Growing4Life 2026 Bible Challenge

Challenge Host: Growing4Life

Challenge Post: 2026 Growing4Life

Group Activity is on Facebook

January - December 2026

There is a reading schedule that is quite detailed, but, this is an abbreviated one. Essentially, she has you reading one chapter per week--multiple times per week. So Luke 1 would be read five to seven times, etc. The system is based on the MacArthur method which has you read each section thirty times. So for January according to the MacArthur system, you'd read Luke 1-4 thirty times. I'm leaning more towards the MacArthur method. But there's enough wiggle room in the challenge that everyone can do what works best for them. 

January	Luke 1-55
February	Luke 6-9
March	Luke 10-12
April	Colossians
May	1 John
June	2 John, 3 John, Jude
July	Psalms 19-23
August	Psalms 24-26
September	Luke 13-17
October	Luke 18-21
November	Luke 22-24
December	Psalms 27-30

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

78. Sea View Christmas

78. Sea View Christmas (On Devonshire Shores) Julie Klassen. 238 pages. [Source: Review copy] [4 stars, adult romance, christian romance, historical romance, christian fiction]

First sentence: Miss Sarah Summers sat on her neatly made bed, a treasure in each hand. In her left she held a letter from the man she'd been betrothed to before his death at sea more than three years before. In her right palm lay a dried thistle--stalk, spiny bulb, and purple flower crown--the symbol of Scotland. It had been given to her by a Scotsman who, despite her efforts to forget him, still occupied a large part of her thoughts...and, if she were honest with herself, her heart. 

Premise/plot: Miss Sarah Summers cannot forget Callum Henshall and his stepdaughter Effie. They were among the first boarders at her family's boarding house. It has been a good number of books--three? four?--since Sarah has last spoken with him face to face. BUT neither has forgotten the other. This Christmas season, Callum and his stepdaughter have returned to the boarding house...has he come to woo her and win her? Probably. Possibly. Maybe. Meanwhile, Georgiana, the youngest sports-minded sister, is having a strong flirtation of her own with Colin, a local young man who's just a few years older. Nothing definite happens between them too, but they have the feels for each other AND it's just a matter of time. Probably. Possibly.

My thoughts: I was sad to learn this is the last in the series. I really LOVED this series and wish it would continue for at least one or two more books. I think Georgiana could have used her own novel. There are a few stepdaughters that could use a novel perhaps. And though I can't recall her name--it's been four or five days since I finished the novel--the mother became guardian to one of the orphans in town. So the stories COULD have continued on. 

Julie Klassen is one of my favorite authors. I love this cozy series of romances. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Week in Review #48

This week's Bible reading

NASB 95 (audio, Bible in 90 days plan)

• Ezekiel 26-48
• Daniel
• Hoseas
• Joel
• Amos
• Obadiah
• Jonah
• Micah
• Nahum
• Habakkuk
• Zephaniah
• Haggai
• Zechariah
• Malachi
• Matthew 1-19

KJV (Paragraph 435e1b) 

• Psalms 116-150
• Proverbs
• Isaiah 50-66
• Jeremiah
• Lamentations

NASB 77 (Inductive Study Bible)

• Psalms 87-150
• Proverbs
• Ecclesiastes
• Song of Songs 

ESV Women's Study Bible

• Habakkuk 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

77. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

77. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Barbara Robinson. 1972. HarperCollins. 128 pages. [Source: Bought] [5 stars, realistic fiction, children's classic, children's book] 

The Herdmans were absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. They lied and stole and smoked cigars (even the girls) and talked dirty and hit little kids and cussed their teachers and took the name of the Lord in vain and set fire to Fred Shoemaker's old broken-down toolhouse.

Let me ask you a question. Who is the gospel for? Think about it if you want. I'll wait.

Is the gospel for people who have it all together, the people who are good and are always striving to do better, to do more?  Or is the gospel for people who don't have it all together, who don't have the answers, who don't even know that they need to be asking questions? Is the gospel for broken, messed-up, difficult-to-get-along-with people? Or is the gospel for people who aren't-all-that-bad-all-things-considered?

On one hand, The Best Christmas Pageant is a comedy through-and-through. It's narrated by a child who's been tormented by the Herdmans for years. And it captures all the reactions of a town to all the bad stuff the Herdmans do (and say). The narrative voice, for most of the book, is just hysterical.

On the other hand, The Best Christmas Pageant is a much-needed reminder of what Christmas is all about, of what the gospel is all about.

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 1 Timothy 1:15

And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:11-13 

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. Luke 19:10 

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever provides an inside-out look at the nativity story, and captures best why Christ came in the first place.

