The Importance of Reading

When I was a child, like many of my friends and other children of that day, I was consumed with television and specifically cartoons.  Now I know the word "cartoons" is an insult to animators world-wide but this was my world and the world of Hanna-Barbera.  I remember waking up every day wanting to know what would happen next on Voltron, G.I. Joe, Thundercats, Gobots, with my two favorites being the Transformers and Superfriends.  I also loved watching the syndication of Gilligan's Island, Benson, the Beverly Hillbillies, Green Acres...you get the point!

What I didn't do much of was read.  I had very good comprehension and knew how to read quite well, but never found enjoyment in it.  This showed once I got into junior high and high school and the English classes I had to take.  I was expected to read various novels of greater length and loathed those assignments.  I was a math and science guy and cared little for English.

As the years passed and I moved from high school, into the Marines, then into college, I realized that reading was crucial to my success in life.  When  I recommitted my life to Jesus Christ at 17 and became and avid reader of the Bible, my focus and interest for reading in general also improved by God's grace.  As I moved into the various ministry opportunities where God has led me and continued growing and learning about life, leadership, people, etc.  I have heard continually how important it is to be a reader.

I was also blessed to marry a diligent reader, and Julie has made it priority one to read to our children and to develop them as readers as well.  We are already seeing the fruit of this in David (8) and Jonathan (6) as they love to read themselves and have vivid imaginations as a result.  Along the way, I also had a successful friend in Grand Rapids tell me how his dad was a voracious reader and that really helped him be a reader.  He remembered his dad sitting in his chair, reading at home and he credited that influence in his life and success present day.

I have had spurts of reading in the past years as graduate classes, ministry responsibilities, and other interests have motivated me to read more for periods of time.  But my default is still away from reading books of all kinds.  Then this summer I decided to commit to reading for the long haul.  This time I was going to make a change...for good.  I decided I would read at least one book a month minimum and see where that would lead.  It didn't matter what I read as long as I was reading.  To help the process I chose books in areas of interest which has helped considerably.

Well, 6 months later I am here to report SUCCESS in my endeavor.  Since the summer I have read a number of books and some of great length.

• Too Small to Ignore by Wess Stafford (250 pages)
• Team of Rivals by Goodwin (1,000 pages)
• Rendezvous With Destiny by Shirley  (700 pages)
• Prince of Darkness, an auto-biography of Bob Novak (600 pages)
• An Arny at Dawn by Atkinson (700 pages)

Yes there is a certain theme to my books as Politics and War History are definite areas of personal interest, but I have also learned much about leadership, personal growth and development, and am improving my acumen for reading on a whole.  Once I finish my final project for seminary this semester I will begin reading a book Julie just read about parenting. 

For me, reading over 3,300 pages of books since the summer is HUGE and a significant personal accomplishment.  I hope to continue reading and encourage you if you are not a reader to consider the importance of reading for yourself.  As I tell my boys "readers are leaders" and I myself want to be a better leader, in all areas of life.  I also am much more excited about learning at age 36 which I wish I would have had 20-25 years ago as well.