Tuesday, January 7, 2020

simply Tuesday


I am excited about my day today!  I have an appointment to have my eyes checked, and I will be getting some new glasses to wear.  I love getting new glasses, especially ones that work.  The last couple of weeks, the ones I'm currently using haven't been great. 

Also, I'm spending time with my mom-in-love today.  I'll pick her up after my eye appointment, and we plan on lunching and shopping.  I need some hand soap for the guys bathroom upstairs, so hopefully this will include a trip to Home Goods.  I love days like this, days when I get in some good quality time with the people I love.  We made these plans a few weeks ago, and I know she is looking forward to it as much as I am.  Aside from these things, that's about it for this day.  Noah works tonight, so we'll probably get pizza for dinner, because we get it half off the regular price. 

I thought I'd also share a little about my quiet time lately.  For 2020, I am reading through the bible again in chronological order.  My church offers a class you can attend for bible study each Wednesday night, but because I'm leading a small group for another bible study, I won't be able to attend most of those.  I do plan on joining in when I'm in between these other bible studies I help lead. 

The reason I say all that is to say that I believe that doing such things, like attending a bible study, is really good for accountability reasons.  All too often, in my personal life, if I don't have accountability, I can fall away from a reading plan, or a study.  The smaller group settings always provide an environment that fosters friendship and doing life alongside other women.  It also helps when listening to others share.  I think all of these things are faith building. 

In reading the bible each morning, and in this way, I know from past experience that though the reading is easy for now, there will come a day when it's harder to read and to understand.  But even when it gets like that, it is so important to stick with the plan.  Sometimes we just have to muddle through, and that is okay.  Also, I am an avid reader and note taker, and it is almost impossible for me to read the bible without taking exhaustive notes.  I've been praying about this, though, because I can also be legalistic about this, and I've asked God to not let that hinder me from reading in His word.  That means, some days I will take a lot of notes, and other days, like today, I will not.  The point is not my notes; the purpose in reading the word of God is to know Him more.

This is all hard for me.  The not being legalistic about things.  I've prayed about it so many times, though, and I keep on asking the Lord to help me with it all each morning.  I hope to not have to miss days doing this each week.  I know some days will be busy, but I'll have time at some point in the day, I know, to remain current each day.  I also know from experience in reading the bible in this way that if I miss too many days in a row, it is hard to catch up again.  I always prefer to do this in the mornings, but any time in the day in the word is better than no time that day. 

So those are my intentions in reading the bible this year.  I think it also helps to have a plan, and if you don't have one, I would encourage you to find one.  There are a million ways you could read, but one way is one chapter a day for five days a week.  Read that chapter and then write about it to summarize or focus on one verse that jumps out to you.  My pastor is doing this by starting in Genesis and Psalm.  So each day he will read a chapter in each until he makes his way through the old testament.  Last year we did this method with the new testament and we finished the week of Christmas. 

Reading the bible is crucial for those of us who are believers in and followers of Jesus.  The bible contains everything we need, and it tells us all about who He is.  And right up there with reading the bible is prayer.  I always have to pray before I read, because so many times, I have to ask the Lord to give me wisdom on what I'm reading. 

Tell me what your bible reading plan is this year, I'd love to hear!

And thank you for reading my blog.  Love to all!

3 comments:

Tanya said...

I am doing the chronological reading plan on the bible app. And I'm going to get my eyes checked this week too! Have a terrific Tuesday!

Arrica said...

I'm doing Chronological bible reading this year. I like to make a summary of what I've read too!!🙂

Jennifer Goodwin said...

That is so awesome that you're both doing the chronological bible reading plan! I love talking about this with people, it helps to give me accountability, which is why I share about it every so often. Thanks for taking the time to comment!

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