If you are participating in the Bible in 90 Days challenge, today you are on Day 74 and should have read through the end of page 888 in the Bible in 90 Days Bible or through Luke 20:19. You’re in the New Testament!!

Today Sarah of Embracing Chaos shares from her experience in reading the Bible in 90 Days as a part of our online community. Sarah was a bit hesitant to outwardly join at first… Now I’d say she is definitely IN!

I came across this verse in Matthew:  “Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old” (verse 52).

“New treasures as well as old” that totally defines my experience of reading the Bible in 90 days.  I have found so many new treasures, but I have also been able to read over my old treasures, my favorites passages, verses, and stories of the Bible.  This whole experience has been so amazing and eye opening, but it has also made me step out in faith.

I don’t usually post about my faith, living in the small city that I do and with large a Baptist university in it, I know the negative stereotypes that are associated with Christians or believers in general.

I have been afraid of being totally real and honest in the internet world about my faith.  I haven’t wanted to be lumped with the negative stereotypes, but at the same time I feel so lacking compared to some that have such great faith.

The last couple of years have been really tough, I have been in a valley and felt so alone.

I have struggled to read my Bible daily and despite numerous attempts I have failed to establish a habit.

I had little faith that I would make it far in the 90 day challenge, but here I am on the home stretch, the New Testament.  In fact, I didn’t comment, blog or join the blog roll until almost 2 weeks after the reading began, I honestly didn’t think I would last a week.

But here I am, I have completed the whole Old Testament and making my way through the Gospels.  I am totally blown away.  As corny and overused as the phrase can be, I didn’t do this on my own, it is a total God thing. I know I could never have read this much without God’s leading and the accountability from my Twitter chats.  I have learned so much and though I haven’t understood everything, I now have a love for reading the Bible which I have never had. I have a whole list of things I want to learn about, and so far in Matthew, everything just makes so much more sense.  Oh yeah, and did you catch that I love reading the Bible? It isn’t just a list of rules or people who begot so-and-so, or a bunch of warnings, it is a story about us, about God, and love.

So, were there any others who were hesitant to join at first, or hesitant to admit that you were joining our group to read? How do you feel about it now?

And, of course, how is the reading coming for you? Are you on schedule? What did you think this week? And what did you think of Jack Modesett Jr.’s week 11 audio message?

Please leave a comment or a link to your own post below to let us know where you are in the reading and any observations you would like to share.

Then, please pick two or three other commenters and pray for them by name.

And, of course, don’t forget to join us for our Tweet-Up tonight from 8-9 CST. Just follow me and use the #B90Days hashtag.

***As I mentioned Friday, I am currently taking a Spring break from the internet, so tonight The Happy Housewife will be our hostess for the Tweet-Up. I know you’ll have great discussion without me and look forward to reading about when I am back online.

Okay, my friends, please link up and/ or comment away!

Powered by MckLinky

Click here to enter your link and view the entire list of entered links…

My children are on spring break this week.

My plan is to unplug from the internet for the week and plug into my family completely instead.  I will be continue reading my Bible each day and I have at least one guest SOAP lined up, but I will not be posting myself each day.

The Twitter party will be hosted by my dear sister-in-law, The Happy Housewife, and another fantastic guest check in post will publish Monday morning. So stick around if you like.

I’ll be back soon!

Happy Spring, my friends!

Day 71 of the Bible in 90 Days

Scripture:  Mark 4:15 (Actually the entire passage of Mark 4:13-20 struck me, but I’m only showing verse 15.)

Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.

Observation: Some people hear the word, but it doesn’t take root because Satan snatches is right back out of them.

Application: I don’t want that to happen to me or to any of our fellow Bible in 90 Day readers. I am going to do what I can to prevent that.

At the end, or near the end of our Bible in 90 Days reading time I will begin to share ideas and resources for continuing to grow in the Word.

(Note to readers: If you have any resources you would like for me to share or that you would like to guest post about, I’d love to know. Please send me an email or leave a comment. Together we will help our community continue growing in Christ.)

Prayer: Lord, as you know I have been thinking about and praying about the next steps after Bible in 90 Days for some time now. I want those who are reading with us to continue growing, and not let your love be like the seed thrown on the path. I want to help build even stronger foundations in those reading with me, that Satan may not steal their joy and their love for you.

Please, Lord, guide me in guiding those that need it so that we will all continue growing, learning and loving you. And help those who can help to step forward and share their ideas and resources as instructed by you.

Thank you, Lord, for this opportunity to serve in this way. And thank you for this reminder to begin cultivating more good soil.

Day 70 of the Bible in 90 Days

Scripture: Matthew 21: 21

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.

Observation: Jesus explained that with faith big feats can be accomplished, provided the faith is genuine.

Application: I hate to admit it, but sometimes in prayer I will say “Lord, if you can….” and have to stop myself.

The Lord can do anything… ability is not what holds up things from happening for the Lord.

I need to work on my faith and remember that He can do all. I need to ask in complete faith.

