Since reading the book Radical (see my post on this book here) and several other events, I have been convicted that I have never read the entire Bible. Oh, but have I attempted! It's the usual new year's resolution until I get to about Leviticus and decide that reading the Bible, much less in year, is just too lofty a task. Sound familiar?
Well, all excuses aside, this time is it! I have prayed over this decision and am now 100% committed. I have put off every excuse that I have used before, and there are lots, and am counting them all as loss compared to knowing Jesus, my Lord and Savior, through reading of His Word (Phil 3:8). I started the last week in July, so hopefully by our anniversary next year it will be complete! Cole is doing it with me too. With any commitment of this nature I need accountability and encouragement, and he is so great at that! After looking at1,000,000 a few plans, we decided that the ESV Bible Reading Plan fits us best.
On that note I guess I should give you my updated reading list:
1. Heaven is For Real
2. And the Shofar Blew by Francine Rivers
3. Radical by David Platt
4. The Moon and the Mango Tree by Pamela Ewen
5. What Did You Expect? by Paul David Tripp
6. Desiring God by John Piper
7. Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper
8. The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis (on book 4 of 7)
9. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
10. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
11. Peace Child by Don Richardson
12. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (just got it from the library so this is my next one!)
13. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman
14. Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon
15. Operation World
And now... 16. The Bible.
I can't believe I read this many books on a regular basis, but have never completed the Bible?!
Operation World is a prayer guide that gives you all the information to pray specifically and intentionally for a nation of the world each day. Cole and I want to mimic God's passion for the nations and develop a deeper burden for the lost people around the world. We believe that prayer can impact the nations for Christ, so we want to be a praying unit that pleads before God on behalf of the church, the lost, and the poor. We want to pray boldly for the purposes of God to be accomplished. We want to believe that God answers big prayers and see them be answered. We want to be sensitive to the Spirit's calling on our lives as we pray for the world. This book has been instrumental so far in helping us do that! Click here for their website where you can order the book or sign-up to receive daily emails. I encourage you to check it out!
So, The Bible and Operation World are both books that will be on my list for at least a year!
One of the books of the Bible I am reading this week is Luke, and I came upon an account of one of my favorite Bible stories. It is the story of the sinful woman with the alabaster jar. You can read the account in Luke 7:36-39, Matthew 26:6-13, and in John 12:1-8. This sinful woman takes oil in an alabaster jar and pours it over Jesus' body, washes his feet with her tears, and wipes his feet with her hair. This oil was special and only used for solemn acts of pure devotion and would have cost nearly a year's worth of wages. The disciples see this as a waste, but Jesus calls it a "beautiful thing". I love this woman's undivided devotion to Jesus as she bows to Him in awe and thankfulness. May I not forget to sit at the feet of Jesus and truly worship Him for who He is as I take on the task of reading through the Bible. May I be like the lady with the alabaster jar, knowing that I do not deserve Him, be able to feel the presence of God and honor Him.
Well, all excuses aside, this time is it! I have prayed over this decision and am now 100% committed. I have put off every excuse that I have used before, and there are lots, and am counting them all as loss compared to knowing Jesus, my Lord and Savior, through reading of His Word (Phil 3:8). I started the last week in July, so hopefully by our anniversary next year it will be complete! Cole is doing it with me too. With any commitment of this nature I need accountability and encouragement, and he is so great at that! After looking at
On that note I guess I should give you my updated reading list:
5. What Did You Expect? by Paul David Tripp
6. Desiring God by John Piper
7. Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper
8. The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis (on book 4 of 7)
9. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
11. Peace Child by Don Richardson
12. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (just got it from the library so this is my next one!)
13. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman
14. Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon
15. Operation World
And now... 16. The Bible.
I can't believe I read this many books on a regular basis, but have never completed the Bible?!
Operation World is a prayer guide that gives you all the information to pray specifically and intentionally for a nation of the world each day. Cole and I want to mimic God's passion for the nations and develop a deeper burden for the lost people around the world. We believe that prayer can impact the nations for Christ, so we want to be a praying unit that pleads before God on behalf of the church, the lost, and the poor. We want to pray boldly for the purposes of God to be accomplished. We want to believe that God answers big prayers and see them be answered. We want to be sensitive to the Spirit's calling on our lives as we pray for the world. This book has been instrumental so far in helping us do that! Click here for their website where you can order the book or sign-up to receive daily emails. I encourage you to check it out!
One of the books of the Bible I am reading this week is Luke, and I came upon an account of one of my favorite Bible stories. It is the story of the sinful woman with the alabaster jar. You can read the account in Luke 7:36-39, Matthew 26:6-13, and in John 12:1-8. This sinful woman takes oil in an alabaster jar and pours it over Jesus' body, washes his feet with her tears, and wipes his feet with her hair. This oil was special and only used for solemn acts of pure devotion and would have cost nearly a year's worth of wages. The disciples see this as a waste, but Jesus calls it a "beautiful thing". I love this woman's undivided devotion to Jesus as she bows to Him in awe and thankfulness. May I not forget to sit at the feet of Jesus and truly worship Him for who He is as I take on the task of reading through the Bible. May I be like the lady with the alabaster jar, knowing that I do not deserve Him, be able to feel the presence of God and honor Him.
You are such an encouragement to all of us!
ReplyDeleteIt's such a crazy thought to me as well- i read (many of the books on your list) sooo often, and i read my bible. but more bite sized and haven't really tackled the whole of it. crying shame. i think that must be on my list of things to do asap.