Reading has been a lifelong joy of mine.  My parents introduced me to reading at a very young age - I’ll never forget the thrill of receiving a brand new Dr. Suess book through the mail and would quickly consume it’s contents before doing anything else. Of course, my reading selections have changed over the years - “Green Eggs and Ham” starts to lose it’s appeal after a while.

Reading expands the mind, it stokes the imagination, it exercises your brain, it challenges your thinking…there’s so much good that reading can do - and yet it seems to be a dying activity in today’s electronic, media enhanced world.  In the article, “The Problem with Reading” by Pat Williams with Peggy Matthews Rose, the authors point out the value of books:

Books offer ideas, thoughts, and knowledge that can spark action with a power to overcome even the most despicable evil. We need those ideas now more than ever.

The author goes on to give some suggestions towards winning the war against the decline of reading in today’s world (especially among our children).  Suggestions that are valuable for us to consider.

If you aren’t a reader - what’s your excuse?  Just because you don’t read well doesn’t mean you can’t learn to read better.  Don’t compare your reading skills to others - how fast, or how much you read isn’t important.  What is important that you take time to exercise your mind by reading at the pace and comprehensibility God has provided for you.  Reading is a gift - use it!