A Matter of Worship
I once read that to be a good writer you have to be a good reader. My heart gave a happy sigh and whispered, "Challenge accepted." I have also heard that it's possible to be a reader and not write, but it's impossible to be a writer and not read. I think it's safe to assume that all writers also enjoy reading. I know I do. The question is, "What should I read?"
The library used to be overwhelming. I felt lost among all the genres, titles, and authors. Most trips to the library ended with me choosing a random book from the "Christian" section and only reading a few chapters before returning it. There was one "Christian" author who was my favorite. I had no trouble finishing her books. Ann Voskamp.*
I owned her books and read her blog posts faithfully. I loved her writing style and realness. I thought she was the perfect wife and mother. Without even realizing it, I began to put Ann Voskamp and her books in the place of my heart where only God should be. I began to worship her.
When a kind friend pointed out to me that some things in her books do not line up with the Bible, I was shocked and sobered. Why hadn't I noticed those things? Why had I been processing everything as truth?
For a few weeks after that, I read nothing but my Bible and felt like giving up on all other books. Finally, I was able to sort it out in my mind. This has been my conclusion.
It all comes down to a matter of worship. I am created to worship God. No author or book should ever take his place. There may be things I can learn from other authors but I must remember that no one person has all the answers. God alone, has the answers for life. I must always come back to him and his Word. I must make sure God stays on my throne.
For now, I have decided to simply avoid the Christian genre and focus on reading my Bible more. And I've been finding lots of fun, engaging stories in the fiction, historical fiction, and memoir sections. Perhaps some day, I will wade back into the Christian genre with a wisdom that only comes from experience. But in this season, you will find me happily reading my King James any time I need comfort, guidance, or just plain TRUTH. And when I want to read just for the pleasure of it, you will find me laughing over the tales of a modern midwife or crying over a man's final words to his daughter.
Tomorrow, I will share a few tools that have been helped me find good books to read. And hopefully soon, I will share a few books I have enjoyed recently.
*If you are interested in the things my friend shared with me about Ann Voskamp, here is a link to a video. He explains it much better than I can.
Happy Wednesday! :)
The library used to be overwhelming. I felt lost among all the genres, titles, and authors. Most trips to the library ended with me choosing a random book from the "Christian" section and only reading a few chapters before returning it. There was one "Christian" author who was my favorite. I had no trouble finishing her books. Ann Voskamp.*
I owned her books and read her blog posts faithfully. I loved her writing style and realness. I thought she was the perfect wife and mother. Without even realizing it, I began to put Ann Voskamp and her books in the place of my heart where only God should be. I began to worship her.
When a kind friend pointed out to me that some things in her books do not line up with the Bible, I was shocked and sobered. Why hadn't I noticed those things? Why had I been processing everything as truth?
For a few weeks after that, I read nothing but my Bible and felt like giving up on all other books. Finally, I was able to sort it out in my mind. This has been my conclusion.
It all comes down to a matter of worship. I am created to worship God. No author or book should ever take his place. There may be things I can learn from other authors but I must remember that no one person has all the answers. God alone, has the answers for life. I must always come back to him and his Word. I must make sure God stays on my throne.
For now, I have decided to simply avoid the Christian genre and focus on reading my Bible more. And I've been finding lots of fun, engaging stories in the fiction, historical fiction, and memoir sections. Perhaps some day, I will wade back into the Christian genre with a wisdom that only comes from experience. But in this season, you will find me happily reading my King James any time I need comfort, guidance, or just plain TRUTH. And when I want to read just for the pleasure of it, you will find me laughing over the tales of a modern midwife or crying over a man's final words to his daughter.
Tomorrow, I will share a few tools that have been helped me find good books to read. And hopefully soon, I will share a few books I have enjoyed recently.
*If you are interested in the things my friend shared with me about Ann Voskamp, here is a link to a video. He explains it much better than I can.
Happy Wednesday! :)
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