Read Together
At some point in our marriage we stumbled upon a clever way to turn reading, typically a very independent activity, into something that can build our friendship as a couple and bring us closer — It’s so simple — we just read out loud!!
At the end of the day when you might otherwise zone out on your phones or get distracted doing something separate around the house, try this instead. Prepare a tray of snacks, curl up on the couch together, and take turns reading a story aloud chapter by chapter. We’ve found that so often the book sparks spontaneous comments and conversation that allows us to go deeper, share our processes, and relate to one another on the themes. We’ve found this to be such a fruitful and enjoyable activity that we’ve read more than a dozen books this way!
We really enjoy reading, but we also really enjoy recommending things that have impacted us! We are going to try to make it a point to “highlight” a book every once in a while that made a particular impression. Whether you choose to read as a couple, or on your own we hope you enjoy these “Book Highlights” Blog posts.
Today’s Book Highlight
Seeking Allah Finding Jesus
The amazing autobiography of Nabeel Qureshi, a very academic and intelligent Muslim who encounters Jesus through friendship, study, and dreams and is faced with the decision to give up everything in order to follow Him.
We recommend it hands down for any Christian or person who would like to know more about Jesus. We didn’t want to put it down! Buy a copy
Reasons to Read this story:
Reinforced our confidence in the power of the Bible
Strengthened our faith to see others come to know Jesus
Presented compelling academic ways of understanding the claims of Christianity
Gave us more love and understanding for our Muslim brothers and sisters as well as confidence in talking to them about faith
Inspired amazement at how God leads
Others agree, it’s an amazing book. 22,000+ reviews on Goodreads.com and it’s rated an amazing 4.5/5 stars.
“Whether you choose to read as a couple, or on your own, we hope you enjoy these “Book Highlights” Blog posts!”
More on “Couples Reading”
We’ve found that there are specific types of books that work really well for “couples reading” because they easily lend themselves to being read aloud. You could start by reading Seeking Allah Finding Jesus, but if that doesn’t spark interest, Why not give a different book a try? The heart is to enjoy deeper connection with your spouse in a unique and fun way.
We recommend you choose a book that:
Tells Stories in narrative form (like Biographies & Fiction). These lend themselves to being read aloud and can spark great convos.
Has Shorter chapters. It helps to have more frequent stopping points in case you don’t have a large block of time.
Is on a Shared Interest. Books about something/someone both of you are interested in learning more about will keep you both engaged
May you be blessed to go deeper in friendship through reading together!
Have you read Seeking Allah Finding Jesus? Leave your comments & recommendations below!