The Bible in One Year

At the end of each year, I try to look forward to the year ahead and find one thing I'd like to improve on for myself. I try not to see it as a New Year's resolution (who ever has any luck with those anyway?) but more of a goal of how I'd want to find myself at the end of that next year. Last year I decided I wanted to be able to read through the entire Bible in 2015. Over the past several years, learning and growing and knowing what Christ is to me, I've understood the importance of spending time in His word. It was easy for me to consider Sunday mornings, Bible studies, mom groups and all the other opportunities in church, my "time with God". But I knew I needed something more, something different. For a long time I've wanted to establish a consistent "quite time". I'd tried in the past, but it seemed with having babies still waking in the middle of the night, a routine never was able to get established. Well, 2015 was the year. I was ready and focused on making it work.

I knew that the time of day that would prove most successful for me would be early in the morning, before my family was awake. It wasn't always pretty. There were mornings I'd find my eyes heavy as I stare at my screen reading the same line over and over. But it didn't take long for me to realize that this, this 5:30 am wake up call with a fresh cup of coffee, a cozy blanket, quiet house and the word of God was the best part of my day. I can say that confidently, because the mornings I slept through my alarm and had to fit in and hurry through my reading, I wasn't at my best. I wasn't at my best as a wife, as a mom, as a woman. When I started my days early, quiet and slow, it helped to me prepare and absorb my day and what I would encounter throughout it.

If you've been wanting to create a quiet space to read, meditate, pray, just be with God, I'd encourage you give this a shot. I signed up for my daily Bible reading and commentary through The Bible in One Year. First decide what environment you'd need to create to have the best chance at making this happen. For me that was early in the morning. The best chance of getting me out of bed was knowing that a fresh pot of coffee was prepped and ready for me to enjoy it. Also, maybe even more important, know that the enemy will do anything to keep you from spending time with God. For me that meant, on those mornings when my alarm would go off and the first thing to pop into my head was an excuse to why I shouldn't need to get up, I knew that was the enemy. I allowed my God to be stronger than the enemy simply by getting my feet on the floor.

I also realized early in the year that really, this wouldn't be something that I would get to today, December 31, 2015, and be able to just close the book. I want this to continue to be part of my daily life and I will continue to look forward to my early, quiet mornings. If you think this is something you want to try, or maybe there is something else you have in mind, shoot me a message. I'd love to pray for and encourage you as you look forward to the year ahead!

From the commentary of Nicky Gumble at www.thebibleinoneyear.org,  

"The Bible is one long invitation to come to Jesus. In him, you find the meaning and purpose of your life. Part of that purpose is to invite others to come, so that they too will find refreshment and fulfillment in the water of life that Jesus pours out on all who come to him."

"Lord, thank you that one day I will drink the water of life to my hearts’ content. Thank you that I will see you face to face and I will reign with you forever and ever. Come, Lord Jesus."