2016 Challenges: Challies' 2016 Challenge

This isn't an 'official-official' reading challenge. But Tim Challies' has challenged his readers to read more in 2016. He's come up with categories, etc. I will be aiming for 24 books from his checklist--from all his leveled checklists.

I've read:

65. A book about prayer

Prayer. A.W. Tozer. Compiled by W.L. Seaver. 2016. Moody. 272 pages. [Source: Review copy]

44. A book whose title comes from a Bible verse

Alas, Babylon. Pat Frank. 1959/2005. Harper Perennial Modern Classics. 323 pages. [Source: Bought]

11. A mystery or detective novel

The Face of a Stranger. (William Monk #1) Anne Perry. 1990. 352 pages. [Source: Library]

19. A book with at least 400 pages

Joan of Arc. Mark Twain. 1895/1896. 452 pages. [Source: Library]

5. A commentary on a book of the Bible

Judges and Ruth: God in Chaos. Barry G. Webb. 2015. Crossway. 304 pages. [Source: Review copy]

75. A book about homosexuality

Is God Anti-Gay? And Other Questions About Homosexuality, the Bible and Same-Sex Attraction. Sam Allberry. 2013/2015. Good Book Co. 93 pages. [Source: Gift]

13. A book about a current issue

I am N: Inspiring Stories of Christians Facing Islamic Extremists. Voice of the Martyrs. 2016. David C. Cook. 304 pages. [Source: Review Copy]

25. A graphic novel

Roller Girl. Victoria Jamieson. 2015. 240 pages. [Source: Library]

74. A book you have read before

Anne of Green Gables. L.M. Montgomery. 1908. 448 pages. [Source: Bought] COMING OF AGE (MG, YA, Adult)

64. A book with magic

Rise of the Wolf. Jennifer A. Nielsen. 2016. Scholastic. 352 pages. [Source: Review copy]

10. A book for children

Mio, My Son. Astrid Lindgren. 1954/2015. NYR Children's Collection. 184 pages. [Source: Library]

30. A book about worldview

Christ Among Other Gods. Erwin Lutzer. 1994/2016. Moody. 256 pages. [Source: Review copy]

14. A Book Written by a Puritan

Valley of Vision: A Collection of Prayers and Devotions. Arthur Bennett. 1975. Banner of Truth. 223 pages. [Source: Gift]

45. A book you have started but never finished

A Tale of Two Sons: The Inside Story of a Father, His Sons, and a Shocking Murder. 2008. Thomas Nelson. 221 pages. [Source: Gift]

3. A classic novel

North and South. Elizabeth Gaskell. 1854-1855. 452 pages. [Source: Bought]

4. A book someone tells you "changed my life"

PROOF: Finding Freedom Through the Intoxicating Joy of Irresistable Grace. Daniel Montgomery and Timothy Paul Jones. 2014. Zondervan. 224 pages. [Source: Bought]

7. A book with the word "gospel" in the title or subtitle

The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, and Gospel Assurance--Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters. Sinclair B. Ferguson. 2016. Crossway. 256 pages. [Source: Review copy]

73. A book by your favorite author

Pleasing God. R.C. Sproul. 1994. Tyndale. 234 pages. [Source: Bought]

102. A book about adoption

She Is Mine: A War Orphans' Incredible Journey of Survival by Stephanie Fast. 2015. Destiny Ministries. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]

104. A book written in the twentieth century

Fahrenheit 451. Ray Bradbury. 1953/1991. Del Rey. 179 pages. [Source: Bought]

71. A book by or about a pastor’s wife

Healed of Cancer. Dodie Osteen. 1986/2003. Lakewood Church. 81 pages. [Source: Borrowed]

41. A memoir

Not Without My Daughter. Betty Mahmoody. 1987. 432 pages. [Source: Library]

55. A book written by a first-time author

 My Name is Mahtob. Mahtob Moody. 2015. Thomas Nelson. 352 pages. [Source: Library]