Prayer: Lord, please forgive me for holding back and even limiting you in my prayer requests.

Guide me in praying big, bold prayers…  and having faith in your answers and responses to my prayers.

Help me to be a better prayer warrior for those who ask me to pray for them.

Please guide me in serving you , and being used by you in ways that will continue to grow my faith and empower me as your servant.

Day 69 of the Bible in 90 Days

Scripture: Matthew 5: 33

“Again, you have heard that  it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’

Observation: It has been said to keep to your word.

Application: Um… I have a confession to make.

I love you, God. And I am sorry.

This week has been a bit draining on me and I did not get my reading in yesterday.

Although I know it is the WRONG way to do this. (I even typed a response to someone’s comment explaining this.) I decided that today I would skip yesterday’s reading for the moment. I would read today’s and journal about it so I could check it off my to-do list. The I would go back this afternoon and read yesterday’s.

Just to be clear: This is the WRONG way to read through the Bible in 90 Days. If I am going to do this properly, I need to read every word attentively in order and NOT skip around the Bible. When I signed on for this challenge I signed on to do it the right way.

This morning I tried to use the excuse that I had read the entire Bible, cover to cover in 90 days, several times already. So what is a little skipping here?

And then this verse hit me in the first minute of my reading.

Gulp.

He goes on to say to ‘let your yes be yes and your no be no.’ Okay, LIAR, LIAR, pants on fire! I was skipping and cheating… even if I was going to go back.

So, my Bible in 90 Days friends, I am sorry I was about to cheat.

And I am thankful that the Lord will forgive me.

And I will do all of yesterday’s reading before I jump back into today’s. Won’t you forgive me for being a liar, too?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for reminding me to stay true to my word always.

I am sorry I was about to change things up and not stick with my original commitment. I didn’t commit to 12 pages a day, but I did commit to the whole Bible, in order, within 90 days. And I was about to deviate from that.

Thanks for keeping me honest and not letting me ‘justify’ my change.

He there, my cyber-friends.

I’m having a rough morning. Would you please lift me up in prayer?

I’m sorry to be so mysterious. Although I write about a lot of deep stuff, I’m still pretty private, too.

So… please forgive me for not sharing more, but He knows. And I think He is telling me to humble myself and ask you to rally around me today. So if you get a minute, please do.

Thank you.

If you are participating in the Bible in 90 Days challenge, today you are on Day 67 and should have read through the end of page 805 in the Bible in 90 Days Bible or through Zechariah 10:12.

I hope you are doing well in your reading of the Bible in 90 Days. Having completed this challenge several times myself, I know what commitment it takes… and I also know the incredible reward of completing it.

If you are struggling, please know that I want to help you in any way I possibly can. Please share your concerns so that either I, or another reader, can help to encourage you or offer you solid advice.

As we are in the homestretch, it is increasingly important that I hear from Bible in Days participants in one way or another.

I need to clean up my list of participants, know who especially needs fervent prayer and begin to prepare the gifts I intend to share with each of you who completes the challenge. And I cannot do any of that unless I hear from you.

Please leave a comment or a link if you’re reading with us so I’ll know about you. And if you are a blogger, please ask those who are reading your blog if they might be participating and encourage them to check in here, as well. I want to be sure to give credit to all who are reading and completing the reading with us.

This week Teri Lynne Underwood of Pleasing to You is sharing what she has learned and how she has been transformed by reading the Bible in 90 Days with us…

When Amy first asked me about writing a post for the Bible in 90 Days blog, I said, “Sure.”  And then thought, “What on earth will I write about?”  But, as always, God was faithful to show me what to share and I do hope you will be encouraged by the lessons I have learned.  Amy, thank you, for letting me share just a little of my experience through this process.

I decided to do the Bible in 90 Days challenge right after Christmas.  My husband and I used the Gospel of Luke as our reading leading up to Christmas, one chapter a day.  I was amazed at how reading through the account of Christ’s life in preparation for celebrating His birth affected me.  So, I knew that reading the entire Bible as I prepared for Easter would be a powerful experience.  And, thus far, it has been just that.

Today, I am going to share four lessons I’ve learned through this process.

