Bible in 90 Days - Checkin' In!

We've made it through 28 days!  I'm thankful that we haven't fallen behind yet, but I see those days coming, so I've just started trying to read ahead.  I have a crazy busy week this week, being at camp 4 days, and know that some days will be hard to get the reading done.

I have always found the last few chapters of II Kings to be so depressing and sad.  All that was prophesied comes true...King Nebuchadnezzar ruins Jerusalem, takes everyone captive, and takes everything of value that King Solomon had spent years accumulating.  This disaster befalls Jerusalem because of sin and disobedience toward God.

It has really made me think this week of the ways that I do not listen, and it makes me every thankful of the grace of Jesus Christ to cover my sin!

Thank you Jesus!!

Bible in 90 Days 2012 - Week 1 Highlight

We have completed Week 1 of our Bible in 90 Days journey!  Husband and I encouraged each other through our daily readings and had some great discussions.

We've read through Genesis and Exodus!!  Of course there are many great things that we could discuss through these first two books, but the story that continues to cross my mind is the beautiful love affair of Jacob and Rachel as told in Genesis Chapter 29.  It may have been love at first site for Jacob, and he is willing to work for her father for 7 years to gain her as his wife.  But her father, Laban sends Leah to marry Jacob instead of Rachel.  Still so in love with Rachel, he takes her also as his wife and works another 7 years in exchange for her.

Now THAT is awesome!  I so admire that dedication and commitment to her.

This past weekend Husband and I returned to the top of the St Louis Arch, the scene of the crime where He first told me he loved me over 15 years ago.  It was a scene just like this, where He turned and looked at me and uttered those most amazing words! (Thanks to our girls for this photo!)

I pray the commitment of Jacob to Rachel continues to be a great example for all of us in our marriages!

Today is the Day! Bible in 90 Days Begins!

TODAY IS THE DAY!!

Husband and I are jumping in with both feet to join over 200 other people to read the Bible in 90 Days!  I'm super excited to be on this adventure once again, and even more excited that Husband is going to join me.  I am looking forward to some great discussions as we read through together. 

It's not too late to join us!  There is even a Facebook page all set up to help encourage and inspire one another as we head through a bible reading summer!  You've got 99 days to get it completed, from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Head over to Teri Lynn's blog if you are interested in signing up for the adventure!!  We'd love to have you join us!!

Join With Some Amazing Women in Reading Your Bible

I am very excited to once again be embarking on the adventure of reading the Bible in 90 Days!!  It takes some discipline, yes, but YOU CAN DO THIS!  I am the worst at self-discipline, and I was able to do it a couple of years ago.  I was richly blessed in so many ways.

You won't be reading it all with the intention of grasping the deep, spiritual meaning.  You'll be reading with the intent of reading from cover to cover, being soaked in God's Word each and every day, allow the Holy Spirit to seep into your life on a daily basis.

You will want to study certain things that you come across, it's only natural!!  But you just can't!  You must resist.  You might write them down to come back to another time, but your mission is to finish the reading each day.  It took me, on average, about 40-50 minutes each day.  I took my bible EVERYWHERE I went.  I read whenever I had a few moments.

I challenge you to join me!  There are over 110 women signed up to participate.  We are starting on Memorial Day and going through Labor Day.  If you are counting, that is actually 99 days.  Summer is a little crazy sometimes, so this gives you a few extra days [just in case]!

Head on over to my friend Teri Lynn's blog and let her know "you are in"!  She'll get you invited to the Facebook page, where we will encourage one another to keep going!!  You don't have to be a blogger to participate, just a believer!!

I hope to see your name on the Facebook page!!

I DID IT! I Read the Entire Bible in 90 Days!

I DID IT!

I read the entire bible in 90 days!

Can you tell that I am really excited?  When I started out on this journey in January, my thoughts were that I would try it, and if I wasn't successful I would just try a different time.  Well God  just kept calling me back to his Word each and every day.  Never was I more than 2 days behind, and that just happened while on Spring Break vacation!  It certainly helps that my kids are in school, and that during the winter I tend to hibernate, so finding the time to read wasn't as hard as some people have.

I must admit, when I first started seeing people on Twitter talking about this program, I thought they were all crazy!  The task sounds impossible!  But then I kept seeing people "graduating" from the program!  They were really doing it.  It was not unattainable.  So after I watched several classes float through Twitter, I decided it was finally time for me to take the plunge.  I have to admit that God pierced my heart more than once when I was considering the task.  He never let me down throughout the whole process.  I was amazed at how much I wanted to read!  It was like getting sucked into a great novel!

