Reading Right

I wasn't much of a reader growing up. I hated reading. In fact, I didn't read a single book on the summer reading lists we received in high school. Actually...now that I think about it, there was a lot I didn't do in high school! Don't worry, I did the important stuff...like stop by the office to dip my fingers in the candle wax every day during Enrichment, use the "bathroom" pass to go get candy from the librarian, and help transfer the female hissing cockroaches into the male's container. 

Kids, don't try that home.

I'm sure you're wondering how I graduated. I ask myself that question every day. 

The world may never know. 

Anyway, I would read a few books here and there, but it wasn't until college that I fell in love with reading. Now, now. Don't get too excited! I still didn't read my textbooks. I did, however, perfect the art of skimming during assigned readings. My motto in college was, "Just keep skimming! Just keep skimming! What do we do? We skim, skim!"

As I got older, I realized it wasn't that I hated reading. I had just been reading the wrong books! I was reading books that didn't interest me and, as a result, thought I disliked reading altogether. In college, however, I began reading books about the things I'm most passionate about (Jesus, purpose, love, following your dreams, making a difference, etc.) and as it turns out, reading is a lot like fishing. I don't enjoy fishing when all I'm catching is catfish. If you're not familiar with catfish, their fins are extremely sharp and if you don't handle them just right, they'll make like Bon Qui Qui and CUT you! Plus they're ugly and nobody wants to catch an ugly fish. On the other hand, if I'm catching bass, I never want to put my pole down! 

If I only caught catfish, I'd never go fishing! In the same way, if I only read books I don't like or enjoy, I'd never read! 

I know we all have different preferences, but just in case you and I have similar reading interests, I wanted to share some of the books I've read with you! So, without further adieu, here is a "summer" reading list I actually stuck to! The books in purple were my all-time favorites. 

1) Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
2) S.H.A.P.E. - Finding and Fulfilling Your Unique Purpose for Life by Erik Rees
3) The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson 
4) You're Made for a God-Sized Dream by Holley Gerth
5) The Journey of Desire by John Eldredge
6) Chasing Daylight by Erwin McManus 
7) Love Does by Bob Goff
8) Praying God's Will for Your Life by Stormie Omartian 
9) When God Writes Your Love Story by Eric and Leslie Ludy
10) Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
11) Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin
12) Praying for Your Future Husband by Robin Gunn and Tricia Goyer
13) The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson 
14) Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo
15) Someday, Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham
16) 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker
17) Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst

If you would have asked me 5yrs ago if I read, I would've given you the stink eye, yelled "MOSQUITO!" and smacked you on the arm. You can thank Pinterest for that little maneuver. Now I douse my paragraphs in bright yellow highlighter, spend the day reading at the local coffee shop, and keep my books on my nightstand to read before I go to sleep! 

Reading changes a person.

Question: What types of books do you like to read? If you don't like reading...don't throw in the towel just yet! Who knows...maybe you've just been reading the wrong books, too!