I love to read non-fiction and I simply cannot get enough of reading in each day. Many times I am asked what I am reading which usually provokes a vacuous stare because I read A LOT. So I decided I would actually list out some of the books I have recently completed or am in the process of reading which have been particularly powerful, healing, inspiring, enlightening, entertaining, or just plain amazing. These books deal with subjects such as JESUS, faith, grief, addiction, mental illness, prayer, spiritual discipline, parenting, and teaching (among other things). I also have enjoyed reading biographies of several professional athletes and musicians. I have read several books by many of the authors listed below, but the ones listed are my favorite titles. Here they are in no particular order: On Grief and Grieving by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Where Do Broken Hearts Go by Jane Abbate, The Power of a Praying Wife and Parent by Stormie Omartian, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney, Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster, The Spirit of Disciplines by Dallas Willard, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero, Humility by Andrew Murray, Shame Interrupted: How God Lifts the Pain of Worthlessness and Rejection by Edward T. Welch, Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp, Desiring God by John Piper, Love Does by Bob Goff, Real Marriage by Mark Driscoll, Death by Love by Gerry Breshears and Mark Driscoll, Jesus + Nothing = Everything by Tullian Tchividjian, Vintage Jesus by mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears, Abide in Christ by Andrew Murray, Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray, Building Below the Waterline by Gordon MacDonald, The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness by Timothy Keller, What's So Amazing About Grace by Philip Yancey, The Grace of God by Andy Stanley, Running with Joy by Ryan Hall, Radical by David Platt, Uncensored Truth: A No-Spin Guide to the Christian Faith by Jud Wilhite, Weird: Because Normal Isn't Working by Graig Groeschel, How People Change by Timothy Lane and Paul David Tripp, Speaking Truth in Love by David Powlison, Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul by Erwin McManus, Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan, Altar Ego: Becoming Who God Says You Are by Craig Groeschel, Every Body Matters by Gary Thomas, Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits by Joyce Meyer, Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life by Henry Cloud and John Townsend (which I was fortunate enough to co-lead a small group and church study on), The Attrbutes of God by Arthur Pink, Wrecked: When a Broken World Slams into Your Comfortable Life by Jeff Goins, Thorns in the Heart by Steven Stiles, The Sacred Romance by John Eldredge, Made to Crave and Unglued by Lysa TerKeurst, The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers (Christian Fiction), Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov, and Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind by Eric Jensen.
I am thankful I have an ADHD affliction because one of the "symptoms" or "manifestations" of ADHD is hyper-focus. This hyper-focus has allowed me to run myriad races in my life with great tenacity and has allowed me to be disciplined in pursuits despite my natural flightiness. I am thankful God has redeemed what could be a debilitating condition and used it to allow me to draw close to Him through reading. I read the most when I am hurting, searching, confused, or overwhelmed. It is a beautiful paradoxical ironic mess! God has provided me encouragement, wisdom, direction, discernment, knowledge, and peace through Himself and has used these authors to reveal more of Himself to me. God has taken something that is difficult in my life and used it to allow me to consume the written word with great fervor. It's hard for me to believe I hated reading as a child . . . I guess I just didn't find anything I was as interested in. When I began to read about my Savior and the Creator of the universe I simply could not and can not get enough. Praise God for the gift of books and writers to bring us beautiful word pictures.