49. A book about abortion

A Sudden, Fearful Death. Anne Perry. 1993. 464 pages. [Source: Library]

72. A book about suffering

Touching the Hem: A Biblical Response to Physical Suffering. Elizabeth A. Johnson. 2013. Ambassador International. 160 pages. [Source: Bought]

58. A book about food

The Dorito Effect: The Surprising New Truth About Food and Flavor. Mark Schatzker. 2015. Simon & Schuster. 272 pages. [Source: Library]

36. A book with 100 pages or less

Lessons from a Hospital Bed. John Piper. 2016. Crossway. 80 pages. [Source: Free from Desiring God Ministries.]

27. A book from a theological viewpoint you disagree with

The Answer to Bad Religion is Not No Religion. Martin Thielen. 2014. Westminster John Knox. 160 pages. [Source: Library]

18. A book written by an Anglican

Mere Christianity. C.S. Lewis. 1943. 256 pages. [Source: Library]

26. A book of poetry

The Temple: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations. George Herbert. 1633. 192 pages. [Source: Library]

24. A book about church history

Know the Creeds and Councils. Justin S. Holcomb. 2014. Zondervan. 183 pages. [Source: Bought]

108. A book published by a UK-based publisher

Why Bother With Church? Sam Allberry. 2016. Good Book Company. [Source: Borrowed]

90. A book by or about a Russian

Doctor Zhivago. Boris Pasternak. Translated by John Bayley. 1957. 592 pages. [Source: Library]

34. A book written by Jane Austen

Persuasion. Jane Austen 1818/1992. Knopf Doubleday. 304 pages. [Source: Bought]

31. A play by William Shakespeare

Much Ado About Nothing. William Shakespeare. 1599/2004. SparkNotes. 256 pages. [Source: Bought]

16. A book by or about a missionary

No Graven Image. Elisabeth Elliot. 1966. 267 pages. [Source: Inter-Library-Loan]

87. A book by a woman conference speaker

God's Word, Our Story. Learning from the Book of Nehemiah. D.A. Carson and Kathleen B. Nielson, editors. 2016. Crossway. 208 pages. [Source: Review copy] 

105. A book from a library

Churchill: The Power of Words. Winston S. Churchill. Edited by Martin Gilbert. Da Capo Press. 536 pages. [Source: Library]

 20. A book by C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien

The Fellowship of the Ring. J.R.R. Tolkien. 1954/1965. Houghton Mifflin. 423 pages. [Source: Bought]

52. A book written by someone of a different ethnicity than you

The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar. Paul Laurence Dunbar. 290 pages. [Source: Library]

84. A book about astronomy

The Hunt for Vulcan...and How Albert Einstein Destroyed a Planet, Discovered Relativity, and Deciphered a Universe. Thomas Levenson. 2015. Random House. 229 pages. [Source: Library]

9. A book more than 100 years old

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain. 1884. 327 pages. [Source: Library]

 100. A book about preaching

Passionate Preaching of Martyn Lloyd Jones. Steven J. Lawson. 2016. Reformation Trust. 180 pages. [Source: Borrowed]

2. A biography

For the Glory: Eric Liddell's Journey From Olympic Champion to Modern Martyr. Duncan Hamilton. 2016. 400 pages. [Source: Library]

61. A book about parenting

The Five Love Languages of Children. Gary Chapman, D. Ross Campbell. 1995/2016. Moody Publishers. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]

98. A book about evangelism

God Has A Wonderful Plan For Your Life. Ray Comfort. 2010. Living Waters. 128 pages. [Source: Borrowed]

28. A book written by an author with initials in their name

Breaking the Islam Code. J.D. Greear. 2010. Harvest House. 176 pages. [Source: Bought]

79. A book by or about Charles Dickens

Bleak House. Charles Dickens. 1852-1853. 912 pages.  [Source: Bought]

21. A book that has a fruit of the Spirit in the title

The Joy Project. Tony Reinke. 2015. Desiring God. 122 pages. [Source: Bought]

