This year I’ve set a goal with myself to consume 24 books total. Breaking that down, it’s only 2 books per month.

 

Having the time to sit down and actually read a physical copy of a book in 2 weeks time is doable for some, but working full time, having a family, and other obligations, can make that task quite difficult.

 

Thankfully, we live in an age where I can listen to someone else read books while I perform other tasks throughout the day. (Shout out to audible.com!)

 

I’m blessed to have a job where there are periods in my day I can pop in my headphones and listen to the books I have downloaded.

 

Surprisingly, I was able to get through 4 books in the month of January!

 

I’d like to provide a brief review of the books I’ve read each month, so here’s the insight for January’s books.

 

**DISCLAIMER – I am not claiming to be a professional “book reviewer” and these opinions are just that, my opinions taken from my perspective on life. Please feel free to disagree, by all means, that's what makes it fun.

 

 

 

Why Men Hate Going to Church by David Murrow

(Finished Jan 5th)

 

I somewhat “cheated” on this one because I actually began it the last week of December, but I’m counting it anyways since I read the majority after Jan. 1. (My list, my rules right?)

 

I was introduced to this book from an interview David did on a podcast last year.

 

I was intrigued by the data he was relaying and wanted to hear more, so I got the book.

 

Not only was his research eye-opening, it brought a lot of issues to the forefront of my mind and made me more aware of how the Christian church approaches men.

 

Overall, I thought the topic was well presented and thoroughly fleshed out to make it one of the more interesting books I’ve read lately.

 

I’d rate it a 4 out 5 stars simply for the fact that to combat the issues we’ve created I would have liked to see more of a call to raise men to a certain level instead of lowering the bar of churches and the ministry.

 

Tribes by Seth Godin

(Finished Jan. 13th)

 

I’ve read this book before, and other books by Seth Godin, yet I’m always intrigued by what Seth has to say in regards to leadership and creativity.

 

Part of the reason why I wanted to jump into this book this year was because I knew I was getting closer to launching my site and wanted to hear again Seth’s call to action.

 

One of the more helpful sections is when he differentiates the role of leadership from management.

 

Overall, I think anyone desiring to lead in any capacity should read this book. It’s not a long read, so you can consume it rather quickly.

 

As I’ve done, I suggest reading it multiple times though for refreshers and encouragement.

 

I’d rate it a 5 out 5 stars because of the authority and influence I gain from his material. He writes with a belief in what he says more than I receive from other authors.

 

Essentialism by Greg McKeown

(Finished Jan 23rd)

 

When I read this book initially, I had the impression that it was largely related to a minimalist mindset.

 

That wasn’t truly the point of the book. Greg does a great job in driving home the point of living intentionally, managing your schedule (instead of the other way around), and being in control of giving yourself to what matters most in your life.

 

This is a great book for anyone needing a confidence boost and encouragement that these things are possible. Too often we can settle into the feeling that we have to respond a certain way because our job pays the bills, we don’t want to tell people no, etc.

 

I highly recommend this as a yearly read to keep yourself in alignment with the important matters in life.

 

I’d rate it a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

 

The Leadership Handbook by John Maxwell

(Finished Jan 31st)

 

Maxwell is quickly becoming someone I admire while being jealous of at the same time. Not because of his successes, but when I read his material I’m wishing I would have put these pieces together first!

 

I’ve made it a habit to only read his material when I’m able to spend time taking notes. I don’t listen to his books while I’m driving, exercising, or anywhere else that I don’t have access to writing material.

 

He succinctly makes his points through lists and with learning techniques that any learning style can benefit from.

 

His analogies are ones I’ve found repeating because they apply to my life and others around me.

 

Over the past year, I’ve collected books from many different authors, yet after reading a couple of his books recently, I’m intent on adding to my collection all of his books.

 

I’m not sure 5 is enough stars to rate this book. I’ve already drawn lots of inspiration and will be teaching from it very soon.

 

 

Well, there you have it. I didn’t anticipate getting through 4 books in January, but looking back, I’m glad I didn’t quit at the pace of 2/month to merely meet my goal.

 

Rather, I’m already through another book in just the first few days of February and on pace to destroy my goal for 2017! 

 

I guess you could say I started the year asking “What if I read 24 books this year?” and now I’m leaving that behind believing I can greatly exceed that number.

 

 

 

Did the reviews give a peek into a book you’ve heard about before but not read or introduce you to anything you might find interesting?

 

Comment below and let me know what you think or what you’ve been reading!