I am all about reading challenges.
There's something highly motivating about committing to an official challenge. It forces you to read just a bit more diversely and a bit more passionately.
In recent years, I've done Tim Challies' Christian Reading Challenge. I've also borrowed from Mrs. Darcy's Reading Challenge.
But I've never found a solid reading challenge for Christian youth — those of us in our teens and twenties.
So I created one.
I've included 12 categories (a book a month) with an example for each one. These are the categories:
- A novel.
- A book about prayer.
- A book about romantic relationships.
- A book about friendship.
- A book about theology.
- A book about technology.
- A book about the church.
- A book about humility.
- A biography.
- A book about culture.
- A book your parents or pastor recommend.
- A book more than 100 years old.
However, I'm hoping to read a lot more than 12 books this year (I'm actually aiming for 104), so I've adapted Tim Challies' 2018 Reading Challenge to fit my goals. (You can see my adapted version here.)
C.H. Spurgeon said:
“The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains, proves that he has no brains of his own.”
Christians need to be reading people. So whether you take this challenge or another challenge or do your own thing this year, I hope you read more books than you ever have. I hope you read better books than you ever have. I hope you find more joy and growth in reading than you ever have.