What's on my nightstand?

Several months ago, I linked up to this blog to share what I've been reading. Since we have welcomed Story into our family and since she is still in the room with us, I have not found as much time to read as I like. I am also finding myself doing something that I said I would never do, reading more than one book at a time, gasp! Well, I am, and it's okay actually. Something unique to the books I am reading now, is that with 3 of them I have a personal connection to the authors, pretty cool, huh? So here's what I've been reading.

I purchased and read this book just before Story was born. It is written by a friend of ours, Jonathan Williams. Jonathan served on our FUGE staff in 2003, in Nashville. Jonathan and I were in the same track that summer, Games and Rec. That summer was so special to both of us. God was working in mighty ways in both of our lives. For David and me, the Lord was preparing us to pack up and move to New Orleans for David to attend seminary. For Jonathan, the Lord had called him to be a part of the Xtreme team in the Amazon Jungle. I will never forget the day he received his acceptance letter. We were all standing around during mail time, when Jonathan got his letter! For two years, Jonathan lived in the Amazon Jungle reaching people with the gospel of Christ. From this experience was birthed his first novel.

Charming, funny and handsome, 30-year-old Jonah feels he has wasted his best years. It’s not just the 1,070-day writer’s block that has him down, but also his dead-end job of teaching creative writing at a community college compounded by his unwanted divorce three years ago. Getting fired sends him over the edge. After a nearly successful suicide attempt, Jonah is cajoled by his brother to join him on a trip to Peru. Jungle Sunrise tells how that get-away excursion turns into a dangerous voyage by seven strangers bound together by a shared desire to locate the nearly extinct Isconahua tribe.

Also on my nightstand is a book written by this fella,

Dr. David Platt.

David and I went to college together at THE University of Georgia, where we were both involved in the Baptist Student Union, now called BCM. David also lived with a dear friend of mine, Tom, so I got to know him better that way as well. To make our worlds even smaller, David and his wife Heather were on staff at the church where my David and I were members during our time at seminary, Edgewater Baptist Church. Platt also taught some of David's classes at seminary. Anyway, he has written a new book.

And it is on my nightstand, waiting to be read. My David read the book earlier in the week and passed it along to me. The message is powerful, but simple.

"Do you believe that Jesus is worth abandoning everything for? Do you believe him enough to obey him and to follow him wherever he leads, even when the crowds in our culture -maybe even our churches- turn the other way?"

In Radical, David Platt invites you to encounter what Jesus actually said about being his disciple, and then obey what you have heard. He challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated a God-centered gospel to fit our human-centered preferences. With passionate storytelling and convicting biblical analysis, Platt calls into question a host of comfortable notions that are common among Christ's followers today. Then he proposes a radical response: live the gospel in ways that are true, filled with promise, and ultimately world changing.

Also on my nightstand is a book written by this lady,

Jeana Floyd, wife to Ronnie Floyd, who is the Senior Pastor at FBC Springdale and FBC Pinnacle Hills. My brother and SIL attend his church in NWA. So, we aren't really connected, but sort of, right?!

David bought this book for me while we were in Arkansas, and I have been reading it as I have time. For me, I have so much to learn about being a pastor's wife and about myself as a wife in the ministry that I want to equip myself with as many tools as possible to be the best helpmate that I can to my husband.

A strong marriage plays a pivotal role in the success of a ministry. Being the wife of a minister can be tremendously rewarding, but it is also a commitment of time, personal investment, and patience. Ministry is a challenging vocation, even in the best of times. Jeana Floyd knows these challenges well and has created this faith-affirming guide for pastors’ wives. Sharing years of wisdom and insight from her participation in her husband’s growing and visionary ministry, 10 Things Every Minister’s Wife Needs to Know is filled with practical tips on marriage, prayer, stewardship, parenting, and faith. With “interactive testimonies” included from other wives of pastors at the end of each chapter, the book shares poignant and powerful insights any woman or wife can appreciate.

This is the last book on my nightstand, and I have no connection whatsoever to this author, except we both believers!

David's mom actually gave this book to him for Father's Day, but he has been so busy reading and writing for his DMIN project that I knew he wouldn't miss it, if I took it.

Now, Dr. Dobson presents his highly anticipated companion book: Bringing Up Girls. Based on extensive research, and handled with Dr. Dobson’s trademark down-to-earth approach, Bringing Up Girls will equip parents like you to face the challenges of raising your daughters to become healthy, happy, and successful women who overcome challenges specific to girls and women today and who ultimately excel in life.

So, as you can see there's lots to be read on my nightstand. How about you? Have you read any books lately that are worth passing along to a fellow book-lover?