What Are You Reading?

I love to read.  I’m a “highlighter”, too.  That means I like to highlight and underline words, phrases and sentences that leap off of the pages and smack me across my face while I’m reading.  This, of course, tends to lengthen the time it takes for me to complete a book, but I don’t mind.  I love to read.  I’m, also, a “multiple reader”.  Now that means I have a very bad habit of trying to digest more than one book at a time.  I really don’t do it on purpose.  It always seems to just happen that way.  When I find myself in too deep with too many books on my plate, I usually command myself to choose one to chomp on until I reach the index, author’s biography, or whatever clever extras they place at the end of the meat and potatoes chapters.  Then I move on to complete the next.

I love books.  I figure since I’m working to write my own, it may serve me well to learn as much as I can from those whose shoes are already dusty and worn from traveling the road that lies before me.

So today I decided to share with you the books I am currently reading.

The first one is

What the Bible Says About Love, Marriage, & Sex, by David Jeremiah.

The book is a commentary of the book of the Old Testament – Song of Solomon.  I was very excited when the man I am dating suggested we read the book together after listening to the message series Pastor Jeremiah presented during the month of February on his Turning Point radio broadcast.

At first glance, the book may appear to be for married couples only, but Pastor Jeremiah does a good job of including the “before we say ‘I do'” couple, as well, in his teaching.

So far my friend and I have completed the first four chapters, and we’re slowly working our way through the next four.  I won’t speak for him, but our first discussion was truly a blessing to me (I’m sure he would agree, though 🙂 ).  Reading a book is certainly proving to be at least one positive way to get some good dialogue going and strengthen communication.  Always a plus in ANY relationship.

The second book that I and nine other beautiful women are tackling together is See Yourself As God Sees You, by Josh McDowell.

I am reading this book with my small group sisters from my church.

Ahhh, women’s small groups…..  I just love them!  I believe a small group setting is the perfect place for a woman to safely transform into the image of her Savior.  I simply love watching women of varied races, ages, and backgrounds come together and over time let down their guard and allow the Spirit of the Lord to illuminate how we’re more alike than we are different.  In the midst of it all, He just showers us with evidence of how much He loves each one of us.  It’s such a beautiful thing to me!

Tonight, my group had our first discussion of the book.  The dialogue and communication principle is definitely working well in this relationship, too. 🙂  We munched on the first two chapters, and the chatter was very beautifully transparent and enlightening.  Did I mention that I love women’s small groups?!  Oh, my friends, I really do.  We God’s girls, all over the world, can be so knotted up with insecurities.  It just pains me to see it, because I know the Lord wants His daughters to be free in our true identity in Him.  That’s pretty much what the book we’re reading is all about.  This book and the experience of sharing it with others is definitely something I’m excited about.

So, those are the two books that are “off the shelf” in my place these days.  I’m looking forward to all of the knowledge, wisdom and revelation that each reading experience will bring.  Oh, I almost forgot.  Here’s one more book that’s ALWAYS off the shelf in my place:

My bible!

So tell me…  What are you reading?

Wise, Virtuous, Valuable,