WildOx Blog

The Blog of John K. Baw - Gibraltar

My reading routine

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I am an avid reader. OK scrap that.  I am a compulsive reader. Really, ask my wife.  I will read anywhere and everywhere.  I probably read at least three hours every day.  For me its more than just "reading".  Every time I pick up a book I see myself s having a conversation with the author!  I get to meet and look inside the heart and mind of some of the most interesting people around.  I also have an insatiable appetite to learn.

Every now and then someone will ask me what I am reading, so I guess I wanted to share with you all what my daily reading habits are.  I use my iPad every day, and these are my favourite reading spots on this tablet:

  • The Bible - Usually early morning reading.  (I try to read the Bible consistently and systematically and so I always want to make that the main item of reading for me.  I have even followed some of the more radical Bible reading plans that have you read through the Bible every three months.)
  • The Economist.  This newspaper will make you quite knowledgeable in a vast variety of subjects.  It is well worth your time and money.
  • Le Monde - I love the french language. Again the iPad is great for this sort of thing.
  • El Pais - I know, I'm sorry.
  • Gibraltar Chronicle - All about my home town.
  • The Guardian newspaper - Not that this necessarily pigeonholes me politically.

I also use a news app called Fluent News that aggregates news from a variety of sources.  

Apart from that, I usually read from my Kindle, when I am at the beach or by the pool of my local rowing club (a daily habit in the summer).  At the moment I am reading "The Personal MBA" by Josh Kaufmann.

At night I will usually read books (real ones..... like, the paper ones) either biographies, books on leadership or on theology, and I also tend to be reading several books at once.

I also follow an insane number of Blogs using Google Reader.  I am trying to cut down on this but I get withdrawal symptoms every time I cut down drastically.  This aspect of my reading tends to be more impulsive and less disciplined than the rest. 

 Apart from this I love using Twitter, and can be seen around Facebook quite a bit too, but social media is probably stuff for another blog post.

Please pray for my wife.

Over to you: What are your top 5 books ever?

Jkb

OK I'm a major book nerd freak enthusiast.  I am ALWAYS reading.  I take books to the supermarket, I read books whilst I wait in the queue to pass into Spain...... I even once was caught reading a book whilst driving (yes, I know, I know.... sorry).  

I would like to hear what YOUR reading preferences are.  What are your favourite books - which books have made the biggest impact in your life - which are the top 5 books you have every read?  I'll give my list in a subsequent blog post.

Please let me know in the comments.

The Ragamuffin Gospel - by Brennan Manning

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Just finished reading through Brennan Manning's "The Ragamuffin Gospel" for the second time round. This book grips me as being an account that comes from a man who has experienced the deep reserves of grace - a man who has had to look deeply into the eyes of a loving father, and has seen the depths of mercy, compassion and forgiveness that are there to be received. I get the impression from Manning that it is far more important to get a grip on God's heart for me than it is to "stop sinning". Indeed, it may very well be that the former is the precursor and condition for the latter - the man whose foundation is the love of Father God towards him is a man who will be extremely motivated to live an upright and righteous life. In my own strength I fully feel like a ragamuffin - beat-up, discouraged, unqualified - I am even learning to embrace my weaknesses knowing that when I am weak then I am strong. When I do this I stop trying to "make it" on the merits of willpower, my own strength, or even my own obedience. I simply surrender to the grace of God and begin to experience a release of power that comes from the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit that empowers me as a child of God to do things that I could never have done on my own. I recommend this book to anyone who thinks he knows what Grace is...... read and learn bro., read and learn.