Wednesday, May 25, 2011

read

yes, it's May, and i'm still talking about 'new years' resolutions.  that is because i believe that if i don't talk about them throughout the year, i'll either forget about them, or lose steam and quit.  the idea is to resolve to make changes, do more, do less, etc etc....whatever your list is comprised of.... and embark on a year-long journey of action that will hopefully result in new attitudes, fresh perspectives and modified behaviors.  those changes don't come without effort and consistency.
one of the 11 resolutions on my list is to read a book a month.  so far so good... i LOVE reading, but can't ever seem to find time to just sit around and read!  i guess that's what plane rides are for...and late nights:)  Proverbs 23:12 says..."Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge."  i'm sure it goes without saying that instruction and knowledge should first and foremost be from the Word of God.  but i also believe that gaining information and knowledge from other peoples experiences can be helpful too, as long as it's all filtered through the truth.  God gives the gift of writing and story telling just as he gives the gift of preaching and teaching...and all of it can be used to glorify Him.
January:  as a church we read through the New Testament
February:  'Unbroken', by Laura Hillenbrand. amazing true story about Louis Zamperini, the Olympic Runner/WW2 Vet. who survived unspeakable atrocities as a POW, came home alive and gave his life to Jesus at a Billy Graham Crusade in L.A.
March: 'Black Heels to Tractor Wheels' by Ree Drumond (AKA The Pioneer Woman) this is a true (fun) story about how Ree met, and eventually married, her husband.  she traded in a promising career in the city of Chicago (the black heels part) for life on a ranch in Oklahoma (the tractor wheels part). she has a website/blog that i absolutely LOVE!! http://thepioneerwoman.com/
April:  'Safely Home' by Randy Alcorn.  this is a story about the persecuted church in China. eye-opening and inspiring.
May: 'Horse Soldiers', by Doug Stanton.   an epic , moving, true story about the group of Army Special Forces that went in to Afghanistan after 9/11. They were first on the scene, and once in country, found themselves fighting alongside the Afghan soldiers on horseback. It is a gripping tale of courage and victory!
June: i'm starting Charles Spurgeons 'Prayer in the Life of a Believer' and i can't wait to dig in!
after that, i have 'Run with the Horses' by Eugene Peterson, 'So Long Insecurity' by Beth Moore, 'Don't Waste Your Life' by John Piper and 'In Light of Eternity' by Randy Alcorn all lined up for the coming months
...care to join me???
*this list is a compilation of the books i've read in their entirety each month. it doesn't include the books i'm in and out of for devotional/quiet/prayer times.

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