Reading the Bible Chronologically

One Maxwell Leadership Bible

One cute journal

One chronological read-through plan

Six months time

+ Lots of pencils and pens               

a journey of love

Every time I read through the Bible, I am blown away by all of the new ways God speaks to my heart and life.  I remember when I first became a Christian that I didn’t get the whole “read the same book for your entire life.”  I am totally a check it off the list, achieve it, and move on type girl.  I legit voiced concern that I would get bored with re-reading the same book.  I love how God’s shown me that His word is living and active. Such a testimony to His truth and trustworthiness.

While going through these six months, in many ways, I held tight to the anchor of a steady, consistent plan.  The anchor that kept me still while everything else thrashed around in my world.  Outwardly I did not experience earth-shattering news like I did last fall, but I went there inwardly.  I intentionally opened cracks in walls for others to help tear them down and expose the core issues, the core roots.  In that same way, the stripping down gave a chance for some roots to go down deeper.  Lately my heart’s echo has been to “be unmovable and unshakable in You…so let my roots go down deep.  be like a tree planted by the streams of living water…”

There’s so much I could say about the journey this last six months.  I could let you know that I loved seeing how the stories weave together in the Old Testament and the intricacy is beautiful.  I could laugh about how at one point I was a week ahead on the plan because when you’ve read through in 90 days you know how to read and yet was three days behind at the end.  I could whisper my fears of not knowing what to do now that the plan is done.  Yet, that’s where I find myself in life right in this moment and it’s oddly fitting.  Because now that the plan ends, I get to settle into a few of the parts of the Bible that my heart needs to soak up.  I’m learning how to stay when all feels uncomfortable like rough sand whipping in the wind against my face.

But right there, with no plan really means I’m letting go with trust.  Trust that even though I’m letting go of it all over again (and will likely have to keep letting go) that I’m trusting God knows.  He sees my heart and knows me.  And besides, in all good stories the people who stay during the hard…they so appreciate the beauty when the desire blossoms with vibrant life.

what are you praying and believing for even in the hard and the unknown?

an update

One month left of reading through the bible chronologically and I’m still trudging along learning to persevere in the hard.  Knowing full well that this daily discipline keeps me grounded when all inside screams run.  I find myself cozied up with the gospels desperate for glimpses into Jesus’ heart.  I flip the pages through the hard love finding myself so eager to touch His robe to find healing in my own heart, in my story, in my broken places, in my messy.

Six months into this year focused on trust and I’m out for the count.  Flat on my back with no strength left in my limbs.  Deep in the valley of the desert where the storm rages yet water mocks my reaching hand.  You’ll find me there. Nothing left to give. Nothing left to say. Words hiding out along the corners of my mind taunting me with my story.  Deep in the dredges of my story, you’ll find me.  Frustrated with sharing and looking back, I flat out ask, “Why do we even look back? Aren’t we supposed to press on? Forget?” Eyes searching for an excuse to avoid and once again not even acknowledge the hurt.  I hear truth spoken back at my heart.  Sometimes things still affect us today.  Those places need healing so we can press forward.

So, where do I find myself?

Living out the mantra sometimes things get worse before they get better.  Sometimes to heal properly you need to break all over again.  To learn trust, you need to face the areas of mistrust.

When I am weak, He is strong.

woven in the flowers is my reminder:

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I can tell my story.

I can trust.

I can heal.

but not on my own. only through Christ.

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How’s your year going so far now that we’re at the halfway mark? Did you have a #oneword2011? Or any new year’s resolutions? Fill me in on how you’re doing =)

day 43

Can you believe it!? We’ve been reading the Bible in chronological order for 43 days!  I know I’ve said this to multiple people over and over but…I am loving it and I am LOVING my Leadership Bible. So good. So full of richness.  If you are looking for a new bible and like learning about leadership then I would highly suggest it!  Beyond that, I’ve been mulling over a few big themes.  Here’s my mini recap in bullets of the areas where God hit me over the head as I looked back (especially the very last bullet point…that’s my big takeaway so far):

• Listen to God’s instructions and store them in your heart
• God put man where He wanted him.
• God pours out blessings right from the start. God loves to bless us.
• Maintain big picture perspective and eternal perspective
• Women seem to be always suggesting and planning and meddling and taking things into their own hands and not waiting…
• God sees ME
• Protect your people
• God is better at providing for me than I am
• God says no to our foolish talk.
• Lots of grumbling, complaining and demanding keeps you in the desert and not in the Promised Land
• God provides more than enough.
• Gifts…with wisdom!
• God guided them directly and clearly.  He wants to instruct us.
• God did all this for your good…to do you good in the end.
• God is so so so giving.
• Remember what God has done.
• Obey. Heed His voice. Follow Fully. Do exactly what God says.Walk in the ways God has commanded. Walk in His ways and fear Him.  Believe and obey. Hold fast to Him. Do what is right in the sight of the Lord. Walk always in His ways. Diligently obey. The Word is near that you may do it. Walk it out despite adversity. Integrity. Character. Obedience is key.

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What has God been hitting you over the head with in your reading?

 

emotions…integrity like Job

“Job was a disciplined person, however. He lived his life from his character, not his emotions.”

“Leaders must model an anchored life, living from character, not emotions.”

My head is churning these phrases over and over.  Letting them brew and simmer in the parts of my heart that need to be refined.  They are from my lovely Leadership Bible and goodness they are doing a number on my head and mostly heart.  In terms of Myers Briggs, I’m an F(eeler).  I am intuitive and pick up on things otherwise unnoticed.  Though, granted, I have this not so happy tendency to ignore these warnings and well even mess up my “radar” when it comes to myself.  All of that to say, that I feel a lot.  While most people see vividly in pictures like they have a “movie going on in their heads”….I don’t really.  I feel. I see the words connected to it and if I want to picture something it takes a bit lot of effort.

Now, Job sure wasn’t shy about sharing His feelings.  He voiced them.  The Psalms are another example of being real and honest about what we’re going through and feeling.  BUT that does not by any means equal our feelings being in line with the Word of God.  Some feelings can be great: fierce love, compassion, empathy, mercy, grace.  Others not so much.  Our feelings need to be filtered and sifted.  If they don’t line up with the truth then out they go.

I think that’s my biggest takeaway so far from reading Job.  He was real about his feelings, but they did not effect his integrity or his character or his view of who God was.  He clung to the character and faithfulness of God.  He held onto integrity and did not “curse God and die.”

I want integrity like Job’s…to be an anchor, a rock, to be firmly planted.

stuck on el roi. #6mochro

Just sayin’ I don’t like any hashtags that go with the Bible in 6 months chronologically. They are either too long or have like chrono in them which just reminds me of robots and outerspace…not my thing.

Beyond that minor detail, I am so incredibly loving this read through this time.  I started out reading in my NLT bible and then my happy new Maxwell Leadership Bible (amazing by the way) came in the mail finally so I started re-reading the passages in there as well.  So, I am on track with the NLT and am at the beginning of Job in the other.  Going over the passages twice forces me to dig deeper and soak up the truth.

And here’s where I’m stuck…

El Roi. The God Who Sees.

Genesis 16:13 You are the God who sees me.

I am not forgotten.  I am not misplaced.  I am not set aside.  I am not tossed away.

He notices me. He loves everything I am.  He adores me.  He blesses me. His hand guides me.

He’s leaving me little love notes everywhere.  Sometimes I just need to open my eyes a little wider to find them.

 

So, how’s the read through or your own bible reading going for you!? Getting stuck on anything?

 

Bible. 6 months. Chronologically.

Hello January 15th 2011!! Today’s the first day of reading through the Bible chronologically in 6 months! I’m just a *bit* excited.  I hope your first day of reading (Genesis 1-7) went/is/will go exceptionally well!

As I read about Eden this morning, I couldn’t help but come back to these words that sparked the image above.  Going deeper.  Embarking on this journey and even while preparing for it, I found myself drawn to this idea of wanting to be like a tree in the garden so firmly planted in God.  Trusting fully. I want Him to turn my brokenness, my desert places into blossoming flowers.  To let the bright Son shine through the darkness.  Even to let the painful pruning process produce more fruit in my life (and no I did not try to add as many alliterations as possible there…but it’s kind of fun 😉 ).

And so, since I tend to complicate things, I’m going with the simple.  Soaking up God-truths so that I can grow deeper.

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Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. ~Ephesians 3:17

The godly have deep roots. ~Proverbs 12:3

They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. ~Jeremiah 17:18

It was strong and beautiful, with wide-spreading branches, for its roots went deep into abundant water. ~Ezekiel 31:7

The LORD will comfort Israel again and have pity on her ruins. Her desert will blossom like Eden, her barren wilderness like the garden of the LORD. Joy and gladness will be found there. Songs of thanksgiving will fill the air. ~Isaiah 51:3

I will be to Israel like a refreshing dew from heaven. Israel will blossom like the lily; it will send roots deep into the soil like the cedars in Lebanon. ~Hosea 14:5

They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. ~Psalm 1:3

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Here is the lovely code for the button above if you would like to use it.  Otherwise, feel free to copy/save the picture or make one of your own!

<p style=”text-align: center;”><a href=”https://bahava.wordpress.com/chronological/”><img title=”bible” src=”https://bahava.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/bible.jpg?w=300&#8243; alt=”” width=”211″ height=”164″ /></a></p>

Happy Reading!!

p.s. I’d love to hear what you thought about the first day of reading…leave me some comment love 🙂