It is told from the "inside" Christian perspective, a Christian perspective with varying degrees of self-righteousness. That is some characters are presented as more self-righteous than others. But many characters are a bit blind. They have never thought of the gospel as being for the Herdmans. They see themselves as better--significantly better--than those Herdmans!

As if God's grace wouldn't dare include the Herdmans. Jesus die for the Herdmans????? You've got to be kidding, right???? Not them, Lord! Why, that's ridiculous. But the truth is, it's ridiculous for God to save any one of us. None of us--not one of us--merits God's salvation: his mercy and grace.

I liked seeing the Christmas story from a new angle.

They knew that Christmas was Jesus' birthday, but everything else was news to them--the shepherds, the Wise Men, the star, the stable, the crowded inn. It was hard to believe. At least, it was hard for me to believe--Alice Wendleken said she didn't have any trouble believing it. "How would they find out about the Christmas story?" she said. "They don't even know what a Bible is." (55) 

I couldn't believe it. Among other things, the Herdmans were famous for never sitting still and never paying attention to anyone--teachers, parents (their own or anybody else's), the truant officer, the police--yet here they were, eyes glued on my mother and taking in every word. (59) 

When we got home my father wanted to hear all about it. "Well," Mother said, "just suppose you had never heard the Christmas story, and didn't know anything about it, and then somebody told it to you. What would you think?" (68)

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Week in Review #47

Bible reading

NASB 95 

• Isaiah 7-66
• Jeremiah
• Lamentations
• Ezekiel 1-12

KJV

• Psalms 79-109
• 1 Kings
• 2 Kings
• Song of Songs
• Ecclesiastes
• Ezra
• Nehemiah
• Esther
• Isaiah 1-39

NASB 77

• Job
• Psalms 1-71

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

76. Everyday Gospel: Christmas

76. Everyday Gospel: Christmas Devotional. Paul David Tripp. 2025. 55 pages. [Source: Review copy] [4 stars, advent, Christmas devotional]

First sentence: I love Christmas.

Paul David Tripp has a devotional, Everyday Gospel. I read and reviewed it last year, I believe. (Whatever year it released is when I read it. I enjoyed it. I was happy to recommend it. I don't always recommend devotionals, mind you.) He has selected twenty-five readings to count down to Christmas that cover the WHOLE gospel story--with readings that cover Genesis to Revelation. (To clarify, there is not a reading from EVERY book of the Bible. But the readings cover ALL the highlights from both testaments so that if one was reading this one could get a grasp of the 'big picture' of what the Bible is about. It would be an appetizer perhaps for further exploration. 

Each reading and accompanying devotion POINTS TO CHRIST. It was compiled to help FAMILIES have a resource to point their children of all ages to JESUS AS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON. Less stuff, more Christ. 

Each devotion has a Scripture to be read, a devotion, a reflection with a question or two, and a prayer. There is substance in this one. IT is short. I'm not 100% convinced that you need this one in addition to Everyday Gospel--the 365 day devotional, but it is a nice bonus. Perhaps one could try this one and if they enjoy go out and seek the year-long devotional. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

75. Through Each Tomorrow

75. Through Each Tomorrow. Gabrielle Meyer. 2025. 384 pages. [Source: Library] [historical fiction, 4 stars, time slipping, christian fantasy]

First sentence: Hardship seemed my constant companion. The only difference was that in 1563, I had money and a title to overcome the difficulties life threw at me. 

Through Each Tomorrow features FOUR, yes, FOUR time-crossers. Charles (1560s and 1880s), Cecily (1560s, 1910s but she's deceased in her second time so she's stuck in Elizabethan England), Drew (1560s and 1880s) and Evelyn (1690s and 1880s). We get points of view from Cecily, Charles, and Drew. 

This novel is ALL about time-crossers crossing into each other. Charles and Drew occupy the same times and have become friends in both times. Drew falls for Charles' sister, Cecily. Charles falls for Drew's sister, Evelyn. I believe Charles and Cecily are step-siblings. Drew's sister Evelyn was adopted. There's plenty of complications mainly about CLASS and REPUTATION and snootiness. 

Charles is an Earl in his 1560s timeline; Charles and his sister are both in the royal court of Queen Elizabeth. In the 1880s, Charles is a poor farmer. He poses as an EARL to help out his friend, Drew/Andrew. In the 1560s storyline, Andrew/Drew is a poor nobody. In the 1880s he's studying to be a doctor AND the heir to a company. Charles wants Drew to play doctor in the 1560s in the royal court. 

I liked it well enough. I did. Not my favorite or best, but somewhat mostly interesting. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible