Perhaps you find the title a bit dramatic, but I use the term “live” in the title on purpose, and not as a hyperbole. I may be able to “live” in a physical sense without the church, but without it, I would not be able to thrive. And what is living without thriving?

Here are a few reasons why I can’t live without the church:

1. I am prideful. I think I can do everything on my own. Being a part of a church reminds me that in fact I can’t do everything and I shouldn’t try. I need others.

2. I am sinful. The church helps to remind me of my own sin and points me to Christ. On my own, I am much more likely to think I’m doing just fine.

3. I am an individual. I tend to think I stand alone, particularly as a single woman. But the church reminds me to reject American individualism and embrace that I am a part of something much bigger than myself, and my greatest identity is not in “me.”

4. I am a single woman living alone. I need a family where I can serve and rub up against (Proverbs 27:17). Living alone, it’s super easy to believe that everything is all about me.

5. I am gifted. God has giving me gifts not for me to hoard them and think I’m super awesome, but to use them to bless others.

6.I’m a 21st Century American. I have many of the blind spots, influences, and weaknesses of the culture around me. Through the church I interact with others of different ages and cultures. These interactions help reveal my own biases.

7. I need the Word. Yes, I can read, study, memorize, and hear the Bible on my own. I can listen to sermons online, on the radio, and on television. But doing these things alone allows me to perpetuate my own false ideas about the text, as I can read and listen to what I choose.

8. I need the Holy Spirit. Yes, I believe the Holy Spirit lives within me and can and does guide me. But He also lives within other believers and if I’m not interacting with them in a non-superficial way, then I’m not allowing the Holy Spirit full access to my life.

9. Others need me. Not because I’m special or so great, but because God designed His church so that we each have role, and if we aren’t there to fill it, it will go unfilled or become an extra burden on someone else.

I could go on, but I want to publish this post. What other things should I add?

A year ago today: With Prince Charming or Not

1. Read the Bible twice through. 1344/2378 chapters = 57%

2. Memorize Colossians. 5/95 = 5%

Yay for progress! I’m working hard on making the verse that I memorize stick…takes a lot of work, but is worth it.

4. Save $2,000. Completed 3/15/2012

5. Publish The Journal. Completed 12/26/2011

6. __________. (find a new job) Completed 12/28/2011

9. Read 160 books. 75/160 = 47%

I anticipate this number will jump this month as I’m giving up TV. Then again, I’m currently rereading Atlas Shrugged.

10. Read 5 classics. Completed 2/20/2012

12. Work a polling place during an election. Completed 10/11/2011

15. Sell 100 copies of The Journal. 48/100 = 48%

Big jump this month as I gave my book away for free. I still count that as a “sell,” because they still had to take the time to “buy” it. I did sell some more physical copies in there, too.

16. Make an author website. Completed 12/20/2011

17. Fast 16 days. 2/16 = 13%

18. Pray through Operation World. 8/246 = 3%

Just added this in to my daily routine. Glad I finally did.

19. Spend time on Yom Kippur fasting, praying, and thinking. Completed 10/7/2011

20. Decorate my apartment for Christmas. Completed 11/25/2011

21. Meet my niece. Completed 12/27/2011

22. Write in my journal 100 times. Completed 2/23/2012

23. Make a baby blanket for Bean. Completed 11/9/2011

25. Write 70 encouraging letters or emails. 12/70 = 17%

Speaking of letters, 4 years ago today I wrote a letter to Mikey the Spider.

Here are my top ten books that have helped me spiritually, in no particular order:

1. Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands by Paul David Tripp - The concepts in this book made me completely rethink how I thought about sin.

2. Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges - This is where I first heard about the idea of preaching the gospel to yourself everyday.

3. Love to Eat, Hate to Eat by Elyse Fitzpatrick - Still mulling this one over.

4. Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs - Probably need to re-read this one sometime.

5. Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power and the Only Hope that Matters  by Timothy Keller  - A recent read, but one that I believe will stand the test of time.

6. Knowing God by J. I. Packer - Another instrumental book to my Christian walk.

7. Mere Christianity  by C. S. Lewis - I could probably put any Lewis book on this list, but this was the first of his non-fiction books that I read.

8. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt - I think that this is a book every American should read.

9. Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges - Perhaps the world wouldn’t consider me a sinner since I don’t commit the “big” sins, but I definitely am.

10. The Christian Imagination: The Practice of Faith in Literature and Writing by Leland Ryken - Perhaps an unconventional choice, yet this did draw we closer to God.

What books would you have included if you made this list?

I’ve altered this week’s topic not to be about books I’d save from my house as I’m not particularly tied to my particular copies, and I don’t actually own many of my favorite books. Really, I’ve turned this into more of a deserted island scenario.

Top ten books I’d want:

1. My Bible. Okay, this probably should be a given, but I’d want my wide-margin Bible that I’ve been using to do my daily reading in for over 5 years. Or at least a Bible, preferably NASB. Though I’d choose a KJV Bible over no Bible, I wouldn’t find it particularly usable. I don’t live in 17th Century England.

2. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. As much as you read, you bet I’d choose some long books if I could only have 10. This is one that I think I could read and enjoy over and over again, but would clearly provide lots of reading time at its size.

3. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. I really do enjoy this story, but once again, it’s link adds to its suitability in this scenario.

4. Tom Jones by Henry Fielding. At its size, I’m not likely to re-read it given current non-alien conditions. But one plus of an alien invasion in this scenario is that I could re-read it.

5. Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs. Not a long book, but it’s meaty. Plus, I can imagine struggling with discontent if life as we know it was over.

6. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. There are situations worse than alien invasion, and it would be helpful to be reminded of someone else who had been through a tough situation and grew closer to God through it.

7. The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. I’m counting this as one book, because you can’t stop me. Even better, can I get a complete works of C. S. Lewis?

8. 1984 by George Orwell. Because I know I enjoy reading it over and over again.

9. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Ditto.

10. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens. Might as well through in a Dickens, too.

Check out more top ten lists on Broke and Bookish

Here are some of my “crying” books, books that left me crying in a good way.

I didn’t set out to make this a list of classics, but that’s what it became.

1. 1984 by George Orwell

When I think about books that make me cry, this one immediately comes to mind. On the most recent re-read I didn’t cry, but every other time it left me in tears.

2. House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

The ending shocked me the first time, but it makes the book.

3. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

The whole Kitty-Levin story line totally gets me, in a good way. But not Anna…I don’t cry for her.

4. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

I can’t help but feel sad for the monster. I don’t shed a tear for Frankenstein though…he reaps what he sows, and sadly way too many others were ruined because of his actions.

5. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen 

I must admit that I really pity Willoughby at the end. Yes, he made his choice, but it’s sad to see people face the irreversibility of their actions.

6. Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier

What a tragic, twisted story! I’m not sure that I feel sorry for any of the characters, but the story is tragic anyway.

7. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I recently re-listened to this and made the mistake of running errands on the day Beth died. I cried each time I got back into the car…

8. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Oh, but what a sweet story of making the best of what we have.

9. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

I think every high school student can understand why I would add this to this list. I certainly hope so…too many high schools go easy on their students and might not make them read such a long, hard book.

10. Othello by William Shakespeare

I’ve never included a play on any of these lists, because I’m actually really against the idea of reading plays. Watching (good) plays, though, I really like, and this is perhaps my favorite. The story definitely qualifies as one that breaks my heart.

Check out more Top Ten Tuesday lists at Broke and Bookish

That said, here are books I have or will try to use to entice non-readers into exercising their brain:

1. The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

I actually know non-readers who have picked this up and enjoyed it. It’s quite palatable to people who are used to the fast-pace of most television shows and movies.

2. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

I think this is just a fun series for people of all ages but also has some depth.

3. Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris

I’d recommend this to teens and college-aged as an introduction to Christian non-fiction.

4. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

Nothing like a good mystery/puzzle.

5. The 39 Clues series

While I’m not sure what I think about Scholastic turning this into an opportunity to promote good ole American consumerism
(and deeping their wallets), but I find the stories interesting yet educational. Definitely got two little girls hooked on the audiobooks.

6. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

Perhaps just because I love this world so much. But really, I think that anyone who likes science fiction movies could enjoy these books. Better than fan fiction about their favorite science fiction universe.

7. Tomorrow, When the World Began by John Marsden

For teens, but especially for teen girls who aren’t necessarily into the typical teen girl all-about-shopping-and-clothes scene.

8. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

An easy introduction to Christian biographies. Will stick with you.

9. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt

I think this would be an easy introduction for an adult Christian who was wanting to start reading to bolster their faith and think through the day-to-day implications.

10. The Circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker

I think these are pretty easy to get into…the fast pace helps.

Check out Broke and Bookish for more Top Ten lists

1. They Thought They Were Free by Milton Mayer

This book was absolutely worth the trouble it took for me to get my hands on it (I had to use inter-library loan). A good book to talk about what it would have been like to have been an average citizen in Hitler’s Germany and how he rose to power, leading to discussion of how we can avoid a Hitler to arise in our own culture.

2. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom

Still one of my favorite autobiographies, one that I think about regularly.

3. Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

I think dystopian books can make for great discussion.

4. Sister of My Heart by Chitra Divakaruni

I actually did read this for a book club, and we really enjoyed reading and discussing it.

5. Life of Pi by Yann Martel

While perhaps this is a little a-few-years-ago, it is a great discussion starter!

6. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

Okay, I probably wouldn’t want to discuss this with any book club that really wanted to discuss this (I’d rather not discuss it with people that have totally bought into Rand’s philosophy). Still, I think that Rand brings up some excellent critiques of America and some interesting (although unrealistic) solutions.

7. The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde

What an interesting, illustrative tale.

8. Animal Farm by George Orwell

1984 might be my favorite, but Animal Farm would possibly make for a better discussion.

9. “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” by Beverly Daniel Tatum

This really helped me to think about race issues in a new light.

10. Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde

An under-appreciated dystopian book that I think is a creative take on the genre.

For more Top Ten Tuesday lists, visit Broke and Bookish

A few observations:

• Working for a tech company kinda feels like coming home. I’m definitely not the nerdiest person in my department. I’m not sure I’ve ever worked with fellow nerds before. I mean, our printer’s name is “Alderaan.” I didn’t even know that was how it was spelled…

• Speaking of coworkers: they make the job. They’ve all been incredibly helpful and proactive in helping me to understand everything (or everything I’ve been able to absorb so far!).

• There’s a lot to have to learn (the software and all its functions as well as the solutions to a lot of the more common errors), but the learning is going well. Already know WAY more than I would have thought possible to learn in a week.

• I’m thankful to be trained alongside another newbie. It’s nice to have someone else to bounce questions off of. And we aren’t the only newbies…two more people will be starting in a week, so soon I won’t even be the least experienced!

• So yeah, we’re growing. So much that our department is moving to an office across the street today to a more permanent temporary location until they find a place large enough to bring the whole company back together. I only had my desk for a week, but I’m going to miss it.

• Or not…I was right next to the kitchen with free snacks, drinks (Diet Dr Pepper!), and where people frequently congregate. Probably not the best place to be long-term. My new desk is farther from the action, I think.

• Pretty much everyone I work with is in the same age bracket as me, which leads to interesting conversations. When asked what snacks and drinks we’d want at the new place, one of the guys said, “Surge!” Hadn’t thought about Surge in a long time…

• I love my new schedule. I’ll actually be working an hour earlier (7 AM!) when I’m fully trained, but I’m going to like it. Getting up before the sun is weird for me, but I’m getting used to getting up and exercising in the dark and then getting into work before everyone else. (Yes, I used “getting” 3 times in that sentence, but I’m too lazy to fix it.)

