VT Christian Reading Challenge discussion

How’s fall treating everyone? We have a bunch of leaves beginning to turn here. Mornings are crisp and the pumpkin patch by us is bursting with orange. While I’m sad to see summer leave, I’m so excited for cozy days!

Right now I’m working through The Legacy of Luther fir my book about Martin Luther.

Anyone else got something on their stack or “reading” or “to read” piles?

I'm reading a Christian book about family estrangements, or just in general, walking away from difficult people whether they're in the family or not. It shows from scripture all the times Jesus chose to walk away for various reasons. Anyhow, I'm enjoying it and it fits my circumstances - When to Walk Away: Finding Freedom from Toxic People, by Gary Thomas.

I'm not at all certain I'll finish this challenge this year even though I chose to do only 26 prompts. I've had a lot of chaos in my life this year, both good and bad. The good part is that a house is being built for me here on my land. I lost my home in a fire 3 years ago and it is finally my time to get a new one by the grace of God. I'm very blessed, but it is challenging for me anyhow. I've been living in a travel trailer on the same property.

On the bad side, I've had multiple gall bladder attacks for the first time in my life and finally got the gall bladder removal surgery last Friday. I am so grateful I'll never have to go through that pain again. I'm recovering well at home.

I'm also reading my David McCullough book, 1776.

I just finished Mox by Jon Moxley as a sports book (sports entertainment is still sports). It was very flow of thought and scatterbrained but his life made it enjoyable.

I am working my way through Demon by Michael Hieser as a Seminary Textbook. I am so lost in it.

I have Emma by Jane Austen, The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, and No Through Fare by Charles Dickens for the targeted author prompt.

Linda, I listened to 1776 and enjoyed it. How are you finding it?

I just finished The Color Purple for my Pulitzer prize book. It was not what I expected at all.

I have a couple audio books - Shakespeare and Expositional Preaching for two of the prompts.

Will probably start Gentle + Lowly for my recommendation from a pastor this month too.

I’ve got 23 books left to finish all 106 prompts. I was thinking I wasn’t going to make it, but it’s feeling doable again!

Amy, I read The Color Purple when I was a teenager and I'm sure it mostly went over my head. That was back in the 1960's.

Ian - About 1776, I like learning more about the way our country started. I have both the audiobook and a book - I found it to be too much information for me to understand well without a paper copy to refer to. I have comprehension issues. I also wanted to see all the pictures, something we don't get with audiobooks much of the time.

I just finished:
Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know
and Joy in the Morning

I am working on:
Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers
and about to start my book written by a Puritan, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment

So how goes the challenge with only 58 days left?

I’m thirteen shy of my original goal…not sure if I’ll make it!