Read. Learn. Listen. Write. Share. Grow.

I have an addiction...not to things that are obviously destructive in the sense that we normally think of the word.  My addiction is to reading books.  

For instance, when I was home for Christmas, my dad has this huge library in our basement filled with thousands of books from over the years.  And that's only half of his collection.  He has twice as many in his office. I spent most of my time during Christmas break in a chair in the basement reading books.  I would liken it to some sort of thirst that never seems to be satisfied, and I go rummaging through a book to try and quench it.  

Nerdy?  Yes.  Unhealthy?  Sometimes.  Manageable?  Only when I turn off Amazon.com's 'one-click-buy' option.  

My life has been infinitely enriched by books.  There are books that I believe God has placed in my path that have gotten so deep into me, or have bothered me so much, that I keep coming back to them over and over.

C. S. Lewis once, when asked why he reads, responded "I read because it helps me to see the world through other eyes."  Learning, reading,  & education is critical because it helps us to see the world with new eyes. It helps us to empathize, realize, sympathize.

A word of encouragement for my intellectual friends today: don't stop reading.  don't ever stop thirsting for growth, for knowledge, or for learning.  Feed your thirst for it.  Take every opportunity to grow and read and listen.  Especially those of you whose 'spiritual pathway' is the intellect ... know this: God is infinitely wise and intelligent and wants to teach you... to be your private tutor.   Listen to him.  Love him with all of your mind.  Hear him speak through the voices of others.  Be diligent in your intellectual pursuits.  Share them with the world.  The world needs your God-given ideas.  We're waiting for you to share them.  You have a unique way of thinking.  You have a responsibility to share and present that knowledge in learnable format.

Read.  Write.  Learn.  Grow.  Share.  Listen.

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go."   Ps. 32:8