Why should we bother with Christian reading apart from Scripture? All the Christians who have come before us are offering a wealth of accumulated knowledge and wisdom. To feed on their ideas and experiences is to reject spiritual anorexia. (Hughes, Disciplines of a Godly Woman, p. 74)
I read a lot. I keep two items nearby at all times: the scriptures and a good book. I have some books that are must reads every year or two: Desiring God (to remind me that God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in Him), Feminine Appeal (to remind me how to live within my family for God’s glory), Pilgrim’s Progress (to remind me the narrow road is not easy). I have several books I have yet to read that may make their way to my read-it-again list.
Reading biographies of Christians who have gone before me has been most helpful in spurring me on to follow harder after Christ. My two favorite books in this regard are A Chance to Die , which is the story of Amy Carmichael, and Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God by Noel Piper. Reading books like these serve to remind me that I have not yet begun to sacrifice for my Lord. And when my time for sacrifice or persecution comes, will I receive it gladly? Joyfully? Do I look forward to my “chance to die?” I suppose, if I consider all the opportunities I have to choose between serving my family or serving myself, each day offers more than one chance for me to die. And it takes a new heart and a new mind to make the God-glorifying decision.
Please leave comments about your favorite books. What do you like to read over and over again? What book(s) has had the greatest impact in your relationship with God?
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Leslie Wiggins 
6 responses to “More on the Mind”
I love books too and agree with that quote. I love Desiring God and Noel Piper’s book too. I haven’t read Feminine Appeal, I will have to look into that. I also really like Elisabeth Elliott and Shepherding a child’s heart for a parenting resource.
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One I love to re-read is The Pursuit of God by Tozer. I also like Shepherding a Child’s Heart. Right now I am reading The Message of the New Testament by Dever. Next I am going to read your Hughes book – in fact, I am going to order it right now!
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Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis. It shakes you out of complacency.
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Desiring God is at the top of the list for me too. Have you read Treasuring God in Our Traditions by Noel Piper? Lots of great ideas in there. I also enjoy sermons by C.H. Spurgeon and the collection of his devotionals called Morning and Evening. I know there are more, but they just aren’t coming to mind now…….
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Wendy–I forgot about Shepherding a Child’s Heart–it made a huge difference in the way we discipline.Jenn–The Pursuit of God is a great one! And it’s pretty short, so it’s easy to read again and again. I have not read anything by Dever. What would you recommend?plainandsimple–It has been too long since I have read Lewis. Amy–Yes, I have read Treasuring God in Our Traditions and I use a lot of Noel’s recommendations. I love that book. I really appreciate ya’ll mentioning your favorite books here!
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What do you like to read over and over again?Tom Clancy’s “Without Remorse,” where former Navy SEAL John Kelly hunts down and executes the members of a drug-dealing gang who rape and murder his girlfriend.Wait, that’s not what you meant?
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