Books Make Wonderful Gifts—They Don’t Break, Need to be Updated, Crash or Frustrate You

Books make wonderful gifts—they don’t break, need to be updated, crash, or frustrate you. But they do grow in terms of endearment. From September 8 through October 7, John 3:16 author Laura Davis has put together a great savings opportunity for readers looking to get started early on their holiday shopping.

I have been busy packing up books to take to the orphans of Nepal in October. Since I homeschooled for many years I have books in every room, in every corner and on every table, with bookcases far too full. I could never seem to part with them. I didn’t want them to just collect dust somewhere in a used bookstore. Too many memories were attached to them—reading to my daughters when I put them to bed, or Joy and Manisha reading to me when we homeschooled, and so I figured I’d save them for my grandkids.

When we decided to make the trip to Nepal with Child Hope International, I pulled out a lot of those books and put them in the two suitcases. What great gifts to give to orphans who don’t own a single book and who have never even seen a Christian book outside the Bible.

Of course, the most precious ones to me, I  couldn’t  part with, and there were far too many of those, too. Still, I had over a hundred books in the suitcases just from my own collection of buying books through the years.

When Manisha, my oldest daughter who is now twenty-three, saw the suitcases, she opened them up and admired all the books that would be going to the orphans—until she saw some of her favorites. “No, you can't send my George Mueller book to Nepal. I remember when you read that one to me. No, you can’t take the Hugh Ross book. I remember when the Davis’s gave you that book. No, you can’t take—I remember—” and she emptied out both suitcases and culled the ones I couldn’t take. They weren’t my favorites, but they were her favorites. It never occurred to me that she had any favorites.

“Honey, I asked her, ‘Don’t you want to give these to the orphans?’”

She replied, “It’s not so much the books themselves, it’s the memory of reading those books. It’s like you are giving away a part of me, moments I treasure.”

I reflected on her words later. I had no idea those books meant so much to her. Many of those times when I read to her in bed, I was dead tired, as she lay in bed beside me. Oftentimes I wondered if she was even listening.

But she was. And she remembers. Why not this Christmas instead of buying the latest electronic gadget, buy a book for a loved one? Or your boss. Or a teacher. Buy several books.

I don’t remember what sites I visited on my computer last week, but I can tell you what book I was reading. I oftentimes can’t even remember what I had for breakfast, but I can tell you what book I read on vacation. 

As I take two hundred Christian books to Nepal next month, many of which have been donated by John 3:16 authors, I like to think about what memories we will be making for these kids, the impact we can have on the teens who were once abandoned, and the difference we can make on the future leaders of the country, ten or twenty years from now. Books change lives. They build character. Christian books bring light to darkness. They encourage, build up, instruct. They become a part of us. They are treasures—forever!

Please check out the offerings for the next thirty days by our authors. Not only will you encourage John 3:16 authors to keep writing more books, but you can give a gift that will keep on giving—memories for a lifetime. I remember reading The Great Divorce and The Exodus and Pilgrim’s Progress like it was yesterday. Two of those books were given to me as gifts.

Who needs a good book to read? Maybe you deserve to treat yourself. Listed below are thirty opportunities to get brand new books—not books published three years ago, but hot-off-the-press books. The first one on the list, The King, is mine. I just received my print copy three days ago. Be the first to read it of your friends and post a review on Amazon. Then pass it along to someone who you think will enjoy it.

Our writings are a labor of love for Christ—and we want to share them with you. Most of these opportunities won’t be repeated, so take advantage of the savings now while you can.

Lorilyn Roberts	Am I Okay, God?	Sept. 8
Michelle D. Evans	www.michelledennisevans.com	Sept. 9
Cheryl Cowell	http://CherylColwell.com	Sept. 10
		Sept. 11
Judy Lair	http://tinyurl.com/ocgn8up	Sept. 12
Krystal Kuehn	http://tinyurl.com/oxg4nat	Sept. 13
Violet James	http://tinyurl.com/oxg4nat	Sept. 14
Emma Right	http://emmaright.com/special-offer-month	Sept. 15
Pearl Nsiah-Kumi	www.pearlkumi.net	Sept. 16
Randy Kirk	http://godcalled-isaiah6.com/	Sept. 17
William Burt	http://bit.ly/15lNmKQ	Sept. 18
Kimberley Payne	http://www.kimberleypayne.com/30-days-of-savings/	Sept. 19
Cheryl Colwell	www.cherylcolwell.com	Sept. 20
D.K. Drake	www.DragonStalkers.com	Sept. 21
Jill Richardson	http://jill-theimperfectjourney.blogspot.com	Sept. 22
Dana Rongione	http://www.danarongione.com/30-days-of-savings.html	Sept. 23
Robin Johns Grant	http://robinjohnsgrant.com/30-days-savings/	Sept. 24
Elizabeth Paige	www.moldableclay.com	Sept. 25
L. Shoshana Rhodes	http://messianicpropheticintercessor.com/	Sept. 26
Michelle D. Evans	www.michelledennisevans.com	Sept. 27
Sharon A. Lavy	www.sharonalavy.com	Sept. 28
Lorilyn Roberts	http://LorilynRoberts.com/special_edition.html	Sept. 29
Dana Rongione	http://danarongione.com	Sept.30
William Burt	http://bit.ly/1pBhdyO	Oct. 1
Laura J. Davis	http://tinyurl.com/poprjpp	Oct. 2
Kimberley Payne	http://www.KimberleyPayne.com/30-days-of-savings/	Oct. 3
Emma Right	http://emmaright.com/special-offer-month	Oct. 4
Val Newton Knowles	www.valnewtonknowles.com	Oct. 5
Elizabeth Paige	www.moldableclay.com/	Oct. 6
Jilll Richardson	http://jill-theimperfectjourney.blogspot.com/	Oct. 7