It is a Journey
I was twenty-six years old the first time I opened a Bible. I felt overwhelmed and clueless of where to begin. The Bible is a BIG book! When I tried reading, nothing made sense. I had plenty of questions, but I was not finding any answers.
That was eight years ago. Today I love reading the Bible. Truly. It is not a chore or obligation. I yearn and desire to be digging into God's Word. I find it exciting and life giving.
So how did I get from point a, to point b? Well today, I am going to share a bit of my journey with you and give you a few pointers based on my experience.
Early on, a friend asked if I wanted to meet her for coffee and open up our Bibles together. We read a chapter or two from the book of John and I asked a few questions. That's it. Nothing out of the ordinary. But something shifted that day. This one experience gave me the little bit of confidence I needed to open up the Bible.
Tip #1: Ask a friend to read through one of the New Testament books with you. (If no one comes to mind, I'd love to do it with you!)
Tip #2: Be that person for someone else. You do not need to be a Bible scholar, you simply need to be available.
Shortly after that, I was given a "Read the Bible in a Year" plan. So I followed the plan, and began checking boxes each day. Words can not express how grateful I am for this time. God was developing in me discipline and I didn't even realize it. This foundation of opening the Bible every day, is a huge part of what makes it so easy and fun now.
Tip #3: Open up the Bible every day, even for five minutes, even if you're not in the mood, do it anyways. Develop the habit early on. * Download the YouVersion Bible app - there are great reading plans to choose from that make reading every day easy.
For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Hebrews 4:12
This means when we open our Bibles something alive, powerful, and effective does happen, whether we feel it in the moment or not.
...my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11
This means our time in the Bible is never useless or without results! Read that again. Time in the Bible is never wasted. Believe and hold onto this truth. Keep reading even if you are bored and it seems like a waste of time. Keep opening your Bible.
I also began journaling. I wrote down thoughts, prayers, and questions. Usually it was just a line or two. Again, I didn't realize this was happening but I was learning how to pray. (Side note - you usually see spiritual growth in the past-tense, it's hard to see it while it is happening.) Have you ever been praying and fell asleep, or felt like a hamster on a wheel saying the same thing over and over again? Well I have, many times. I discovered that writing my prayers, helped me stay focused and get it all out. Early on I gave myself the freedom to just write - not worry about spelling, grammar, or how it sounded. I just wanted to be real and honest with God. Today, my prayer life is very conversational. I talk to God like a friend. It is a very peaceful, real, and exciting relationship.
Tip #4: Keep a journal. Not only is it great for prayer, but it will become your legacy. I love that my children and grandchildren will have the story of my life written down. I have no intentions of settling for anything other than God's best, so there are going to be some good stories for them to read!
In my journal, I also wrote down Bible verses that stood out to me. Memorization has never been one of my strengths, but writing a verse down helped me to remember portions of it. I rarely could recite a verse, but it was as if my heart understood it.
Tip #5: Write down Bible verses that stand out to you. And when you are "not in the mood" for reading, google "most popular Bible verses" and write those down. I am serious. I just did it. Good stuff right there.
So at this point, I was reading the Bible consistently, journaling, and going to church, but I still didn't feel like anything was happening. I was frustrated, discouraged, and annoyed. If that is where you are right now, do this... Stand up and say the following out loud, "the good stuff IS coming!"
This is when things started to get good. Now by good I do not mean I won the lottery and all of my problems disappeared. By good I mean, I began feeling peace. The kind of peace that surpasses all understanding. I began finding freedom and not just the feeling of freedom, but the kind of freedom that encouraged me to take risks and step out in faith. God's Word became alive and active. I began hearing His voice, finding guidance and direction. I started learning about how I was created and how God sees me. God began showing me the good works He has planned for me to do. He gave me promises to hold onto. He gave me vision for the future. He gave me hope.
Tip #6: If you are skimming this post, I have no problem with that. But please stop and read this... Keep going. Open your heart up to possibilities. What if? What if YOU were created for such a time as this? What if you pressed in to hear God's voice and did what He said? Where might He lead you? What adventures might He take you on? What peace and hope might He bring? Let the Holy Spirit teach you. Ask questions. Be curious. Be tenacious. Get quiet. Get rid of distractions so you can hear God's gentle whispers. Press in and seek Him. I promise you will not regret it.
Friends, when I started this journey eight years ago, I did not know anything was missing. My life did not feel void or empty. Life seemed fine. I was not opposed to God, I just didn't think about Him. He never crossed my mind... Until He did. Now, being fully aware of this Jesus that came to rescue and save, I want nothing more than to share my story with you. In hopes that you too will begin your journey with Jesus. And that your life would not just be fine, but that it would be filled with wonder and awe.
Remember this is a lifelong journey. I didn't love Jesus and the Bible after two weeks. It took time. Be patient with yourself. Be patient with God. As it turns out He is pretty smart and knows the best way and pace to reach you. Seek God, take it one day at a time, and trust him to bring revelation when the time is right. You are in for a great adventure friend. This is the most exciting journey I have ever been on! And the best is yet to come!
