Influential Authors: Kate

Today is a sick day. I caught a cold at the walk-in clinic, and then I passed it on to Maryn. It's her first virus; she has a fever and it just breaks my heart! So in between naps and soothing a fussy baby, today is a good day to curl up with a book. Last week, our pastor blogged about the authors who have most influenced him in his lifetime. I thought it was a good idea. He listed 15, but I could only come up with 11. If Billy gets the time he'll put up his own list. Oh, and yesterday Maryn turned 4 months old; I'll do a blog update about that tomorrow after her 4 month check-up so I can include her current stats.

So, here it is, 11 authors who have influenced Kate:

1. E.B. White - Although I could list countless classic children's books that I read and loved during my childhood, White's Trumpet of the Swan was one of the first books I remember feeling deep affections toward. I read it countless times.

2. C.S. Lewis - I have read several of Lewis' books (most of which I need to re-read now that I'm older) but there is no series of fiction that can compare to The Chronicles of Narnia. From the first time my mother read them out loud to me when I was seven, to the most recent re-read last year, they never fail to teach me something new. It's probably the only literature that I reference in daily speech on an almost weekly basis.

3. John MacArthur - I read MacArthur voraciously as a teenager. Through his writing, I learned to love theology and to begin know what I believe.

4. R.C. Sproul - His book Chosen by God, which I also read in my teens, solidified my understanding and embrace of grace in salvation.

5. Elisabeth Elliot - I consider Ms. Elliot to be one of my all-time spiritual mentors and heroes. Her writing has changed me in ways I can't describe. My two favorites are Let Me Be A Woman, which highly influenced my views of biblical womanhood, and Discipline: The Glad Surrender, which worked sanctification in my life like no other. Other favorites include Passion and Purity, Keep A Quiet Heart, and The Shaping of a Christian Family.

6. Corrie Ten Boom - Her book The Hiding Place has taught me so much about true forgiveness and trusting in the sovereignty of God. Plus it's just an amazing story that I re-read every couple of years.

7. J.I. Packer - Knowing God helped me do just that. Such an essential book. So many things I know now just seem instinctive but really can be traced back to what I learned from Packer.

8. Mark Dever - This is a new one for me. Last year I went through his The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made and I was transformed by a new understanding of how the gospel fits into the Old Testament and how the Bible all fits together as one overarching story. I plan to go through The Message of the New Testment: Promises Kept soon.

9. Carolyn Mahaney - Her book Feminine Appeal as well as other various writings including that on her blog girltalk have highly influenced my views of what it means to be a woman.

10. Dave Harvey - I have only read one book by this author, but When Sinners Say I Do is easily the best marriage book I have ever read (and I've read a lot!). It changed my views on how the gospel affects my relationship with my husband every day.

11. Jonathan Edwards - I wouldn't be Mrs. William Smith if Edwards didn't make it on the list, would I? I've actually only read one work by Edwards (gasp!) but Charity and Its Fruits opened my eyes to what true biblical love really is. I read it a year or two ago and I know I'll definitely read it again. I'm currently reading George Marsden's biography of Edwards; I also thoroughly enjoyed Marriage to A Difficult Man by Dodds.