Lost In the Prairies.....Found by God

I am a geek!  Only a geek would get excited when our Pastor announced that the Bible League of Canada Devotional Day Planner was in and available.  I managed to grab one of the last ones available.  I actually got a little nervous I wouldn't get one when I saw so many of the ladies with them at coffee.  This lovely planner has daily devotional readings, an area to write daily prayer requests and several reading plans.  This year the main reading plan is a chronological reading of the Bible in a year.

Last year I attempted to read the Bible in 90 days with Moms Toolbox.  I made it through to Luke.  That's the furthest I have ever made it in one go.  I justified that I have read Acts to Jude on my own before and in other studies.  So the only book I haven't read is Revelation.  Note how I put "justified".  I feel bad that I didn't finish the B90 challenge.  I enjoyed reading and learning more of God's word and the history of God's people.  I feel like a "drop out. "B90 drop out, no graduation day for you....."  I can hear Frankie Avalon singing it to me while I sit in a nice church pew (think Grease, without the pink hair).  

This fall I decided not to try the challenge again.  I wanted to focus on  getting up and studying daily (I'm still working on this) with Good Morning Girls.  I've met a great bunch of ladies who I have become close to even though I have only met one of them in person.  But.....I still feel lead to read my Bible start to finish.  

This fall I also discovered this and have been coveting it ever since.:

I love the look of this Bible and since I do not currently own a NKJV translation, it is definitely the one I will be ordering in the future.  It comes with maps and articles about the historical context.  It also is in full colour.  

Because I do not believe in coincidences, but believe in the leading of the Holy Spirit, I feel lead to read the Bible chronologically this year.  I will be posting a weekly reading plan on my side bar and posting each Thursday what God has been teaching me or leading me in my reading.  The reading plan I will be following is from the Devotional Day Planner.  If anyone is interested in joining me I may post a link each week after my post.  

I can not wait to get started and can not wait to see where God leads me in this journey.  Won't you join me?

I'm linking up with Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood at Finding Heaven. 

As many of you know I am involved in the Bible in 90 Days challenge at Moms Toolbox.  I have kept up on my daily reading.  In fact, I am a day ahead which is now a good thing as we are in the middle of Leviticus.  This is the part of the Bible I usually get stuck in.  Last week as I was reading my Bible, I thought I would share some things about my Bible that started with another sisterhood.

Around October, I decided reread the Yada Yada Sisterhood as I found out that there were new books to the series, as well as a spin off.  As I had not read the books in 2 years, I decided that I should reread the first 4.  I was amazed in the reread with Nony.  How much she knew her Bible and actually prayed through her Bible.  I was drawn to this.  I had never actually thought about doing it.  I have to actually admit that I didn't know you could or should.  Besides using the Psalms as a guide to praise God at the beginning of my prayers, I actually rarely opened my Bible while praying.   I immediately highlighted verses that I felt God was leading me to pray through and purchased coloured tabs to mark the pages for quick reference.

I also started writing in my Bible.  I previously used a NIV Study Bible where I wrote study and sermon notes in the margins.  When I purchased my new Bible - true identity The Bible for Women, I didn't want to do that.  I wanted to try to  keep it clean.  Funny, when if you actually read the Bible, it's a "messy" book.   I have now started to mark up the new Bible. What I've been marking is the truths God's been showing me or translation differences which have lead to clarification of some verses.  

I also purchased Bible tabs.  I don't know the order of many of the books of the Bible, so the tabs help me to navigate through them.  They are especially useful during Bible studies.  I also have many book marks marking where I'm reading either for reading programs or Bible studies.

You may also be asking where I keep my Bible.  I do have a Bible cover.  I previously had a cover that folded out and held a notebook.  However, it was a little bulky on Sundays.  I purchased my new cover when I moved to the prairies.  I wanted one that I could carry like a purse during studies, as you can never have enough purses.  I love the one I found.  It not only holds my Bible nicely, but also has a pocket on either side for my pens, highlighters, keys, wallet, lipstick, etc....   

How do you use your Bible?

I'm linking up today with Jen at Finding Heaven for Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood. 

Last year I planned to read the Bible in one year.  That was one of my New Year's resolutions.  In fact that has been one of my resolutions for the past 10 years.  Obviously I have never actually completed it.   Did I do it in 2010 - NO!.

I purchased a One Year Bible thinking that this would encourage me, but I disliked the jumping around through the Old and New Testaments.  My church this fall decided to read the Bible together through the Church year, but again, I disliked the jumping around.  I like starting at the beginning and working through it.  Previous years, I would get stuck in Deuteronomy.  I did get through it this year and actually enjoyed it.  I have read different books of the Bible thanks to Bible studies - the Pentateuch, Judges, Ruth, Esther, Psalms, Jonah, the Gospels, Acts and some of the Epistles.  I'm currently working through 1Samuel thanks to doing Beth Moore's study of David.   Upon reflection though, I realize that it isn't just good enough to read some of the Bible.  I need to read God's whole word.  I need see how my life is reflected by those of faith who have come before me.  

This New Years I am making a resolution.  I am planning on reading the Bible, but not in one year - in 90 days.  While researching a new bible, I found the Bible in 90 Days.  I looked at the plan and saw that it was chronological.  I'm excited.  However, I think that I need some encouragement or friends to join me.  Are you in?  Amy at Mom's Toolbox is hosting a blogging version of the program.  I will be joining in with her and following her through this experience.   

If you feel a little daunted, according to the publisher it means reading 12 pages of the Bible everyday.  I can committ to that.  I sometimes read a whole novel in one day, yet ignore reading my Bible.  If you still feel daunted you can listen while you read at the site.  

I can't wait to take this journey and I hope that some of you will walk along side me while we do it together.

I'm linking up with Jen from Finding Heaven with the Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood.