Top 5 Books that I read in 2011

It's incredible to me that I managed to work through any book from cover to cover last year (beside books for toddlers) - a top 10 would have been more challenging.

1.  Narrative of Mr. James Nimmo written for his own satisfaction to keep in some remembrance the Lord's way dealing and kindness towards him, 1645-1709.

Providence brought this to me through the kindness of a friend. This is remarkable not for the Covenanting history but the personal struggles of the writer and his clear witness to the guidance of God on his path through earnest prayer and supplication. I hope that the impression made does not pass away like the morning dew.

2. The Last Days of Jesus: The Forty Days Between the Resurrection and the Ascension by T V Moore
This is a remarkable book, still to be fully finished in reading but one that sparkles with rare insight into the understanding of the Scriptures and warms with devotional and practical usefulness. Although it is by a Victorian writer from America, it is by no means verbose but on the contrary very concise and suggestive.

3. The Next Story: Life and Faith after the Digital Explosion by Tim Challies.
Possibly a bit more influential in describing and measuring the impact of the Digital Explosion upon our lives and its risks than in how to respond to it. Essential reading nevertheless.

4. The Rage Against God: Why Faith is the Foundation of Civilisation by Peter Hitchens
An interesting personal testimony of how he returned to belief in God against the systematic post-war destruction of Christian influence. A former Trotskyist, he demonstrates from close knowledge, the weakness of atheistic arguments in relation to religion as they relate to the track record of atheistic regimes in the 20th Century.

5. Begat: The King James Bible and the English Language by David Crystal
In the 400th Anniversary Year a truly original study showing exactly how many proverbial expressions we owe to the AV.

The blessings of sufficient time and sight to read and abundant material to read are not to be taken for granted. We might take up the words of the Larger Catechism 193 and "pray for ourselves and others, that both they and we, waiting upon the providence of God from day to day in the use of lawful means, may, of his free gift, and as to his fatherly wisdom shall seem best, enjoy a competent portion of them; and have the same continued and blessed unto us in our holy and comfortable use of them, and contentment in them". This is one of the outward blessings that we owe to the kindness of the Most High, and we need grace to be humbly and diligently making use of it to the glory of God with thankfulness.