Hey there, friends!

Monday is almost here! Expect your first readings in your inbox first thing Monday morning. 

I’ve already started reading so that I can guide you all through the process. So far it is taking me about 12-15 minutes to read each day. This is with an audio bible on 1.25x speed - which is a normal reading pace. 

Let’s talk about a few things that are important to succeed in reading.

#1 You aren’t supposed to understand everything

You will be reading several chapters. If there are things that you don’t understand, that’s okay. If this is your first time reading through the Bible, you may have many questions. Hang in there. You will quickly begin to connect dots and understand more as you read. The goal isn’t to understand everything right now. The goal is to get through the storyline of the scripture. When you go back and read next year, you will be able to fill in many more blanks. Think of it like watching a mystery movie for the first time. You have many questions, and few answers. But, you hang in until the end and many questions get answered. When you sit down and watch the movie again, you see a lot of clues and details that you missed the first time. Now that you know the ending, you can go back and fill in missing pieces. 

#2 Pursue some of your questions

With that said, it is always a good thing to pick a few threads to follow. If you have a question that is burning inside you, pursue it and see what you find. Look in a study bible or commentary to see what it says. Maybe watch a sermon from a pastor you respect or trust. If all else fails, you can ask me or your pastor for more clarity - but don’t do this until you’ve sought the answer for yourself. If you ask me, I will ask, “What does your study bible say?” And if you don’t get an answer from their, I will send you resources to help you find the answer. Pursue some of those questions! It’s a good, right thing!

#3 Don’t get overwhelmed

The first day we are reading 4 chapters. The second day we are reading 5 chapters. That sounds like a ton, but I timed them out. It took me 13 minutes and 36 seconds to read the first day. The second day it took me 13 minutes and 51 seconds. The readings should easily be completed in 15 minutes or less. It may seem like a lot, but it is manageable. I wouldn’t ask you to do anything impossible! 

#4 Remember the big question

The Bible is really after answering one big question: How is God going to get us back? You’ll find in your reading that everything starts out perfect, but quickly falls apart. God and man are separated, but God makes a promise that he will come back for us. The Bible answers many questions: how did we get here? What is God like? What is our purpose in life? But the story of the Bible is seeking to answer one questions: How is God going to get us back? In other words, how is God going to keep his promise to us? That’s the big question that the Bible seeks to answer. Keep that in the back of your mind as you read through Scripture!

It’s almost time! I’m so excited! I hope you are too. If you need any help along the way, I’m here. Reach out by responding to any email I send you. I’ll do my best to answer any questions you have. I’m available to give you tips and insights. We can do this! 

“2023: The year we build a reading habit that sticks!”

I like the sound of that…

-Woody