The Bible in a Year

My friend Katie and I were determined to read through the Bible cover to cover this year. We started last January and I remember looking at the monumental task by holding in-between my fingers the few pages we had read and seeing the giant bulk of pages left to read. We sometimes wondered if we were going to be able to do it. Those questions were very frequent while plowing through Leviticus, Deuteronomy and Isaiah...and some other books of the Old Testament. I have already vowed that the cover to cover idea might be a once in a lifetime experience, but I will continue to wash myself with His Word each year by some other type of "bible in a year" plan.

It was difficult to stay on top of it. We tried to get through 3-4 chapters a night. Doesn't seem too difficult in and of its own, but much of the spring and summer we were involved in multiple other studies as well. We studied Philippians, (I actually studied it three times just this year!), and did a Beth Moore study "Jesus, the One and Only" which had us reading a lot in the gospels (of course). Northbrook Church spent much of the past summer/fall in a series "Being a Christian in a Non-Christian World" and covered I Corinthians in that. In SaLT we spent time learning all about Peter from the New Testament writings. It's been a busy and very productive year for me from the study point of it. At times I did feel overwhelmed, which is why I didn't worry too much about studying Philippians three times! (Never had any more new material to have to read! LOL)

It was very easy at times to fall a bit behind but we were able to make a lot of ground on a trip to Ohio by listening to the Bible on Cd. If you have never done it, I highly, highly recommend listening to Max Maclean read it. He reads with great inflection and can capture the "character". I still shiver when I remember how he sounded when he read "I am Legion!". THAT was scary! It sounded verrrrry demonic! Anyway, Max Maclean got us through the book of Job on that trip to Ohio. He also helped us out when we felt more like listening than reading...but 98% of the time Katie and I traded off reading it aloud to one another, and it has been a worthwhile journey.

Oh, another comment...there is something really special about reading the Word out loud too. Can't explain it, but it just comes more alive...at least for me.

Tonight we will continue on in James! Whew! Made it this far! James was one of my first studies ever with the pastor at First Baptist Church in Marshalltown, IA. My singles group studied it. I miss that singles group, even though I was the oldest, well...besides Pastor. It was mostly comprised of the older high school youths and the college kids. There was one girl, Darci, she and I hit it off well. She wasn't in school and was trying to make a life for herself through Christ. She had a voice on her! WOW! She can sing! I was moved to tears by her singing because her voice was so soft, yet mighty, and she carried herself with such confidence. She told stories with her interpretations and inflections in the music. It was so beautiful. Hmmmmmmmm, wonder if she ever does anything with that? I know she's a songwriter too...I have the CD the youth made a couple years ago. I should try looking her up...wonder if she'll even remember me?

Well, that's about all on bible study. Still going through with the commitment to finish in a year, cover to cover, God's Word. Any recommendations on a good "One Year Bible"? 2003 is right around the corner!