Books Read in 2011

I often have people ask me what I’m reading or have read recently. Even more often, I’m asked the question, “How did you know that?” or “Where did you get that?” Life has taught me that I can learn far more from books than television. Since Pandora has made my work at the computer in my office more pleasant with music, I no longer feel the need to listen to music in the car. So, I usually have a Book on CD going during drives. On long trips, Thomas and I listen to a book or two. Even with the few miles I drive in a year, it is amazing how quickly you can listen to a book. The down side of that is that you cannot take notes.

I have a kindle and I love it but many of these books were the paper variety. That is mostly because I don’t buy many books, I check them out at the library. Kindle is my friend, though, because it allows me to highlight notes for later reference. I still miss the Gwinnett Library in Georgia because of its incredible variety and choice in books, but the Mobile Library is good and I’m in no danger or reading all the good books they have anyway.

If I saw someone’s list like this, I would like a comment or two on each, so I’ve added some here. It ended up being lots of parentheses but when I realized it I didn’t want to go back to delete them. You will just have to deal with it.

Books and Periodicals I read in 2011 are in no particular order:

Entre Leadership by Dave Ramsey (the best management and Human Resources book—he writes in a way that you can remember it because he has learned most of it by making mistakes. He tells lots of stories to go along with the principles.)

Simple Government by Huckabee (I like the way he talks and thinks and he reads his own books so its like having a nice chat with someone)

Radical by David Platt (rock your world)

Radical Together by David Platt (rock it some more so we can change the world together)

Spoken from the Heart by Laura Bush (The years before the White House especially her childhood are the best parts. The second half is very similar to GW’s book that I read in 2010.)

Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus by Kyle Idleman (I was sent one chapter of this in a mailer at church and was enticed to buy it on kindle. I gave this to several people for Christmas. A great read.)

The Millennials by Rainer and Rainer (somewhat analytical but good insight into twenty somethings and how they think)

Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from Friends and Strangers by Elizabeth Edwards (This is a great book for anyone who grieves the loss of a child.)

The Politician by Andrew Young (about John Edwards. . . I don’t like politics as much after reading this book. I think being a minister’s wife is easier than being a politician’s wife.)

Reveal – a compilation of helps for Adobe Illustrator (The Adobe Illustrator book for Dummies was too hard for me. This one gave me step by step without skipping a single thing. I’m no expert but I can do simple graphics with AI now—see the church’s new floorplans if you don’t believe me.)

Cure for the Common Life by Max Lucado (I have read all his books so he is doing something right.)

The Most They Ever Had by Rick Bragg (This is insight into the lives of cotton mill workers in the rural south from the 40’s, 50’s, & 60’s. I didn’t finish the last fourth of it but it reminded me of life in my hometown. Both my parents were millworkers and most of my relatives.)

Crazy Love by Francis Chan (I did this with my small groups with DVD too. Very convicting)

Spiritual Disciples of the Christian Life by Donald Whitney (I read it every year)

America by Heart by Sarah Palin (I like the way she talks with that extra measure of attitude. My favorite line is when someone asks her where all these young, conservative Republicans came from—she replies, “from their parents—what do you think, they were raised by savages?” To me society undervalues the role of mothers in shaping our culture through raising children. That last line is mine, not from the book)

Reaching and Teaching by David Sills (If you want to disciple people, this is a great book)

The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie (I was a reader of all the Little House books and this is a humorous view of another devotee’s experiences visiting Little House home places and duplicating experiences Laura had.)

Simple Church by Eric Geiger and Thom Rainer (again)

Purpose Driven Christmas by Rick Warren (good for non-believers)

Prophet of Purpose (a biography of Rick Warren; decent book)

The Bible (If you aren’t in The Word, the rest doesn’t make sense. It truly is a guidebook for life.)

Still Higher for His Highest by Oswald Chambers (I was in an online group that read this together and shared insights)

Sunday School that Really Works by Steve Parr (I think this will become a standard work for churches, written by my college friend—good job, Steve—maybe he will read this post)

Do the Work by Stephen Pressfield (free kindle book on using your time well)

Truth that Sticks by Avery Willis & Mark Snowden (using oral storying techniques in a modern, technological culture—really, really good insights)

Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges (excellent challenge to holiness)

Endurance: Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Adventure by Caroline Alexander (yep, we got to see where they went this year so the book was a necessity to understand it)

Martin Luther by Martin Marty (very well done, quite detailed—I learned a lot about the priesthood of Luther’s day—no wonder he thought something wasn’t right)

The Justice Game by Randy Singer (a fiction murder/legal mystery)

Too Late to Say Goodbye (a true crime story that occurred in our county when we lived in Georgia)

The Blind Side by Michael Lewis (the book the movie was based upon—movie was good—book is not better, just different)

Choosing to SEE by Mary Beth Chapman (story surrounding their lives including the traumatic death of their daughter)

An Amish Christmas by Barbara Cameron (fiction just for fun—didn’t read it until our cruise in January though)

We Forgot! The Seven Unlearned Lessons of 9/11 written by Joe Savage with Amy Wright (can’t leave out the famous author of the family)

Periodicals:

World Magazine (bi-monthly subscription)

The Mobile Register (daily –and they usually print my sound offs and letters to the editor)

The Alabama Baptist (I am one, I have to read it)

I read lots of news online as well as a number of blogs. There is too much to list here but I try to keep up with what is going on in the world.

