Reading Is Sublime

Books
I love books.

Thick books. Skinny books. Picture books. Study books.

Books of the Bible.
Recipe books.
The "...For Dummies" books.
Fiction and Non-fiction books.
Classic and Contemporary Literature books.
Inspirational and Devotional books.

Reading provides a wellspring of knowledge, doesn't it?

I mean, seriously. If you want to learn how to be a savvy business entrepreneur?–well, then there are probably at least 50 thousand books you can reference on the subject to achieve Donald-Trump-like success.

Or how bout becoming more thrifty and adept at building your savings account and becoming debt-free? (Thank you Young, Fabulous, and Broke by Suze Ormon, for steering me out of the land of floundering-in-my-finances.)

Or if you just want to dodge some dullsville housework, or de-stress from frenzied hectic jobplace activities then picking up a book can provide just the necessary outlet. Yes, indeedy.

"Anyone who says they have only one life to live
must not know how to read a book."  

 ~Author Unknown

They say, reading gives you wings. Or is that love? Well, either way, it seems to fit. Escape is definitely possible. Escape and...arrival. 

If it is an inspiring book–one that brings encouragement and wisdom for, let's say–life's choices, well then it can definitely help a person, like me, to arrive at a better place. A place, we may have had a hard time getting to by ourselves. Unaided.

Carl Spitzweg

I'd love to take up residence in an old dusty library. Filled to the brim with books. Shelves upon shelves. Many of which must include books that are hundreds of years old.
The ones unaccustomed to peering eyes.
Kinda like history in the palm of my hand. 

How delightful.

 Like in this one, above...

Admont Library, Austria 

Truly breathtaking... 

But lately, I find myself drawn to this book above–the Bible, in increasing measure and desperation. I am trying to cling to hope and maintain great expectation. And faith.

There is nothing quite like this book. Nothing to compare it to, really.

Life is challenging for me and my family right now–and this is putting it mildly. Seems like I am battling with giants that are at my left and to my right.

I'm sure I'm not the only one to feel this way...

Everything seems like it is piling up to a climax of sorts. Waiting for me to respond. Seems overwhelming. Unconquerable. Like there's no end in sight.

But these pages...they hold life. They hold the keys to overcoming those Giants. They bring great peace and wisdom...

They help to bring arrival. Whilst simultaneously serving as a launching pad.

Man, am I thankful for this!! I don't know how I could possibly survive life without it.

Without Him.

^{Psalm 119: 114}  You, O God are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word.

^{2 Corinthians 1:10} For it is He, Jesus, who rescued and saved us from such a perilous death, and He will still rescue and save us. In and on Him we have set our hope–our joyful and confident expectation–that He will again deliver us from danger and destruction and draw us to Himself.

Love these verses! This is how I will overcome. It's through God's Word. His book. The one he so carefully and purposefully left for us. Wrote it with us in mind.

To read it. To live it. Walk it. And breathe it.

With Him, the impossible is possible.

And I hope you too will be allow yourself to be encouraged by novels, fiction and non-fiction, biographies and the words in this Book as well.

Have a week filled with peace and joy.

And I hope you come to know the unbelievable, unquenchable love that God has for you, my friend.

Until next time...

Find yourself a good book and get lost for a little while.