Favorite Apps: Goodreads

I am an avid reader. If you know me or read my blog, you know this.  Back in 2007, I started keeping track of all the books I read.  Shortly after this, I discovered a website called Goodreads. It is a sort of social networking site for readers. You can follow what your friends are reading and see their reviews of books, or get recommendations of books to read based on what you have read or are reading.

I use it primarily to keep track of the books I’m reading, want to read and have read. Each year, since 2007 has a digital shelf so I can see each book I read that year.  This is where the app comes in handy.  Whenever someone recommends a book, I can easily add it to my “To Read” shelf. On the rare occasion that I can’t remember if I read the book, I can look it up.

If you are a reader and like to see recommendations or just like to track what you read, I highly recommend this app/site.  Goodreads also provides the currently reading widget on the side of my blog.

2012 Books

I’m finally getting around to writing about my favorite books from 2012, a tradition I started several years back.  Last year, I read fewer books than I’ve read for a while, just 36. I read a lot of series fiction which I love, but typically doesn’t stand out as overall favorites.

There are two I can say stood out above the rest.  The first, is Implosion: Can America Recover from Its Economic and Spiritual Challenges in Time. Dad picked up the book because he and I both like Joel Rosenberg, the author. It was the first non-fiction book of his that I’ve read and it didn’t disappoint. He has a very interesting perspective on current events.  It was very thought provoking. What struck me most, though, was not the politics or end times theories, but the section he wrote about the Great Awakenings in American history. It left me with a sense of hope and compelled me to pray for this country that I love.

The second book is one that I would not have picked up this year except that I participated in a ladies study at church that was based on the book. Unglued: Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions by Lysa TerKeurst is an excellent book. Some people explode when they experience raw emotions. I learned that I stuff my emotions down and build walls. Because I recognize this now, it is easier to deal with those emotions and Lysa gives some practical tools for doing so.

2011 Books

Several years ago, I started tracking the books I read during the course of a year. I use goodreads.com to do this.  Last year, I read a personal record of 64 books.  I read a lot more fiction last year than  I usually do.  Most of it was my typical spy novels.  However, there was novel that stood out: “Gods and Kings” by Lynn Austin.  This is the first book in a series that I plan to read that gives a fictional account of the lives of Kings in the Old Testament.  Austin did an amazing job of pairing Biblical accounts to create a life story of sorts.  Through her novel, she succeeded where no one else has in getting me interested in this part of the Old Testament.  I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

The other two books that I favored during 2011 were “Rest of God” by Mark Buchanan and “Margin” by Richard Swenson.  I was reading these books at the same time and found that though they are very different books, they are similar in topic.  Margin is more of a self help book and covers emotional, physical and spiritual health.  His basic premise is that we are overloaded and need to have margin in our lives so that when those super busy times come, we don’t collapse.  It is a great book for anyone who is stressed out and doesn’t know what to do next.

Rest of God is more of an inspirational book and deals more specifically with the spiritual although he does cover the need for physical rest.  He reminds us that God created us to need rest and rest is good.  Rest gives God the opportunity to restore our soul as well as our body.

These cover my faves from 2011.  I don’t think I’ll break my record this year, but I am looking forward to reading more great books.

Complete list of books read in 2011.

The Secret of Contentment

I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. –
Philippians 4:12b-13

Last night, we began our summer study of the book ‘Rest of God” by Mark Buchanan.  It is no coincidence that I am reading this and “Margin” by Richard Swenson at the same time.  Both books are a thought-provoking look at work and rest and what the Bible teaches us about them.

One of the thoughts that struck me in reading these two books is how much we have bought into the lie of “if only.”  If only I had a different job, or made more money or a different boss or didn’t have to deal with the snippy, snarky co-worker, then everything would be fine. Really?

We think contentment lies at the heart of better circumstances.  Swenson writes that “contentment isn’t denying one’s feelings about unhappiness, but instead a freedom from being controlled by those feelings.”  This rings true throughout Scripture.  Paul knew the secret to contentment didn’t lie in different circumstances, but in fixing his eyes on Christ.

