Have you ever heard the saying, “You are what you eat?” It makes me think of Philippians 4:8...
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
We aren’t just what we eat. We are what we watch, what we talk about, what we THINK! This verse has challenged me in the realm of TV, in the realm of my activities and especially in the realm of what I read. So I thought I’d share some of the books that have impacted me in the past year or so—ones I am currently reading or ones I know have impacted me greatly. Books that I pray are "excellent or praiseworthy"--that I might "think about such things."
Here are a few:
· A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller – a life changer—this one challenges you to take a look at different areas of your prayer life
· Loving God with all Your Mind by Elizabeth George – all about choosing to speak God’s TRUTH to yourself on a daily basis
· Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp – can’t wait to dig into this one after attending his conference a few weekends back! The title speaks to the topic!
· Morning Devotions by Susannah Spurgeon: Free Grace and Dying Love – challenging and beautiful daily devotions
· If I Were God, I’d End all the Pain by John Dickson – for the soul who struggles to reconcile the darkness of this world with our great and awesome Father
· The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Tim Keller – a quick yet incredibly deep and profound read
· Lead…for God’s Sake! By Todd G. Gongwer – for the leader, the businessman, the coach, the just about anybody!
But don’t forget…the greatest TRUTH of all is the Word of God. As I’ve said before (and stolen from someone much brighter than I am), I pray it might be your “magnificent obsession.” I love the way God tells us His word will never return void:
…so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:11