Hello dearest,
I hope this post finds you relishing in springs beauty and the hope of summer winds.
So what have I been reading…lots! Here in the PNW temps fluctuate between cold and damp and warm and sunny. On those days that beg you to curl up on the couch with a big cuppa tea with the dogs at my feet here’s what on rotation.
Generally speaking if it has anything to do with digging deeper into scripture, I’m all for it. And when I need a tried and true gem there’s always my favorite, Jane Austen, anyone?
These are not in any particular order because frankly I have at least 3-4 books at the ready, each with their own theme and genre, it depends on what I’m in the mood for that evening. I rarely sit and consume one book in it’s entirety before beginning another. They’re all a “read in progress.”
Let me start with an oldie and goodie:
The Prayer of Jabez – Bruce Wilkinson
I’ve read this little gem at least a dozen times and I find that it stays on my shelf for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it’s a quick read that spurs me on in my walk with Christ. A great reminder that when we ask, get ready to buckle up and let God do His work.
I love this little book’s gentle reminder that God is always, always, always bigger than my fears and closer than my dreams. Our God is alive and Jabez’s prayer reminds us that nothing is too big or too small for our God. That said, I re-read it because sometimes I get in my own way and need a reminder of who God is. Try it!
*Gradually Then Suddenly by Mark Batterson
I love reading Mark’s work. There are probably 3 or 4 of his books on my shelf, that just like The Prayer of Jabez, they get pulled down and re-read at least once every few years, mainly because I need a good reminder that God is big! And this book so far, (yes, I started a few weeks ago) isn’t a disappointment. The basic gist of the book is that rarely is anything ever an “overnight success.” Now we know that right? When you look at the Mona Lisa or the Eiffel Tower, as they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day. And neither is the work God is doing in our lives.
We live in a culture that’s all about the speed and rush to complete. And not only complete perfectly, immediately and to the highest most impossible standards.
Bah! That’s not God’s way. First off, we’re already perfect in His eyes & heart because He created us. There’s nothing we can do or say to have the good Lord love us anymore than He does. So the pressure is off, when we keep our eyes on Him.
Mark’s whole point is that we need to remember that whatever God has called us to do, He will complete it in us in due time and effort. Yes, we’re to give good measure to our efforts but as God calls us to, not to the worlds standards nor its timelines.
But keep in mind, that whatever God calls us to, there is a gradual steady progression until suddenly there is the end result God perfectly designed for us.
I enjoyed reading Gradually then Suddenly because it reminds me to step away from the world’s demands, focus on what God has called me to and to work at it as unto the Lord. And never forget that it’s for His glory and purpose and that we are His workmanship gifted for amazing things in this world. This is a partnership between us and the Lord not a competition between us and the world.
What I love best about Mark’s book is the reminder that what we do for the Lord as He has called us will leave a legacy for those whose lives have been touched by our efforts.
As with Mark’s others books that I’ve read, Circle Maker, Chase the Lion, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, these are all calls to action, through the lens of how God has created us each to walk with Him.
If you want a great inspirational read that will spur you on in your walk with God to pursue the purpose He’s set out for you, then pick it up!
C.S. Lewis – Mere Christianity
Ok, I’m going to be really honest here. Because of the style of writing and language it takes me a good solid few minutes to read slowly in order to comprehend what C.S. Lewis is saying. But once I settle into his writing style and his sense of thoughtfulness, I’m glad I’m not in a rush. Which is why we read right? To slow down, learn, grow?
Reading C.S. Lewis’ work absolutely challenges my belief system. Written in a form that argues both sides of the coin as to whether or not we should believe in Christ or not, I am finding that I love his thought-provoking style. I like being challenged in what I believe. I want to know that I know that I know.
And I don’t want to be a Christian simply because I was raise in a Christian home. I truly want my walk with Christ to be deeply personal and meaningful. And Mere Christianity brings about all of the arguments humankind can utter in response to a holy God and a sinful world.
I’m finding it to be insightful, challenging in a most unique thought provoking way and causes me to really ask myself what is it I believe and why?
I submit that if you take the time and really allow yourself to be the antagonist and protagonist in this argument on whether being a Christian is the proper walk for you, it not only will have you questioning why you believe but why you don’t believe in a God who created and loves you.
The Dragon’s Prophecy by Jonathan Cahn
If you like reading about what God has to say about end times, then I suggest you grab this one.
I’m a few chapters in and I’ll tell you that there is so much information you’ll want to slow down your reading speed, grab your bible and take notes. There’s a lot of ground to cover. This is one that I’ll read in small doses simply because I like cross referencing for myself anything that an author talks about being in the bible. I’m not one to simply take another person’s word for what God has said, so I’ll read a few pages, jot down notes and grab my bible and dig in. This one will probably take me a few months or more to complete. But good so far…
Now for fun and easy reading one of my favorite fiction authors is Denise Hunter. Just about everything she writes, I enjoy and have 2 in progress at the moment:
Riverbend and Honeysuckle Dreams by Denise Hunter
Both books are about Happily Ever Afters, which I’m a HUGE fan of. Mainly because I think it models God’s love for us. Yes there will be challenge and heartache in our lives but God’s love for us promises that Happily ever After that I think we all want.
Both are great reads and stay on my permanent bookshelf so when I want a sweet romance filled with, faith growth, challenges that test human reserve and showcases a God that shows up in our lives in the most difficult & joy-filled circumstances, then Denise Hunter is one of my favorite authors to reach for.
