2015 Reading Challenge

Many of you know I love to read. Sometimes I think I love the idea of reading more than I actually love reading. I love having a good night's sleep and an income and clean clothes and dishes and sometimes those are mutually exclusive to a hefty reading list. Can I get an amen? This year one of my friends showed me the 2015 Reading Challenge from the Modern Mrs. Darcy blog. I've never read her blog before, or even actually heard of it. But after looking at the list, I thought it was such a fun idea and a great way to set practical reading goals that include books I might not normally read. So for fun, here's her list with the books I've read included. The picture below is my stack of all I've read in 2015. Not all of them fit into a category. My goal is to read one book off the list every month, and fill in with others! 

1) a book you've been meaning to read

2) a book published this year

3) a book in a genre you don't typically read

4) a book from your childhood

     The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

5) a book your mom loves

     After the Boxes are Unpacked by Susan Miller

6) a book that was originally written in a different language

7) a book "everyone" has read but you

    Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

8) a book you chose because of the cover

    The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

9) a book by a favorite author

10) a book recommended by someone with great taste

      Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

11) a book you should have read in high school

12) a book that's currently on the bestseller list

I'm hoping to write a quick review about each of the one's I've finished. I'll link to it in this post. I love to hear suggestions from others about what to read next so I don't waste my time on something that isn't worth it. So hopefully, my suggestions will be helpful to you!

I also really want to know, what should I read next? I especially need help coming up with a book that's currently on the bestseller list. (Although I realize for most people that's the easiest!) I hope some of you will join in on this challenge. And please oh please leave your suggestions for my missing categories in the comments below! I can't wait to hear!

2014's Reads

Many of you know that I love to read, but unfortunately, I don't read as fast as I wish I did. Also, things like jobs and dinner get in the way some times. So I only made it through eight books last year, but I want to share with you what I did read in case you are looking for something new! I always love to see what everyone else is reading, so if you have suggestions post them in the comments! You can also check out last year's list here.

These are listed in the order I read them, not according to any sort of preference.

1) Unseduced and Unshaken by Rosalie de Rosset 
This isn't something I would normally pick up, but I read it for a book club and I actually learned so much! The tagline is "The place of dignity in a young woman's choices." It is edited by a Moody professor, and while I don't know if I 100% agree with everything she said, I would recommend it in a heartbeat because she did a great job of emphasizing the importance of intentionality and mindfulness in everything we do. I want to reread it. 

2) Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskill
This is a good 650 page novel spanning many years and set in 1830s England. Gaskill was a contemporary of the Brontes and Charles Dickens. If you like Jane Austen, you will love this novel. Like others from that period, I loved it because of it's depth in subtlety. Often the pace seems slow but you can't help but be sucked into the novel because the everyday thoughts and emotions of the characters are so incredibly relatable. 

3) The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
Oh Pat Conroy. How I love and hate you all at once. His work captivates me but it also doesn't quickly leave me because of the intensity of the evil and sorrow. This one is dark, but expertly crafted and fascinating. It tells the story of a low country family through a series of flashbacks as the protagonist works through it all with his sister's psychiatrist. If you are not easily shaken, I would definitely recommend this because it makes you think so much and is such a work of art. However, you have been warned. 

4) Life Together by Deitrich Bonhoeffer
I flew through this classic, which happens to be the first thing I've read by Bonhoeffer. Sometimes I think he gets a little intense about things that are his own opinion rather than founded in Scripture (for example, that you may ONLY sing in unison in church and anyone who sings harmony is out of line.) But if you can take those things with a grain of salt and read for the overarching principles this book will open your eyes to the place and practice of Christian community in a way that can't help but be impactful. Ironically, I probably enjoyed the chapter on solitude the most.  

5) Spiritual Mothering by Susan Hunt
I think I cried almost every time I read this book. It is about "The Titus 2 Model For Women Mentoring Women." I read it and The True Woman below as part of my preparation to teach Susan's curriculum for high school girls to a group from my church. Maybe that's why it moved me so deeply, because I saw in it what so many women gave to me and saw my opportunity to do the same for the next group. Some cultural references are definitely 90s (it was published in 1992), which creates for a few laughs. But overall I want to give it to every woman I know and I want to be best friends with Susan Hunt because her writing is so real and so clear and so bold. 

6) His Needs, Her Needs by Willard F. Harley, Jr.
I read this on the recommendation of a woman from my church in Auburn who I really respect. I know that people can write this one off because Dr. Harley definitely sees his method for having a happy marriage as the right way. But, I respect that because he developed it over years of practicing as a marriage counselor, and he sells it. I don't take is as a perfect formula for marriage, because I don't think the main purpose of marriage is having our needs met. However, I did think it was extremely insightful and helpful on a very practical level and it does really help you think about how to love your spouse well. So, I would recommend it in a heartbeat, as long as you read it with Keller's The Meaning of Marriage or something along those lines. 

7) The True Woman by Susan Hunt
This was the other book I read as part of the leaders curriculum for the Becoming a True Woman While I Still Have a Curfew study. I loved this one as well! I want to read everything she has written. Above all I love that she pushes women to the Church time and time again. It is a beautiful picture of embracing God's calling to us as women and using that to usher in his kingdom. 


