The request for the top 10 books which influenced my life intrigued me. since my interests are diverse, the list reflects that diversity. I have made two lists, one theological books the other consisting of secular books. Since I often like works that are stimulating and provacative, this is not list to consider for light and easy reading. I should put a warning that if you have any sacred cows, it is best to avoid many of the books on my list. They are sure to challenge your thinking and stretch your mind.

A quote that I have found true is that we are the same people today that we were ten years ago with the exception of the people we have met and the books we have read. The lists below are those books that changed me the most and continuing influencing my thinking.

Religious books have a profound influence on my life. The thoughts, ideas and teachings have provided guidance, inspiration, consolation and courage in facing the challenges that have come my way.

1. The Bible. Without a doubt, this has been the greatest influence. I have found within its pages challenges, comfort and direction. When a time came in my life to challenge my beliefs, I struggled with the Bible and found new relevance and inspiration. If there is any doubt about which Bible, I stick with the King James Version (or as one of my friends says "the authorized version").

2. Will the Real Jesus Please Stand? by Vendyl Jones. I do not know if this book is even available any longer. The challenging ideas it contains allowed me to work through and put to death many dogmas that needed to go. It gave me tools to help think through many important issues.Vendyl and his writings have always been thought provoking and controversial. I have found both he and his books have exerted an influence on my life. He was digging for the Ark of the Covenant before "Indiana Jones" made it to the screens. He and his books are the real things.

3. The Complete Works of Francis Schaeffer-Schaeffer wrote many books, and it would be hard for me to identify one single work that stood out above all the others. His integration of history, theology, science, art and music allowed be to bring a synthesis to the study of many areas of interests. Schaeffer provided a framework and structure that helped me sort through things.As a teen my father made me read "How Should We Then Live. At the time I found it interesting, but disliked it. Over the years, I continue coming back to it and have developed a taste for it. Now I enjoy it and Schaeffer's other works. He was likely the most influential theologian of the 20th century, and his material is worth reading.

4. The Complete Works of Robert L. Dabney. Dabney was a Presyterian theologian, like Schaeffer. One big difference is that he lived in the 19th century. Dabney's insights into matters amazes me. He was able to understand the human condition, and responses to it in a way modern writers do not grasp. His works also help me gain a perspective on the issues that people deal with in the modern day. Many issues that I thought were unique to our time in history are not that unique. Seeing some of the same problems from a different perspective and a different time helps me to get a handle on various issues. Reading Dabney is like a breath of sanity in today's post-modern culture.

5. The Talmud. I have only read sections of the Talmud. What I have read has given me a clearer understanding of some of the precepts found in the Bible and their application.Bear in mind that the Talmud consists of many volumes. I find that I do not always agree with the the Talmud, but I always manage to learn lessons from the judgements of previous generations. The logic and principles used in their discussionsI have found to be invaluable.

6. The Salt Cellars by Charles Spurgeon. These two volumes have the greatest concentration of common sense ever. During his time as pastor of London's Metropolitan Tabernacle, he collected the proverbs and sayings of the people he came in contact with. He has the sayings divided into the common ones and the ones with a spiritual slant. Both the sayings and his explanations of the saying are a treasure trove of wisdom and insights into many old sayings that most people do not know the origins of. This is his collection of those sayings. Since they are written in a proverb format, they require some thought. When I spend time thinking through them, I always manage gaining some new insights and knowledge.

7. Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon-This is a daily devotional. Mine has added meaning since it was owned by one of my grandmothers. She wrote notes and comments in the margins which adds to the inpiration that I draw from the insights of Charles Spurgeon

8. Strong's Concordance-Although this is a reference work, I have found it a valuable tool in understanding words and their meaning. Since words often change meaning and application from once century to the next, I need a clear ideas of what words mean. When I am doing serious study I always have my Strong's concordance and a good dictionary.

9-10. If Only He Knew/For Better or Best by Gary Smalley-These two volumes have helped me and many couples and families I have worked with. They are filled with practical information to help hurting people.

I have seperated out theological from general works. Since not everyone is into theological works, I thought I would include these works as well. They are not in order or importance or influence, so do not assume they are a ranking of importance.

1 Various works by Sigmund Freud. -In my training as a counselor, I intitially was repulsed by Freud, until I decided to read him for myself and quit accepting others interpretations of his work as valid. Many of his ideas are insightful and fascinating. His understanding still amazes me. Reading Freud does require one to understand how his various theories fit with each other, but once you understand that, it opens up new avenues. His ideas have been influential in many areas.

2. Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien- When I first began reading the book, I found it hard to stop. For several years I made it a point to read and re-read the book.

3. Texas History Movies-This little book gave me my inspiration to explore Texas History further. Ever since that first taste, I have gone on to read many other volumes of Texas history and to write some as well.

4. The Analytic Attitude by Roy Schaffer-This book helped me understand modern psychoanlytic thought. Schaffer's ideas were challenging. I accepted the challenge and put soem of the ideas into practice which led to me seeing some new insights in dealing with people.

5. The Complete Works of Milton Erikson-Erickson has a very different view fo the world and people. From his works and what I read of Harry Stack Sullivan, I learned how to listen and what to listen for in dealing with people.

6. The South was Right! by Walter and Donnie Kennedy. This volume opened my eyes to many historic issues and the distortion of history. It continues inpiring me every time that I read through it.

7. The Constitution by William Rawle-This is a basic text on understanding the Constituion. From it I learned what the writers of the Constituion intended and what it meant to them. In contemporary culture and its judicial activism, words are often taken out of context. Knowing what the framers intended is always a useful piece of information. Since I like reading source material, rather than someone's interpretation of it, it is an essential to anyone's legal knowledge.

8. None But Texians: A History of Terry's Texas Rangers by Jeffrey D. Murrah. This is my own book. I included it since it opened the doors for me to meet with other authors and led me to investigate other areas. It also helped inspire me to write my second award winning book, Texans Always Move Them: A True History of Texas.

9. The Complete Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. The adventures of Sherlock Holmes are always a source of fascination and wonder.A good mystery is always engages my mind. I am always intrigued by the thinking and problems solving exhibited by Holmes.

10.The Complete Works of William Shakespeare-These plays and poems have provided colorful language and inspiration. His stories cover the spectrum of human emotion and situations.