The whole Bible story is so much more cohesive now and many of the details in the New Testament make so much more sense!  Getting the rich history of the Old Testament makes reading the New Testament a whole new adventure.

I have told so many people about this program, and interestingly enough, they usually look at me like I am crazy!  I can't argue with them, as I once thought the same thing.  But then I describe the richness that I obtained from reading, and they become more intrigued.  I have to recommend doing it!  The program over at Moms Toolbox helps make the journey so much easier with accountability and encouragement from others.  The next program starts Monday, July 11th.  Can I challenge you to go sign up and do it!!?!  You will be so happy that you did.

I want to give my THANKS to Amy over at Moms Toolbox for all the work she puts into each and every class.  She does this several times a year!  Outstanding job, Amy!

Are You a Good Listener?

Many times when friends are having a hard time we may try to encourage them to talk it out by lending a listening ear.  We may even tell them, "I am a good listener."

Listening takes practice.  We need to hear the details, be empathetic, not interrupt, and be patient.

Are you a good listener when God speaks?  The book of Jeremiah is a history of God's people not listening.  Jeremiah is constantly delivering bad news to the Israelites as they continue to ignore God.  He warns of destruction and chaos.  Instead of listening and taking heed, they want to throw him in prison or kill him.  Talk about shooting the messenger!

Do we do the same thing when God speaks?  If He says something we don't want to hear, do we ignore it, put it in a box and store it, or go the opposite direction?

Something to think about.....how might our lives be different if we obey what we hear from God?

"I know the plans I have for you," 

declares the Lord, 

"plans to prosper you 

and not to harm you, 

plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

Song of Solomon-What's That About?

So we're cruising through the Bible and we've survived chapter upon chapter of blood shed, we wade through an entire book telling us that life is meaningless and then we stumble upon a book all about sexual attraction.  Confused?  Me too!

This book just comes out of nowhere, making it very difficult to switch gears after feeling depressed about our meaningless lives!  Even crazier is the fact that Solomon wrote both of them!  Boy were his emotions all over the board.  Now that I can relate to!

Honestly I needed to do some background research on this one.  As before, I reached for my handy Zondervan Handbook To The Bible for help.  I found that it is easier to read this book like a dance between a man and a woman when they realize they are attracted to each other.  They go through the stages of anticipating, looking, finding, consummation and commitment.  It reads like a conversation between the two of them.  They exchange compliments back and forth to each other, but in phrasing and allegories that are lost on us!  Here are a few things I found helpful in understanding this conversation:

1. If you keep in mind how you felt physically when you started dating, this might help you get into the mindset of these two young new lovers.  Tingly inside, sweaty palms, blushing, can't stand to be away from each other kind of feeling.
2. When you begin to fall in love, your eyes see only beauty and perfection, thus the descriptive sections scattered throughout about various body parts.
3. The "garden" described is an euphemism for the "private parts".  When they are described as locked, or a secret garden, it is an indication of virginity.
4. Mandrakes (7:13) were thought to have aphrodisiac powers.
5. The seal in Ch8:6 indicates a charm engraved with the lover's name to be worn like a necklace close to the heart to show possession and devotion.
6. In current English, the ending would read "and they lived happily ever after"!

Bible in 90 Days - Weekly Review

This week was a crazy journey through the wicked and upright Kings of Judah and Israel.  It was sad to see that the wicked Kings were in far greater numbers than those who were seeking God.  Of the 38 Kings listed, 19 for each kingdom, only 10 were found to be righteous before the Lord.

As I read the account of King Hezekiah in II Chronicles 29, I found myself immersed in the richness of the story and I was cheering from the sidelines for all he was to accomplish in turning the hearts of Judah back to God.  He went back to the Book of Law and began reinstating every command given to the Israelites.  I was hopeful that finally God's kingdom would be at peace again after finding their way back to him.  For 29 years he worked to return the people to righteousness.

As I turned the page to chapter 33, I wasn't two verses in before seeing that Hezekiah's son, Manasseh did evil in the eyes of the Lord.  WHAT?  The story doesn't say he slipped a little, it goes on to say he sacrificed his sons in the fire, practiced sorcery, divination and witchcraft.  I was blown away. How could father and son be so different?  What went wrong?  We can certainly speculate from our perspective, but we may never know.

