A Year of Reading for Free?

Since we are trying to spend our money wisely, I thought I would try to spend zero dollars for reading materials (for myself) this calendar year. It's July. How am I doing? Not too bad. Except...

I did purchase The Question. On a technicality, it could be placed on our homeschool / education budget line and not my recreational reading budget line. However, I really did purchase it for my own reading. So perhaps I should split the cost over both budget lines?

Overall, I thought I was doing great, even congratulating myself on my personal restraint. I do love to read and am often reading several books at a time.

However, I realized that I was postponing reading a few books. These books were new titles which the public library and the church library didn't have. Instead of seeking an alternative, I simply decided to delay purchase. After all, there are many great titles out there. I didn't need these books right away.

What I didn't realize was I had simply assumed God would not provide the books. I had figured this was my quest and I would accomplish it. on. my. own. thank. you. So, I never thought to even consider any other options. If I couldn't find it on my own, then I didn't pursue that title. I thought I'd just wait until January of 2015 to read the books. You know when I could spend some money on books again.

So, no, I wasn't looking for God to deliver a book literally to my doorstep, but He did.

Nor was I looking for Him to have a friend literally walk a book to me and ask me if I'd want to read it, but He did.

Within weeks of my realization, I prayed for the Lord to provide several titles which were unavailable except through purchase. Honestly, I felt like if He really wanted to read the books now, He would provide, but I figured this may just be a lesson in needs verses wants and/or patience (both of which I could use, ahem.)

Yet, this was not the case for all the titles.

Due to an odd ball computer glitch, I got Rhinestone Jesus for free. It was delivered to my doorstep one day. After contacting the publisher, I received word that although it was a mistake, they would gift the book to me! Free. of. charge.

Last week, while at a family Bible conference, a sweet friend walked over to me. "Do you want to read this? I'll need it back in a couple of months." she asked as she held out a book. It was the very same title I had prayed about two weeks before: Treasuring Christ When Your Hands Are Full. I read it in three days.

Both incidents were answers to prayer! Thank You, Lord!

Will I continue on this year long quest? Yes. Do I expect the Lord to grant my every whim? No, but I marvel at how He did bless me with those two titles!
~ Dorie

For those interested, I'm keeping a record of the books I read this year. It is really more for me to see how many books I can read for free (minus that one book I bought) and what I read over the course of a year.