 82. A book about the Bible

How To Enjoy Reading Your Bible. Keith Ferrin. 2015. Bethany House. 176 pages. [Source: Bought]

81. A historical book

War of Two. John Sedgwick. 2015. Berkley. 432 pages. [Source: Library]

101. A book about the church 

How Church Can Change Your Life. Josh Moody. 2015. Christian Focus Publications. 76 pages. [Source: Borrowed]

107. A book by an author less than 30

Cyrano de Bergerac. Edmond Rostand. Translated by Lowell Blair. 1897. 240 pages. [Source: Library]

37. A book with a one-word title

 Cyrano. Geraldine McCaughrean. 2006. HMH. 128 pages. [Source: Review copy]

50. A book targeted at the other gender

One of the Few. Jason B. Ladd. 2015. 297 pages. [Source: Review copy]

69. A book about the Second World War

Night. Elie Wiesel. Translated by Stella Rodway. Foreword by Francois Mauriac. 1958/1960. 109 pages. [Source: Bought]

67. A book about a hobby

The Monopolists. Mary Pilon. 2015. Bloomsbury. 320 pages. [Source: Library]

43. A book by a female author

Testament of Youth. Vera Brittain. 1933. 688 pages. [Source: Library]

85. A book with an ugly cover

Stressed Out. Todd Friel. 2016. New Leaf Press. 205 pages. [Source: Borrowed]

88. A book by or about the church fathers

Theologians You Should Know. Michael Reeves. 2016. Crossway. 336 pages. [Source: Review copy]

54. A book about the Reformation

Why The Reformation Still Matters. Michael Reeves and Tim Chester. 2016. Crossway. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy] 

35. A book by or about Martin Luther

Rescuing the Gospel: The Story and Significance of the Reformation. Erwin W. Lutzer. 2016. Baker Books. 224 pages. [Source: Bought]

40. A book about music

The Grand Tour: The Life and Music of George Jones. Rich Kienzle. 2016. 288 pages. [Source: Library] 

70. A book about sports

Winning Balance. Shawn Johnson and Nancy French. 2012. Tyndale. 256 pages. [Source: Library] 

80. A novel longer than 400 pages

The Beauty of Darkness (Remnant Chronicles #3) Mary E. Pearson. 2016. Henry Holt. 679 pages. [Source: Library] 

63. A book about art

The Singing Bones. Shaun Tan. 2016. 208 pages. [Source: Library] 

 6. A book about theology

Overcoming Sin and Temptation. John Owen. Edited by Justin Taylor and Kelly M. Kapic. 2006/2015. Crossway. 462 pages. [Source: Review copy] 

1. A book about Christian living

Hungry: Learning to Feed Your Soul with Christ. Rondi Lauterbach. 2016. P&R. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]

 76. A Christian novel

The Beautiful Pretender. Melanie Dickerson. 2016. Thomas Nelson. 320 pages. [Source: Review copy]

83. A book about a country or city

Ernie Pyle in England. Ernie Pyle. 1941. 215 pages. [Source: Bought]

22. A book with a great cover

Miracle Man. John Hendrix. 2016. Harry N. Abrams. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

33. A book based on a true story

March Book Two. John Lewis. Andrew Aydin. Illustrated by Nate Powell. 2015. 189 pages. [Source: Library]

89. A book about language

Speaking American: How Y'all, Youse, and You Guys Talk: A Visual Guide. Josh Katz. 2016. Hougton Mifflin Harcourt. 224 pages. [Source: Library]

109. A book you borrow

Judge Not. Todd Friel. 2015. 320 pages. [Source: Borrowed]

39. A novel set in a country that is not your own

Five Children on the Western Front. Kate Saunders. 2014. 318 pages. [Source: Library]

12. A book published in 2016

Unashamed: Healing Our Brokenness and Finding Freedom from Shame. Heather Davis Nelson. 2016. Crossway. 192 pages. [Source: Review copy]


The Light Reader

_ 1. A book about Christian living
_ 2. A biography
_ 3. A classic novel
_ 4. A book someone tells you "changed my life"
_ 5. A commentary on a book of the Bible
_ 6. A book about theology
_ 7. A book with the word "gospel" in the title or subtitle
_ 8. A book your pastor recommends
_ 9. A book more than 100 years old
_ 10. A book for children
_ 11. A mystery or detective novel
_ 12. A book published in 2016
_ 13. A book about a current issue

The Avid Reader

_ 14. A book written by a Puritan
_ 15. A book recommended by a family member
_ 16. A book by or about a missionary
_ 17. A novel that won the Pulitzer Prize
_ 18. A book written by an Anglican
_ 19. A book with at least 400 pages
_ 20. A book by C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien
_ 21. A book that has a fruit of the Spirit in the title
_ 22. A book with a great cover
_ 23. A book on the current New York Times list of bestsellers
_ 24. A book about church history

_ 25. A graphic novel

_ 26. A book of poetry

The Committed Reader

_ 27. A book from a theological viewpoint you disagree with
_ 28. A book written by an author with initials in their name
_ 29. A book that won a ECPA Christian Book Award
_ 30. A book about worldview
_ 31. A play by William Shakespeare
_ 32. A humorous book
_ 33. A book based on a true story
_ 34. A book written by Jane Austen
_ 35. A book by or about Martin Luther
_ 36. A book with 100 pages or less
_ 37. A book with a one-word title
_ 38. A book about money or finance
_ 39. A novel set in a country that is not your own
_ 40. A book about music
_ 41. A memoir
_ 42. A book about joy or happiness
_ 43. A book by a female author
_ 44. A book whose title comes from a Bible verse
_ 45. A book you have started but never finished
_ 46. A self-improvement book
_ 47. A book by David McCullough
_ 48. A book you own but have never read
_ 49. A book about abortion
_ 50. A book targeted at the other gender
_ 51. A book by a speaker at a conference you have attended
_ 52. A book written by someone of a different ethnicity than you

The Obsessed Reader

_ 53. A book published by The Banner of Truth
_ 54. A book about the Reformation
_ 55. A book written by a first-time author
_ 56. A biography of a world leader
_ 57. A book used as a seminary textbook
_ 58. A book about food
_ 59. A book about productivity
_ 60. A book about or relationships or friendship
_ 61. A book about parenting
_ 62. A book about philosophy
_ 63. A book about art
_ 64. A book with magic
_ 65. A book about prayer
_ 66. A book about marriage
_ 67. A book about a hobby
_ 68. A book of comics
_ 69. A book about the Second World War
_ 70. A book about sports
_ 71. A book by or about a pastor’s wife
_ 72. A book about suffering
_ 73. A book by your favorite author
_ 74. A book you have read before
_ 75. A book about homosexuality
_ 76. A Christian novel
_ 77. A book about psychology
_ 78. A book about the natural world
_ 79. A book by or about Charles Dickens
_ 80. A novel longer than 400 pages
_ 81. A historical book
_ 82. A book about the Bible
_ 83. A book about a country or city
_ 84. A book about astronomy
_ 85. A book with an ugly cover
_ 86. A book by or about a martyr
_ 87. A book by a woman conference speaker
_ 88. A book by or about the church fathers
_ 89. A book about language
_ 90. A book by or about a Russian
_ 91. A book about leadership
_ 92. A book about public speaking
_ 93. A book by Francis Schaeffer
_ 94. A book by a Presbyterian
_ 95. A book about science
_ 96. A book about revival
_ 97. A book about writing
_ 98. A book about evangelism
_ 99. A book about ancient history
_ 100. A book about preaching
_ 101. A book about the church
_ 102. A book about adoption
_ 103. A photo essay book
_ 104. A book written in the twentieth century

Extra Credit

_ 105. A book from a library
_ 106. A book about business
_ 107. A book by an author less than 30
_ 108. A book published by a UK-based publisher
_ 109. A book you borrow

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible