My Book List

Jenilee, at My Awake Journey, was talking today about her books that she is currently reading or is on her list to read.

I thought it would be fun to join in, because y'all know how much I love books and love reading. My favorite books have always been biographies and true stories, but lately I've really enjoyed Christian books. I think there is so much that can be learned from people's stories. Every one of us has a unique story that God has written perfectly!

You can see all of my favorite books that I've read on my left sidebar. Most of them, I've already talked about on here. Lately, I've really been enjoying reading The Message version of the Bible too, online at Bible Gateway. As soon as I can find me a copy, I'll definitely be buying a hard copy of it. I like to read the plain, simple way it puts things.

I went to the bookstore this weekend and found a few craft books on the clearance rack (yay....I think I'm getting a small collection of these.....I love them!) and a Christmas gift for Madison. I also bought a book by the singer Rebecca St. James, called "Loved", and I just remembered today that I had bought it! I had left it in the bag with the Christmas gift and forgotten all about it, until I saw the receipt for it today! It has lots of stories of prodigals, about the love God has for us no matter what. I haven't started it yet, but I will today most likely!

I've been reading a Max Lucado book I got one day that has 3 of his books all in one. The one I've been reading is "When God Calls Your Name." It's been good.

Recently, I've read "Hello My Name is God" by Jeremy Pearsons. It was a great book. I also read Beth Moore's "Get Out of that Pit", another great one.

Some books I've started, but haven't finished are "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn, "Heaven and the Afterlife" by James L. Garlow, "Glimpses of Heaven" by Trudy Harris, "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren, and "Mother Warriors" by Jenny McCarthy. I also bought "The Rapture" and "Left Behind" because I saw the Left Behind movies and wanted to read the books so I could find out what happened. I already read "The Rising" which comes before "The Rapture".

I bet you're wondering when I have time to read all these books! Well, every day I sit in line at school to pick up the girls for about 40 minutes, because if I don't get in line early, one of them ends up being the very last one to be picked up since I have 2 schools to pick up at and they get out at the same time. Lily watches movies and I read while we wait. I also have an hour each week that I wait for Kaylee while she's at hip hop/jazz class. So, that gives me at least 4 hours each week of reading time. Sometimes, I'll sit and read while Lily watches her cartoons too.

Back to biographies.........one of the ones I've read awhile back that really helped me was Robin McGraw's. She lost her Mom at a young age too and at the time, she was the only person I "knew" that had, so that was a great comfort to me. Paula Deen's was great too. Did y'all know she was agoraphobic when her boys were young, after losing both of her parents? That's why she ended up starting her sandwich business. She would make them from her home and make her boys deliver them! Ha! Again, because I lost my Mom young, like she did, and had all kinds of anxiety because of that, her book showed hope to me because obviously she has overcome that! Patsy Clairmont also wrote a book about her agoraphobia early in life, and now she travels all over with the Women of Faith conferences..........another story that greatly helped me. And of course, Lynnette's book was the last of all of these books I read that was the icing on the cake! You see, I believe God placed all of these books in my life just to show me that I was not the only one who had gone through tragedy and that I would overcome it! Lynnette's book is an incredible story of overcoming the deepest heartache imaginable by leaning on God. I knew if Lynnette could be joyful again and enjoy life, that I could too, and that truly was the turning point for me!

Obviously, now that 5 years has passed, I can see God's plan working out perfectly. We ask all the time why bad things like my Mom dying had to happen. Well, I do believe that God could have healed my Mom, but I also believe there are specific reasons why He chose not to. I guarantee you that if my Mom could see the amazing changes that have resulted from her passing, she wouldn't hesitate to go home. God sees the bigger picture. He knows that lives have resulted in salvation because of how it all worked out! And, I know without a doubt that we will be together again one day.

So, what are your favorite books?