This week at #TheLoft we are sharing our favourite books and I have to be honest – where do I start?! 🙂
Heidi – A Childhood Friend on the Page
You are talking to a bookworm – established since I was a little girl when I listened to my mum read bible stories to me. I would love to read children’s books by Ladybird Publishers and had stacks of them! My favourite children’s book for a long time was Heidi by Johanna Spyri. I believe I came across it in a charity shop and I read it over and over again. Just reading over the synopsis on the internet today brought back warm feelings of this truly enchanting book. I felt that Heidi was a character that I could see as a friend, if children’s protagonists could come to life! I must dig out this book at some stage and read it again!
My Collection of Books Today (I am building up a big collection, but I am only choosing 2 to share!)
Today, I like to read books by Christian writer’s to further my understanding in different areas of faith. I am currently reading Vanishing Grace by Philip Yancey which explores why the good news of Jesus Christ is still relevant to a post-Christian society & how Christians can show grace and offer something to a world that is so desperately in need of grace and to hear the good news of Jesus. It challenges me in many ways and makes me consider my faith in a contemporary landscape – which is healthy and important, especially when speaking to my friends and acquaintances.
I have yet to read it, but I bought One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp which encourages us to find the blessings in every day life, even during the long days, dark times and having an attitude of gratitude – documenting the many blessings, however big or small, and giving thanks to God for His amazing grace to us. I am quick to remember the things that I would like to have or the place that I would like to be in life, but I so often forget to see the grace and provision in everyday life and give thanks for everything that I do have.
Inside the Writer’s Mind…
For a bookworm, I thought it would be the right thing to do in taking an A Level quaification in English Literature. However, I abandoned this when I realised how all the books were being over-analysed (in my opinion) and sucked the fun and beauty out of the books that I just wanted to take as wonderful stories. So, I tend to read because I enjoy it. I love a good story or a good non-fiction book full of wisdom and useful knowledge. I do not want to get inside the head of an author, simply because, even if we get a good idea about who they are and what they are trying to convey, we could never truly get inside the depths of the writer’s mind.
The Books of the Bible
However, this changes when I read the bible. I see the goodness of the Lord spanning from the book of Genesis to the book of Revelation. Throughout all the pages, the writer’s convey themselves in a way that reveals the truth and grace of God because the bible is God’s Word for all people. It is not a fictional account, although some may claim it to be. It is full of historical truth, the real agony and sorrow experienced by humanity, and the triumphs against evil and injustice. Throughout, it reveals the sinfulness of all of mankind – how men and women throughout history have chosen to go their way and to do what they want. However, it demonstrates God’s love for His people time and again, wanting them to turn back to Him where He is ready to forgive and to restore us to Himself. He does this for all mankind through Jesus Christ today – those that turn away from their sin and realise that they are dependent on God’s love, grace and peace to get through this life victoriously.
I could go on and on about why I love the different books found in the bible – but that would take up a series of blog posts!
2 Timothy 3: 16-17: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
Psalm 119: 105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
Romans 15: 4: “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
Changing Lives with Books
I thought it might be worth mentioning some charities/organisations where books help to transform the quality of lives for many people who may not have had the opportunity to experience the wonder of reading, or may be prevented from doing so due to difficult circumstances:
- Book Aid International
- The Book Bus
- Book Aid Charitable Foundation
- Christian Aid
- Oxfam Books
- Booktrust
Let’s hope that someone can benefit from reading a book today and have the opportunity to say ‘That’s my favourite.’
An Anchored Hope 
Ruth, what a neat post! I had no idea there were charities focused on books. Phillip Yancey is a wonderful author. I want to read more of his work. So glad you joined us at The Loft. Bless you, dear one!
Thank you Leah! Yes, I came across a few and thought it would be cool to talk about them in a book-related post! I am reading more of Philip Yancey – he is a great author and has an encouraging bit on his website for writing! 😀
Oh, wow! I’m so glad that you included the charities. I had no idea those existed – I’ll have to check them out! And, I LOVE Heidi! I haven’t read that in a while, but one of my kids has it. I know my mom enjoyed it, but if I remember correctly, my dad is the one who recommended it to me when I was younger. Time to read it again, I think! Thanks for joining us at The Loft! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂 Hope the charities/organisations prove helpful and encouraging! 🙂 I need to read Heidi again too… 🙂
Aww, I love that you included the book charities! I had no idea such things existed! I also loved your thoughts on “Inside the writer’s mind”. I like to dissect books because that’s the place I naturally go, BUT I agree that it’s almost pointless in a way because we can’t know the depth of the author’s intent or where the intent really came from- except in the Bible Which was a fabulous segway by-the-way! We homeschool. Last year I tried to read Heidi to my daughter- it was a bit much for her, Her eyes kept glazing over BUT I found it beautiful (though I’ve yet to finish it) I also read Cornelli by the same author and her writing creates such a vivid picture in my head that it has stuck with me longer then most books!
Hi Ren – thank you for your lovely comments! I would love to know more about homeschooling! I have to admit, dissecting a book can be interesting, but it was the extent of how much we tried to uncover on the course that put me off – however, it is lovely to examine the language! 🙂 I have ot yet read Cornelli, maybe I should – I still remember Heidi in my mind very much! 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to stop by my blog!
I love your idea for listing books for charity. This isn’t really charity, but I absolutely love the idea. I hope to do this some day. http://littlefreelibrary.org/. I like Yancey too–have not read that book yet and would like to check it out sometime. Can’t recommend 1000 gifts enough. Changed my life. 🙂
My mum has been following Ann Voskamp’s blog for years, and I finally tagged on! Thank you for the link – will be sure to check it out! Thank you for stopping by! 🙂
Wow, what a great idea! Thanks for sharing this, Ruth. I’ve learned something AND picked up a great recommendation. Vanishing Grace by Yancey is now on my to-read list 🙂
I am really glad to know that you have found the blog post useful! Vanishing Grace is great and it challenges me personally, which is always a good thing! 🙂 Thank you for popping by! 🙂
Thanks Ruth, for a thoughtful post, and especially the links of book charities. Who would have known? Of course, we are a bit out of it sometimes over here in our little village. Our library has more books (between 400-500 on the shelves, I think) than the local library! I’m going to have to check those charities out!
I am glad that the charities are useful to know about! Your village library sounds lovely! 🙂 Thank you for stopping by! 😀
Ha! It is! But, as a good majority are in English, we don’t get to share them with many people.:)
Ruth on your charitable list you could add the organization that brings audio reading to the blind. My mom can no longer read and so longed for the days of retirement when she could bask in her hundreds of books. Well now being nearly blind and becoming part of the Lighthouse for the blind she got in touch with audio books that lend free digital books and their reader to the blind! So thankful for my mom’s sake and others like her! Thanks for posting your favs!
Hi Kimberley – I would love to add it to the list, what are they called? Thank you for your suggestion! 🙂