So there you go, if you made it this far you must really like to read.

Wright Family News 2011

News from the Wright House January 2012

2011 was a whirlwind year. I am truly overwhelmed by the goodness and grace of God on a daily basis. This year, I completed requirements for a B.A. in Global Business at the University of Mobile and began working on my M.B.A., (yeah, I blinked and college was over!). I continued to work part-time as a writer in Media Relations at UMobile and as a freelancer for WORLD magazine online and www.worldoncampus.com. You can see the fruits of my labor on www.umobile.edu/news, the Alabama Baptist, Baptist Press, and the UMobile Magazine (www.umobile.edu/alumni). I also had the privilege of co-authoring my first book titled, "We Forgot! The 7 Unlearned Lessons of 9/11" with Dr. Joe Savage in September. It is currently available from the trunk of my car, on www.twelve23.org and soon through Amazon and Kindle as well.

This summer, I spent a week stormchasing in the Midwest, just for my annual dose of something ridiculous. It was worth every moment, and the chronicles of the journey are on www.stormchaserumobile.wordpress.com. I joined the family in Phoenix for a few days at the SBC (plus all the free books my heart desired), and a sunrise hot air balloon ride for my 20th birthday. In addition to a trip to Australia with the parental unit, (where we taught FAITH evangelism strategies, and naturally, went adventuring), I spent the rest of my time this summer in local missions work through a summer children's ministry job in a poverty-level community in Mobile.

I got to take a somewhat spontaneous trip to Japan with Daddy this November for Disaster Relief in areas impacted by the earthquakes and tsunami, (yes, I did skip school and work for a week to go adventuring, and it was beyond worth it). I also read more than 50 books this year with all my spare time. Occasionally I sleep, but not too much, because I wouldn't want to miss anything.

In 2012, I will be transitioning into a new full-time role as Assistant Director of UMobile's Center for Leadership while continuing work on my M.B.A. You can follow my adventures this year on Twitter @amythewright and on my blog at www.amywright.wordpress.com. Through all of the excitement of 2011 and the anticipation for 2012, I am continuously reminded that our God "is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us . . . to him be glory" (Eph. 3:20-21). Amy

Everybody:

Another wonderful year has come and gone! I am almost halfway through my Masters degree work at Southeastern Seminary and have loved every minute of it! I am continuously thankful and overjoyed to be studying there. I work in the media department coordinating audio/video recording, editing, and performances for the school. I have spent the last semester in an internship at my church--which was a great learning experience.

I have a girlfriend named Kayley who is my best friend, best supporter, and chief fashion advisor. (I need that.) In 2012 I will be continuing studies at Southeastern. I am studying to be a church planter in urban areas. Where that means specifically I do not know, but I am excited to embrace whatever God has for me! I am also thankful for all of you and would appreciate your prayers over the next year.

May God bless all of you! Find me on twitter @Jason_Wright Jason

The Wright family greets 2012 with incredible gratefulness. We continue to see the blessings, challenges and opportunities the Lord provides in Mobile and beyond. I am beginning a seventh year serving as Associational Missionary with the Mobile Baptist Association. (Like us on Facebook!) We have grown to 110 churches and 7 language missions. It is very rewarding serving with folks who recognize how much can be accomplished for eternity by working together. We continue to challenge our churches to send one more than ever before in local, state, national and international missions opportunities. This continues to provide ministry options among the nations. On a recent trip we carried 2000 Christmas stockings (in six 62 inch luggage bags) to the tsunami-ravaged region of Japan. Our IMB representatives and Japanese Churches filled the stockings with fruit, snacks and a gospel presentation. The stockings were delivered to temporary housing units built for the survivors. The message of hope provided important opportunities to share Jesus to those who lost family and homes.

Donna and I celebrated 29 years of wedded bliss Jan. 1. We dug out the wedding pictures and the years have been much kinder to my sweetheart than her husband. We enjoy watching Amy and Jason involved with their callings to ministry. My dad is now 93 and still living near Atlanta. His health prohibits driving but he continues to work in the garden and still enjoys singing hymns and playing his mandolin. Thomas

So, if you have read this far you probably are more interested that I thought. I didn’t send very many letters out last year and I heard a loud “what happened?” from some of you—so I tried to get everyone a letter this year (unless you are my friend on facebook or I have your email address). I’m still on church staff (westmobilebaptist.org) and writing. I’ve just finished one writing project and will finish another next month. I’m busy and happy. We’ve had to adjust to not seeing Jason very often but we enjoy having Amy still living at home. We are so predictable, though, that Jason calls when he knows we are both seated in the living room and can talk to him on speaker-phone. Also, the finding friends app is pretty amazing and creepy at the same time.

We did get to cruise to Antarctica early this year. So, now Thomas and I have been to every continent. You’d think that would take care of the desire to go more, but that is not the case. We still have the travel bug.

God has been faithful to our family and extended family as we have seen his grace pour out as we live lives that include the exciting and the mundane, consistency and crisis, loss and gain, and life and death. God is God through it all.

Blessings on you in 2012 Donna: @wrighthouse2 on Twitter