As I sit down to write in my journal, I record the books I’ve read throughout the year. I would never remember them all if I didn’t ;) And at the end of each year, it surprises me how many books I was actually able to read!
This year was a year of coming up for air. Last year, I squeezed in time to read, but my mind was full of prayer and caring for my family. We’ve settled into a doable routine with five kiddos, one who receives physical therapy 3x/week.
This year’s final reading list is slightly lower compared to 2023, though I dug into some deep Bible study reading with my Monday night group. Look at the 17 of us in my living room! I love these girls so much. They have a heart for Jesus and are eager to learn and reflect Him.
Reading has always been a calming pastime for me. Whether it be an avenue to learn something new, quiet my mind with Truth, or a way to delight in the joys of life through biographies, memoirs, or fiction, I thrive from the benefits of reading. I’m thankful that enjoying books and learning has been modeled to me because now I can share this love with my family.
Reading is the gateway to learning! We have bookshelves in almost every room of our home, and my children always make little stacks. Create little piles for your children to read and they will pick up the habit. It’s important to model the love of reading ourselves, too.
We consistently visit a few libraries as a family. They are great resources for books that engage their minds in meaningful ways. Books are also a great tool for developing their artistic skills (drawing, painting, building tree forts, etc).
Below is a list of the books I was able to read in 2024. And a quick disclaimer: if a book isn’t keeping my attention, I close it and begin something new. No guilt!
BOOKS I READ IN 2024:
- So much Bible study reading ♡
- Born With Teeth by Kate Mulgrew | category: memoir
- Season’s of a Mother’s Heart by Sally Clarkson | category: Christian Living
- Mere Motherhood Newsletters by Cindy Rollins | category: Christian Living
- Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church by Nijay Gupta | category: Christian Living / Education
- How to Tell the Truth by Preston Perry | category: Christian Living
- Habits of the Household by Justin Early Whitmel | category: Christian Living
- You Learn By Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life by Eleanor Roosevelt | category: memoir
- The Farmer’s Wife: My Life in Days by Helen Rebanks | category: memoir
- Blessed: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Revelation by Nancy Guthrie | category: Christian Living / Education
- Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds by Jen Wilkin | category: Christian Living / Education
- Summer at Tiffany by Marjorie Hart | category: memoir
- The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi | category: personal time management
- The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson | category: historical fiction
- The Bookwoman’s Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson | category: historical fiction
- When Children Love to Learn by Elaine Cooper | category: education
- The Editor: How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America by Sara B. Franklin | category: biography
Don’t be misled: much reading can be accomplished in 5-, 10-, and even 20-minute increments. I don’t often have large chunks of time, but I do have small increments. When repeated, those increments add up to something wonderful.
If I had to choose two books that were the most influential from this past year I’d choose:
1.) Eleanor Roosevelt’s memoir (book 8 above). I loved her advice on mothers learning how to create / make something amidst the “chaos” around them. I needed that reminder. When the home is noisy, full of life, and the questions abound – Proverbs 14:4 comes to mind: Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
2.) Nancy Guthrie’s study on Revelation called Blessed (book 10 above). This was an audible listen. Nancy’s emphatic reading brought the final book of the Bible to life in such a new way! Oh, it was so so good :)
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
- What I Read in 2023
- What I Read in 2022
- What I read in 2021
- An Update on My Reading List
- Working in 20-Minute Increments (also applies to reading :))
Share with me your favorite book from 2024?
xx, Maggie
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