“I just read this great book.”

On my phone I have an ever-growing list of books to read. Some recommendations came from friends, others from my nieces, still others from my brother-in law and sister-in-law. Someday, I’ll start reading and shrinking my list. Well . . . .probably not shrinking the list. Not as long as I’m still talking to people about words and ideas in books.

In my cozy office I’m surrounded by books—my own, my mom’s, and my dad’s. Sometimes I pull out one of their books and discover a bookmark or red underlining with a side note (my dad’s signature style). So interesting to see what they read and pondered, especially since they can no longer tell me themselves.

I have, on occasion, called my books “friends,” When I said that to my husband, he grinned and said, “Who needs that many friends?”

After all the pages I’ve read and reread since I could first recognize words, I return to one book over and over. It gives me courage to face my fears, reminds me that I am deeply loved, helps me find perspective in the midst of life transitions. . . .

I leave you now with three sentences from this favorite book of mine, sentences I have been reading over and over for the past few weeks, “And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God” (Ephesians 3:18–19 in the New Living Translation of the Bible).