I continued doing some research through my Zondervan Handbook of the Bible and found another archaeological find that confirms more of the authenticity of the bible.  In II Kings 18 and II Chronicles 32, while Hezekiah is King, Sennacherib, the King of Assyria threatens to invade Jerusalem.  King Hezekiah and Isaiah cried out in prayer and the troops of Assyria scattered and never entered Jerusalem.  A tablet called the "Taylor Prism" was found in the ruins of Nineveh in 1830 that gives an account from King Sennacherib of this very battle.  But of course, he doesn't admit that he was defeated by the God of Israel!  The King's records never told of anything bad or any defeats in battle.

I hope those who are participating are keeping up with their reading.  I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed reading this history.  I found this verse to be very encouraging:

"The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth 

to strengthen those whose hearts 

are fully committed to him." 

II Chronicles 16:9

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Bible in 90 Days - Weekly Review

As I have been reading this week I have been fascinated by the continued building that goes on in the Old Testament that is of immense grandeur.  Remembering that they do not have modern day machines and tools, I cannot imagine how this was ever done.  I have found myself wondering why God gave such detailed descriptions in I Kings 7, (and later in II Chronicles) of the dimensions and supplies used for the building of the Temple.

I have also been studying along with this book:

 It is broken into books and gives some history behind many of the chapters.  As I was studying for I and II Kings, I came across an article written about the archaeological digs happening in the biblical lost city of Hazor, which is where Solomon's temple was built.  I decided to dig a little deeper and found an amazing website about all kinds of Biblical Archaeology.  It fascinates me that so many details about Old Testament cities and stories are constantly being found under layers of dirt and ash, and thousands of different civilizations.

So back to my question about all those details!  Can you believe as archaeologists have uncovered these hidden cities that they are easier to identify because of the exact measurements given in the Bible?  God knows that we continue to doubt, and these finds are constant reminders of the truth of biblical history.

Just recently information was released about the very first evidence of the City of David.

"The House of David Inscription (also known as the “Tel Dan Inscription”) was discovered in 1994 during excavations at the ancient city of Dan. It is considered by many to be the first reference to the "House of David" discovered outside the biblical text.

The House of David Inscription appears to be a fragment of a victory monument erected by a king of Damascus (Aram) during the 9th century BC, some 250 years after King David’s reign. The fragment specifically mentions victories over a “king of Israel” (probably Joram) and a king of the “House of David” (probably Ahaziah). 

The House of David Inscription (Tel Dan Inscription) currently resides in the Israel Museum, Jerusalem."(source: AllAboutArchaeology.org)

 Is it just me, or does that not just totally ignite your faith?  As we read through the Old Testament, sometimes it is easy to get bogged down in all the tiny details that may seem insignificant in our current times, but you can see how they help prove over and over again that the Bible is true and accurate.  God is ALL ABOUT being in the details!

I hope if you are on this journey with me, that you continue to plow through the Bible and are not giving up.  I am confident that you will be richly blessed by this effort!  I know I have been!!

Reading Choice for Bible in 90 Days

As you know, I am reading through the Bible in 90 days with a group of over 700 people over at Mom's Toolbox.  When I decided to finally take this challenge, I really struggled deciding what Bible I wanted to use for the reading.

My Bible is worn and has notes taken on the pages all the way through.  It is also a study bible, which means it has loads of cross-references and study notes at the bottom of each page.  I have been known to get off on a hunt through scripture by chasing those cross-references, finding wonderful things to study, but then forgetting what got me to that place to begin with!

I honestly thought the official Bible in 90 Days was probably just for a money making idea, and it wouldn't be any different than reading through my own Bible.  I decided to take the chance and found one Ebay, so I ordered it.  I am sure glad I did!

I have found that reading the official Bible for the challenge has the days marked out for me, so that helps me know just how much farther I need to read.  I also like that the typeface is larger, so is a little easier to read.  Because there are very few notes, I can't get lost following all those cross-references, and I have found that I am able to read it more like a novel, which I am really enjoying.

Whatever Bible you choose to read doesn't really matter, just be sure to READ IT!

