Resolutions Part 1

As I promised back at the beginning of January, I plan to blog about resolutions that I have made for 2011. I have divided them into various categories. Really they are goals that I have set for myself, but I am resolving to meet them, so I am calling them my New Year's Resolutions.

Part 1

Spiritual Goals

• I have two Bible reading goals. One is to complete the Read the Bible in 90 Days Challenge, and the other is to choose two books in the New Testament to study in-depth. I am currently on Day 18 (almost caught up to Day 19 which is where I should be today) of my first time through the Bible in 90 days. After I complete this reading, I plan to spend 3 months on Matthew, then re-read the Bible in 90 days, and then spend 3 months on another New Testament book (I haven't decided which one yet).
• I have found a great help to keeping up with the 90 Day Challenge. It is the free Bible app from LifeChurch.tv that is available on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. If you search the app store for Bible free, it is the first app that appears. This app offers a variety of reading plans, one of which is the 90 day reading plan. This app also offers the Bible in numerous translations. I mostly read in the English Standard Version, but I switch to other versions when I come to a passage that needs clarification. The best thing about this app is that once you choose the 90 Day Reading Plan, it keeps up with what you have read and checks off each chapter as you turn the page. It does use a live internet connection, so no matter which device you read on (if you have the app on more than one device), the check marks are always up to date.
• I have another app that I like to do my daily Bible reading on when I don't have a live internet connection or when I want to take notes or highlight verses. It is also free, and it is called the ESV Bible app by Crossway. This app downloads the entire Bible on your device, so you can read it at any time. If I read my Bible reading using this app, I later open the other Bible app and check off the chapters I read.
• My other spiritual goals include (1) jotting down all of the prayer requests that are mentioned at our church services as well as those that come through emails, in a new journal that I received as a Christmas gift. Then I use this journal to remind myself who I need to be praying for. (2) continuing to list 5 things that I am thankful for in another journal. I have done this off and on for 15 years now. Looking back over my thankful lists from years past serve as a sort of journal.

I am linking this post to Works For Me Wednesday. Please visit this site for more ideas on a variety of subjects.