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Stories for the Heart: 110 Stories to Encourage Your Soul

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A picture is worth a thousand words, and a good story spans the generations. Alice Gray's touching book offers 110 encouraging story selections from some of America's best-loved communicators. Carry them in your heart, learn from their wisdom, and share them with someone you love. It's the storybook that sparked a movement!

A picture is worth a thousand words -- and a good story spans generations. This book holds a collection of many timeless stories -- stories of compassion and encouragement. Carry them in your heart, learn from their wisdom, share them with someone you love. Whether you read them while curling up by the fire or basking in the sun, this soul-stirring treasury is sure to move you to much needed laughter and tears.

301 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

20 people are currently reading
315 people want to read

About the author

Alice Gray

171 books12 followers

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5 stars
79 (38%)
4 stars
54 (26%)
3 stars
57 (27%)
2 stars
12 (5%)
1 star
3 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Profile Image for Jessica.
19 reviews
January 1, 2017
Awesome Book. Loved All The Stories. Happy New Year
Profile Image for Billie.
34 reviews4 followers
February 28, 2013
This book has some wonderful stories in it, especially one called - If We Had Hurried; it is a story about Hiroshima. Other good ones are Home Coming, Tale of 3 Trees, Secret of the Gifts, and Selling the Cattle! I was surprised at the treasures contained in it!
2 reviews1 follower
October 9, 2011
Some of the very best stories....short....says that which we find difficult to find the words...and express them.
Profile Image for Adrianne.
475 reviews6 followers
March 1, 2018
I would say that this book has a “chicken soup for the soul” kind of feel. I honestly would not quite consider it a short stories compilation as there were several poems, quotes, and single paragraph tales versus a book of only short stories. Some of them were very loving and one definitely gave me goosebumps, but most of them were just so-so.
Profile Image for Gordon Moore.
4 reviews1 follower
July 17, 2020
As a clergy I have used all of Alice Gray's books to encourage through illustration just how valuable life's lessons are for healing, encouraging and restoring the soul.
Profile Image for Phyllis Barlow.
773 reviews10 followers
November 17, 2024
Nice short stories to read before bed. I read the second one first, not realizing it was the second one. If you like Chicken Soup for the Soul books you will enjoy this one.
Profile Image for Cindy aka "The Book Fairy".
715 reviews4 followers
January 11, 2021
This is such an awesome collection of incredible stories! I buy extra copies whenever I see this book on sale somewhere like a second hand store to be able to give away/loan often... such heartwarming and powerful tales of true events that truly touch one's heart... i reread this edition every so many years and have read some to my kids as well..
900 reviews
February 27, 2020
Great compilation of stories of faith, and hope. So encouraging to the soul! Great reading
Profile Image for James Collins.
Author 12 books273 followers
October 22, 2024
Inspirational & Heartwarming
Alice Gray has done an excellent job compiling "Stories for the Heart." This book contains inspirational and heartwarming works from authors such as Max Lucado, Charles Swindoll, Lee Stobel, James Dobson, Billy Graham, Joni Erickson Tada, and many, many more. The compilation is similar to the popular "Chicken Soup For The Soul" series. As a pastor, I am always looking for sermon illustrations and this book is full of them. If you are looking for some spiritual encouragement, you will love "Stories for the Heart."
2 reviews
November 5, 2025
I do think the stories are great for helping someone learn to be a better person. I just wish there was a way for me to figure out if a story that's been placed in this book is a fiction or something that actually happened. I personally didn't get encouraged to be a better person after reading this book, but I can certainly see the potential when given to another person, especially someone who struggles to believe in themselves.
Profile Image for Sue Cappucci.
5 reviews4 followers
March 31, 2022
Much like the Chicken Soup for the Soul's series, the Stories for the Heart series provides inspirational and spiritual encouragement in bites sized pieces. Some stories are familiar and some are not, but all are priceless and essential for our heart's growth.
Profile Image for Annette Ridenour.
249 reviews1 follower
August 2, 2024
Once again not my favorite genre. I think the quick cuts between stories doesn’t give enough time to dig for meaning but I had to finish the set. Interesting to see how mindsets, even the Christian mindset and the way we right has changed in the last few decades.
1 review
August 19, 2019
A book filled with great short stories. Similar to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.
Profile Image for Alyssa Skinner.
350 reviews
August 31, 2020
Some of these stories really did touch my heart and lift my spirits, but others fell short of the mark.
Profile Image for Barbara Lovejoy.
2,546 reviews32 followers
December 26, 2021
So many WONDERFUL, inspiring stories---some I already knew, some I had forgotten, and some new ones that have now become favorites.
Profile Image for Afrijewel.
172 reviews
June 6, 2025
My favorites:
"Keeper of the Spring"
"The Red Umbrella"
"An Autobiography in Five Short Paragraphs"
"Footprints"
102 reviews3 followers
January 4, 2017
This is a beautiful collection of short stories extracted from bigger books, the news and real life.

This is a book to feel good. Perfect for stories before bed. Children, mothers and grandparents alike love it. If you are a Christian, you will like it even more, if you aren't you will like it just fine.

From war to romance, there is a little of everything. I'm not sure what Gray's other books are like, but this was gold.
Profile Image for Anne Marie.
861 reviews13 followers
March 18, 2016
This was a collection of short stories that had themes such as faith, family, encouragement, and love. Most were very good, but the ones about faith were my favorite. Loved The Tale of Three Trees about how they were made to be items in Jesus' life. The Parable of Extravagant Love is based on the Prodigal son story. One Solitary Life always is moving.
Profile Image for Lynnea.
617 reviews
June 2, 2010
There were some very inspiring stories - many which are sent on email forwards.
Profile Image for Karen.
1,171 reviews37 followers
April 7, 2009
Started it along time ago. Not sure why I didn't finish it until now. It is filled with short inspirational stories.
45 reviews
December 3, 2010
Rather predictable....had heard some of the accounts previously...positive and uplifting
Profile Image for Mariana.
708 reviews28 followers
November 1, 2013
É um livro com pequenas histórias verdadeiramente comoventes.
1,352 reviews
July 12, 2022
Some stories were better than others, but all of them were good in one way or another (funny, touching, inspiring, thought provoking, etc.) It was definitely worth reading.
Profile Image for Vianney.
149 reviews
April 20, 2015
I didn't read all the stories, just the ones whom captured me, and I absolutely love them!
1 review
Want to read
January 7, 2018
I don't know how to use this thing when I click on a book there's a button that says want to read when I click it nothing happens what should I do 😭😭😭😭😭😤
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews

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