A "Sidebar" About My Sidebar

As you may have noticed, I recently added a sidebar to my blog listing books I have read over the past several months (and actually like - a very important note since I do occasionally read books I can't stand!). In light of this I thought I should give a little clarification in order to head off at the pass any potential misunderstandings, as well as share a personal conviction about why I read what I do.

You see, there are some in the past who have made the mistake of thinking that I read and recommend the books I do because I agree with everything in them. I am afraid, my dear readers, this is not true. I do not recommend or list books in my sidebar because I completely align myself with everything in them. Likewise, I do not list books because I believe you will agree with everything in them. If you were to dive into any of the books I list on my blog with these misperceptions, I'm afraid you would end up very confused and maybe even somewhat perturbed (kind of like I was after listening to Kristy Lee Cook sing "Eight Days a Week" like a honkeytonk piece on American Idol a few weeks back - great googly-moogly).

Let me explain my thoughts and often disjointed reasoning on this. About a year-and-a-half ago I made a personal commitment that I would no longer read books because I knew there was a %99. 257 chance I would agree with everything in them. Instead, I decided I would purposely start reading books that I knew would hold a high possibility of challenging my current line of thought. I wanted to read books that were going to stretch me, force me to think through why I believe the things I believe and why I adhere to certain philosophies and doctrines. I needed to be stretched.

And you know what? A wonderful thing happend to me on the way to the index and bibliography: I grew. I grew both spiritually and intellectually. Some of the things I've read have forced me to think anew about why I believe what I believe so that I can defend those beliefs more adequately. In other cases I have been challenged enough to start a new wrestling match within my heart and soul regarding certain issues I've always held to be true - true without question. And yes, in other cases my convictions on things have actually changed due to what I've read.

I would challenge you to maybe take up this type of reading as well, if even for a short time. It's too easy for us to become spiritually and mentally "tubby", refusing to pick up anything that is going to work our brains over a little bit, raise our heart rate, and cause us break out in a bit of a sweat. Well, it's time to break out of the box! It's time to put away that broccoli and cheese soup and try a cup of French Onion (granted, I will never do this - I hate onions, especially big fat ones named after European countries).

Happy reading!