My top 5 books (and quotes) from this decade

As the 2010s wrap up this month, I have been reflecting on the past decade and all that has transpired. I have been compiling lists of what I have read, what has inspired me, and what I want to focus on going into the next decade.

I never gave reading the time of day until trying out the Kindle app in 2012. Since then, I have tackled over 100 books (neatly organized in Microsoft Excel), learned about historical figures, inspiring concepts, and fascinating stories. pornhube japanporn

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Beyond that, There have been triumphant moments and other times when I doubted if I could make it another day.

I look forward to what’s ahead in the next decade but first thought it crucial to take inventory on what has transpired in order to intently focused on bringing in the new decade right.

With the 2010s about to move into the rearview mirror, I compiled my five favorite books and quotes from what I have read over the past decade:

Books

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

– This book was a beast (600+ pages) but it kept me glued to the inspirational actions of one of the first people to speak out against Hitler before joining the undercover assassination plot. History. Suspense. Inspiration. This book covered all the bases.

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

–Victor Frankl’s exposé on life in a Nazi concentration camp peels back the curtain to unpack how humans respond in the most excruciating circumstances. Discovering Frankl’s work during the hardest season of my life was pivotal in shaping a lot of my thinking.

Heaven by Randy Alcorn

– What will we do in heaven? Can we see what is happening on earth? Who will actually be there? This book meticulously unpacks every reference to heaven in the Bible, and hits nearly every question I have ever considered. More than anything else, reading this stirs up an excitement for a place that nothing this world could ever match.

The Insanity of God by Nik Ripken        

– A gripping narrative of a personal pilgrimage into some of the toughest places on earth. Includes sobering and insightful stories of remarkable persecuted people of faith that Nik and his wife Ruth encountered on their journeys. This book serves as a powerful course in revelation, growth, and challenge for anyone who wants to know whether God truly is enough.

When the Game Is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box by John Ortberg

– This thought-provoking perspective uses games a metaphor to help us both recognize and play for that which is permanent rather than that which is fleeting. A playbook for honing in on the object of the game of life and striving for the right trophies.

Quotes

“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” – CS Lewis

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.” – Jim Elliot

“Beware the barrenness of a busy life” – Socrates

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.” – Steve Jobs

“20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do and the things you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the wind in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

What about you? What were some powerful words (book or quote) you came across recently?

Next week: Top moments, blog posts, and verses that inspired me from this decade. Plus, what I am most looking forward to in 2020.


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15 Comments

  1. These are great reading suggestions, and love the quotes, especially CS Lewis! Merry Christmas to you and yours!

    • Perfect timing! Needed a couple of good reads for my son for Christmas. Thanks for the help!

      • Best books I’ve read lately on manhood lately: 5 Marks of a man, MOVE devotional, Mansfield’s book of manly men

  2. “Not enough of us know how to sit in pain with others. Worse, our discomfort shows up in ways that can hurt people and reinforce their own isolation. I have started to believe that crying with strangers in person could save the world.”
    Brent Brown, Braving the Wilderness

  3. Ryan, I am learning a lot from you. Thanks for sharing your list of books to read and quotes that were most meaningful for you.

  4. One of my favorite quotes was from Chuck Swindoll about envy.
    “It isn’t wise
    to minimize
    and criticize
    the other guys
    whose enterprise
    has made them rise
    above the guys
    who minimize
    and criticize.”

    I’ve changed his original quote. He started with “I hate the guys” instead of “it isn’t wise”.

    A bit of research showed that Chuck actually got the quote from another book by Roy Zuck and he may have gotten it from somewhere else.

    • Randy, great quote. Thanks for passing that along. Always a good reminder to examine what my motives are if I start to compare myself to others

  5. You continue to inspire.

    Thankful for you.

    God Bless,
    Mr. McCollum
    I Corinthians 10:31

  6. Yes! Finally something about apple.

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