It’s probable that most high school English teachers have long known this, but books can impact your mind!

According to research from Emory University, a captivating narrative in a work of fiction can help us to see things from another person’s point of view. Researchers assigned a random work of fiction, Pompeii by Robert Harris, as a reading assignment to participants.

Scientists then analyzed brain activity over the next several days. They found that language receptivity increased as did certain sensory motor regions of the brain (Michael Humphrey, “For A Better Brain, A Plan To Feed It Stories,” Forbes at Forbes.com, December 29, 2013).

Fiction is fine, but what about a true story?

Clearly a strong narrative helps us to think and to stretch our minds, even change them… but what if that narrative is the Bible? How much more powerful might it be to read this very special book?

Narrative, or story-telling, is just one of many literary styles used by the writers of the Bible as they were inspired by God. Perhaps most well known to many is the narrative of the book of Genesis. An account that starts at the beginning of creation, moves on to Adam and Eve, includes Noah and the Flood, Abraham and Sarah’s miraculous child, Isaac, the struggles of Jacob and his family, and ends with the death of Joseph in Egypt.

What a great story to dig in to! Incredible accounts of faith and courage alongside battles against evil doers, epic love stories, and fierce trials… and it’s true, all of these events actually happened!

What a terrific way to learn the early history of mankind – one story at a time!