Challenge Updates

Host: Operation Actually Read Bible

Title: Clouds of Witnesses (sign up post)

# of Books: my goal is 12

Dates: January - December

What I read:

1. Don't Give Up, Don't Give In. Lessons From An Extraordinary Life. Louis Zamperini and David Rensin. 2014. 272 pages. [Source: Library]
2. Weighed and Wanting Addresses on the Ten Commandments. D.L. Moody. 1898. The Bible Institute. 128 pages. [Source: Bought]
3. Living As A Christian: Teachings from First Peter. A.W. Tozer. 2010. Regal. 224 pages. [Source: Bought]
4. Knowledge of the Holy. A.W. Tozer. 1961/1978. HarperCollins. 128 pages. [Source: Book I Bought]
5. To The Glory of God: A 40 Day Devotional on the Book of Romans. James Montgomery Boice. 2010. Baker Books. 183 pages. [Source: Bought]
6. The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine. A.W. Tozer 1948/2006. WingSpread Publishers. 70 pages. [Source: Bought]
7. No Little People. Francis A. Schaeffer. 2003. Crossway. 239 pages. [Source: Bought]
8. Experiencing the New Birth: Studies in John 3. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. 2015. Crossway. 400 pages. [Source: Review copy]
9. The Root of the Righteous: Tapping The Bedrock of True Spirituality. A.W. Tozer. 1955/2015. Moody Publishers. 192 pages. [Source: Review copy]
10.
11.
12.

So three more books--at least--to read for this year's challenge! Are you participating in this challenge? What have you read? What are you still planning to read? 

Host: Operation Actually Read Bible

Title: Operation Deepen Faith (sign up post for 2015)

Dates: January 2015 - December 2015

I'm signing up for

I. Wonderful Words of Life

My goal: To read the Bible 4 times through in 2015. I'd love to read it each quarter. But I typically end up checking my progress in November/December and making a list of which books I need to read, and how many times, in order to make it to that year's goal.

Early July Check-In
I've read the Bible  through twice so far this year.  The first quarter I read "extra" in the New Testament. The second quarter, I read "extra" in the Old Testament. James and John will have extra  because they've  been MacArthur-ed. Chosen to read 30 times in a row. 

II. How Firm A Foundation

My goal: Same as last year. To spend time with the Apostle John. To focus on John, 1 John, and Revelation. I'd love to read each of these 30 times. (Last year, I read the gospel of John 25 times, and the book of Revelation 43 times. I believe I read 1 John, 21 times.)

Early July Check-In
What have I done to meet this goal? Well, I chose to read John 30 times this summer. So far I'm around 16 or 17? I think. So I'm on my way to getting to that number 30!  I've started reading  R. Kent Hughes' John: That You May Believe Preaching the Word Commentary published by Crossway. I hope to finish that this summer or perhaps this fall. I have several other commentaries that I'd love to get to.  We'll see.

III. Deep and Wide

My goal: To use the MacArthur System of study several times throughout the year. Candidates include: 2 Corinthians, Galatians, James, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon, and Jude. (I am not brave enough to tackle the gospels or Acts.)

Early July Check-In
I've read James. I'm in the process of  reading John. If you haven't tried this way of reading the Bible, you should be brave and just do it! I promise you that it is worth it!!! Yes, it takes time and effort. A commitment to read the Bible each day, but, it is so rewarding!!!
I will probably take a break after reading John, but, maybe one more book before the end of the year? Anyone want to be brave and read a book with me? Let me know! Pick a book, pick a month!!!

IV. Meditate or Memorize.

My goal: I'd love to memorize a verse per week. But. Since I'm completely new to memorization--at least as an adult--I'd be content with 24 or so. I'd rather really, really know 24, than be able to stumble through fifty.

Early July-Check-In
Am I memorizing the Bible? No. Not really. Have I  been meditating on the Bible verses I've selected? Yes and no. That is sometimes.  I seem to be contrary. Either I'm really on-task and read/meditate several times per week--sometimes even five or six days of the week--or else I'm horrible at it and go two or three weeks without. So I'm not as consistent as I'd like. But this has been helpful to me overall. It was a great blessing this spring to have these verses ready-to-go.

V. Christian Nonfiction

My goal: To read twenty-four nonfiction books.

Early July Check-In
I've read 59 Christian Nonfiction books this year.  That's twice my goal.  And the year is just half over. So my best books might be yet to come! 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible