Something you may not know about me is that I’m a big Stephen King fan. I actually come by it honestly—my dad was a fan before me. Growing up, I mostly remember him reading the newspaper or magazines, maybe a biography about one of his favorite bands or sports teams. But I also remember seeing a few books around the house that definitely weren’t my mom’s—books by a guy named Stephen King.
It wasn’t until the summer of 2005, though, that I really got hooked. Both of my grandparents had passed away the year before, and while we were cleaning out their house, we came across a box of my dad’s old books. Inside were all kinds of treasures—dog-eared science fiction novels, classic mysteries, and, of course, many Stephen King paperbacks. It felt like opening a time capsule into my dad’s younger years, and that’s when I caught the reading bug for good.
Stephen King once said, “Books are a uniquely portable magic.” I found that magic then, and I still do—but not always as often as I’d like. Lately, I’ve noticed I haven’t been reading much at all. Between the busyness of life and work, it’s easy for that rhythm to fade. And honestly, sometimes I feel a little guilty about it—especially when I see colleagues posting about all the books they’re reading or get yet another recommendation from someone.
Maybe you’ve been there too.
Reading, for me, isn’t just about enjoyment (though I do love a good sci-fi story or the latest King novel). It’s also something that shapes my faith. The right book can open our eyes, stretch our hearts, and deepen our understanding of who God is and who we’re called to be.
I’ve also been thinking about reading lately because we’re in the middle of our annual Bucks for Books campaign—our effort to make sure every student at our neighborhood elementary school gets a free book at their book fair next month. I love that! It’s such a simple yet powerful way to share that same kind of “magic” with the next generation.
So here’s my thought: what if we read together in 2026? I’ve heard from several folks at Emmanuel who’d love to start a book group. Let’s make it happen! We can read books that deepen our faith, help us explore scripture, or open our eyes to the world around us—books that inspire us to live out God’s love in real, everyday ways.
So if that sounds interesting to you, I hope you’ll join me. Together, let’s rediscover that “uniquely portable magic” of reading—and see how God might use it to spark something new among us.