Book of the Month: Just Mercy
Over the last couple of years, I have hosted a book club with some of my closest friends where every month someone gets to pick a book for us to read and discuss. Mostly we all have the same general thoughts about the books, but every once in a while someone picks a book and I think to myself (or sometimes say it out loud😜) “man I hate this book”. When that is the case, I try to quickly change my thinking to “I may not like this book, but what can I learn from it?”. With that being said, I would encourage you all to challenge yourself to read more, whether that’s blogs, books, or articles, and see what you can learn from them!
As part of the #teachlistenlove project, I am going to suggest a “Book of the Month”. I wanted you all to know that though I am suggesting a book, I may not always agree with everything that is said in the book but know that I am suggesting them because it is food for thought (and hopefully action!). I would encourage you to open your mind when you are reading and ask yourself “What is something that I can take away from the text?”.
Along with opening your minds to new ideas or thoughts, I would encourage you to reach out to a friend to discuss the book. When discussing the book, here are some helpful questions to ask:
What is something new that I learned from this book?
Did a concept or idea challenge you in any way?
Are there any points, ideas, or concepts of inspiration?
Is there any idea or concept that I can implement in my life?
This month, I will be suggesting the book Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson. I read this book in my personal book club this past month and I gotta tell you, I have not been so angry reading a book. I literally could not keep my anger inside while reading it and my poor hubs had to hear me huff and gruff about all the injustices in the world, especially with our criminal justice system. This book is a hard read because of the brokenness and injustice that ruins people’s lives and the author shares his personal experience helping those people. For those of you who decide to read this book, you may want to grab some tissues and be ready to sit in your feelings. If you decide to read and discuss with your friend(s), be sure to use the hashtag #teachlistenlove so I can be a part of your journey!