So here goes. I am going to just list the various things that have come to my mind over the last 56 days. I am good at making lists! These items are in no particular order, and I am using a list to convey my thoughts so I won't have to wonder about sentence structure or if my thoughts are flowing in a readable manner.
- reading large portions of Scripture is easier than I thought. I get started, and the time just flies.
- making the time to read large portions of Scripture is easier than I thought.
- I find myself thinking about what I have recently read all throughout the day. I compare it to the summer that I read all 14 of Karen Kingsbury's Baxter family books. Whenever I had a spare moment, I was reading those books (this was before I had a blog or even read blogs, so I had time to read more books). I would stay up really late to finish a book, or just one more chapter. And then, all throughout the day when I was doing other things, I would find my thoughts wandering to the fictional Baxter family. Now it's that way with God's Word. I stay up late finish reading or reading ahead. I find my thoughts drifting again and again all throughout the day to God's Word and what I read that day. I think about my life and the constant choices I am making in light of Scripture. I am more deliberate about trying to live my life pleasing to the Lord. He is on my mind more and more.
- I am seeing the flow of the big picture of the Bible. Does that make sense? When I read the Psalms, I could visualize David as he wrote the ones he did, because I had just read about David's actual life. I could remember Saul chasing him....the Psalms came alive to me.
- I am discovering much repetition....like God telling the Israelites over, and over, and over (I highlighted these passages, and I have lost count of how many there are) again to obey His commands--to not turn to the right or left hand from them--that they would be blessed if they obeyed, and cursed if they did not, and the repeated themes in Proverbs. When you read something repeatedly, it sticks with you!
- The more I read, the more I realize how much I don't know! I have all kinds of questions for those whom I think are more knowledgeable about the Bible than me.
- I am already looking forward to reading through the Bible in 90 days again. Yes, I do plan to do this again after taking a 3 month break when I finish it this time.
- And most importantly of all--I have seen a huge change in my priorities. Reading God's Word has taken top priority in my daily life. It was not before. I would like to think that reading my Bible was my top priority each day, but in reality, until 50 or so days ago, it wasn't. I now schedule my day each and every day around my daily Bible reading. My first choice is to complete the reading as soon as I wake up each morning. I am allowing myself one hour for this, and if I sleep a little later than I planned, or I have interruptions from the children, then I will skip something else on my to do list for the morning--including running, in order to make sure that I get my Bible reading done. I then just shift everything else to later in the day. I will admit that previously I would have chosen to get my run in rather than my Bible reading.....I reasoned that I could read the Bible later in the day..and I could, but my priorities have changed. The Bible reading comes first. Some days I have to run in the late afternoons, but that's ok. I make sure that I set my alarm clock early enough to read before running. Even when I have to meet Lynn at 6:00 AM.On days that I don't get finished with the reading, then finishing the reading is my first priority when I get in bed at night or even sometime in the day when I have a little bit of down time. I reach for my iPad to read the rest of the day's reading or even read ahead when I have extra time like waiting for the children to complete piano lessons.
- I find myself seeing the people in the Bible as more real. Of course I know that they were real people, people just like me with hopes and dreams, sorrow and joy, work to do, and people to love...but now, they just seem more real. That may not make sense, but it is something that I have noticed.
So there it is! The list of observations about reading the Bible all the way through in 90 days. I challenge and encourage you to try it if you never have.
It will change your life.
I am so glad you posted this. I have heard others say they couldn't read the Bible in 90 days because it would be just reading, they wouldn't get anything out of that. What you posted makes since. It is great to hear the difference it is making in the life of someone who is actually doing it. You have encouraged me to give it a try.
ReplyDeleteOops, sense. I can spell I just can't type!
ReplyDeleteI just told someone the other day that I think I want to do this. There is a group that is going to do it together again starting in July. I was afraid to do it this time, because I just thought that it would run through the Bible way too quickly to soak it in, but you and others seem to be getting a lot out of the experience despite the fast pace, so I'm really considering it.
ReplyDeleteI'm thankful for all that God has been showing you through this commitment to study His Word. Thanks for sharing. I have read the entire Bible but not in less than a year yet. My husband Derek listened to the whole New Testament once on a road trip and said it was really helpful to hear it all in a short time.
ReplyDeleteI'm so thrilled for you! I'm having a similar sort of revelation memorizing Colossians this year. When I was single I spent lots of time memorizing Scripture on my own. Since I've had children, I've focused on helping my kids to learn Scripture and I memorize along with them. I'm loving memorizing Colossians on my own. I find myself meditating on the verses throughout the day (I'm compulsive that way : ) like the summer I learned to type and found myself typign every thought :). We are studying Hosea right now in CBS and I'm amazed at how relevant Colossians has been!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to start the 90 day cycle again the beginning of May. I did exactly what you're doing last year- twice. So this year I want to go for three times : ).
Celee