Are You Up For a Challenge?

Books are definitely on my list of favorite things. Several years ago, during a move, I made the regretful decision to get rid of most of my books. Space was lean in my apartment at the time and a few extra bucks in my pocket seemed like a good idea. Fast forward not too many years, and I found myself buying bookshelves on Facebook and from random friends to store my newest purchases. Those books became treasures that I couldn’t fathom parting with. I made sure I was able to get them in the house without the assistance of my husband (that little nugget goes a long way around here) and he often went weeks before ever noticing.

Books seem to be losing their nostalgia with many people. Whether it be the distraction of phones, the overwhelm we allow in our calendars, or simply an inability to sit quietly and absorb ourselves in the pages, it’s slowly fading. Many prefer a 500-word blog or even a 30-second reel. Fiction, biography, history, or instruction; it doesn’t matter. And audio books? They don’t have the same impact as turning a page. Letting your eyes move across each word while your mind places you in a location with characters you will likely never meet heals us on levels we don’t have the ability to describe.

Starting last night, I’ve committed to no time on my phone or computer (with the exception of work responsibilities) after 6 pm every evening. As much as I love to read, I still need to be intentional. And I need to be held accountable. Instead of my phone, I’m going to read. Instead of watching TV, I’m going to read. I have plenty of these books still on my list. I also have several that I would happily read again. Some of them are authors we’re all familiar with; others, not so much. But I haven’t found a bad one yet. I’ll even start you off by recommending a few:

• Can I Say That? ~ Brenna Blain
• Saving Grayson ~ Chris Fabry
• Under a Desert Sky ~ Lynne Hartke
• The Moon is Round ~ Molly Huffman
• The Last Supper on the Moon ~ Levi Lusko

I plan to start with 30 days. Seems like a nice round number and very doable. My guess (and hope) is that I’ll get to 30 days and desperately want more. I hope you’ll join me. Email me, leave a comment on this post, or text me if you have my number. I’d like to report on our progress (good or bad). I’ll plan to add to our list as we move forward.

God has called us to study and be aware of His Word. But I also believe He would have us to survey the other things we’re filling our minds with. He can use anything. I’m believing He’s going to use this, too.