A new year is always exciting for a reader. We re-evaluate all we want to read and make lists of the books we'd like to add to our TBR's.
This coming year I have a few reading goals I'd like to accomplish.
Firstly I'm setting my annual goodreads goal to reading 50 books once again this year.
I've also started a book Instagram, you can check it out here... Cathy@Thoughts on Books
I'd love for you to come by and follow and talk books!
Secondly, I'd really like to get to some of the books on my shelves that I've had for years, books like Francis Schaeffer's trilogy.
Thirdly, I would like to read a few more classics than I did this past year,
These are the 6 classics I read in 2020:
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Evelina by Frances Burney
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
Les Miserables and Evelina were my favorites. : )
This past December, I so enjoyed Paul David Tripp's advent devotional, so I've decided to pick up his yearly devotional called 'New Morning Mercies.' So far I'm really enjoying it!
I would also like to continue with my Bible reading. I read my Bible one book at a time, usually reading a chapter in a sitting. Then studying what stood out to me. Such as looking up a word I didn't understand or looking up a passage in a commentary. (I use Matthew Henry's commentary) I also like to go back and forth from the New to Old Testament books. Right now I'm reading the book of Joshua and finding it really interesting.
Here's some encouraging and sobering words from Joshua 24:14-15
“Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD!
And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were
on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose
land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
One more goal of mine for 2021 is the try to memorize more Scripture. I believe it's important to hide it in our hearts, especially in the days we are living in.
"Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You." Psalm 119:11
This is the first verse I've memorized this year:
"...faith comes from hearing, and hearing comes from the word of God." Romans 10:17
I think this verse is fitting for a year of memorization!
God bless and I hope you all have a year filled with the peace and joy of the LORD.
I've read four of these classics! I have not read The Imitation of Christ or Evelina. Les Miserables is a favorite of mine, too.
ReplyDeleteOur church has a Bible reading plan that covers five chapters a week and switches back and forth from Old to New Testament. We discuss what we read for the week each Sunday morning. It takes about 4 1/2 years to work through the whole Bible that way. At first I was trying to add that in with my own read-through. But I eventually just went with the church's program. I am using the ESV Study Bible and Warren Wiersbe's commentaries--I had picked up several of his on sale for the Kindle for a dollar or two, but just started using them last year.
I need to do more Bible memory.
Reading the Bible with your church sounds great! I've heard good things about Warren Wiersbe's studies. I will have to look into them. I also google online John MacArthur's study notes from his sermons.They help a lot! : )
DeleteI'm always looking for new bloggers who read the classics (w/ a biblical worldview is nice, too). This year I am planning to read Les Mis for the first time. It's good to know that I have yet to find anyone who does not like it. Usually they love it.
ReplyDeleteYou will enjoy Les Mis! Ir's such a wonderful redemptive story. Thanks for stopping by Ruth!
DeleteThank you for the book suggestions. I love to read as well and will have to check some of them out!
ReplyDeleteLes Mis is one of my favorites. Thanks for sharing these suggestions. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you too!
DeleteI love your reading goals. I've set my Goodreads goal to only 20, but that's still a bit of a challenge for me. As for your Bible reading, I am so glad you're moving through the Bible slowly but steadily.
ReplyDeleteI think of my Bible reading as ongoing, never-ending. No pressure to finish at any set time, just keep reading, learning and enjoying! Thanks for stopping by Astrid!
Deletegreat goals for the new year. I may need to jot down a book goal too, as I have a stack of books I really want to read. I love the devotional book, New Mercies too. My husband uses it often and has found it to be very Christ-centered.
ReplyDeleteThe devotional has been excellent so far! Glad you are enjoying it as well.
Delete50 books is a great goal. I'm following you on Instagram so I can see what you're reading and follow along. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the follow! Glad you stopped by Carrie. : )
DeleteI need to start reading more books :) I will look into your suggestions.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Claire!
DeleteThank you for sharing with us at Embracing Home and Family! Reading goals sound like such a good idea!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Jenn!
DeleteLove the idea of setting reading goals!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Lauren!
Delete