Books

As always, I’ve got a few books on the go. The mix this time around is a bit heavier on the Christian living side, which is actually a bit of a shift for me of late. But it’s a good thing since a solid Christian book can be a great help in growing in my faith. Here are a few thoughts on what I’m reading:

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson. I’ve read bits and pieces of this, but I really should have sat down with it a long time ago. This book is good for my soul. 

On Reading Well by Karen Swallow Prior. Karen and I think along similar lines as far as reading widely and reading wisely are concerned. Also, she needs to come on the podcast sometime. It’ll be fun. 

The Expected One by Scott James. This is our third or fourth time through this book, and I love how the conversations we’re having as a family are changing as my kids get older. We’re trying to encourage them to not just answer questions in generalities and royal we’s, but answer from a personal level. It’s challenging, but so, so good. 

I started my review of what I read in June and realized something: I hadn’t read very much at all in comparison to normal months. June was a pretty travel heavy month, and something I’m realizing more and more is that I don’t have a ton of time to read when I’m on the road (despite my best efforts). At least nothing super-long.¹

I’ve got a growing pile of books that are sitting… waiting. They want me to read them. Some of them have deadlines attached, so I have to get them done (and will). Some of them I just want to read. So, if you’re a bit OCD about your reading (like me), how do you get caught up?

Focus on the ones that are most important. For me, that means the ones with deadlines have to be prioritized. Fortunately, those ones all look pretty great, especially a new one from B&H by Jackie Hill Perry. It also means not losing sight of the most important book of all, that being the Bible. If that one’s not being read, then who cares?

Finish books that have been in some state of reading for a long while. There are a few books that I’ve been reading on-and-off forever now. And for some reason, I just can’t get the things finished. Really good books, like Struck by Russ Ramsey, which I’ve started and stopped three times now.

Find the resolve to admit defeat. If all else fails, there’s this reality: if you fall behind, you’re probably not going to get caught up if you’re an aggressive reader. If you’re a one-book a month person, and you’re behind by one, you might be able to make it up. But when you’re six or seven behind, it’s okay to say, “I can’t do it.” Then go back to reading what you can.