This is it! THIS is the week that you can look back and say you've made it 1/3 of the way through! For those of you doing this for the first time, can you believe it? Can you believe how much of the Old Testament you have already tackled? Granted, you may have more questions than EVER at this point, but that is OK!!!!
I personally get excited during this particular week of the challenge. This is about the time the first time reading that I finally realized how possible it was to stick with it. My confidence grew tremendously during this week. The habit had been formed! In subsequent readings, I love getting to this week because I know that it gets a bit easier from here out. It's like there is a little switch that happens in my head that gives me a boost EVERY time. We are almost through the hardest part of the Old Testament.
I continue to pray for each of you OFTEN. I'm still amazed with how much God is blessing each of you EVEN THROUGH very hard times. From your comments and emails, I know that God is at work. I know that some of you are struggling because you are behind or that God hasn't answered prayers in ways that your heart desires. I urge you to not give up on either one! Just STICK with it! Keep reading and keep praying.
I admit that I had a rough week and have felt a ding or two in my "armor", but at the same time I've felt God so close and so faithful. Sometimes we get hard news or those we love make decisions that break our hearts. It's out of our control, but God is STILL near. Even through loss, stress, and heartache...HE IS CONSTANT!
I had hoped to contact each of you personally this week, but to be honest time slipped away. I battled insomnia over the last two weeks and running on an hour or two of sleep a night somewhat put me out of focus. (OK, my husband is probably laughing his head off at that. Let me rephrase that....I didn't know whether I was coming or going many days!!!). Fortunately, the battle seems to be over and the last 3 nights I've had wonderful, deep, refreshing sleep. For those of you that I haven't contacted yet, I WILL! I'm slowly working through the list and have about 25 of you left. I basically just want to give each of you personal encouragement!
Here we go with this week! If you want to check out the tools mentioned in previous weeks on MomsToolbox (specifically Ted Cooper's You are Here in the Bible)...the link is here.
Monday: 1 Chronicles 1:1 through 1 Chronicles 9:44
Tuesday: 1 Chronicles 10:1 through 1 Chronicles 23:32
Wednesday: 1 Chronicles 24:1 through 2 Chronicles 7:10
Thursday: 2 Chronicles 7:11 through 2 Chronicles 23:15
Friday: 2 Chronicles 23:16 through 2 Chronicles 35:15
Saturday: 2 Chronicles 35:16 through Ezra 10:44
Sunday: Nehemiah 1:1 through Nehemiah 13:14
I look forward to hearing from you! Have a FANTASTIC week! May God pour out blessings in amazing new ways and pull you closer to Him than ever before!
21 comments:
I am trying to make up for being way behind in my reading to be one of the first to check in! To say I've had a stressful few weeks is putting it mildly--and last night was the worst night I've had in a while as far as not sleeping. Physically tired, but unable to turn my thoughts off enough to let go, I guess. Even read and journaled in the middle of the night, but to no avail! I'm HOPING to start catching up soon.
You ladies who are caught up, keep up the good work!
I am really happy to be able to report that I am right on track. The reason that makes me so happy is that I have been reading every day. Last time, I managed to get ahead early on, so even if I was on track, I was not necessarily reading every day. What I am loving about this time, is that reading every day in this focused way really helps me to keep my eyes on Him, to remain mindful of Him throughout my day, even in the midst of trials and difficult, stressful times.
I hope that all of you are finding the same encouragement. Even if you are behind, developing the habit of reading every day really is priceless.
One other thing I have learned is that even a few minutes of reading snatched here and there really add up. When I tried B90 before, I was trying to do all of the day's reading at one time. If I got behind, I was trying to read even more than the average daily assignment, still all in one sitting. This time around, however, I have learned that a few minutes while I have my coffee, or a few minutes while I am waiting for a meeting to start, things like that, throughout the day, all add up, so if I have not completed the reading by the end of the day, I don't have much to finish. Maybe all of you had that figured out already, but it has been a good reminder for me that just a few minutes several times a day can really add up.
I am enjoying the reading! Amazing how much you can learn or relearn when you are focused on your reading time. I also read whenever I can squeeze in a moment. Sometimes I can get it done all in one sitting, and other times it works better to read it throughout the day.
I hope everyone had a blessed week!
I am on track, praise the Lord! I am doing the same as the other ladies who have posted and stealing ten minutes here and fifteen minutes there when I can. It adds up, so I am really pleased with my progress and learning so much!
Please pray for me tomorrow as I start my first day back in the working world after being a stay at home mom since my daughter was born two years ago. I would appreciate it!
Hi. This is Sam from Korea.
I am on track with the reading. I am currently reading 1 Chronicles 7. I got a little behind and had to read for about 2 hours each day for 2 days.
The Lunar New Year holiday was last week, plus I decided to leave my church and find a new church, BUT then I decided to stay at my current church ALTHOUGH I am still praying about the same issues regarding my church, the pastor, and my family. To put it simply, it was a very stressful week.
Whenever you remember, please say a pray er for my church, my pastor, and my family. Please pray that my family and my pastor will glorify God instead of glorifying people. Thank you.
