I wanted to share with you something else I've been doing this year.
I have embarked on a journey to read the Bible in a year. If you've never done this, I strongly encourage you to give it a try. Regardless of where you are in your own spiritual journey, I feel there is so much to learn from reading the story as a whole.
I did this once before a couple of years ago, and gained so much from the process.
Knowledge of God.
Seeing how He has woven certain themes throughout the Bible.
The spiritual growth from being in God's Word every day.
The last time I set out on this journey....it ended up taking me a year and a half to complete it. There were a few days that I skipped and some days where I wanted to go back and reread what I read the day before. But, still I persevered and was able to finish.
This year my church set out on Jan 1 together. We have a guide that we are following. I have made it all the way to Numbers!! Woo Hoo!!!
This is something that you can start at any time. You don't need to wait until Jan 1 to get started. Jump in today.
Some things that have helped me:
1. I do not read my daily reading in a Study Bible. I get too bogged down in the notes and it distracts me. Instead, after I'm done reading for the day if I have questions (I usually do) then and only then do I look at the notes in my Study Bible.
2. Before starting each book of the Bible, I read a summary of it in the book The Map: Making the Bible Meaningful, Accessible, Practical by Nick Page. It is a great resource tool.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is well worth the money spent. It was recommended to me this fall by Jen Hatmaker, who spoke at our church's Women's Retreat.
Each chapter includes a quick overview, details, puzzling points, graphics & much more.
3. A friend of mine is part of a group of bloggers all reading the Bible in a year. They've started a blog and one of them posts each day on that day's passage. It is encouraging to know others are with you on the journey and also to read their insights.
Check it out: 66 Books
If you decide to do this, let me know. Or if you've done this in the past and have anything you'd like to share that has helped you, please let me know in the comments.
3 comments:
You go girl! I've done this a couple times and love it. This year I started reading Chronologically which is new and different.
It's amazing that you can read a story or part of God's word that you've read before, but He'll give you new meaning to it to teach you new things!
May you continued to be blessed in your reading!
I am trying to do this too! I have never done it before but really want to this year. I'm doing the One Year Bible. I did not start on Jan. 1 but a couple of weeks late so I'm about a week behind but I know I will catch up. I'm also doing Esther (Beth Moore) with my church so that as caused me to get a little behind too. I am excited about doing it! I also heard about a Bible that is written in chronological order. I think that would be really neat.
I was about to comment about how I'm reading through the Bible in 90 days, but then I remembered I already told you that! I'm in 2 Samuel and I'm really enjoying it. I read about 15-17 chapters a day and it's been really good because I'm seeing how everything really is this big long story and how it all fits together. When I tried to read it over the course of a year I didn't read enough daily to really get the feel for the whole story.
I recommend trying the 90 day method to people who have tried to read it over the course of a year and failed, like me!
I also have a notebook and write questions or interesting things down as I read so that I can go back and further study it later.
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