek, Illustrated by Janet Samuel (End Game Press)
