You Are What You Read?

Today I was cleaning my room (do I sound like a kid or what?) and had a bit of a revelation.  Sound strange?  Stick with me for a bit.  In order to dust off my night stand I had to remove a large pile of books.  They are all books I have read in the past, but have been placed on my night stand to be read again.  While reading the titles, I couldn't help but smile and found myself thinking about the power of the words we read.

The big revelation?  If you want to be inspired to make a change, are looking for encouragement, or simply a little lost and looking for direction, hop online and find a good non-fiction book and dive in. The beauty of our technological advances is this:  there's a book for everything, people have read it, and many have plenty of reviews to help you make an informed decision about whether to spend your precious time reading it.

While I'm all for getting lost in a fiction book now and then (I just finished one by one of my favorite authors), I find reading quality non-fiction books is truly life-altering.  Sometimes we just need a push to break out of our comfort zone and a book may be just the thing to do it.  I am a bit embarrassed to admit that up until three years ago the only books I ever read were fiction.  I received a copy of Kisses from Katie and devoured it in a few sittings.  Once I finished reading it, I couldn't wait to get my hands on another uplifting story.

I made the switch and now primarily read non-fiction with a few books by my favorite authors sprinkled in.  In the past two years I've fallen in love with some awesome Christian writers, like Jen Hatmaker, Kristen Welch, Holley Gerth, and Lysa TerKeurst, as well as authors living a lifestyle I admire, like Tsh Oxenreider.  My husband and I just finished Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover and are more motivated than ever to take control of our finances.  A few years ago I read Daring Greatly by Brene Brown for the first time and have been on a mission to do just that ever since.

Words are powerful.  They make you consider your current circumstances and find ways in which you may like to change or improve upon them.  They can leave you feeling invigorated and motivated to take control of your life and bust out of your comfort zone.  You may even come across a book which touches on some of your fears and insecurities and help you realize you're not alone.

Whatever the case, I encourage you to find a book that speaks to you.  It may impact your life in ways you never imagined.  To think all of this can happen within the pages held in your hand is truly amazing.