Happy New Year! Welcome to those who are returning for yet another walk-thru of the Bible and a special welcome to those who are new! We’re glad you’ve joined us! Greg Daniels and I have been blessed to lead this group for several years now and have loved having a front row seat to so many growing in their faith. God is good and He honors every single moment we spend with Him in His Word so with that in mind, here are a few suggestions as you begin to help you have a successful year…
1) Pray before reading each day. Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you and reveal more of Himself to you through His Word. Ask Him for wisdom and understanding as you read and what it might be that He would have you take away each day.
2) Read devotionally. What does that mean? It means reading through the Bible like this is not intended to provide an in-depth study. Simply pay attention to what words or phrases stick out to you and prayerfully meditate on what God may be saying to you.
3) Journal. Journaling is a way of meditating and/or reflecting on what God may be saying to you. I’ve been doing it for years and it has been super helpful in helping me gather and focus my thoughts. In fact, many of the devotionals I write come straight out of my journal. It can also give you a record to look back on at the end of the year as to what God has shared with you.
4) Grace. Give yourself a lot of grace. Life happens. We all know that. Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day or get bogged down in certain places…looking at you, Leviticus! ;-) Don’t be afraid to skip ahead if you get too far behind.
5) Ask any question God lays on your heart. Reading the Bible should raise all kinds of issues. There is a lot in there that is confusing. You might find yourself wrestling with all sorts of doubts or fears. This is normal. It happens to me almost every year. ;-) Ask your questions. Share your doubts. Don’t be afraid to talk about your struggles or confusion. This is a safe community to do that with.
6) Feel free to shoot Greg or myself any personal questions you may not want to share with the group. We’re here to help! (Statedclerk@epcwest.org or doug@pepc.org)
7) Be gentle and kind to each other. We all have a share in making this a safe group. Let’s make sure to be kind and gentle and encouraging in our responses to one another. Give people the space to struggle and be where they are on the journey. If things get too much, take a break, then dive back in.
Again, really thankful for the opportunity to take this journey with you, friends! Feel free to invite everyone you’re connected with to join us! The more, the merrier!
Happy New Year!
Doug