My Top 5 Books of 2017

Anyone who knows me knows that I adore reading. If you walk into my house you'll see piles of half-read books and bookshelves filled to the brim with even more books. Each year I spend time determining which books I should keep and which ones are ready to move on to another grateful reader. This year I felt that I was at a point where I should not acquire many more books until I read the ones that I currently have. It's a hard process, but I have found that by borrowing books I am still able to read books I have wanted to read while not cluttering up my living areas. I know that by borrowing books I am still choosing to read novels that aren't the ones I am currently reading, but that's how my mind works. Borrowing helps to prevent me from filling my shelves with more books. A few years back when I took the Strength Finders quiz I discovered that one of my top 5 strengths is Input. Those with the Input strength are really good at collecting knowledge and things. I collect books and the knowledge that I gain from them. I am a slow reader, but I strive to read 25-50 books a year. For some that may seem like a lot and for others that may seem like it is not many, but for me it is the perfect amount. It is the bed that feels just right.

Not only do I enjoy reading books, but I also partake in the act of reviewing books I like. I have gotten to a point in life where I only read books that I am 85% certain I will enjoy. This has led me to hardly ever give a book a bad review, which isn't a bad way to live. We have enough negativity in this world so let's focus on things that are positive: like good books. For my post this week I decided to share my top 5 books/series of 2017 utilizing my reviews from my Goodreads account. I hope y'all enjoy!

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1. The Familiar Volume 5: Redwood by Mark Z Danielewski. 

Best volume yet. Each volume in the Familiar builds off of the previous one and continues to get better and Redwood is no exception. It far exceeded my expectations and gave me just as many new questions as answers like all the best fictions do. I felt satisfied with many of the answers and anxious to find more answers in the upcoming season. It was the perfect season finale. If you haven't read the Familiar series then you've got to...this Finale makes it all worth it, but you've got to start with Volume 1: One Rainy Day In May. There was not one boring section in the entire volume. It was the most clear in how all the characters were connected and I'm excited to see how this connectedness develops in the future! 10 out 10 MUST read. Also the pages smell like Redwood which is a nice addition to the art of the novel. If you were a fan of the show LOST you will likely love The Familiar.

2. Where'd you go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple. 

Great satire on our culture and society! Funny, true, and thought provoking look at what could happen when creativity is stifled by culture and greed. People need the freedom to be creative and innovative! Definitely recommend! 3. What is the Bible? How an Ancient Library of Poems, Letters, and Stories can transform the way you think and feel about everything. By Rob Bell.  Rob Bell does it again! I think this has become one of my favorites--although Love Wins is still up there--of his books! This book is an EXCELLENT look at the Bible and I would recommend this to anyone and everyone: Those who love the Bible, have questions about it, don't like or love it, etc. This is a fun read that re-inspires you to understand and read the Hebrew & Christian Scriptures. I felt that this book perfectly summed up 99% of what I learned and grew to believe during my undergrad at MVNU. It affirmed my beliefs and gave me more thoughts to chew on and think through! I had tried to keep up with his original Tumblr posts, but it was nice to have this all in a book format. I listened to this book and it was a great book to listen to. I felt like I was listening to a giant RobCast. I definitely recommend! 4. The Expanse: Cibola Burn (and all the other Expanse novels) by James S.A. Corey Best book yet. This series keeps getting better. I loved the story line of the colonists verses RCE. It very much shows how humanity acts. Loved learning more about the creators of the Protomolecule and loved that it has left me with more questions. Overall I feel this Sci-Fi series is a great look at the human condition and how we, as a people, respond to crisis and catastrophe regardless of what planet it is located on. The whole series is a great read. I'm currently reading the most recent book, #6 Babylon's Ashes. 5. Everything Wendell Berry. This year I have really started reading the works of Wendell Berry. I have read through Blessed are the Peacemakers, Country of Marriage: Poems, The Art of the Commonplace, and I am currently reading The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture. I am drawn to his desire for us to go back to the land, focus on where our food comes from, and the idea that how we take care of the land matters. I have been devouring all things Wendell Berry because his work is ingenious and some might even say prophetic! As a coordinator of a Community garden and as one who is passionate about healthy and affordable food Wendell Berry's work resonates with me.  ********* Happy Reading everyone! Grace & Peace

The Struggle of Overbooking

Since the beginning of my freshmen year of college I have struggled with habitually overbooking. When I stepped onto the University grounds I knew that I wanted to invest myself in as many ministry outlets as I could. As I have progressed through the years I have gained a good reputation which opened up more opportunities to become involved with. In the recent months I have known that I struggle with overbooking and I had made the decision to prayerfully commit to opportunities and drop ones that I feel would no longer be as beneficial to myself or my ministry.

As I am progressing through this Lenten season I have received many leadership opportunities for next year, which happens to be my senior year. Due to my fast I have found a significant amount of time that I can dedicate to thinking and praying and trying to determine what positions I should take. As I have been praying about this syndrome of overbooking I have simultaneously found that it is hard to determine which responsibilities to recommit to and which new ones to take.  

One of my goals of this Lenten season is to find an even balance of my time and learn how to discern which roles to take in the upcoming year. As I prepare to embark to Haiti for this next week my prayer is for a life of simplicity in my decisions. I pray that God would help me to get the most out of senior year without falling back into overbooking.

Here's to leadership positions. Here's to simplicity. Here's to missions.

My next thoughts from the dust will be on my trip to Haiti.