Think for a moment about strolling through the aisles of a library. Dozens of shelves are neatly ordered with a seemingly endless number of titles. Hardcovers and paperbacks with colorful covers seem to blend together to form a solid wall of paper and type. The faint smell of musty pages wafts through the air.

Contrast this to the digital age of search engines, instant information, and advanced computer processing where everything is always at your fingertips and available electronically. Whether it is interactive entertainment on computers, tablets or smartphones; Internet databases of movies; or educational entertainment on television, information is readily available at the click of a button.

As a result, some believe reading books, whether in hardcopy form or online, is outdated. They assume that any “worthwhile” information they need can simply be “googled.”

Yet this could not be further from the truth!

Even though the Web offers the ability to skim various news articles and watch world events via methods like YouTube, reading a book is different. Setting aside time to read just a small amount of in-depth material each day enhances your mental processing and communication skills. It broadens your horizons and gives you a better view of the world around you.

But all books are not the same. While many contain enjoyable stories, memorable characters, and useful knowledge, others can lead you down a wrong path by negatively affecting your thoughts, feelings and actions. You must be careful of the subjects you choose.

Regardless of what technology is available, reading books should be a fundamental part of your development. To maximize and fully take advantage of the benefits of reading them, however, you must understand the overall importance of reading, how to find the time to do so, and how to choose the right topics to read.

Reading Benefits

Book reading has been proven time and again to be one of the best ways to increase your cognitive abilities. While there is not a direct correlation between increasing your IQ and reading, studies by researchers at the University of California at Berkeley have proven that all facets of your mental abilities are enriched by regular, substantive reading. They observed dramatic improvements in areas such as vocabulary, communication, problem solving, and information processing. The findings also showed that the earlier in life we begin reading books and the more we continue reading, the more we grow mentally.

Along with developing a better memory, regular reading also enhances concentration. Think of all the distractions you encounter daily such as email notifications, phone calls, and alarms.

While reading a book, we put those distractions aside and focus on the text in front of us. Even though it may initially be a challenge, experienced readers are grateful for the calm achieved by focusing on just one subject. It is an excellent exercise in concentration!

Improved concentration can be applied to other tasks and projects for school or work. Studies have shown that reading for 15 to 20 minutes before doing a task that requires prolonged attention increases focus and productivity.

Reading books also improves one’s ability to communicate. Students, employees and even chief executives have all boosted their written and verbal skills greatly through this activity.

In addition, reading books exposes you to a broader expanse of words. These eventually make their way into our vocabularies and help us more clearly express our ideas.

A study paper titled “Why Teach Vocabulary?” by Cynthia and Drew Johnson explained that reading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge are closely related. In the report, they showed that the average high school student learns about 3,000 words per year—an increase of approximately eight words per day! Continual reading increases these gains throughout our lives.

Becoming Well-rounded

While reading books helps us mentally, there are also social benefits. Being an avid reader can lead to being a more well-rounded and balanced person. One crucial way it does this is by helping advance formal education. True education goes beyond what is learned in the classroom.

Standard school curriculums often only allot a short amount of time to a given subject. But by finding books on a particular topic after learning about it, you can greatly enhance your understanding of it. It also can expose you to different points of view.

For example, if you briefly learn about the Battle of Gettysburg during the United States Civil War in school, try following up by reading a historical fiction story about a young soldier who survived the war or a biography of someone who was affected by it.

Do not feel as if you only need to read one book at a time. While some readers prefer to do this, others like to delve into several at once and progress through them. In fact, many have found that reading two books concurrently increases their motivation to finish each one.

Some books are longer and more technical in nature, and therefore take more time to finish. Others are “quick reads” because they focus on lighter topics and are shorter in length. Try reading a more technical book alongside a shorter, lighter one. When you start to slow down on one, you can pick up the other and come back to it in a few days. This ensures you do not give up entirely if you start to feel disinterested. A short break may spark your desire to dive into it again.

Another benefit to reading several books at once is to get a sampling of a variety of topics. Keep in mind, however, that reading too many fiction or nonfiction books at once may be difficult. If you decide to do this, select books with different themes so you can keep the stories straight when you move between them.

Whether history, art, science or otherwise, it is almost guaranteed there has been something written about it. And with books, the information they contain is often more accurate and detailed than what you find from online sources. This is mainly due to the rigorous requirements to publish a book.

Whatever your approach, it is important that when you start a book, try your best to finish it! Just because you encounter a difficult section does not mean you should put it away. Determine to finish the titles you select. This will help you learn the valuable lesson of finishing what you start.

Do not feel obligated to finish a book, however, if you have only read a few pages and find it is poorly written or uninteresting. Also, if a title that seems promising turns out to be focused on sinful topics, such as explicit language or content, it is always best to put it down.

Finding the Time

Strive to make time to read books on a regular basis. We all lead busy lives and some of us have many responsibilities. Yet this is not an excuse to not make reading a regular part of our routine.

Set goals. Keep a list of titles you want to read and have a general time frame in mind in which you want to read them. A list puts all the information in front of you—not just in your head—and enhances your ability to add additional books as you come across them. Put them in the order you want to read them. As you finish one, cross it off. This will increase your motivation to finish more on the list!

When it comes to setting a time frame, start big then break it down into smaller pieces. For instance, set a goal to read a certain number of books per month. Figure out how much you will need to read every week to reach this goal. Then identify small pockets of time every day in which you can fit in reading. Perhaps you can crack open a book between classes in school or during car trips.

While we cannot always reorganize our busy schedules, you will be surprised by how many small moments you have during which you can read. Instead of spending all your free time watching TV or on the Internet, use some of it to finish additional chapters. You will be shocked by how quickly you finish a title when you make the most of your spare moments—and by how much more you learn!

