Part 2 – Learning as a Lifestyle – Choose to be a Zealous Reader

For several decades I enjoyed a mentoring ministry to women at my kitchen table. What a blessing to spend time each week with “girl talk” and have the opportunity to get to know these awesome sisters in Christ and pour my life into theirs!

One of the conditions I set for our meetings was that they commit to reading every day. Number one on the list of books to read (as I’m sure you can guess) was the Bible. Beyond that, if a woman was married, she was to select, purchase, borrow, or check out a book on marriage and read five minutes a day in that book. If she was a mom (you guessed this too), she was to find on raising children and read five minutes a day in that book.

And because every woman lives somewhere, each choose a book on home management and read five minutes a day in that book. Beyond that, all my gals were to identify an area where they desired to grow as a Christian (like prayer, self-discipline, worship) and – you got it! – read five minutes a day in that book.

My goals for these ladies? First of all, to ground them in the faith. And second, to help them be on their toes with fresh input and reminders through their reading for tending their priority relationships and roles. And for all, married or not, to be growing as a Christian and preparing for future life and ministry…just by learning something each day that they could pass on to others. All this -accomplished in only minutes a day!

Ruth Graham, wife of the famed evangelist Billy Graham, told her daughters: “Keep reading and you’ll be educated.” The same applies to you, dear friend, so one of my primary suggestions for embracing learning as a lifestyle is to choose to be a zealous reader. Reading is the window to all learning. Reading exposes you to the entire globe and to the knowledge and experiences of others. In a very short time, you can know most of what another person has gained in a lifetime of experience.

You have only so much time, so be selective in your reading. Choose books that will build you up – books that will encourage and inspire you! Books that will teach and train you. Whenever I’m asked what kinds of books I like to read, the answer is always “Biographies!” I learn so much from others’ experiences as leaders, wives, and moms. I soak up their faith experiences with sorrow, loss, prayer, suffering… and great victories and triumphs. Reading is a quick way to learn from people’s successes as well as from their mistakes.

Don’t forget – the first book you want to read and read again and again is the Bible. Read it a little at a time from cover to cover, over and over, for the rest of your life. It is the only book that can help as you face cancer, deal with difficult problems with your children, and anything in between. The Bible – often referred to as “the Book” is the best book to guide you through life.

Question: Do you often feel that reading the Bible is intimidating? Or, is reading not really your favorite thing to do? Please don’t let this keep you from learning. In just a few minutes a day you can connect with God’s truth through a Daily Reading Bible or one of our many devotional books.

A great resource to keep learning about God’s priorities for you is my book,A Woman’s Guide to Making Right Choices.

Read Part 2 – Learning as a Lifestyle – Choose to be a Zealous Reader on Elizabeth & Jim George.