The Plan, Part A

My plan for this year is a little scary. I almost don't want to share it for fear of failure. But, it needs to be shared. I need the accountability and, hopefully, it will challenge you. Yes, you!

My plan is the read through the Bible in a year. This will be my 5th time. I have upcoming surgeries and everything, but I want to set this plan. Actually, I have already started it.

Growing up, I never thought that I could read through the Bible. I thought that it was something for old, scholarly, super spiritual people. Too intimidating. So, I just scratched it off my list. I had read through many books of the Bible, been in many Bible studies, and had memorized many verses, but had never read through the whole Bible. There was also that factor of, well, boredom. What if I fell asleep while reading through the Old Testament?

Then, I went to Korea. I taught at a school in one city and served at a church far, far away. It was at this far, far away church that I was challenged to read through the Bible. The students (elementary and junior high) were taking the challenge. As a teacher there, I had to. It was exactly what I needed! We alternated between the Old Testament and New Testament. Following the goal that we had set, we read through the Bible in two years. It was a lot of reading each week but it was so exciting! Yes, exciting!

A lot of things happened after this. I entered graduate school in Korea, met my husband, got married,  moved back to the States, taught at an elementary school, had one, two, three children, ministry, do I have to say more? Those were busy, busy years. I continued to do Q.T. and read different books of the Bible, but never the whole Bible.

Then, something began to grow in me: the desire to read through the Bible again. I had felt this desire before but this time it was much stronger. I think my husband was pushing me also. He is a pastor, you know.

Finally, I set it in my heart to read. I had read through the NIV translation in Korea, so this time I wanted to read a different translation. I got a NASB study Bible, but I needed a structure to follow. People, I am not ashamed to say that I need structure. Luckily, the new Bible had a Bible reading plan. It went through the Bible in chronological order. I typed out the plan, printed it out, and was ready to go.

This is what I did when reading through the Bible:

• (2008) Wrote down a lot of notes as I read. 

• (2009) Wrote general thoughts and applications on the passages.

• (2010) Checked off my reading, no notes, and did Q.T. in a different passage. Finished in January of 2011.

• (2011) Well, I took the year off knowing that I would be going to Korea and having a crazy schedule. Also, I was exhausted. Completely exhausted.

The picture at the top of this post shows the notes that I kept from my readings. Having a paper that I had to write in every day kept me on my toes. Of course, there were days that I missed the reading and had to read double on other days. I am human. At the end of each year, I never had regrets of reading through the Bible.

Think about reading through the Bible. Chew on the idea. Let it digest. Then, come back tomorrow.

to be continued...