In addition, set a specific time each day to read. Whether it is early in the morning when you wake up or just before bedtime, scheduling time each day ensures you achieve reading goals.

As you gain momentum, you will find you finish books faster and can increase the number per month. Soon the experience will be rewarding and fun. Proverbs 13:19 applies here: “The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul…”

You Are What You Read

While reading books is an excellent way to spend your time, if you do not select the right topic, it can actually be one of the worst. What you choose to read makes all the difference between gleaning lessons, thoughtful quotes, learning real skills, or just “wasting time.”

As with television shows, movies and content on the Internet, book topics range from wholesome and educational, to dark, violent and outright demonic. Perusing any “young adult” section of a bookstore or library shows what titles are popular. It is filled with volumes related to vampires, zombies, paranormal activities, sex or just plain “teenage drama.” These topics, created by Satan, the “god of this world” (II Cor. 4:4), are designed to titillate a young audience that does not know God’s Way. As a teenager in His Church, you should stay away from them.

So what kinds of topics should you read?

First and foremost are those covered within the Bible, as God’s Word is brimming with excellent topics with which we should fill our minds. This most important Book is chockfull of stories, lessons and wisdom. Its content will expand your mind and fill it with instructive principles.

While you should certainly read other books besides the Bible, use this Book to help you decide what kinds of titles to read. The book of Proverbs in the Old Testament contains wisdom that clearly illustrates this. The first portion of Proverbs 23:7 provides a strong principle to use in selecting topics. It states, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…”

In other words, whatever information we allow into our minds will eventually come out as words or actions.

This was confirmed by brain research conducted by Emory University and published in an article in The Atlantic titled “Study: Reading a Novel Changes Your Brain.”

According to the media outlet, when you read about a particular activity, your brain actually experiences how it would feel if it were actually doing that activity.

“Scientists have proven in the past that reading stimulates many different parts of the brain,” the article stated. “In a 2006 study, for example, research subjects read the words ‘perfume’ and ‘coffee,’ and the part of their brains devoted to the sense of smell lit up. While these studies have focused on brain activity while a person is reading, a new study suggests that reading doesn’t just make a fleeting impression. It may make long-term changes to…the brain.”

The magazine later stated, “For example, thinking about swimming can trigger…some of the same neural connections as physical swimming.”

Gregory Berns, the lead author of the study said in the article: “We already knew that good stories can put you in someone else’s shoes in a figurative sense. Now we’re seeing that something may also be happening biologically.”

In short, science confirms what God has always known: you are what you read!

Practically speaking, if we fill ourselves with good and wholesome information, it will eventually flow out of us as kind words, intelligent thoughts, friendly actions, or productive skills. If we read the wrong types of books with characters that have wrong attitudes, or contain cynicism, violence and demon-inspired subjects, eventually those same thoughts will flow from us and become our actions.

That is why it is so important to choose books carefully!

Nonfiction vs. Fiction

Although there are many exciting topics from which to choose, the best ones are those in which you are interested. Think about learning the background of a historical character or event, or a particular skill. Consider reading about woodworking, auto mechanics, or computer programming. You could also read about broad topics such as architecture, economics, leadership or cooking. Choosing your passion ensures that a book will hold your attention to the end.

Recognize, though, that you are not limited to reading nonfiction or history. There are also numerous benefits to reading fiction. A study in Forbes magazine found that reading fiction can help advance creative thinking. By being exposed to various situations through reading, you are better able to tackle “real world” problems and determine alternate outcomes for situations. The reader of fiction may be better able to consider “outside the box” solutions for problems.

Another study by the University of Buffalo found that by reading fiction, readers also displayed a higher level of empathy toward peers. Researchers discovered that readers were drawn in by the gripping circumstances in a storyline and became deeply connected to a story’s characters. This same emotional response transferred to their lives through a greater willingness to help others in times of need.

Combining nonfiction and fiction books on your reading list can provide optimum benefit. Reading nonfiction books on various topics can help you “gather the facts” and improve your understanding of the world around you. Fiction books can teach you about human interaction, expand your imagination, and expose you to new ideas—which may in turn spark your desire to learn about other topics!

Whether nonfiction or fiction, frequently ask yourself: “What am I taking away from this book? Is it edifying? What new skill or knowledge am I gaining from it? Will this subject expand my mind and thinking properly?”

Keeping these thoughts at the forefront of your book-choosing process will help you best use your time.

Where Are Good Books?

There are many places to find wholesome books. A great resource is the local library. Most countries have some form of a local-branch system.

At the library, you can borrow books on almost any topic. Since checking out a title is free (typically all you need is a library card), there is no excuse. An additional benefit to these institutions is that librarians, who are trained to help with research and generally enjoy books, can help you find what you are interested in and recommend titles you may not have considered.

Another way to find good reads is through local bookstores. Many times these have lists of bestselling authors, new releases, and group topics by genres. They sometimes have sales on older titles to make way for new stock. You can also find bargains at secondhand stores and yard sales, which will often have interesting titles no longer available elsewhere. And since they are used, you can easily pick up many for a low price.

In addition, you can order books through online vendors and have them shipped to your home, or read books sent to you electronically through a computer or tablet.

One of the benefits of buying a book is that you can then mark it up with a pen, pencil or highlighter. This allows you to refer later to key sections. (Some e-book applications allow you to do this digitally.)

Read Every Day!

If you were offered the chance to permanently enhance your vocabulary, improve your communication skills, and supercharge your brain power, would you jump at it?

Reading books provides this very opportunity. It gives you access to the world’s fund of knowledge. If you select the right topics and take the time to read, it can be truly rewarding.

Strive to read each day, reap the mental benefits, and enjoy the knowledge you gain from each book!