Hey I Think I Will Sit Down and Read a Book! - Maybe , but Then Again, Maybe Not!

Despite the success of book stores like Borders and Barnes & Nobles AND online sites like Amazon.com - reading is on the decline. In fact, according to some recently released statistics, reading as declined over 7% in the last decade. But among 18-24 year olds, the decline is a whopping 28%! Hmm...I wonder why? Let me think ... there are the increasing numbers of high tech video games, the IPod and now the IPhone, instant messaging, Internet surfing .... I guess some people just don't have any time left at the end of the day to sit down and do some good old-fashioned, low tech reading. And I for one think it's a shame!

Gordon MacDonald, in his book, Ordering Your Private World (if you have never read this book, you should - it's a classic!) writes, "Nothing substitutes for what can be found when we embrace the world of books." He's right. There is so much information and knowledge available to us through reading. But it is a discipline that needs to be acquired. In today's NOISY world - there are many voices that cry out for our time. Books, however, just silently sit on a shelf or table, just waiting to be picked up and read. Unfortunately, all too often, they are left unread.

I would encourage you to get into reading. Read for pleasure. Read for fun. Read to attain knowledge. Read to grow! I am always reading a number of books at any one time. For example, right now I am reading non-fiction works on the history of World War 2 and another on Ancient Egypt. I am also reading one of Edward Rutherford's historical novels, The Rebels of Ireland. In addition to these, I am doing a second read on J.I. Packer's and Carol Nystrom's book, Praying. Finally, I am working my way through a book for pastoral ministry titled, Ten Things Every Minister Needs to Know (by Ronnie Floyd).

Now you might think from this list I am a "bookaholic!" Not true! I just make time (and it is really not as much as you might think) to read. So instead of watching a mindless sit-com on TV (OK - so I do like to watch an occasional episode of The Office), I read instead. And I believe at the end of the day, my life is far richer for it!

Thanks for listening,

pj