All that to say, I’m very thankful for my job. It’s amazing how much more you appreciate something when you did without for a while. But even if it wasn’t for that, this is a great place to work and I think I’m going to enjoy what I’m going to be doing.

Here are my 10 of my favorite quotes from books. If only I could write this well!

1. “He wondered for a moment if it was Mars he was looking at; then, as his eyes took in the markings better, he recognised what they were–Northern Europe and a piece of North America. They were upside down with the North Pole at the bottom of the picture and this somehow shocked him. But it was Earth he was seeing–even, perhaps, England, though the picture shook a little and his eyes were quickly getting tired, and he could not be certain that he was not imagining it. It was all there in that little disk–London, Athens, Jerusalem, Shakespeare. There everyone had lived and everything had happened; and there, presumably, his pack was still lying in the porch of an empty house near Sterk. ‘Yes,’ he said dully to the sorn. ‘That is my world.’ It was the bleakest moment in all his travels.”

- Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis, p. 96

2. “Arraigned at my own bar, Memory having given her evidence of the hopes, wishes, sentiments I had been cherishing since last night–of the general state of mind in which I had indulged for nearly a fortnight past; Reason having come forward and told in her own quiet way a plain, unvarnished tale, showing how I had rejected the real, and rabidly devoured the ideal–I pronounced judgment to this effect:–That a greater fool than Jane Eyre had never breathed the breath of life: that a more fantastic idiot had never surfeited herself on sweet lies, and swallowed poison as if it were nectar.”

– Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, p. 169

3. “Whereever you are, you should always be contented, but especially at home, because there you must spend the most of your time.”

– Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, p. 294

4. “As a general rule, people, even the wicked, are much more naive and simple-hearted than we suppose. And we ourselves are, too.”

– The Brother Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, p. 17

5. “As will be the case throughout your life, no matter how long or brief [the urge], the choice is, in the end, yours. Simply bear in mind that most every choice will have consequences, and in this instance those consequences would likely be quite grave.”

– Everything Matters! by Ron Currie, Jr., p. 4

6. “I remembered thinking how hard it was to contemplate death from a comfortable chair.”

- The Host by Stephenie Meyer, p. 127

7. “Large numbers of books always depressed her, as did people who liked to read large numbers of books.”

– Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, p. 159

8. “…you must also own Religion in his rags, as well as when in his silver slippers; and stand by him, too, when bound in irons, as well as when he walketh the streets with applause.”

– Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, p. 92

9. “And know this: people who seek only happiness never find it.”

– Blue in Snow by Orhan Pamuk, p. 350

10. “ ‘Ignorance is not a tragedy,’ said Anton, ‘merely an opportunity. But to know and refuse to know what you know, that is foolishness.’ ”

- Shadow Puppets by Orson Scott Card, p. 91

For more Top Ten lists, visit Broke and Bookish

1. God is definitely sovereign. He kindly overrode my own plans for my life, giving me something better.

2. Planning is good and necessary, but don’t be married to your own ideas for your future.

3. I can live on less income than I thought. Going to take advantage of this in the next couple of years to save up for long-term plans.

4. I thrive on a schedule and am rather helpless in forcing myself on a schedule without concrete items on my calendar.

5. Just because you have more time to read doesn’t mean that you will. I can almost guarantee I’ll read more in my first month at work than in the last month of unemployment (four books read).

6. My time is not my own, so I shouldn’t selfishly spend it on myself. Same is true of money.

7. Blessings freely given by God are more precious than anything you can try to grasp for.

I’m incredibly thankful that this season is over, but I wouldn’t want it to be different if I had a do-over. I can honestly say I’m closer to God and to others than  I was two and a half months ago.