What a life changing experience this has been. When I set out to read the Bible in 90 days, I wanted to accomplish a goal: reading through the entire Bible from cover to cover. However, in the meantime, I have also developed a habit that I have been feeling a deep desire to maintain - daily Bible reading.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who has felt some measure of guilt for not “being in The Word” as often as I’d like. To tell you the truth, before this challenge, my Bible reading times had been few and far between. It didn’t help that I KNEW I should be reading my Bible and allowing God to speak to me. I heard it from the well-intentioned older ladies at Bible Study on Thursday mornings, and I always thought, “Oh, sure! You have all kinds of time to read your Bible, but my life is very busy.”

Plus, I’d feel a little defensive. Hey, look, I already listen to Christian radio, go to MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), go to Ladies Bible Study, attend a small group, plus there is church and Sunday school . . . I’m doing enough!! God IS speaking to me!!

And yet . . .

What I’m learning lately is that yes, God can and does speak to me through people and activities that are centered on Him, HOWEVER, my own personal time with God, through reading HIS WORD, has been so much more valuable and focused. I am gaining so much more. My heart is so full. My thoughts are so centered. My mind is engaged in learning about the Lord and his promises and his love and his plan for me.

It makes me feel like shouting from the rooftops! WE NEED to be in God’s Word! We need to be reading the Bible daily!

I gotta tell you that part of me is saying “Yikes!” I don’t want to be one of those pushy gals who heaps the guilt upon those of you who have felt the burden to be reading the Bible daily. I don’t want to heap the guilt.

I do want to reassure you that reading through the Bible is really not such a daunting, lofty, “pedestal” goal that is difficult to achieve. It pains me that I bought into that lie for such a long time. I’m a reader, and yet I didn’t take the time to read the #1 Bestseller of all time.

Reading through your Bible is something that you can do! I’m doing it!!

I’m a teeny bit behind the group, however I plan to be all caught up (in Acts 16) before I go to sleep tonight. I have no doubt that I will make it, because I LOVE reading Acts!! What a story! I remember reading through Acts during one of my Bible classes (NT Lit) in college, and I’m tempted to take out a map and draw lines the way we did back then. So exciting!!!!

If you have been feeling the prompting of The Lord to read through your Bible from cover to cover, I highly encourage you to join up with us when we begin reading again on January 3rd. Part of me says, “Why wait until January!?! I want to do it again right away!” However, I’m actually excited that we are waiting a little bit in between sessions because I want to study some of what I have read. I want to grab commentaries and Bible dictionaries and dig deep! I’m so excited about this!!

Anyway, be thinking and praying about it, will you?? I’d love to have you join us!

Also, please pray for me as I finish up my 90 day challenge. Specifically: that I would continue to devote the time needed to sit and read and that I would hear God speaking to me and then apply it to my life.

Thanks so much for your prayers!

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