For the past two years in January I have compiled my hopeful reading list for the upcoming year. Every year, after about March, I discover that I am reading different books than I have planned. My eyes have never met some of the pages of my books. In the past I felt guilty and disappointed for not having read some of the books I had intended to. I felt silly that I could not read 10 pages per day of this book, or 25 of another. I realize every February that I am getting wore out and not even processing the books that I am reading. I quit enjoying it an it becomes a labor; and unfruitful one at that. So, by March I start reading the way I should have in January and February. This year instead of being dumb in January I am going to make a list of the books I hope to read, take my time, read at a pace that I can process and learn, and enjoy everything I read. I usually read about 5 books at a time (sometimes more, but usually 5 is what I can handle and still process everything). I will break everything up into 5 categories: Puritan, Pastoral, Devotional, Biographical, and Theological.

Biographical books are usually easier to read and I go through them faster. So, I will have 8 or 10 of those. Devotional books are what I consider "Christian Living" books, these usually are not difficult to read but if they are to sink deep they would require a little time to chew on. Therefore, I will have about 6 to 8 of these. Theological books are very meaty and take a long time to read and chew on. They are usually longer in length. I will attempt to read 3 or 4 of these. Puritans are sometimes tough to read; sometimes easy to read; sometimes nearly impossible to read; all the while extremely worthwhile to read. I have a lofty goal this year of reading 12 Puritan Paperbacks (usually about 150-200 pages). Pastoral works usually need to be read over a few times and spaced out over time to process everything. I will attempt to read 5 or 6 of these this year.

Also, some of the books are a continuance from this year.

Puritan:

Finish Owen's Overcoming Sin and Temptation
Finish Letters of Samuel Rutherford

1. The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes
2. The Doctrine of Repentance by Thomas Watson
3. A Sure Guide to Heaven by Joseph Alleine
4. The Art of Prophesying by William Perkins
5. Learning in Christ's School by Ralph Venning
6. The Christian's Great Interest by William Guthrie
7. The True Bounds of Christian Freedom by Samuel Bolton
8. The Godly Man's Pictrue by Thomas Watson
9. Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices by Thomas Brooks
10. Gospel Fear by Jeremiah Burroughs
11. The Acceptable Sacrifice by John Bunyan
12. The Anatomy of Secret Sins by Obadiah Sedgwick
13. Christ's Last Disclosure of Himself by William Greenhill
14. The Mystery of Providence by John Flavel

Biographical/Historical:

Finish A Pastor's Sketches by Ichabod Spencer

1. Spurgeon by Arnold Dallimore
2. Foundations of Grace (Vol. 1) by Steven Lawson
3. 2000 Years of Christ Power by N.R. Needham
4. Jonathan Edwards: Evangelist by John Gerstner
5. Welsey and the Men Who Followed by Iain Murray
6. John Newton: From Disgrace to Amazing Grace by Jonathan Aitken
7. The Rise and Fall of the English Puritans by John Brown
8. Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God by David McCasland
9. By His Grace and For His Glory by Tom Nettles

Pastoral:

1. The Gospel and Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever
2. Preaching Christ from All of Scripture by Edmund Clowney
3. The Cross and Christian Ministry by D.A. Carson
4. Basic Greek and Exegesis by Richard Ramsay
5. The Christian Pastor's Manual compiled by John Brown
6. Christ-Centered Preaching by Bryan Chapell (Re-Read)

Devotional:

1. Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges
2. For Us and Our Salvation by Stephen Nichols
3. When Sinners Say I Do by Dave Harvey
4. The Cross of Christ by John R.W. Stott
5. Humility by C.J. Mahaney
6. Loved by God by R.C. Sproul
7. What Jesus Demands from the World by John Piper
8. The Gospel for Real Life by Jerry Bridges

Theological:

1. Early Christian Doctrines by J.N.D. Kelley
2. God's Passion for His Glory by John Piper
3. The Justification of God by John Piper
4. A New Testament Theology by George Ladd
5. An Old Testament Theology by Bruce Waltke