I have noticed significant difference in what and how I read.
When I was younger I would binge and read whole books in a day or two. A lot of it was fiction. I would read some self-help which actually did help, but I was selective about them and only picked ones that was for something I was really struggling with.
I went a chunk of years in my 30's and earlier 40's where I didn't read books, but I read articles all the time.
In the last year or so, I began reading fiction again. A lot of it is old favorites that I missed. I also have been reading Christian books, devotionals, and church history.
Have you noticed your reading has changed? Do you think it is connected to age or seasons of life?
This is a good thread.
My younger years I prided myself on not reading anything outside of school books. Even then I barely stayed awake to do any studies and narrowly graduated. I did write poetry and did creative writing. My thinking at that age was that the less that I knew, the less I would have to be responsible for. Also I didn't want outside influences determining how I thought about something and wanted to develop that on my own.
As time went on and I got saved and became a Christian, I was so embarrassed that I didn't understand how to look up a verse or read the bible. It was overwhelming. The Holy Spirit guided me, and over time and over the years even with not big studies, scripture was spoken to me by the holy spirit in times of need without me realizing where it was in the Bible. It was amazing.
In my twenties I was in college and began to read a lot more. I found my niche. I loved the studies that I was going through and the engagement that was involved. As time went on I was building reference materials since I had worked at a factory One Summer that was with Harper Collins and got discounts.
I got into some fiction like the Left behind series and some topical books like battlefield of the mind that helped me. I loved Bible study books like experiencing God. And brought that into Japan in my twenties.
As time progressed I kept building in my 30s my reference materials. I got into Revelation studies and leading Bible studies. I had a lot of different reference materials and did a lot of searching and researching. I had a lot of questions at the age of 32 and began massive research at different libraries about the area and digging to find answers to spiritual things that were happening. That was my first time really getting into research and lots of traveling and visiting.
Through online dating I also conversed and did studies on reform doctrines with someone that was about to go overseas for missions. That was the first time that I got into doctrinal study.
As time went on and with the Air Force reserve I started meeting a lot of Jewish people and got into Torah studies. And was able to study under a rabbi for a little while.
As time has gone on and I got into health under a naturopathic doctor in 2009 I began some in-depth natural remedies and recipes studies. Also being diagnosed with systemic lupus I began massive studies about the disease and how to naturally help bring myself to remission.
And now since right before the pandemic I have gotten into massive check out of books from the library. Sometimes 35 books at a time and speed read through books to decide what I want to spend time on later. There's quite a variety and I've gone through some recommendations from another runner that I know. I'm actually waiting out some of the old books that I used to study on prophecy and such, I find myself getting away from that and reformed studies.
