Peruse the Kindle on my iPhone and you’ll see a lot of technical reads that support my work as a coach of church leaders. Look a little longer and you’ll discover a wide variety of titles related by the genre of biographies.
Brantt Myhres’ “PainKiller,” Glennon Doyle’s, “Love Warrior,” Eugene Peterson’s, “The Pastor,” Michael Korda’s “The Life and Legend of Robert E. Lee,” Theo Fleury’s “Playing With Fire,” and Vahen King’s, “Going Further” to name a few.
BIOGRAPHIES
Biographies are an easy read. They are made for some of the best summer reading. And there is richness in a biography.
Biographies teach us valuable life lessons.
Biographies inspire readers to believe and achieve.
Biographies help us better understand the past and the values that influenced moments and movements in history.
Biographies are a mirror to envision your self through other people’s character, strengths and weaknesses.
Biographies help us come to grips with our own failures and show us how to bounce back from setbacks. We learn that success isn’t guaranteed and failure isn't fatal.
UNBROKEN
Our eldest son is a high school teacher, a long distance runner, and a lover of books. He’ll tell you that one of his most influential reads, next to the Bible, is Laura Hillenbrand's “Unbroken,” the biography of Louis Zamperini. Louis was an American Olympian. He joined the US Air Force during WWII. His plane was shot down over the Pacific. After horrific weeks adrift in a life raft, he was captured by the Japanese, imprisoned, and singled out for torture because of his Olympic achievements.
At one point, Zamperini was ordered to hold a railway tie over his head on the threat of death if he let it down. He held the tie over his head for hours. His endurance defied imagination. No matter what his captors did to him, he found a way to carry on. He would not be broken.
Cory found inspiration in Zamperini’s story. When he needed inspiration for running endurance races. When he wanted to inspire the athletes he coached. When his own will was flagging, he turned to Zamperini’s example and found his own way forward.
Are you inspired by biographies? What is your favorite life story?
I write to grow hope, inspire people to be real, forge an authentic faith in Jesus, and discover their life purpose.
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