Fall Reading List

Planning.  Planning.  More planning. 
Decisions, decisions, and more decisions.

That seems to be the theme of the last few weeks and the coming days. 

Fortunately, every day is bringing more peace and things are beginning to come together. 

However, in the midst of the chaos, I've learned I absolutely have to take time for myself.  That means many different things at different times.  What it means at this moment is that I cherish the time to grow and learn.  NOT just things that I need to teach the kids academically.  I need things that push ME to be a better wife, mom, and things that just stretch my faith and cause me to come that much closer to Christ.   I need to fuel my own intellectual and spiritual growth just as much as I need to teach the kids. 

Reading is my passion.   I do read MANY fiction books on a regular basis (250+ a year).   I read countless blogs that inspire and encourage.  I spend daily time in God's word.  I love that the Bible is MORE than just a book.  It is ALIVE!  What is also important to me is the non-fiction books written by amazingly inspired Christian writers.  In the last several weeks, I've found my stack getting bigger and my time shorter or my focus out of balance.  Today, I decided the first step in restoring that focus and balance was to create my reading list.  I gathered the books that I'm currently reading and those that are on order or have been purchased and not started.  I only read one fiction at a time, but non-fiction I may have 5 or more going at once.  

Hopefully with a list and direction, I'll find myself working through them more focused in the coming weeks.  My goal is to finish them before the end of October.  Yet, I don't want to just read them to finish them.  I want to read them and soak in every nugget of truth that I can.  THAT is the purpose of reading to learn and grow!

• Crazy Love (Frances Chan)----over half way
• Radical (David Platt)----about 1/2
• When the Hurt Runs Deep (Kay Arthur)----about 1/3
• Branded (Tim Sinclair)---about 1/2
• Ministry of Motherhood (Sally Clarkson)---didn't complete the summer Bible study as hoped, but committed to finishing this AMAZING book and still following along with the online studies at my own pace
• Primal (Mark Batterson)---about 1/3---this is for a book review, but I admit it is amazing so far!
• The Busy Homeschool Mom's Guide to...Romance, nurturing your marriage through the homeschool years (Heidi St. John)---just a few chapters left.  I have LOVED it!
• Growing Grateful Kids (Susie Larson)---about 1/2
• Balance That Works When Life Doesn't (also by Susie Larson)
• The Well Versed Family: raising kids of faith through do-able scripture memory (Caroline Boykin)
• A Confident Heart (Renee Swope)
• What's It Like to be Married To Me? and other dangerous questions (Linda Dillow)
• A Love That Multiplies: An Up-Close View of How They Make it Work (Michelle Duggar)
• When I Lay my Isaac Down: Unshakable Faith in Unthinkable Circumstances (Carol Kent)
• Becoming More than a Good Bible Study Girl (Lysa TerKeurst)
• Made to Crave (Lysa TerKeurst)
• 31 Day to Clean: Having a Martha House the Mary Way (Sarah Mae)
• Calm My Anxious Heart (Linda Dillow)

Well, I think that is my list.  Three things are now certain. 

1) Forget October....unless I'm thinking about NEXT October.  :) 
2) I have a book obsession. 
3)  I better buckle in and hold on tight.  If God speaks to me just a few times in each book (which with some of them it will be 100s of times!), I'm going to be growing and changing in every direction.  I better be ready for it!