It’s less than a month until the official release of my Bible study called Holy Vocabulary. And, as I guess any author does, I’m asking the Lord for it to have a great, great impact in the world. So it got me thinking about books that have radically influenced my life. And that’s the subject of today’s question. Not your favorite book. Not the most entertaining book. But influential:
“What book has been the most influential in your life over the last 10 years?”
**The goal of “One Question Friday” is simple: To show that everyone has something funny, engaging, creative, and worthwhile to say. So comment away! Be real. Be creative. Think hard. And check back to see how others answered the question.
On Writing Well by Zinsser. Everyone, especially those who are or aspire to be writers, should read this book at least once.
Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. This daily devotional book has radically changed my relationship with Jesus over the past year and a half. I couldn’t put it down this year, even though I had read it throughout 2009!
I have to name 3:
Oswald Chambers – MY Utmost for His Highest
John Piper – Desiring God
J.I. Packer – Knowing God
Non-Fiction: Wild at Heart by John Eldredge-have read it at least 5 times and counting. Filled with Godly insight and counsel for the masculine soul.
Fiction: Heaven’s Wager by Ted Dekker- Excellent story about the pursuit of God, and the lengths He will go to to accomplish His purposes.
Hands down – Don’t Waste Your Life by Piper. I read it right out of college and it has been a challenge for me to pursue giving my life to the Lord.
Classic Christianity by Bob George
Mine’s going to be way different, but I can’t really think of another book that my mind always returns to.
Robert Lewis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. For me this is a strong picture of the true nature of sin and man falling to it. The picture of sin living completely in a man is repulsive and frightening, and I love how clear the story makes it that you cannot separate it from your life: it will consume and destroy you. For some reason this was just a particularly powerful story for me. I love it.
Love Is the Measure: A Biography of Dorothy Day by Jim Forest
I agree with the other commenter: Don’t Waste Your Life was a significant shift in thinking for me. Forgotten God by Francis Chan has recently been important to me.
The Jesus Style, by Gayle Erwin, has been my most influential read and re-re-re-read.
The Holiness of God by RC Sproul, this book was instrumental in my conversion.
The Magician’s Nephew, by CS Lewis. I heard it on audio book and two quotes stand out (I’m quoting from memory so I won’t have these exactly right:
“The problem with making yourself appear stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed.”
and
“He’s made himself so he can’t hear me [Aslan]. My words will sound like growls to him.”
and of course I like the part where Diggory realizes the witch is manipulating him and he says, “Whats YOUR game!”