This is the third post in my Intentional Reading series as I tackle pinning down my intentions for the coming year as far as the information I put into my brain.  You might remember that I’ve broken my intentional reading list up into three areas: Mind, Body, and Spirit.  This list focuses on books meant to soothe my soul and lift my spirit.

When I sat down to think of what would nourish my soul, I was so excited about the possibilities.  My list quickly filled up and I had to do some serious paring down so as not to have the opposite effect on my soul.  In a year of intentional living, my goal is to nurture my soul and respect my time constraints, not overwhelm myself.

My criteria for this list were quite simple…the books that I chose had to be filled with beauty, truth and goodness.  They had to, in some way, nourish my soul and lift my spirit.

Some are more intense than others.

Some are just for fun because light and fun often lifts my spirits.

Some are in preparation for assigning them to my own little flock…by pre-reading them, I’m able to build the foundation upon which great conversations can take place.  It’s hard to discuss ideas and characters and dilemmas when I haven’t personally engaged with the reading and as my learners grow and branch out more on their own to read more independently and less as a family, I want to be sure that our conversations have the chance to continue.

The only books for my soul  that aren’t listed here are the ones listed on my post about my book club.  Those books, coupled with my book club conversations, feed and nourish my soul in a way that nothing else does, so be sure to pop over there to see which books we’re tackling this year.

Alright, here we go…

Books for My Soul:

• The Quiet Light:  I am a huge fan of de Wohl, his favorite of mine being The Living Wood.
• Hindfeet in High Places:  This one came highly recommended and it gets such amazing reviews…I’m very excited!
• With God in Russia:  This has been on my list for quite some time and I’m glad it made my intentional list for this year.
• The Broken Way:  Leslie and I are working through this one together.  We’re going nice and slowly so that we can really soak in all the depth here.
• *The C.S. Lewis Bible:  This has been my go-to bible for the last few years.  I love the reflections from Lewis and I haven’t made it all the way through.  I’ll pick this up from time to time and soak in The Word.  It’s a delightful salve for my weary soul.

Books for Fun to Lift My Spirit:

• Firefly Lane
• Night Road
• America’s First Daughter
• The Wedding Dress
• Hope Heals
• Go Set a Watchman
• Helen of Troy
• The Truth According to Us
• The Flying Carpet
• The Storyteller
• Happier at Home:  Because seriously, I love Gretchen Rubin.

Books In Preparation for Great Conversations:

• Out of the Dust
• Heidi
• Behind Rebel Lines
• The Hiding Place
• Memoirs of a Soldier, Nurse, Spy
• Watership Down
• By the Great Horn Spoon
• Tolliver’s Secret
• Moccasin Trail
• Johnny Tremain
• Grammar Land
• Carry On Mr. Bowditch

Please leave a comment and let me know what you’re using this year to nurture your soul and lift your spirits!