Most of us will just pick up a book, look at the title, and if it looks interesting we start reading it. Does the title really tell you all that the book contains? Through this article I desire to help you establish good godly guidelines for the material that you put into your mind.

When I began my preparation to write this article, I listened to a tape about what a Christian woman’s bookshelf should be by my pastor’s wife, Mrs. M. It was very good. I would like to share some things she said with you.

Mrs. M. mentioned that the motto of reading is “Reading is the perfect key to take you where you want to be.” How true that is! Whenever we read we are carried into the book, pretending that we are really there. Our mind is “engaged” on a book when we read it. Wow! When we read romance stories, we pretend that we are the girl that is in love. Yes, that can be great fun most of the time. I want to ask you a question. Is it OK to read any book that you want to? I want you to answer this question for yourself at the end of this article.

Let’s talk about the book that should be first and foremost in our lives—the Bible. The majority of our reading should be done in God’s Word. This should also be the first book that you read every day. It is top priority. If you find yourself picking up another book in the morning, remind yourself who comes first in your life. Just like it would not be right for you to wake up in the morning and run down to the kitchen and call to tell your friend “Good Morning” when your mother was in there making breakfast. If you truly love the Lord, then you need to show Him that by making Him first in your day. Psalms 1 says that the blessed man meditates on His Word day and night.

The main thing that I want to focus on is the kinds of books that we need to stay away from. These would be books that would not conform us more into the image of Christ. The type of books that should be at the top of the list, for us as single young ladies, would be romance. We all like any book that has even a little bit of a “love story” in it. I want us to face the facts of what romance books do to us. I know, I have read them too. Adult fiction romance books are wrong. Stay away from them. Mrs. M. says that, “these explicate romance novels are sinful and no better than pornography.” This is true. We MUST stay away from these kinds of books. Now you say, “But Christian romance books are not bad. I can read them, RIGHT?” WRONG. Christian romance only gives us a more comfortable position to fulfill the desires of our flesh. They turn our attention to what we could do if only. . . . They turn us away from all thoughts of our Lord and turn us to think of our flesh. When we read these books, they keep “intruding” into our thoughts. It wrings our emotions to pieces. Most importantly of all it comes in between us and our fellowship with the Lord. Girls, this is nothing to think lightly of.

I would like to add a bit of a personal testimony in here. I read “Christian Romance” when I was younger—things like “Mandy.” I loved reading those books and longed for more. When I got to be about 15, I realized what these books where doing to my mind and I was not content with reading my Bible. I wanted to get it done and over with so I could read a more interesting book. This should NEVER be the case. The Bible needs to be the most precious book that we have.

Here are some guidelines for selecting a book.
Select books that will. . .
• bring our thoughts into captivity to His mind and word.—2 Corinthians 10:5
• not fulfill the desires of our flesh.—Ephesians 2:3
• make our old fleshly thoughts into new clean thoughts.—2 Corinthians 5:17
• not to be conformed, but transformed by the renewing of our minds. What we read feeds our mind.—Romans 12:2
• not fashion ourselves according to the former lusts, be set apart in every aspect of our lives. Our reading needs to be brought into conformity to God and in obedience to the Holy Spirit’s direction of what is to be brought into our minds.—1 Peter 1:13-14
• make you think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, good report.—Philippians 4:8