8) Notes from a Tilt a Whirl by N.D. Wilson
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which I borrowed from a good friend. It is different that what I usually read in that it was about philosophy, in a way. It was mainly just about getting a big picture view (which is ironically often brought about by close attention to detail) of what God is doing in the world and of being in awe of it. I liked it so much that I actually want to buy it so that I can read it again. Also, I didn't know until after I finished it that he is Doug Wilson's son (although I'm clearly pretty dense because I knew they both lived in Moscow, Idaho and I thought that was weird. Ha!) I bring that up to say that it doesn't read AT ALL like anything Doug has written so don't let that influence your decision on whether or not to pick it up. 

On My Nightstand

Books Blurbs from my 2013 Readings

Ok so it has been 2014 for a long time. But never one to do things in a timely manner, I figured I would share some snippets of what I read last year! I love to read, and while I don't get to do it as much as I'd like, I still find that friends always ask me for suggestions of what to read next. So if any of you are looking for the next book to pick up, here are some ideas!

1. The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy and Kathy Keller
This book was a pre-wedding gift and I think it is one of the most helpful things I've ever read. I love the wisdom and practicality with which they explain what marriage is all about. And on that note, it is written with single and married people in mind. I wish I had read it before I even started dating because I provides a biblical framework and understand for relationships. I think I may just pick this one up and start it over again.  
2. The Intimate Marriage by R.C. Sproul
This was one of the books David and I went through in premarital counseling with our pastor Chris Duncan. Other studies I have been through of R.C.'s are very intellectual. I was actually really refreshed by how down to earth this book is. It brought to our attention lots of good topics for conversation that we may not have thought about otherwise. Reading what the modern giants of our faith have to say about their own marriages is encouraging because it brings an element of reality to it. 
3. Reforming Marriage by Douglass Wilson

Once again, I finally finished the last of our premarital counseling books. I know Doug can have a controversial reputation, but over all I really respect the man. (So does John Piper) While at times he seemed to go off on tangets and I don't agree with every jot and tiddle of this book, I was extremely challenged, convicted and encouraged, and I would recommend this book in a second! He is not afraid of standing firm on Biblical convictions, even if they seem annoying or odd to the world.

4. Wind From the Carolinas by Robert Wilder

David's uncle lent me this book last Thanksgiving, and I finally finished it. (Jim I promise I am going to give it back to you!) It began with the patriarch who takes his family from South Carolina to the Bahamas to remain a British subject and spans all the way to prohibition and his great great grandchildren. At times I got a little bogged down in the fact that the character you were engrossed in could grow old and die on the next page, but I other times it sucked me in. And I actually learned a lot about history and culture in the process!
5. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
How do I even sum up a Faulkner in a few sentences? It is at once captivating, bewildering, and repelling. He is not a southern literary legend for lack of skill. This book was a great one to put in the mix with the others I read this year. It made me think and wonder, and it made me sad. As a person who is a little prone to melancholy anyways, I may wait a little while til I read another, but I am very thankful for the experience. 

6. The Swan House by Elizabeth Musser

I started this on our honeymoon flight to Oregon. It is historical fiction set in Atlanta. It was really a refreshing, enjoyable and just-enough-thought-provoking read. It is written by a missionary, which is interesting. Usually I am not a huge fan of Christian fiction but I do love anything set in the south and I really appreciated this book. Her themes were less preachy and more honest.
7. Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung
I learned so much about discerning God's will during my last year of college, and much of it was very contrary to current opinions. Reading this book confirmed everything I have learned. I would give it as a gift in a heartbeat to anyone facing any sort of big decision or life transition. He is down to earth and real. DeYoung holds a high view of scripture, and gracefully articulates what it looks like to know what is true, to trust the Lord, and to just do something. He unashamedly calls out many of my generation who use "waiting on the Lord" to excuse inactivity, laziness and fear. 
8. Kisses From Katie by Katie Davis

I am a little late to this book, but I still remember my freshman roommate reading every single post of her blog, so I decided to hear Katie's story for myself. While Miss Davis and I definitely wouldn't line up theologically on certain points, I found myself really challenged by her heart and her actions. This quick read by a spirited girl reminded me what radical obedience to the call of Christ looks like. I was blessed by her honesty, humility, and commitment to selflessly loving those who are in her life. 

9. The Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning

I borrowed this book from my mom. I definitely fall out on the intellectual side of Christianity, and it was really beneficial for me to read a book about simply how much God loves me! It taught me to dwell and delight in that. If you are on the opposite end of the spectrum from me I would be more likely to recommend a more study based book, but I think we need a healthy dose of both, and I loved Brennan's simplicity and joy.
10. All Over But the Shoutin' by Rick Bragg
Oh how I love Rick Bragg. Hands down my favorite contemporary southern author, this man has a way with words. They don't let him write the last page of Southern Living for nothing. Bragg is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who grew up in northeast Alabama. This memoir is basically a collection of memories, most of which revolve around his mother. I thoroughly enjoyed his stories and the way he gives dignity to each character. 
11. Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges
Another one I borrowed from a friend, Jerry methodically points out how all sin is serious because it separates us from God. He points out many patterns in our lives that we may see as "normal struggles" such as anxiety, selfishness, jealousy, etc. I learned a lot from this book and I would love to study it in a group.