A Quiet and Contemplative Season

 I'm reading Unseen now because it is so apropos to my life right now.  Sara Hagerty writes about living a thoughtful, reflective life; a life that seeks to obey God above all, even when no one is looking.
I'm always so encouraged to read the words and thoughts of others who are in circumstances similar to mine.  Whatever is going on in my life, it is comforting to know I am not alone in my thoughts and feelings.  It is always good, too, to be reminded that God knows us intimately and He sees our sufferings and has compassion on us, just as He repeatedly told the Israelites in the desert that He saw their suffering.  (He also saw Hagar in her suffering, and He knew Hannah's suffering.)  Spending quiet, reflective time reading good books will help us see God's goodness in our lives.  A good book will help us see true things about ourselves and about our God that we may not have seen before.  Time spent quietly with God is never wasted time.

In Catching Fireflies, Patsy Clairmont writes about her love for books, and for acquiring knowledge.  She also writes about sharing her passion for books and learning with friends and family.  She wants to ignite in those she loves a passion for gaining new insights.  I want the same.  I love to sit with a good book and let the author share with me things he or she has learned along their life's journey.  I want to share my thirst for thinking deeply and for relating my story to someone else's story with those I love.