Jan
19
2010
The Reading Never Ends
My friends Justin Taylor, Josh Harris, Greg Gilbert, Collin Hansen, and Kevin DeYoung are down visiting. Each year, we all try and get together for a few days to talk, pray, think, and encourage eachother. I’m so grateful for these friends. We have a great time together. Just being with them (I’m the oldest) is a great encouragement to me that God continues to raise up young men who love the gospel, care about the Bible, evangelism, expository preaching, sound doctrine, and attempting great things for God.
As I was showing Josh that his new book, Dug Down Deep (it comes out today–it’s excellent) is sitting on my bedside table (almost at the top) he took a picture. Pastors, if your wives are tired of your many books lying around the house, show them this picture and maybe, just maybe, they’ll not only have great sympathy for my wife, Kim, but they may not bug you as much.
16 Comments
I don’t know whether at this point I ought to be grateful for the fact that I have trouble reading more than one book at a time or not. I look at that stack think, “Oh man Bill, you would be in real deep if you had that many going at one time.” Fortunately, I don’t. Plus I have a “ManCave” i retreat to so my books are not strewn all over the place nor are they next to the bed. (I can’t read in bed. It was made for sleeping.) I also tend to be somewhat of a neatnick with my books. My question to you is this: are you reading all of those books or are they on a “To Read List” that looks like it would take about all year (without adding any)? Enjoyed the change of pace Tullian. Prayed for you today as well.
Your bedside table is not unlike my Karen’s!
I had to place an oversize piece of tempered glass on top to accommodate even more books!
I learned a long time ago to scan books for the highlights, rely on titles and headings, and pray for bullet points!
[...] Now That’s A Bedside Table! January 20, 2010 gjware Leave a comment Go to comments Tullian Tchividjian relates an anecdote where four friends and colleagues in ministry visit for mutual fellowship and encouragement. It features a photo of Tchividjian’s book laden bedside table, posted in the hope that those of us with similar habits can show the image to our wives and “maybe, just maybe, they’ll not only have great sympathy for my wife, Kim, but they may not bug you as much.” I wouldn’t count on it. See it here. [...]
a man after my own heart.
Yes, it’s not only pastor’s bedside tables that look like that. If I could keep them all in one place, unfortunately mine are on the bedside (where it is literally a bookshelf), the coffee table, the dining room table and my office space
I’m in the middle of three right now – and all those professional magazines I have stacked just waiting to tackle, also… ah, then of course life gets in the way!
all of my favorite books are already colored in.
I have to say, I enjoy Aram’s comments and Tullian’s wisdom and teachings. My question is are you boys keeping the house picked up for Kim?
I’m glad that you guys make it a point to meet. Any particular reason why you pick Ft. Lauderdale? Why not let Kevin host the gathering one year? Lansing in January is about as warm as Miami was last week! I’m grateful for you guys and the present and future that you represent for the church. God has not left himself without witness!
Oh, definitely worse than my hubby’s bedside table. Of course, his books spill over onto the floor and hide underneath the bed…so perhaps his is worse after all.
Pastor Tullian
The learning never ends.
You have expanded my understanding with knowledge, thank you and hope you have a great time of good fun and good fellowship.
I think I spied a classic Dallas Cowboys book in that bunch?
My mouth waters looking at that picture!
Pastor, I am curious, how many of these books do you read at “one time”? I find it hard to tackle more than two or three at a time, let alone a whole stack. Also what time do you set aside for reading that is separate from sermon preparation?
Hope you had/have a great time this week with your friends.
Haha! My husband is the same way. I’ve tried to find ways to help him organize his books. But I finally just gave in and just let it be. Now, I just smile at the stacks that is left around the house and just thank God that my husband loves to read and takes joy in learning. PTL!
I love the stack. C.S.Lewis challenged me through one of his books or interviews to read a dead guy for every living guy. I go for the late 1700′s and 1800′s. John Flavel 400 pages on one verse Rev 3:20. Wow, the company you keep says it all. God Bless Now!
Love this. I understand the “need” to have books everywhere. They are a comfort to me.
I read your book Unfashionable after hearing you on the White Horse Inn. I really liked it. Thanks for the message in it.
I’m adding your blog to my list of Blogs I Read.