That was eight years ago. Today I love reading the Bible. Truly. It is not a chore or obligation. I yearn and desire to be digging into God's Word. I find it exciting and life giving.
So how did I get from point a, to point b? Well today, I am going to share a bit of my journey with you and give you a few pointers based on my experience.
Early on, a friend asked if I wanted to meet her for coffee and open up our Bibles together. We read a chapter or two from the book of John and I asked a few questions. That's it. Nothing out of the ordinary. But something shifted that day. This one experience gave me the little bit of confidence I needed to open up the Bible.
Tip #1: Ask a friend to read through one of the New Testament books with you. (If no one comes to mind, I'd love to do it with you!)
Tip #2: Be that person for someone else. You do not need to be a Bible scholar, you simply need to be available.
Shortly after that, I was given a "Read the Bible in a Year" plan. So I followed the plan, and began checking boxes each day. Words can not express how grateful I am for this time. God was developing in me discipline and I didn't even realize it. This foundation of opening the Bible every day, is a huge part of what makes it so easy and fun now.
Tip #3: Open up the Bible every day, even for five minutes, even if you're not in the mood, do it anyways. Develop the habit early on. * Download the YouVersion Bible app - there are great reading plans to choose from that make reading every day easy.
For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Hebrews 4:12
This means when we open our Bibles something alive, powerful, and effective does happen, whether we feel it in the moment or not.
...my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11
This means our time in the Bible is never useless or without results! Read that again. Time in the Bible is never wasted. Believe and hold onto this truth. Keep reading even if you are bored and it seems like a waste of time. Keep opening your Bible.
I also began journaling. I wrote down thoughts, prayers, and questions. Usually it was just a line or two. Again, I didn't realize this was happening but I was learning how to pray. (Side note - you usually see spiritual growth in the past-tense, it's hard to see it while it is happening.) Have you ever been praying and fell asleep, or felt like a hamster on a wheel saying the same thing over and over again? Well I have, many times. I discovered that writing my prayers, helped me stay focused and get it all out. Early on I gave myself the freedom to just write - not worry about spelling, grammar, or how it sounded. I just wanted to be real and honest with God. Today, my prayer life is very conversational. I talk to God like a friend. It is a very peaceful, real, and exciting relationship.
Tip #4: Keep a journal. Not only is it great for prayer, but it will become your legacy. I love that my children and grandchildren will have the story of my life written down. I have no intentions of settling for anything other than God's best, so there are going to be some good stories for them to read!
In my journal, I also wrote down Bible verses that stood out to me. Memorization has never been one of my strengths, but writing a verse down helped me to remember portions of it. I rarely could recite a verse, but it was as if my heart understood it.
Tip #5: Write down Bible verses that stand out to you. And when you are "not in the mood" for reading, google "most popular Bible verses" and write those down. I am serious. I just did it. Good stuff right there.
So at this point, I was reading the Bible consistently, journaling, and going to church, but I still didn't feel like anything was happening. I was frustrated, discouraged, and annoyed. If that is where you are right now, do this... Stand up and say the following out loud, "the good stuff IS coming!"
This is when things started to get good. Now by good I do not mean I won the lottery and all of my problems disappeared. By good I mean, I began feeling peace. The kind of peace that surpasses all understanding. I began finding freedom and not just the feeling of freedom, but the kind of freedom that encouraged me to take risks and step out in faith. God's Word became alive and active. I began hearing His voice, finding guidance and direction. I started learning about how I was created and how God sees me. God began showing me the good works He has planned for me to do. He gave me promises to hold onto. He gave me vision for the future. He gave me hope.
Tip #6: If you are skimming this post, I have no problem with that. But please stop and read this... Keep going. Open your heart up to possibilities. What if? What if YOU were created for such a time as this? What if you pressed in to hear God's voice and did what He said? Where might He lead you? What adventures might He take you on? What peace and hope might He bring? Let the Holy Spirit teach you. Ask questions. Be curious. Be tenacious. Get quiet. Get rid of distractions so you can hear God's gentle whispers. Press in and seek Him. I promise you will not regret it.
Friends, when I started this journey eight years ago, I did not know anything was missing. My life did not feel void or empty. Life seemed fine. I was not opposed to God, I just didn't think about Him. He never crossed my mind... Until He did. Now, being fully aware of this Jesus that came to rescue and save, I want nothing more than to share my story with you. In hopes that you too will begin your journey with Jesus. And that your life would not just be fine, but that it would be filled with wonder and awe.
Remember this is a lifelong journey. I didn't love Jesus and the Bible after two weeks. It took time. Be patient with yourself. Be patient with God. As it turns out He is pretty smart and knows the best way and pace to reach you. Seek God, take it one day at a time, and trust him to bring revelation when the time is right. You are in for a great adventure friend. This is the most exciting journey I have ever been on! And the best is yet to come!
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