I love stories, especially adventure stories–and I don’t mean the purely fictional ones eithers.

My favorite type of book is a travelogue aka Real Life Adventure Story.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horwitz

A Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins

The Average American by Kevin O’Keefe

Don’t Stop Believin’: How Karaoke Conquered the World and Changed my Life by Brian Raftery

Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis

I’ve reread each of these books at least twice.

These are great stories where quests for understanding lead to life-changing action.

I think that travelogues are a favorite among book lovers because it always leaves us inspired.

“Wow! If they can do that, what’s stopping me?”

I believe that dreams inspire actions and actions inspire more dreams.

As a Christian, I think of James 2:14-18:

¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your^[d] works, and I will show you my faith by my^[e] works. 

Dreams without actions are dead.

Bucket lists are great, but I don’t want to be 60, 70, 80 years old before I choose to follow my dreams.

Why not start now?

Quit putting your dreams in a bucket that stays in your closet for 30 years.

Reading adventure books is great. Writing your own adventure book is even better!

So, I’ll ask you this question again:

Why not start now?