Pastor J.D. explains why it’s important to not only read but also remember what you read with some helpful tips he’s found throughout the years.

A glimpse into this episode:

A guy once told me that in 5 years you’ll be the same person except for the books you read and the people you meet.

First of all, you should be reading.

But assuming you already are a reader… I talk to people all the time who read a lot but are frustrated at how little they seem to retain. They want to know the secret to reading books well.

People always see my library, which is pretty large–over a thousand books, and invariably ask me the same question, “Have you read all of these?”

I believe it really doesn’t matter how many books you’ve read if you can’t remember what’s in any of them. As Proverbs 12:27 says, “Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth.”

Here are my two action items for you on how to read a book well:

First, take notes.

Second, create a cheat sheet.

I keep track of all of the books that I read, but it ends up being about 65-70 books a year. I also use a service called Blinkist that gives short summaries of leadership books.

What happens when the Bible and humanity collide? Not what you’d expect. Living & Effective, a podcast collaboration between Christianity Today and the Christian Standard Bible, journeys through history, current events, theology, and the human condition to uncover surprising ways the Bible accomplishes God’s plan in the world.”