Monthly Interview :: Miss Haley

Today for our monthly interview, Reflections of Grace will be interviewing Miss Haley of Chapter Thirteen blog about the importance of choosing our reading materials wisely. Haley has been a sweet friend and pen-pal of Bethany's for a while now and we are both excited to be able and let her share today! Thanks Haley, for letting us interview you! :)  ~Bethany & Johanna {P.S. Be sure and visit Reflections of Grace on June 1st for our one year anniversary giveaway celebration! We have several prizes in store that you can win so check by then and enter!}

REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: Could you introduce yourself to us? How did you come to know Christ?

HALEY :: Hi everyone! My name is Haley. I'm fourteen years old. I live in Kansas with my dad, mom, and little sister. I'm homeschooled. I like photography, reading, blogging, baking, letters, and crafting. I am being raised in a Christian home. I accepted Christ when I was nine years old and was baptized a couple years later in our church.

REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: Why do you enjoy reading?

HALEY :: I've always loved reading, even when I was little. My mom would take me to story time at the library and I'd look through stacks of books. I like reading mainly because books can take you places that you'd never go otherwise. They make you use your imagination and allow you to learn about new things.

REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: Why do you think it's important to be careful of the books we read?

HALEY :: I think it's important to be careful what books we read because books will make you use your imagination. It's important because when we read we're learning and we're thinking about what the book is presenting.

REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: Have you ever started a book but decided not to finish it? What made you decide to do so?

HALEY :: Yes, I have. It was a children's book actually, but I stopped reading it because the of the bad language that was used throughout the book. I really did not feel comfortable with it, I felt guilty reading it, and I knew it wasn't God-honoring.

REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: What are some of your favorite books/authors?

HALEY :: I like books by Janette Oke. The Millie Kieth A Life of Faith series. Also, I really like the Viking Quest series by Lois Walfrid Johnson.

REFLECTIONS OF GRACE ::  What are your favorite kinds of books? (Example: fiction, non-fiction, historical fiction, amish fiction, etc)

HALEY :: Historical fiction. And I like if there's a little mystery in it too. I mostly read books that take place in the pioneer times, just because I'm so interested in that time-period and I love learning about it.

REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: Let's say you have started a book, but you find it's content is a bit "iffy" and aren't sure if you should continue reading it. Do you have guidelines as to were you draw the line or were its okay to keep reading?

HALEY :: When it comes to discernment of whether or not a book is okay to read, consulting Philippians 4:8 is helpful. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things."  Does the book steer my thoughts towards good things? And most of all does the book honor God? If not, then I won't keep reading it.

REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: Would you like to share anything in closing?

HALEY :: I'd like to encourage you that if a book is not honoring or you would not be using good judgment to read it -- just put the book down, return it to the library. I know we "want to know what happens in the end", but it's really worth it not to have things in your mind that just don't need to be there. And thank you, Bethany and Johanna, for having me!