i read to know i am not alone.

ever since i can remember i have been a reader. while my brother would get scolded for hiding when chores were supposed to be done. i would be found reading in a corner somewhere dreaming about lands far away. teachers would report to my parents that if i just applied myself i could “really reach my potential”. whatever. i was reading more books than any teacher could dream of. why read a textbook when you could mold your heart around hemingway, tolstoy, tolkien, and orwell?

this past year i have read some amazing books. i thought i would share a few….happy reading!

Kisses from Katie . if you read nothing else this next year. read this. it is a true story of one girls journey to uganda. listening to God when everyone else thinks your crazy. really this book will make you see that anyone can make a difference in this world.

All is Grace. this book was just a reminder of how human we all are. whether we have been called to ministry or not. we all need grace. i may not agree with all of his viewpoints but i do appreciate his style of writing.

The Language of Flowers. this novel is all about the underdog. the child who wasn’t given a fair chance at life and those around her that saw who she was supposed to be. this novel reminded me so much of girls i have had the privilege of working with through the years. couldn’t put this one down.

the 19th wife. this book looks into the life of pluralism in america both today and how it started.  fascinating read.

still alice. my sister has been telling me to read this book for a while now. once i started i couldn’t stop. this is a story of a young woman who is dealing with the early onset of alzheimer's disease. this story hit close to home and was very eye opening and healing for me.

adopted for life. by far one of the most ground breaking books i have read, this takes a look into the churches response to adoption. how Christ first adopted us and what an appropriate response should be.

love you more. my fellow writer wrote this amazing book. she shows us candidly what it means to be an adoptive mama. this is one I love to buy for other moms. it will touch your heart.

Chronicles of the Kings. i will be the first to tell you i am not a series reader. (sorry harry potter)and i am not a christian fiction reader ( sorry to the rest of you) but a dear friend told me just to try this. ok. i couldn’t stop reading. i was enthralled by it. fascinating.  ( and why i can’t read christian fiction can be another blog post…)

these are just a few examples of what has been by my bedside in 2011. i would love to hear what you read to know you are not alone….