Exercise for the Mind

Many of my favorite adolescent memories involve sports. Throughout my school years I participated in a variety of sports that I enjoyed, but I was especially passionate about track and field. I spent countless hours running around an asphalt oval and throwing a steel ball from a concrete pad. Those grueling - and often painful - hours of hard work served to make me a better athlete and a better person. I learned the values of discipline, team work, and sportsmanship. I enjoyed setting personal goals and doing everything in my power to reach them. Victories in the 100m dash and shotput were highlights of my time in high school.

Now that I am a mom and long past my glory days, I still enjoy running for fun and competing in obstacle course races. Exercise for me is a habit of good health and a method of stress relief. There is nothing quite like the rush of endorphins after a long run or the feeling of accomplishment after crossing the finish line at a race. Exercise strengthens my muscles and keeps my heart and lungs healthy. It offers time for me to think and pray in solitude, and it is a habit I hope to continue into old age even if my methods of exercise may change.

"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body." - Joseph Addison

In the same way that our bodies will atrophy without exercise, our minds will deteriorate without proper stimualtion. Reading is one of the best ways to exercise our minds. Joseph Addison, an English poet and playwright, said, "Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body." If we do not read, our minds will not grow to their full potential. According to research, reading improves brain connectivity, increases vocabulary and comprehension, decreases cognitive decline, and increases empathy. Put simply, reading sharpens our minds. Even more importantly, the written word is the method through which the God of the universe has chosen to communicate to his people.

Daily Bible reading strenthens the believer's mind. It takes about 15 minutes per day of Bible reading to complete the entire Bible in a year. People are busy, but virtually everyone has a mere 15 minutes in the course of 24 hours to read the most valuable words ever written. It takes some very simple discipline, and the benefits of reading through the Word of God are matchless. I will be finishing the M'Cheyne Reading Plan this month and will begin the Chronological Reading Plan on January 1, 2021. Please join me in reading through the Bible in 2021!

In addition to Bible reading, I enjoy reading across multiple genres of literature to stretch me, teach me, challenge me, and - of course - entertain me. I prefer non-fiction, especially history and science, but I use Tim Challies' annual reading challenges to broaden my scope. You can follow my reading journey by clicking the 2021 Reading Challenge tab at the top of this page. I will post my thoughts and recommendations of certain books throughout the year.

Happy reading!