LORD GOD, I pray for Robin. She is starting her first day back at work. Please help her to adjust well. LORD, help her to shine the light of Your love to her co-workers. Please be with her family as well, oh LORD, as Robin goes back to work. LORD, I pray also for all of our group members. Please bless them and love them through Your Word. I pray for our group members who are caring for physically ill family members. Please grant healing, physical restoration and strength to the physically ill family members. I ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
I'm here too! And praise the Lord, I am still on track. Amazing, really, considering all that is going on. Hard to believe that we are so far along already--somehow it still feels like we just started! So much appreciate your encouragement and prayers, Tracye. Truly it is because I know you are praying for our success that helps me to stick with it--especially those days when it seems impossible to find/make the time.
Hi Tracye, Thanks for your prayers this week! I am on track, but there are some days when I just wish I had more time to delve into what I'm reading and cross reference these heroes and others that God used in the history of the Israelites.
Well, our little boy has been incredibly sick for 2 weeks, and my mom, who is battling recurring breast cancer, had yet another surgery during that time. To say that these past couple of weeks has been stressful is putting it lightly! However, I only got 3 days behind and was able to catch up by 2 days last night. So now I'm only one day behind, but I refuse to give up!
Thanks Tracye for all of your prayers and support for our group!
Checking in, and I'm all caught up today. I'm so glad I'm in this group! I love how caring everyone is. ~Debbie
Woefully behind, but still plugging. Keep us all in your prayers. My brother starts chemo this week.
Behind but gettin' closer each day! :) Finished 1 Kings today but not giving up! Gonna catch up by the time y'all get to Psalms! LOL
So excited to hear from each of you to know how you are doing! For those of you that have mentioned specific needs: I've made notes and will be praying for you. From new jobs, sick family members, church issues, physical exhaustion...praying for each of you. So proud of each of you that are gaining ground from being behind. Again, thank you for being so supportive of each other!
I am checking in and right on track! I've been able to read each day's assignment on the actual day, so I'm pretty pleased (and surprised) this is really happening. I usually read every morning, and I can truthfully say I have felt the impact of scripture on my attitude and energy every day. It is good to be "mulling over" the passage all day long. It has also been fun because my son's history curriculum is almost in sync with our reading schedule, so I get to add to his material and his lessons enhance my readings. So cool. I love that even though God never changes, he never gets old or boring either. We can meet him in a fresh way every time we read the Bible.
I'm on track. Chronicles is hard to read, but I look forward to what is coming afterwards.
First, I would like to thank all of you for your continued prayers for me and my family. I am so very grateful and I want each of you to know that I pray for you as well. I am still a little behind this week, but I am not disappointed in myself because at this time I am also serving God by serving my family's needs. This past week we received some extremely startling and very unexpected and unforeseen news regarding my daughter's health. While the doctors believe it is unlikely, they have not completely ruled out a form of cancer. Please lift her up in prayer believing in God's miracles that this is not cancer and that God will heal her health and body!!! Please also pray for God's miracle that He will completely heal my mother as well and that she will live cancer free. Please continue to pray for my daughter, my mom, my grandma, and me and my entire family. Please continue to pray for God's healing, health and restoration. You have no idea how much I sincerely appreciate all of your prayers!
Mary L., I am so sorry to hear of your brother's cancer diagnosis. I pray for him and for your family. Last week you mentioned the specific type of cancer he was diagnosed with - that was the same diagnosis my mother received once again. I pray for your brother, his health, and his healing, and that God gives each of you strength, hope and miracles every single day.
Tracye, thank you so much for your continued prayers and for your very kind and compassionate email. Your prayers and kindness are deeply and greatly appreciated. I want you to know that I pray for you and your family as well.
Sam, thank you so much for your continued prayers as well. I am extremely grateful and so appreciative. I continue to pray for you, your church, your pastor, and your family and am I joining with you in prayer believing for God's glorification.
Robin, I am praying for you and your family as you begin your new job tomorrow. May you feel God's peace in this new transition and may you and your family receive His continued love, guidance and comfort throughout each day.
Charlene, congratulations on keeping with your commitment to reading through the Bible. Regardless of where you are in the reading, any progress you have made and are making, is progress and a means in which to draw closer to God through His Word. He loves you just as you are right where you are and He will bless you and your effort.
Tristine, I am praying for your little boy's health, your mom's health, and for you and your family as well. I pray that God heal's your mom's body and restores her health and that the recurring breast cancer is gone! God is a God of miracles, and I am believing for your family to receive His gift of miraculous health and healing!
Abundant Blessings to each of you in our group! You are each very much appreciated!
Right on track. Thank you, Tracye, for your prayers and encouragement!
Late checking in but on track!
Late checking in, but on track. going to read tofay's reading now!
I'm out of town and having a hard time getting online. I am sorry for checking in late, but I am on track and hoping to stay that way in spite of vacation. :)
Still here..have had the flu, but I'm keeping on keeping on. :)
I completely forgot to check in this week, and I am 4 days behind. Sigh. Well, I'll just keep going! I will catch up eventually. Either way, God is faithful to me.
~Angela K.
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