Being Intentional

In reading various blogger lists I am astounded by the sheer amount of reading some people were able to accomplish last year. I had hoped to read more in 2006, but in the final analysis I managed to finish 22 books and partially read 15. Of the 22, four were fiction. My usual non-fiction to fiction ratio in previous years has been around 10-1, and that would have held if I had not read two classics over the holidays.

Best of My 2006 Reading:
Lies Women Believe, Nancy Leigh DeMoss: Invaluable for learning how to walk in the Truth.
The Way of the Master, Ray Comfort: The book on evangelism I wish I read years ago.
One Thing You Can't Do in Heaven, Mark Cahill: A shot of zeal.
How to Bring Your Children to Christ & Keep Them There, Ray Comfort: Sobering wisdom.
One Heartbeat Away, Mark Cahill: For an eternal perspective.
Body for Life, Bill Phillips: It works for me.
For Women Only, Shaunti Feldhahn: Eye-opening.
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen: My first Austen but not my last.
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte: A tale of temptation, repentance and redemption.

Of the partially read books, some were so meaty (think Piper) that I had to pause between chapters to chew. Others were mediocre and not worth completing. Still others were excellent but I had Reader's ADD and lost focus.

Best of the Partially Read (to be completed):
The Pleasures of God, John Piper: Profound meditations on what brings joy to God.
The Hawk and the Dove, Penelope Wilcock: I have wept over these parables.
Be Still My Soul, Elisabeth Elliot: Wisdom from my fave Titus 2 woman.
School of Biblical Evangelism, Ray Comfort: 101 lessons (~65 to go).
Holiness, Nancy Leigh DeMoss: Insights on seeking God's best.
Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit, Teri Maxwell: Teaching in the Spirit.
The Big Picture, Stacy Julian: Remembering why I'm a scrapbooker.
Prince Caspian, C.S. Lewis: Finding my way back to Narnia.

I have been asking myself: do my reading choices help me to know and love God better? Am I being equipped to make Him known to the lost? Am I being encouraged in my walk? Am I sharpening my spiritual gifts to build up others? Am I becoming a more loving wife, mom and friend? An effective teacher? A thoughtful writer? A better thinker?

Elisabeth Elliot once advised an aspiring writer: “During these busy years while you take care of small children and give yourself to being a godly wife and mother, lay the firm footing on which good writing must be built. Read great books if you have time to read anything at all. Get rid of the junk that comes in the mail, eschew all magazines and newspapers if your reading time is limited, and by “hearing” the really great authors, learn the sound and cadence of good English.”

With limited free time, I must take her advice to heart. I cannot read everything; therefore, I must be selective. As Nancy Leigh DeMoss says, I must be intentional.

My 2007 Reading List:
The Bible
Desiring God, John Piper
When the Darkness Will Not Lift, John Piper
Knowing God, J.I. Packer
The Holiness of God, R.C. Sproul
Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference?, Philip Yancy
Rees Howells: Intercessor, Norman Grubb
The Knowledge of the Holy, A. W. Tozer
Morning and Evening, Charles Spurgeon, ed. Alistair Begg
Teaching to Change Lives, Howard Hendricks (re-read)
You Can Teach Your Child Successfully, Ruth Beechick
The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien
Stepping Heavenward, Elizabeth Prentiss (re-read)
The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis
Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoevsky
Peace Like a River, Leif Enger
Emma, Jane Austen
Light From Heaven, Jan Karon

Will I read them all? Probably not, but it's a plan. I do better with lists. When I go shopping at Target without one I'm prone to forget the sponges and leave with ribbons instead.

This list is likely to grow. I haven't covered all genres, but I am embracing more fiction. The Lord of the Rings is on the list. I may be the last person alive who hasn't read it yet, but I'm not ashamed to admit it. :-) Perhaps by year end I'll be speaking Middle Earth lingo with the best of the geeks.

Or perhaps not.

I do hope, however, that by year end I can say that these books have helped me to become a better follower of Christ. Whether that proves true remains to be seen. That's my intention, anyway.

"Of making many books there is no end..." Ecclesiastes 12:12a