Books that Changed Me

I LOVE to read!  There is just something about the written word that soothes my soul.  Just like music, it reaches in to parts of my heart and mind that can’t be reached any other way.  Good writing is subjective, so we all have our own list of books that stand out.  My list is ever evolving but that’s the beauty of reading.  There is always a clever person out there who can say something in a new, entertaining or compelling way, and when I find those authors/books, it’s like finding treasure.   In our current world of fast, flashy multi-media, I hold these authors in even higher esteem because they do not need media clips or visual aids to tell their truth.  Their words paint those pictures in our minds, and somehow, that artwork stays with us, etched in our souls, a little different to each reader but beautiful and inspiring.

I read fiction too, and good fiction can definitely change you (sometimes it is even more effective because it makes the truth more palatable, much like Jesus’ parables), but for me, non-fiction has been more influential.  I look at fiction (and also music/songs) as inspiration, as links in the chain, catalysts, little trails that lead me to larger truths.  And the books below are the books that opened my eyes.

The Bible:

Okay, it’s a little cliché because most people would probably list this book, but hey, it’s the real deal.  I can’t deny the impact that the Bible has had on my life.  There have been times in my life when I have tried to dismiss it, underestimate it, find a substitute, but God always draws me back to His word.

This might make some of my Christian friends bristle, but I don’t believe in a perfect, inerrant Bible (it was inspired by God but written by man who has screwed up everything since the beginning of time).  But I do believe it points to and reveals a perfect God.  I do not have to believe the literal interpretation of every Old Testament story in order to believe the incredible truth that each story conveys.  I do not have to worship the Bible to worship God.  I can consider it holy and revere it while also recognizing that God is bigger than any book.  It just gives us a glimpse, but I believe it is the clearest picture of God that exists.

That being said, there is something so special, so mystical, so timeless about the Bible.  It really does speak, and soothe, and convict, and reveal – more than anything else I’ve ever read.   Although written by man, when you look at it as a whole, it’s easy to see that it is bigger (and more honest) than anything man could come up with on his own –  it must be inspired by God.  In some places in the world, people risk their lives just to hold, read and hear the Bible.  It has power beyond explanation and I hope I never take it for granted again.  In fact, the books that have impacted me the most (with a few exceptions) are books that seek to understand the Bible and how it reveals the living God.  I will never fully understand it, but without the mystery, trusting in God would not require faith.

Things Hidden:  Scripture as Spirituality by Richard Rohr (I also love Falling Upward and Simplicity)

This book brought so many things in perspective for me.  It put words to things in my heart that I could not articulate.  It gave me clarity about the Bible that I had never before experienced.  For the first time since I read M. Scott Peck, I found an author who could marry psychology (something I really enjoy studying) and spirituality, and it became so clear that God is the ultimate psychologist (makes sense – He created us, after all).

I was able to finally reconcile why the God of the Old Testament looked nothing like Jesus, the ultimate revealing of God, in the New Testament.  It helped me to empathize with people at every stage of spirituality and personal development (even the annoying super-fundies and the chaotic tribal type religions so pervasive in parts of our world).  Can’t say enough good things about this book and this author.

Repenting of Religion:  Turning from Judgment to the Love of God by Gregory Boyd (hard to choose between this one and Benefit of the Doubt, – really loved this book!  Other honorable mentions: God of the Possible, Present Perfect, Letters from a Skeptic)

This book rocked my world.  I never thought of myself as a judgmental person until I read it, and it humbled me and softened my heart.  I began looking at people and interacting with them in a different way.  I began to see that I was treating God as a “formula,” unintentionally trying to be God, trying to be in control.  This book issued a challenge that I will never live up to (to live and love in a radial way that cries out for explanation), but it was definitely a push toward truth, toward authentic faith.

Evolving in Monkey Town:  How a Girl Who Knew All the Answers Learned to Ask the Questions by Rachel Held Evans

I think this book resonated with me because I could relate with Rachel Held Evan’s  life story and faith struggle.  I was amazed at the wisdom and insight of such a young person.  In a few short years she wrestled through some faith issues that I’ve been slogging through for a decade or more.  This book is thoughtful and funny and so honest.  She was the first writer, at least for me, that fully articulated that it is okay (even healthy) to doubt.

