Some July Reading...

I am always ambitious with my stack but rarely read more than three books a month.  Here is the stack I have in the TBR for the month of July.  I have four in progress already...

Pursue the Intentional Life by Jean Fleming (my devotional read for the month with 31 chapters)

Basic Christianity by John Stott (our Saturday night study group read which won't be finished in July)

On Love's Gentle Shore by Liz Johnson (a review book but I have read the other two in the series so it is also for fun)

The Tea Planter's Wife by Dinah Jefferies (been in progress for quite some time and is also a review read)

The other books on the list are new reads for me except Write His Answer by Marlene Bagnull... this one is a reread for me.

A few of these are for research purposes for me... the Faulkner and the Sjogren's Syndome book serve that purpose this month.  The Jacobs and the Scott books are just for fun...  You guys might like Jennifer Scott's YouTube Channel, too.

I mentioned above that Pursue the Intentional Life is my "devotional" reading for the month.  It just happens to have 31 short chapters and it is the second book I have read by Fleming.  She is charming!  I am so in love with her books and plan to buy all of them at some point.  Her spirit is so humble and lovely.  She truly loves the Lord!  Her books are the kind of reading that makes one feel like they are having coffee with a beautiful friend and mentor.  It is truly a gift she has for sharing her walk with those of us coming up behind her.  I wish I had a best friend like her in real life that I could spend time with.  She is precious!  (and she has a blog post archive!)

Feeding Your Soul is a must read, too... I read it a few years ago and it is in the Autumn reading plan again this year.

I was also excited to find out that they did a video series with her on this particular book through the In-courage YouTube channel.  I plan to use it as I read this month.  You can find the first three chapters here and that will link you to more if you are interested.

Let me finish by saying this.... God's word is what we use as our guide in this life.  It is first and foremost the only book we truly must read daily.  I also feel, however, that finding like minded writers and their testimonies and words are a great place to be, too.  If you are reading God's word daily you will know the authors that are speaking truth.  If, at any point, you find that the lines are blurred then you must put other books down and go back to His word only to ground you.  I am a firm believer in reading God's word... knowing what He says... and testing all things based on HIS instruction.  If it does not line up with God's word then we don't need to read it.  Be careful... be diligent... be a Berean as you read!  (I linked Acts 17 for the story of the Bereans but it is Acts 17:11 to be specific)

What is on your reading list right now?

Is there a devotional or spiritual book that has blessed you?

Feel free to share a favorite scripture with us that God is using to teach/comfort/encourage you right now!