Books Read in 2007

Well, 2007 was the year of Jeff.  It was the year we started not-dating again, then dating again, then we got engaged, then we got married... all in the same year.  I also went to Iraq in there somewhere and got my first real job... so, it was kind of busy.  My reading list reflects that.

1. Passion and Purity by: Elizabeth Elliot
This was a re-read from 2003.  The first time I read this book I threw it across the room.  I thought it deserved a second chance and I liked it a lot better.  I think I needed to grow up a little bit before I could really appreciate her wisdom.

2.  Celebration of Discipline by: Richard Foster
This was also a re-read, but I read this book in 2001.  I did this book as a study with a bunch of college leaders every week....at 6:30 in the morning.  It was rough - for everyone.  I love this book though, especially the second time I read it.  It is a great breakdown of the basic disciplines of the Christian faith and how to practice them in everyday life.

3. The Day Christ Died by: Jim Bishop
I read this book in preparation for Easter and it was really meaningful.  It is a historical and biblical breakdown of the days and day leading up to the death of Jesus.  It helped me get a fresh perspective and really meditate on the beauty and horror of Easter.

4. Catch 22 by: Joseph Heller
This book was really hilarious.  I have always wanted to read it and I really enjoyed it.  It wasn't a quick read for me, but even though it took me a while to finish it kept me entertained.  I will read this again someday for sure.

5. For Women Only by: Shanti Feldhahn
I really wasn't a huge fan of this book.  It was one of the first that I had read about men and women and relationships and can't say that I gleaned a whole lot from it.  It was entertaining and funny at times, but that was about all I got out of it.

6. Blessed Child by: Ted Dekker
This book was really disturbing to me.  It is a series and I ended up returning the second book without even reading it because I disliked this book so much.  Up to this book I had really liked Dekker and I think it was just the plot that was too sci-fy and kind of disturbing for me to really get into.

7. Bondage Breaker by: Neil Anderson
I loved this book!  I think everyone has baggage, whether or not you identify it as spiritual baggage or not.  I was so challenged by this book that I had to put it down several times and do what it said before I felt like I could move on.  I will return to this book - I already have to certain parts of it.

8. Sex and the Supremacy of Christ by: John Piper
This was the first book about sex that I read.  I read it shortly after Jeff & I got engaged and I'm glad I started with this book.  I love John Piper and I love to read about/hear about him talk about marriage.  This was a really meaningful book that I think about often.

9. Terrify No More by: Gary Haughen
What an incredible book!  It was written by the director of the International Justice Mission and it chronicles some of the missions they have gone on to free people from different forms of slavery and human trafficking.  This is the best book I have read on the subject that gives a really graphic and true picture of what is going on in the world.

10. Sense and Sensibility by: Jane Austen
This book was so fun!  It is so clever and I laughed out loud several times.  This book is why I love Jane Austen.

11. Falling into Love by: Ned Erickson
I loved this book!  It's an average guy's love story.  Parts of it are so disastrous you can't believe that could really happen to someone and yet the best part is that you can tell it is so true.  Reading this love story made me love the love that Jeff & I have even more.

12. Saving your marriage before it starts by: Les & Leslie Parrot
Jeff & I read this book together and met with several married couples to talk about some of the principles in this book.  I think we both benefited from reading this and talking through these things with others before we got married.

13. Sacred Marriage by: Gary Thomas
This was my favorite marriage book.  I really resonated with what the author put forward as the premise of the book - that marriage is not about our happiness but about our holiness.  After marriage this book really helped humble me when I needed to be more teachable and willing to sacrifice.

14. Sheet Music by: Kevin Leman
Of the sex books I read, I think this was the most ummmmm.... helpful?  I appreciated that it incorporated a biblical view of sex while still giving practical advice/information.

15. The Act of Marriage by: Tim & Beverly LaHaye
I was given this book as a gift and probably wouldn't have read it otherwise.  I think after the first 2 books I read I could have done without this one.

16. Kite Runner by: Khaled Hosseini
While this book was kind of disturbing, I'm glad that I read it... I maybe shouldn't have read it on our honeymoon... but I really recommend it.

I was looking back on my lists and was surprised to find that I read over 30 books every year until I got engaged and got married.  That was also about the time I stopped regularly journaling.  While I miss all the reading and the writing... I sure love being a wife and a mommy.