As you may have guessed by now, I’m a huge reader and have read literally thousands of books in my lifetime. I estimate I read at least 1 or even 2 novels every week. So to limit myself to just five books that have changed my life is no mean feat!
Still, here are five books that changed my life, and I am thankful to have read. I’ve listed them in chronological order.
1. “The Folk of the Faraway Tree” by Enid Blyton
This is the first chapter book I ever read, as a seven year old – it inspired my lifelong love of reading. I went on to devour hundreds of Enid Blyton books (fortunately my Mum encouraged reading and purchased them regularly, because they were banned from school and Council libraries at the time) … before moving on to Milly Molly Mandy, the Bobbsey Twins, Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, and Sweet Dreams Romances as I grew older.
2. “What Happens When Women Pray” by Evelyn Christensen
My friend Nicola put me on to this book when she asked me to become her prayer partner. This book was pivotal in my spiritual life, and renewed the Christian faith which I first embraced as a 13 year old.
3. “The Bible”
Of course! I have been reading it pretty much every day for the past 18 years (see #2!) and am constantly amazed at how much God speaks to me through it. I find it inspiring, challenging, thought-provoking, relevant, wise, comforting and yes at times puzzling and confusing.
4. “Single Christian Female” by Sarah Carter
Sarah was a 20-something youth pastor, who was tired of feeling that as a “single Christian female” something was missing in her life. She wanted to encourage others in similar circumstances, and didn’t let the lack of Christian publishers in Australia stop her – she had something to say, took a leap of faith, and self-published! Her book and example inspired me that self-publishing did not necessarily mean second rate … I have self-published two books myself since then, “Clues to your Calling” in 2003, and “Decadence: treat yourself to 10 years of Footprints” in 2008.
5. “Stop Walking on Eggshells” by Paul T Mason & Randi Kreger.
I still clearly remember being about to shelve this book (when I worked in a library), but was mesmerised by the title.
You see, I had long said that if I ever wrote a book about my childhood it would be called “Treading on Eggshells” – because that is what it felt like, being raised by my mother. As I read the back cover, the tears began to pour down my cheeks. At last, I had a name for what was wrong with my mother. And even better – it wasn’t my fault!
“Stop Walking on Eggshells” is subtitled “taking your life back when someone you care about has borderline personality disorder (BPD)”. The publisher describes it as “a self-help guide that helps the family members and friends of individuals with BPD understand this self-destructive disorder and learn what they can do to cope with it and take care of themselves. It is designed to help them understand how the disorder affects their loved ones and recognize what they can do to get off the emotional roller coasters and take care of themselves.” I learnt that there is just no pleasing somebody with BDP, that they blame anybody but themselves for what is wrong with their lives, and that the boundaries are constantly being changed. No wonder my childhood was so confusing. Reading this book was tremendously liberating for me, and finally helped me to make sense of my childhood trauma.
What books have changed your life?!