I don’t know what circumstances you find yourself in today.  I have no doubt many of you have had a bad day, week, month, or even year.  Let me encourage you to seek God.  Ask Him to show you what He can do in the midst of your circumstances.  Will you worship God and thank Him for His blessings regardless of the circumstances, or is your faith proportionate to your level of comfort?

2008 Books

Last year, I read a total of 45 books, almost double the number I read in the previous year. It was a good year for reading. Here are some of my faves.

I don’t know that I had a favorite in the fiction category. It was a year of reading new authors. Francine Rivers is now a favorite of mine. I love her style. Her novellas were particularly enjoyable. They gave me a different perspective on characters from the Bible and made me want to go back and study.

There are two books that stick out in the no-fiction category. The first is “Shattered Dreams” by Larry Crabb. I don’t necessarily agree with everything he writes, but God used the book to teach me some lessons at a crossroads in my life.
The second, is “Seeing in the Dark” by Gary Kinnaman. Gary is a pastor and collaborated with a doctor to talk about the spiritual and medical aspects of depression. It is a short book that is very helpful for understanding depression.

Complete list of books read in 2008.

Because Jesus Did

I recently started a new position as Prayer Ministry Coordinator at my church. One of my goals in this position is to read various books and other materials on prayer (my best friend would say this is a thinly veiled excuse to read yet another book). I picked up Philip Yancey’s book Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference. I have wanted to read it for a while and it was the first one on the shelf.

In Chapter four, Yancey writes, “If I had to answer the question ‘Why pray?’ in one sentence, it would be, “Because Jesus did.” I have heard this particular question many times. I was, however, struck by the simplicity of Yancey’s answer. It is easy to get lost in a long drawn out theological answer. The simple answer is that Jesus did.

2007 Reading Favorites

My last posting mentioned that I had read 28 books last year and many of them were memorable. On the fiction side, choosing my favorite was a no-brainer. Absolutely the best fiction book I read was Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. It is a re-telling of the story of Hosea set in the old west. It was creative and very well written. It is also probably they only work of fiction that has ever compelled me to cry out to God in repentance. I suppose this should not surprise me since the story is based upon a story right out of the Bible. If you have not read this book, I highly recommend it.

The non-fiction side proved more difficult to choose one favorite. Almost every one of them gave me something to think about. In the end, I have chosen two. The first is Now and Not Yet: Making Sense of Single Life in the 21st Century by Jennifer A. Marshall. This is probably the best book I have ever read that is discusses being a single woman in contemporary society. It is not a “how to” or “what you are doing wrong” type of book. She writes about how things have changed since our parents were dating and how various things in contemporary American life affect us. One reviewer on Amazon.com wrote “Jennifer takes an honest, clear-eyed look at the gap between where so many of us are and where we had expected and hoped to be, and the struggles we face while trying to make a life in that place.”

If you are a single woman navigating life in this day and age, I commend this book to you as a source of insight and encouragement. I would also recommend it as a good read for those who are married and have single friends. This book will give you insight that will help you better understand them.

The second book on the non-fiction side is Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham & Donald O. Clifton. I picked this up after our Single Adult Minister recommended it. I found it fascinating. It is a book based on Gallup research which has showed that those who have had the most success in their fields have focused on their strengths rather than their weakness. I took the strengths finder test myself and felt that it explained a lot about my interests. For those interested, the following is a brief summary of my strengths:

  1. Learner

People strong in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them.

  1. Intellection

People strong in the Intellection theme are characterized by their intellectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions.

  1. Input

People strong in the Input theme have a craving to know more. Often they like to collect and archive all kinds of information.

  1. Empathy

People strong in the Empathy theme can sense the feelings of other people by imagining themselves in others’ lives or others’ situations.

  1. Connectedness

People strong in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links between all things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has a reason.


These are my top books of 2007. I’m already looking forward to what 2008 holds in store. Gotta go now…time to read another book.

Indelible Ink

I have mentioned before that I am an avid reader. Last year, I started keeping a record of the books I read. I thought it would be interesting to review. I didn’t start keeping track until mid-spring, so it is conceivable that I left something off the list, but the total I came out with was twenty-eight books. I am not the fastest reader in the world, so I think this is a pretty good accomplishment.

