16
Jan

New Year’s Resolution Junk

   Posted by: JD   in Books & Movies

I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions.  As a matter of fact, I think that for the most part, they’re stupid.  Why can’t people who want to make changes in their life just do it?  Why do we feel that a new year means an opportunity for a new start?  Does a person have to have a new year to attempt to make changes in their life?  It doesn’t make sense to me.

 With that being said, I’ve made a New Year’s resolution for myself.  My goal for this year (and every year thereafter) is to read 3 books per month.  This action was primarily inspired by the writers strike that is plaguing Hollywood and television right now.  With nothing to watch, I figured it was a good opportunity to pick up on my reading.  Here’s two of the books that I’ve knocked out for January:

book1.jpg

For awhile, I wasn’t sure about this book but ended up really liking it by the time I had finished.  Co-written by David Crowder (yes, the same one) and David Hogan, it has a very relaxed writing style that appealed to me.  The book approaches the subject of death from a variety of different angles that keep the book from getting into a rut.  At one moment, your reading about the history of bluegrass and the next, you’re reading an IM conversation just before delving into a three-in-one story that moves all over the place……literally (just get the book; you’ll see what I mean).

book2.jpg

 The other one that I’ve read this month (and that I absolutely adored) was Mark Driscoll’s Confessions of a Reformission Rev.: Hard Lessons From An Emerging Missional Church.  Warning: don’t read this book if you’re easily offended.  Mark Driscoll is the preaching pastor at Mars Hill Church in Seattle.  It is a rapidly growing church that is doing some great things in one of the least churched cities in the U.S.  Confessionstakes you through all of the stuggles and triumphs that Driscoll went through as Mars Hill grew.  Anyone who is familiar with Driscoll’s style knows that he says what he thinks and lays it out in a very raw and unapologetic fashion…….which fits my style.  Here’s an excerpt:

Scrambling for ideas, I agreed to cancel a Sunday church service to let some of our long-haired public radio types take us outside to do a joint art project they had proposed….As a truck-driving jock who watches a lot of Ultimate Fighting, I can honestly say it was the gayest thing I have ever been a part of.

A few other favorite parts of the book included an incident where a guy called him at 2:00 a.m. because he felt guilty for having just watched a porn and acted on it and another time where he gathered all of the men in the church together to give them a crash course in what it means (and what it doesn’t mean) to be a man.

I highly recommend this one, but like I said, not if you’re easily offended.

I have a Piper book on the burner ready to tackle next, but after that, I’m not sure but I’m open to suggestions (but please refrain from suggesting anything from Joel Osteen or the Left Behind series in that it could get you slapped).

JD

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 at 7:24 am and is filed under Books & Movies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

3 comments so far

 1 

Three books a month! That is an admiral goal. I wish I could read faster I’d probably join you on that goal… I’m such a slow reader I would have to go with the book a month plan.

January 15th, 2008 at 11:08 pm
 2 

Oh, and P.S. I thought of a new system. As soon as you’re done reading your books you can pass them on to me for my reading pleasure. :smile:

January 16th, 2008 at 9:02 am
Jackie
 3 

Great!! i started the year reading 2 books a month.. So far i have read: MERE CHRISTIANITY: BY C.S. LEWIS. awesome awesome book.. one of my top five..

this other one at first i was ashamed to say i was reading a NOVVEL which i can’t stand!!! but i saw promotion for this book on my monthly christian women magazine and i read the book in 3 days.. i was not able to rest until i read every piece of it

The book is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers— It is based on the book of Hosea in the Bible.. The book helped me get closer to God understanding that he Loves me no matter what!! all i have to do is worship and Obey him..:wink:

January 18th, 2008 at 11:56 am

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