I am a newly single mother, trying to begin and recreate the second part of my life. Just about everything has changed. One thing that has stayed and remained throughout the transformations occurring is my reliance on books. It has been teased that if I ever do find someone else to share my life with, they may need their own room as mine is forever occupied with the many books vying for my attention!
All kidding aside, books of one kind or another have gotten me through the worst times of my life, like my divorce after 25 years of marriage, and the death of my granddaughter. I desperately reach out for the information and comfort offered within their pages when I and those I love are besieged with illness, injury, loss or grief.
Books have also been present or at least soon after, some of my more comical moments such as when I must have thought I’d somehow developed construction and plumbing skills while I slept. The end results led me to seek printed wisdom and convinced me that I indeed had no such abilities and should seek more knowledgeable help!
Among the many pleasant and precious memories that make up my life, books have always accompanied me during their discovery and journey. They have kept me in touch with my past and the grand history all around me, as well as helping to guide the development and dreams of my future. Books have always been apart of each phase of my work and career plans, and were often found tucked in the diaper bag of my first baby, as well as each consecutive child born and stayed close at hand as they grew and as I grew as a parent.
I am a vowed lifelong learner. And I would love to know what books have you found indispensable? What books impacted you the most? Which do you consider old friends that you’ll visit again and again as long as you live? And why do you think these books effected you the way they did? I’d love to hear your suggestions and I bet everyone reading will as well-because for book lovers there’s nothing better than being introduced to their next great love and possible lifelong companion.
The True Woman by Susan Hunt
Counsel from the Cross by Elyse Fitzpatrick
Oh there are so many! I could never name them all! The Bible for sure!
I’m visiting you via the “I am a Woman of God” link up on facebook today. Thanks for sharing your blog with us
Hey Heather! Thanks for jumping over from the “I am a Woman of God” site and thanks for the recommendations! What is it that you love about these books? I haven’t read either yet, but I will definitely check them out.
The Bible is the one book that I read every day. Over the course of my life I have read and re-read dozens of time, yet each time I pick it up I walk away with something completely different revealed. I prove Hebrews 4:12 time and time again; “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Hello Heather! Thanks for jumping over from the “I am a Woman of God” site. Love visiting there! Thanks for the recommendations too. Can I ask what it is that you loved about these books? I haven’t read them yet, but will check them out soon.
The Bible is the one book that I read almost daily. Over the course of my life I have probably read it dozens of time and yet I walk away each time with something different revealed. I prove Hebrews 4:12 right again and again; “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
I loved this blog post Connie! Books are to me what books are to you! they were my constant solace growing up with two disabled sisters, my haven of retreat and bliss when ever and where ever I needed them. And here I am a newly single mom after 17 years of marriage, (20 together)….sounds familiar, huh? Growing up some favorites were anything by Louisa May Alcott, Laura Ingalls Wilder, The Secret Garden, A Wrinkle in Time, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew, anything about or by Helen Keller and Florence Nightengale, Diary of Anne Frank. One of my alltime favorite books is “where the heart is” because the main character discovered her world and saved herself the minute she walked into the library of a town she had never been in and she learned, and made friends, grew roots, (literally and figuratively) and blossomed and triumphed over many challenges, all because of books! I loved “The Green Mile” (and I NEVER read Stephen King—-tooo scary!) because of the supernatural/spiritual component of the main character and I loved “A Walk to Remember” because when I read the book, I chose to believe the miracle of life—-I could chose the ending I wanted, even if the reality of the ending was far different.
The book “Final Gifts” helped me deal with the death of my father and recognize the gifts he gave me, even in death. and I am so glad to be friends with Rachel Simon, a real life author who has a disabled sister with similar traits to my sisters, and I am proud to say I have every book she has ever written and read and loved them all! Phew! I guess that is enough for now! 
I could go on and on……
We read many of the same books as children. I also loved Anne of Green Gables. I am currently reading Before Green Gables. I’ve read most of them to my kids as well or gave them to them so they could read them and one day I hope to read them to my grandchildren! That is awesome that your friend is an author and that you both have so much in common. I haven’t read Where the Heart Is. Sounds like I’ve missed a good one. It sounds like I need to rectify that as soon as possible!