Sometime in the next couple of weeks, I hope to review that list and give you what were my favorites for the year. This posting is devoted to books other than the Bible that have impacted my life. This idea is the result of a book I picked up at work last week by Scott Larsen called Indelible Ink: 22 Prominent Christian Leaders Discuss the Books That Shape Their Faith. It was in the Bargain Bin at work. I looked interesting and has proved very much so. I think I like it so much because it combines three loves of mine: reading, discussion of theology and related topics, and personal testimonies.

Larsen’s book limits the contributors to the top three books. There are four that came to mind immediately when I thought about my own life. The first two are Embracing the Love of God: The Path and Promise of Christian Life by James Bryan Smith and Richard Foster, and The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out by Brennan Manning.

I read these two in September of 1997 after graduating from College. I was in Colorado at the time. I had gone out there in the hopes that being in the area would give me a better shot at getting a job with a particular organization. As it turned out, I did not find a job, but while I looked for one, I spent three incredible weeks in awe of God’s creation. I remember walking outside every morning and having my breath taking away by the majesty of Pike’s Peak. Sometime in those three weeks, I read these books and cried. I cried because, for the first time in my life, I understood and believed that God loved me.

This may sound strange coming from a Missionary Kid who made a profession of faith at age 8 and was baptized at age 11 or 12. I believed in God and believed He had saved me. I firmly believed in His love for everyone else, but for some reason I had never fully come to terms with His love for me. I still remember those days when I began to understand and receive His love for me. It was a profound time. I believe that God took me out to Colorado so that I would be in a place of retreat…a place where I would hear Him speak. Nestled in the majesty of His mountains, I could do little but listen.

The last two books are devotionals: Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman and My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. I don’t remember when I was first introduced to My Utmost for His Highest, but ever since then, it has been the devotional that I return to again and again. It has been a constant source of encouragement and insight.

I think my mom first introduced me to Streams in the Desert. It was her favorite devotional, and quickly became mine. It has been a stream in the desert times of my life offering me hope and encouragement and pointing me back to God when I wasn’t sure I still wanted to walk His path.

I am sure other books will come to mind as I reflect on this particular blog, but for now, I offer you these four as the ones (apart from the Bible) that have left indelible marks on my life. God may not use them in your life as He has mine, but you never know.

Confessions of a Book Addict

I love books and I love to read. This year, I’m even keeping track of what I’m reading. You can check it out on my website at Reading Corner. This makes working at a bookstore both a lot of fun and very dangerous. One of my jobs is to make sure the MAP (all the sales, end caps, best sellers etc.) are set correctly. This means, each month, I am the first to read through the new sales information. This often becomes an exercise in discipline. I argue back and forth with myself over buying something because it is a great deal and not buying because it is something I want rather than need. Most of the time I do pretty well. Lately, I have put it in terms of buying something or having the extra money to go out with friends. This makes it much easier. I have, however, started a wish list at Amazon.com. I figure if I keep track of things, I already have my Christmas list when my family starts asking. The bad thing is that I don’t forget about all the “stuff” I want. This can be dangerous. I am really not in “need” of anything. I am in want of many things. This is my confession for the week.

The Biggest Book Ever

Being the book buff that I am, I subscribe to a weekly email from Borders. Mostly, it’s good for the coupons. This week’s subject heading is “The Biggest Book Ever.” The book they are speaking of is the newest book in the Harry Potter series. If you are at all aware of the hype surrounding the release, you know the craziness of it.

Harry Potter is a touchy subject for some and I’m not looking for a fight today. Instead, I have another thought to ponder. The first thing that occurred to me is that the Bible is really “The Biggest Book Ever.” On thinking that, I wondered what kind of hype the Bible gets and what it should get. What would happen if we had the same enthusiasm about the Bible as we do about the newest Harry Potter book, or, if you prefer, the latest best seller in Christian books? This question came with a great deal of conviction. I’m not sure how often my life even reflects that the Bible is the Biggest book ever. I am managing to stay on track with a Bible reading plan this year, but I confess that when it comes to Chronicles, I find it laborious. Even the New Testament, which we tend to find easier to take in, is often read without pausing to allow the Holy Spirit to speak and encourage and convict. Ouch! Something to think about.

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

James 1:23-25 (NASB)