So besides just updating my bookshelf page I don't really talk about what I have been reading. Reading is one of my most favorite things to do. I read a lot in the evenings, after a long day (good or bad) it is a great way to kind of unwind and just kinda quiet my head before bed. And you KNOW it's a good book by how early I start reading it in the day. Or if it gets in my backpack for downtime at work. Lately tv has been kind of annoying for me...even at work...so it's nice to have something to do that doesn't drive me nuts. :) I just wanted to take a few minutes to chat about the books I have read recently or am reading.
Last year I bought and read Francine Rivers'
Lineage of Grace series. They are really cool books...what she did is take women from the Bible and dramatized their stories. Lineage of Grace followed the stories of Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary. I will add my disclaimer here and say that the BEST and most reliable place to read the stories of these women (and men, in
Sons of Encouragement) is in the Bible, but what I enjoy about this is that we see the "human-ness" in these people when you can picture them in their lives and can get glimpses of life in their culture and the emotions that may have been going on within their stories. I started Sons of Encouragement last week. This book (or series of books in one) covers the stories of Aaron, Caleb, Jonathon, Amos and Silas. I am enjoying it so far (I have finished Aaron's story). I think what I have enjoyed the most is that I have been looking up things in the Bible as I was reading the book. Parts of the story of Aaron and Moses that were covered in the book were things I didn't remember so it was neat to go to scripture to verify the facts, I loved that.
I read this book awhile ago but I just haven't really written about it on here and wanted to take the chance to. I loved, LOVED this book. I carried it with me everywhere for like two weeks and it is literally falling apart as a result. I just wanted to keep reading it.
The Five Love Languages: Singles Edition was really good, I highly recommend that everyone read it. The premise is that we are all individuals and that as individuals we feel love and show love in different ways. I won't really get into what those ways are, do more research on the
website before you read the book if you like...but just read the book. This is the first book I read that made relationships of any kind make sense to me. I learned a lot about myself and about how to relate to others and help them feel valued and love. The website above has a quiz you can take to find out what your personal love languages are and that was really informative for me. Words of Affirmation was my highest scoring language. It really made sense that it was that way because that chapter hit me kinda hard. Like, "oh, I wish someone would say that to me!" or "I totally understand why that hurt so bad." Funny story...not a good book to read while working out. I happened to be on that chapter at the gym and ended up shedding some tears on the elliptical, lol. :) Seriously, read this book. I have wanted to read it for years but was always really "threatened" I guess by the fact that it was written for married people....this version was perfect because it did talk about dating relationships, but it also talked about love within families, friends, work, etc. It was so good. Seriously, read it.
Okay, yes. This is a Bible and not normally included on a reading list like this. But I just wanted to take a moment to talk about this particular Bible and how it is set up. I have been reading my Bible almost daily since the middle of March and it has literally been changing my life. The One Year Bible is set up in daily readings. Each reading has a portion of Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs in it. I love that it is organized that way. It makes it easier for me. My Bible reading has expanded beyond just the readings of the day as I often want to expand on what is included in the reading of the day. It has been such a joy to spend time in and learn from the Bible on a daily basis. It brings up lots of questions, challenges and reassurances for me. Reading the Bible every day is so important, I am sorry that it took me so long to take my own advice and read it...but I am truly glad that I am to the point in my life and walk with the Lord to do it and enjoy it as I do.
The last book I want to talk about tonight is
Love and Respect. I started this book in the beginning of the year and just finished it a couple weeks ago. The amount of time it took me to read it is in not an indication of how good it is because, like The Five Love Languages, it made things make sense for me. Yes, this is a book on marriage. It is a book that my friends and I talked about last year and I have wanted to read it ever since...so I did. If you are married or ever want to get married I highly recommend this book. It is so good. It really made the idea of a Christ centered relationship/marriage make sense to me. So often I hear that term, but no one ever really explained what that looked like to me. This book did that, I am so glad I read it...even if it may have been weird for me to read it, being unmarried and all.
Alright, well. I hope you enjoyed tonight's glimpse at my bookshelf! What are you reading? I would love some more books on my "Need to Read" list. After I finish Sons of Encouragement there is nothing on the backburner...I would love your recommendations!!! :)
