Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing has yet been done.
C.S. Lewis
One of my most important habits is my daily reading. I wrote a previous post about how that practice originated with my pastor’s recommendation of “Jesus Calling.” As I saw how much that helped me, I found similar devotional books to add to my morning routine.
I first used the readings to program myself with good thoughts. Aristotle is attributed with the saying that “Nature abhors a vacuum.” So, rather than risk my soul getting filled with garbage, I sought the good and the beautiful. I started reading Dr. Norman Vincent Peale’s “Positive Thinking Every Day,” which only takes a few seconds each day. I then discovered Dr. Peale’s “Thought Conditioners,” which rotates through 40 powerful Bible verses followed by a brief commentary. I later added Leo Tolstoy’s “A Calendar of Wisdom,” which has been a blessing. Tim Tebow also came out with a daily devotional last year that I am enjoying.
The daily readings are also great for fully absorbing content important to you. One of the problems I have with books is that I start forgetting about what I have read within a week of finishing the book. The daily readings have helped bake the lessons into my life. For example, I enjoyed Ryan Holiday’s books “The Obstacle is the Way” and “Ego is the Enemy.” Then he came out with “The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living,” which helped reinforce the lessons of such stoics as Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus.
As I added more books to my daily routine, I quickly realized that I didn’t want to lug around all of these books. Even though I have many physical books, I bought the ebook versions for my iPhone to cycle through the various texts quickly. The ebooks allow me to read them wherever I am, even when traveling.
Email newsletters are terrific as well. I read the “Daily Guideposts” email from an organization Dr. Peale and his wife founded in 1945. The email contains a Bible verse and three short statements – to think, act, and pray. Jon Gordon and Ryan Holiday both have daily emails also. An inspirational flip calendar for your desk is another great quick input of inspiration for your day.
I added “The One Year Bible” from Tyndale House this past fall. Other than “Jesus Calling,” I had never read much from the Bible. Several months into this, I have enjoyed reading a daily entry from the New Testament and Proverbs.
As time goes on, you may need to make some adjustments. When I add a book or email, I usually need to remove something, or else it starts taking too much time. I like to keep it to fifteen minutes max in the morning and then read the emails as they come in during the week. I have read daily books for a couple of years and then replaced them with something else, only to return to them when I want a refresh.
I have pasted some recommendations below, along with a guide to their length.
* = Very quick, 1-2 sentence read
** = Medium daily read
*** = Longer read, about one page per day
But, if there is a topic you are interested in and don’t see it listed below, definitely search for it. You may be surprised that something out there exists in this format. I found the C.S. Lewis and Ralph Waldo Emerson daily books just this past year.
Good luck! I hope you find this habit to be as life-changing as I have.
Christian/Bible:
Jesus Calling – Sarah Young (**)
Positive Thinking Every Day – Norman Vincent Peale (*)
Thought Conditioners (Ebook) – Norman Vincent Peale (**)
Mission Possible: One-Year Devotional – Tim Tebow (**)
Daily Positive email – Jon Gordon (*)
The One Year Bible (NIV) – Tyndale House (***)
The Business of Heaven – C.S. Lewis (***)
C.S. Lewis' Little Book of Wisdom - C.S. Lewis (*)
Philosophy
A Calendar of Wisdom – Leo Tolstoy (**)
The Daily Stoic – Ryan Holiday (**)
Everyday Emerson – Ralph Waldo Emerson (*)
Parenting
The Daily Dad - Ryan Holiday (**)
Business
The Maxwell Daily Reader – John Maxwell (**)
The Daily Drucker – Peter Drucker (***)
History
The American Patriot’s Almanac – William Bennett and John T.E. Cribb (***)
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