One of my favorite quotes:  “So ready with the answers, we didn’t know what the questions were anymore.  So prepared to defend our faith, we missed the thrill of discovering it for ourselves.  So convinced we had God right, it never occurred to us that we might have it wrong.  In short, we never learned to doubt.  Doubt is a difficult animal to master because it requires that we learn the difference between doubting God and doubting what we believe about God.  The former has the potential to destroy faith:  the latter has the power to enrich and refine it.”

Traveling Mercies:  Some Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott

The reason this book is on my top ten list is because Anne Lamott helped me break out of the traditional view of how a Christian is supposed to look, act, think and speak.  She loves the Lord passionately, but she is funny and irreverent and brutally honest (much like my Dad, so maybe it was nice to find another Christian that reminded me of him).  She is so “real” and it was encouraging to see that God can use everything about us (even an ugly past or bad habits) to teach, to inspire, to draw us closer to Him.

Tuesdays with Morrie:  An Old Man, A Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson by Mitch Albom

Frankly, I’m surprised at how much this simple book about a wise old man has impacted me.  Maybe it is special because the book is the first gift that Keith, my husband, ever gave me.  But he and I, over a decade later, still refer back to this book and use little phrases from it to get through things (“tension of opposites, “ “feel it completely and let it go,” “you have to learn how to die before you can learn how to live,” etc.).   The lessons from this book have stayed with us and provided wisdom for real life, for living now and not waiting.

Mere Christianity by CS Lewis (and SO many other books – this man is prolific and I’ve only read 6 of his books (13 if you count the Chronicles of Narnia) – I would love to read them all in my lifetime but some of them are heavy reading)

I’m pretty sure every author I love quotes from CS Lewis.  It seems that he has been foundational for the faith of almost everyone I know.  He was so far ahead of his time, such an incredible storyteller and writer, and was so honest and profound.  Mere Christianity stands out because it helped ground me in my faith and, as my husband says, this book makes you realize you don’t have to turn off your brain to be a Christian.  This was the book that brought him to faith in Christ, so it is special to both of us.

Boundaries:  When to Say Yes, How to Say No, To Take Control of Your Life by Cloud and Townsend

This book has been around a long time, but it is something everyone should read.  It gives such practical, Biblical, wise counsel about relationships and life circumstances.  I wish I had this book when my daughter was a teenager – it would have been a big help.  After I read it, I called my Mom and Dad to thank them for modeling healthy boundaries for me – I didn’t realize what a gift it was until I read this book.  The reason it is on my top ten list is because I walked away feeling empowered and affirmed.  Instead of making decisions out of guilt and obligation, I had tools (and not just the latest psychological self-help stuff – this book is based on Biblical foundations) to make confident decisions.

The Road Less Traveled and Beyond:  Spiritual Growth in an Age of Anxiety by M. Scott Peck.

Another book that has been around awhile but it has timeless, amazing wisdom.  M. Scott Peck was the first author (at least the first for me) that overtly brought together psychology and spirituality.  It was refreshing and insightful and I still have my worn out copy that I reread on occasion.

I’m listing this next one with trepidation!

Why Christianity Must Change or Die:  A Bishop Speaks to Believer in Exile by Shelby Spong

Okay, I’m not recommending this book but I had to list it because it did change me.  It didn’t change me in an encouraging, gentle way.  This guy is a grenade tosser and he pretty much seeks to demolish everything you believe and then rebuild from there.  This book knocked me on my ass and made me rethink everything I knew about the Bible and Jesus.  Thank goodness I have a solid faith and was able to wrestle through everything I learned, but it took a year for me to get my bearings after I read this book.  I took a lot of controversial religion classes in college, I’ve read controversial books and I do believe that faith should be able to stand up to anything we are confronted with, but I just wasn’t ready for this one at the time I read it (the twins were small and I didn’t have time to contemplate so it ended up being a rough one for me).  But I made it to the other side and I’m better for it.  I even read another one of his books that my Dad recommended (it wasn’t nearly as harsh, thank goodness).  BUT this one is not for the faint of heart.

There are many more books I could list, but I’ll stop with the top ten.

Happy reading!  What books have changed you?

 

 

 

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