1. I’m more disciplined than I realized. For the past six years or so, I’ve been getting up between an hour and two hours before the rest of my family in order to spend time in Bible study and prayer.  I always say that my rule is, “I don’t speak to anyone until I’ve listened to the Lord.”   I hadn’t realized the impact this has in my life until doing this challenge.  So many others have been struggling to find the time to do the reading and that hasn’t been an issue for me.  I already was devoting the necessary time to the Lord.  {Now, lest you think I have it “together,” keep reading …}
2. I can’t do it all! I had the first three months of the year all planned out.  I was going to do the Bible in 90 Days challenge, teach through the book of Esther on my blog, teach a Bible study on James at a local church, study the Jewish feasts and prepare a series on that, write a devotion book with my husband to help raise funds for his mission trip this summer, and complete my book manuscript and proposal to take to She Speaks in July.  Guess what?  I haven’t done all of that!!  I have had to let some writing tasks go, change some self-imposed deadlines, and postpone study on other projects until after I finish this challenge.  And you know what?  THAT IS OKAY!    Another “mantra” of sorts in my life is “I will give up the good to live in the best.”   I knew that God had led me to this challenge and that His purpose for me at this time is to finish it.  Other things, even other good things, had to be set aside for this period.
3. I don’t like poetry! Getting through Psalms was arduous for me.  I was much happier in Leviticus.   Learning style and personal preference affect our time in the Word.  We like to stick to what we are comfortable with … that’s why so many people never read the Minor Prophets, I imagine.  But even though I felt like David was a way bigger whiner than Jeremiah in Lamentations, I read it all.  Because ALL of Scripture is useful … and the truth is, so much of life we do feel like we are attacked.  It’s good to know “heroes” in the Bible felt the same way.
4. I love the WHOLE of Scripture. For several years I have prayed for a passion for the Word of God … an insatiable longing for more time in and understanding of the Bible.  And God has faithfully answered that prayer.  But, my natural inclination is to spend days (even weeks!) on the study of one verse.  Doing this challenge has shown me that I love ALL of Scripture.   And I’ve seen how some of my favorite verses fit into the “big picture” which has opened my eyes to God at work in ways I never imagined.

Doing this challenge has been transformative in my life … but that’s God’s promise:    “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2a, emphasis added, NIV)

How is this process of engaging in God’s Word transforming you?

Please leave a comment or a link to your own post below to let us know where you are in the reading and also tell us how the experience has transformed you, if you would like to share.

Then, please pick two or three other commenters and pray for them by name.

Powered by MckLinky

Click here to enter your link and view the entire list of entered links…

And, of course, don’t forget to join us for our Tweet-Up tonight from 8-9 CST. Just follow me and use the #B90Days hashtag.

I don’t know about you, but I found the transition  into motherhood to be a bit more challenging than I had expected it to be and wished I had a mentor mom nearby to help me as I grew into becoming a mom. And still, even as my children grow, I love to hear stories from moms who have been there so that I can learn from their experience.

I think much of the wisdom from the moms who came before us is being lost. And I want to capture that to be shared with our generation and generations to come.

Around Mother’s Day I’ll be launching Real (Experienced) Moms, a weekly feature that will let all of us learn from the moms who have come before us and have raised children who are now grown. We will hear stories from moms and grandmothers, regular ladies just like you and me, and the lessons they have learned, the mistakes they made and the victories they have celebrated.

If you are a mom of with children at least 20 years of age, and would be willing to share your stories, I would love to hear from you.

And if you are a mom in the trenches, rearing newborns, toddlers, preschoolers, school-age children and/or teenagers, I’d love to hear from you, too. I know what I want to know, but I am curious to hear what you would like to know and what you  might ask a mentor mom who has ‘been there.’

Please contact me either if you are a Real (Experienced) Mom with stories to share or if you are a mom seeking that wisdom and experience. I’m looking for moms to interview and for the questions you want answered. Please fill me in on your perspective.

Day 64 of The Bible in 90 Days

Scripture: Hosea 10:13

But you have planted wickedness,

you have reaped evil,

you have eaten the fruit of deception.

Because you have depended on your own strength

and on your many warriors,

Observation: By relying on yourself, you have cultivated bad things.

Application: Do I go to God or rely on myself?

Sure, He gave me my brains, and a little bit of brawn, but if I don’t go to Him before I use those things and seek counsel, than I am destined to fail and to sin.
He wants me to go to Him and rely in Him first. And in so doing, I will not plant wickedness, reap evil or eat the fruit of deception. By seeking His will and guidance and not relying on my strength but His, much better things will happen.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this reminder to listen to you and seek your guidance. So often I want to solve my own problems and begin my ‘great’ ideas. If I would just stop, seek and listen, then I could truly follow your will, which is the best way. And then I would achieve true success: that which you have already set out for me.

Thank  you for this gentle reminder today, Lord.  Please guide me in seeking your will and relying on your strength, not my own.

Day 63 of the Bible in 90 Days

Scripture: Daniel 3:18

But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Observation: We hope and expect that God will rescue us. Even if He does not, we will still keep our faith in Him and worship Him.

Application: I hope that if placed in a similar situation I would remain strong and true to my Father, the one true God.

It amazes me how strong these three men were and how they explained that their faith would not be shaken even if things didn’t go the way they wanted…. right up to the pint of being thrown, bound, into a fiery furnace for not worshiping King Nebuchadnezzar.

Prayer: Lord, I ask you this morning to reach out to those who are especially hurting and wondering why they must face so much suffering. Give them an extra dose of love , peace and faith in you as they face the challenges which are in their lives. Guide them closer to you, even through their heartache or struggle, and help them to see you, even in the rain.

Lord, thank you for allowing me to live in a county where I can worship you freely, without any fear of punishment. Thank you for the countless blessings you give me.

Please use me how you see fit to share your love and your light with the those around me, near or far. And guide me as my faith grows.