"Active Reading of Literature" pages 5-23

     I can definitely relate to the statement, what you get out of what you read is determined by how you read. If I am to go into reading a piece of literature with a bad attitude I will have a bad connection with what I read. If I go into reading something with high hopes and good expectations, more than likely I'll come out of that reading satisfied. A lot of times I do make the mistake of reading certain books, i.e. certain college criteria like "Kingdom Education", with low expectations because it's not something I look forward to reading and start with the attitude of wanting to just skim through the book and don't care if I get anything out of it. However, I know that's not the way I'm supposed to read a book, whether I think I will find it interesting or not. Using Nicholas Sparks' books as an example, I always buy his books because I know I will love what I'm going to read. I have never read one of his book unsatisfied or felt like there could've been more to it. Because of this I go into reading his books with excitement and the knowledge that I will probably love his new work. The statement, what you get out of what you read is determined by how you read can also be related to how we read the Bible. I know for me, I'll sometimes read the Bible expecting to have some kind of revelation from God in a verse I was just meant to read at that very moment in time. Obviously, I can't read God's Word expecting this every time I open the Book or many times I'll come out of it unsatisfied and possibly be mad at God for not giving me this "revelation". However, I also cannot go into reading His Word as just a checklist off my daily "To Do List". If I do that, then I'll never encounter God in a new way.