The First Book You Should Read in 2016

Jay Hawkins wrote a great book.

If you want to find out what you are truly passionate about, get this book. 

If you don't want to waste your life, get this book. 

If you need a great recommendation for your 2016 reading list, get this book. 

If the name Jay Hawkins sounds familiar to you, it's because he's the local operator of the Chick-fil-A in Waynesboro. I've been a journalist for over a decade, but when I met Jay, he was the one asking the questions. 

And Jay asked great questions. 

Questions that forced me to ponder answers for hours. 

When he first told me he was writing a book, I was a bit  nervous. By this point in our relationship, I knew Jay had a brilliant mind. But what if his writing genius didn't quite match his business genius? That would be a weird conversation to have in the beginning of a friendship. 

Fortunately, that wasn't the case. 

The Pando Principle is a really good quick read. I've read it twice, and I purchased one for my boss and another for my best friend. 

The book follows a man named Charlie Burns as he watches his father struggle with the idea of retirement. Charlie begins asking himself if he will follow the same path - work a job he didn't love until he was retirement age - or find a different option.

With help from the least likeliest of sources, Charlie starts on a journey. Everything Charlie learns on his journey is sure to help you on your own personal journey. 

If you get The Pando Principle, let me know. I would love to have a book discussion with a group of people who have read the book. There are also resources at thepandoprinciple.com that will help you process what you read. 

I write these blogs as conversation starters. What books are on your 2016 reading list? What is something in your life you want to change in 2016? 

Blogger's note: This was an unsolicited book review. I purchased the book myself, and I did not receive any financial compensation for this review.

Chris Lassiter is a Christ-follower, a husband to Emily (read her blog here), a father to five kids and a freelance writer for Young Life Relationships, HipHopDX.com, JamTheHype.com and other publications. His first book, You're Grounded, was published by Moody Publications in 2013. You can order the book here.  His first kids' book, Grits & the Grimels, comes out this spring. 

A Resolution Worth Keeping ... Tips on Going Through the New Testament in a year.

Resolutions don't have to fail! 

Because many resolutions are just wishful thinking with no action plans, many people have become cynical of them. Not me. I love them. I love setting goals for a specific time period and trying to see those goals through to the end. In fact, one of my resolutions is to have more - and complete more - resolutions! 

At the beginning of this year, I asked my friends at church and on social media if anyone would be interested in reading through the New Testament in a year. The plan requires about 5-10 minutes a day, five days a week (view plan here). In other words, it's doable. 

Here are five more tips for making it all the way to the end of Revelation in 2015. 

1. Be accountable to another person or group. Spiritual fitness has a lot in common with physical fitness. Both are easier when someone is holding you accountable. In his book The Explicit Gospel,  author and pastor Matt Chandler observes that "people do not drift toward holiness." We all need to be pushed, and we all need to help push others. 

2. Find a routine that works for you. It's simpler if you find the same time each and every day. Maybe it's first thing in the morning. Maybe it's on lunch break. Or perhaps it's the bathroom. The time you spend on the toilet each year, for example, is enough time to read through the New Testament. Crazy, right? 

3. Use technology. The ESV Bible Study App ($14.99) will actually read the chapter aloud  to you. There's probably a free app out there that will do the same. If you have a daily commute, make your first five minutes the audio of the New Testament  reading for that day. 

4. Reward yourself weekly, monthly and annually for setting this goal and achieving it. I'm hoping to do this with my five kids on the morning commute to school, and we'll try to reward them greatly on a regular basis. 

5. Give yourself grace when you miss a day. Sooner or later, it's bound to happen. And it's OK. Just don't let a bad day or a bad week throw you off. 

One final thought. We don't read the Bible to get God to like us more. The good news of the gospel is that we are worse than we could ever believe, but more loved than we could ever imagine. Christ secures our right standing before God, not a Bible-reading plan. We don't read to get God to like us more. We read to know Him more. 

It's not to late to join our group. We have a Facebook group if you need accountability or just have questions about what you have read. 

And, of course, I'd love to hear from you. What are some of your resolutions for 2015? How do you track your goals? 

Chris Lassiter is a Christ-follower, a husband to Emily (read her blog here), a father to five kids and a freelance writer for Young Life Relationships, HipHopDX.com, JamTheHype.com and other publications. His first book, You're Grounded, was published by Moody Publications last year. You can order the book here.