Bible in 90 Days - Week 2

We have completed week two, and I am right on target.  I must admit, I was really afraid to start this challenge because I felt I was going to fail.  But these last two weeks, I look forward to the reading each day.  The history of God's people is amazing.  Here are some of the highlights of my reading this week of Leviticus through Deuteronomy 23:11:

•  I found that reading through the history requires a Master's in Genealogy, as the family lines are constantly referred to.  I couldn't keep up with who people were, so I stopped my reading mid-week so I could write out the family tree of Abraham and all of the descendants.  Not sure where my brain was, because then I went to search it on the internet and found a lovely chart at Wikipedia. I am a visual learner, so this really helped me.
• Leviticus is full of every kind of offering to the Lord: trespass, guilt, sin, peace.  Each one required the slaughter of animals.  Hard to read page after page.
• In chapter 10 we witness the deaths of Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu by a consuming fire of God.  The two sons had offered an unauthorized fire before the Lord contrary to his command.  The seriousness of God's commands becomes very apparent through these books as God does not allow for these kinds of mistakes.  Several other examples are given of life being taken for disobedience to God's commands.  It made me realize once again that our world does not take sin seriously. 
• I love seeing through the beginning chapters of Numbers that God is in the details.  He gives instructions even for how the camp should be set up and where each tribe is to settle.  He meticulously counts the members of each tribe to determine their numbers of fighting men.
• I love Numbers chapter 22 when God allows the donkey to speak to Balaam as he was trying to thwart God's commands.  What I found funny was that there is no indication of Balaam's reaction to the donkey turning his head around and talking to him, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?"  Balaam just answers the donkey as if he were talking to a human being!  I was amused.

I hope if you are reading the Bible in 90 Days that you won't give up.  It is easy to catch up if you are just a few days behind.  I've found at least one day a week when I can read more than the requirement so that I can stay just a bit ahead, just in case I run into one of those days that I can't get the reading done.

I have been so blessed, and I am thankful that God seems to be calling me to him each day to sink deeper into his Word and find Him there in new ways each day.

Be sure to check back with me again next Monday for this weeks reading recap.

Bible in 90 Days - First Week of Reading

 

The first week of reading the Bible in 90 days is complete, and I am thrilled to say that I am right on target and have actually read one day ahead for those inevitable days that don't go as planned!  I have really enjoyed reading Genesis and Exodus as a whole to really be able to appreciate the history that began there.  When reading our bibles, sometimes the familiar can be skimmed over and we forget that God has something new for us each time we read.  Here are a few things that really came to light for me this week:

• Genesis 1:26 quotes God saying, "Let US make man in OUR image, in OUR likeness..."  As believers I think we forget that Jesus did not just come on the scene when he was born in Bethlehem!  He has been with God for all of eternity.  Here we see God use the plural term for His trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit as being present during the creation.  Reference John 1:1-2 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning."  Remember the Word is another name for Jesus.

• The crazy relationships between people always astounds me when I read the Old Testament.  So many wives, concubines, and children.  The family tree is a mess!  Do you have a list of things you'd like to ask God when you get to heaven?  Add this one!

•  Through the reading of the history of the nation of Israel, I am always astounded at their stubborness to truly surrender to God and follow Him.  It seems they couldn't remember the awesome things that they had just seen: the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, the manna from heaven, water coming out of rocks, God speaking on the mountain, the pillar of cloud and fire to guide them.  The same thing will occur when Jesus begins his ministry.  His own people, the Jews, couldn't see Him for who He really is.  As I have run this through my mind all week, I have realized that we are no different.  God refers to the Israelites as stiff-necked people.  Upon pondering, I am sure that this generation is even worse.  We have removed God from our schools and public places, God's name is constantly defiled, everyone chooses for themselves what is right and wrong, we consider homosexuality and gay marriage as a person's legal right, society kills thousands upon thousands of unborn babies each year through abortion.  I could go on and on, but reviewing our society's wickedness is depressing.  All I can say is that I was very humbled this week and changed my attitude of arrogance toward the Israelites to kinship, because following God isn't easy, even when He blesses us beyond our imagination.

• The history through Leviticus is a bloody mess.  I always pictured the Tent of Meeting to be a beautiful place of worship and atonement.  It certainly is a place of atonement, but it is covered in blood and guts from every kind of animal imaginable.  I don't know how I missed this before, but this is another great discovery that can only be found by reading it all together as a whole.  The penalty for sin is death and bloodshed.  The tent was filled with it day and night and it seems the Priest's job was anything from glamorous and this service was their calling from God.  Reading through this history makes the bloodshed of Christ all the more precious because He took the place of death for me and made himself the sacrifice for my sin.

I must confess that I will be happy to be done with the book of Leviticus, as it is making me queasy!  I hope those who are reading are being blessed and will continue the challenge.  I'd love to hear your thoughts about what the Lord has spoken to you through this week's readings.