Even the Dog Likes to Read!

That's right! At my house, even the dog likes a good book! Well, not really, but, if I had a dog, I'm sure he would be a voracious reader!

What's the big deal about books, anyway? Maybe we should ask God, for God Himself has created in us a deep, deep need to read and ingest His Word. John opens his gospel message by saying: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”John 1:1 What an amazing description of Jesus Christ – He is the “Living Word!” Ever wonder why John used this description of Jesus? He could have called Him many things but, “The Word”?!

Later, we see a tired and hungry Jesus, rebuking Satan's temptation to turn stones into bread, saying: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every WORD that comes forth from the mouth of God.”Matthew 4:4 That's an incredible endorsement by God of the power of the written word collected in a thing we call a book!

It is in this spirit of great respect for the power of books to communicate that I invite you to join me in choosing to read a few “good books” this year!” Selecting a few is a challenge but here is my short list to get us started. These are some books that I have a passing acquaintance with through radio interviews with the authors who always left me hungry for more. If you have read any of these and want to give us a little review, please jump in. I will give my opinion, but I value yours, so please do contribute your comments!

We will focus on one book at a time and take it slowly since everyone is juggling a lot of balls in the air at one time these days! Fridays will be the day for Book Club discussion and comments from you. Right now, we are reading, The Weight of Your Words, by Joseph M. Stowell. All books that will be a part of the Book Club reading series can be found by highlighting the label “Book Club” from the list of labels in the lower right corner of the home page. This will bring up the whole series in case you want to revisit a particular book we have read.

Make yourself a cup of tea and snuggle by the fire (or under the blankets) and enjoy the journey!

Suggested Books for 2012 (in no particular order!) If you have a preference for what you want to read, let me know and we can plan on reading that one next!

The Weight of Your Words by Joseph M. Stowell

A Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper

When Hell Was in Session by Ravi Zacharias

Twilight's Last Gleaming by Dr. Robert Jeffress

Made to Crave by Lysa Turkeurst

An Unmerited Mercy by Marvin Olasky

All In by Mike Guzzardo

Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn

Half the Church by Carolyn Custus James
Out of a Far Country by Christopher and Angela Yuan
While the World Watched by Carolyn Mall McKinstry
Small Things With Great Love by Margo Starbuck