During our premarital counseling, Tim Bixby encouraged Amy and me to make a regular practice of reading together, particularly books that would encourage us to strengthen our marriage spiritually. We read a couple books and book portions together in preparation for marriage, and since we were married, we’ve worked to keep up the practice.

In addition, we like to do some fun reading together, often just before bed. (With the marriage and devotional books, we read back-and-forth out loud. For fiction, I read to Amy.)

Yesterday we were reviewing what we’ve read together since we got married. We were surprised by how much it was. Here are the books we’ve completed (together and aloud) since marriage:

• The Great Divorce (C.S. Lewis)
• The Odyssey (Homer, translated by Fagles)
• Reforming Marriage (Douglas Wilson)
• Christian Living in the Home (Jay Adams)
• When Sinners Say “I Do” (Dave Harvey)
• Essential Virtues: Marks of the Christ-Centered Life (Jim Berg)

We’re currently in the process of reading these:

• Till We Have Faces (C.S. Lewis)
• Beyond Suffering (Layton Talbert)
• Seeing with New Eyes (David Powlison)

Starting books — and then actually finishing them — has always been a little overwhelming to me. But you may be surprised by how much you can read if you do just a little at a time. It’s certainly been a surprise to Amy and me. I don’t feel like we spend that much time reading — and reading aloud isn’t the fastest way to get through a book — but (like saving money, I guess), it adds up.