Philip Yancey, a writer I often appreciate, wrote an article about his own struggle to carve out focused attention for reading, and how his own personal experience reflects our culture at large. The decline in reading books is something I feel strongly about, as those who aren’t dedicated readers most likely won’t be dedicated readers of God’s Word.

Here's my suggestion for this year: tell yourself you will read a minimum of ten minutes before watching something or looking at a device. I guarantee you that if you do this every day, some days you will never turn on the TV.

I’ve shared before my concern that children who don't grow up to be readers will not be readers of God's Word. 

Over the years I’ve bought and read thousands of good books. I cannot divorce God's works of grace in my life from great books. 

As a fiction writer, and as a father and grandfather, this post by Nate Wilson resonated with me. 

My friends Brett and Alex Harris, on their wonderful website www.therebelution.com, cited a Wall Street Journal article about the importance of reading, and the great decline in reading among boys. I have often cited this as one of the most alarming trends of our day.