What are you reading? What did you know about the book before reading? Many years ago I asked a friend if he had read a recent best seller. His answer was that with all the classics out there he had no time for “fiction.” He was an attorney and I was tempted to ask about the “fiction” in his legal briefs. Though I disagree with his comment it got me to thinking about what books we read and why.
Below is an article by Carolyn Mahaney originally posted on her blog “Girl Talk” entitled My Eight-Year Reading List http://www.girltalkhome.com/.
After dinner on a recent date night, my husband and I wandered into a Barnes and Noble—not an uncommon leisure activity for the two of us. I flipped through a book on the new release table and came across a ten-year reading plan at the back of the book. Hmmm…that’s a good idea, I thought. I’m always reading–commentaries, books on women’s issues, doctrine and the Christian life, and even the occasional history or classic novel–but I want to have a long-term plan to make sure I’m reading the most valuable spiritual classics.
So on our way out, I asked CJ (whose appetite for devouring books ever inspires me!) to give me a reading plan for what he considered the most important spiritual books to read in my lifetime.
Several days ago he handed me this list:
Knowing God by JI Packer
The Holiness of God by RC Sproul
The Cross of Christ by John Stott
When I Don’t Desire God by John Piper
The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges
The Gospel for Real Life by Jerry Bridges
Holiness by JC Ryle
Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands by Paul Tripp
Though I’ve read parts of almost all of these books, I’ve not benefited as I know I will if I read them from cover to cover. So, I’m going to line these books up on my shelf and start reading. Let’s see…..eight books, at one per year; I should be finished by 2016. God willing, I’ll finish these books and ask CJ for another reading list.
The beginning of this article could have been written by me as my husband and I often find ourselves in book stores. The first month we were married Greg was late coming home one night. As time went on I became concerned and called the library at Austin Peay State University as he had gone there to check out a book for a Masters class he was taking. The librarian answered and let me know he had left at closing time…… for almost 20 years now we have learned when we are late it usually has something to do with books.
I trust you will become more volitional in your choice of books old and new!
The picture above is of The C.J. Mahaney Family. Picturing Carolyn her husband and children and gradchildren.
No comments:
Post a Comment