A New Year's Challenge

One year ago I challenged myself to begin to get my aging body in better shape. To that end, on January 2, 2007 I joined "Weight Watchers" and began an intentional weight loss strategy. After 52 weeks I have lost 75 pounds. I've got a way to go but I am well on my way. I also joined a health club and connected with a personal trainer and have been working out since early August. All of this rose from a challenge, a choice and the determination to stop whining and do something about the situation.

I think spiritually we fall into the same kind of mindless ruts that my physical condition had fallen into. We allow our prayers to go rote, we allow our serve to get weak, we forget to immerse ourselves in God's word. So, here is the challenge:

Read through the Bible this year.

That's it. Pick up the book and read it for yourself.

But, you say, "I've never read the Bible before, where will I start". That's simple, too. Start at the beginning and read.

I prefer approaches that have me reading some Old Testament and some New Testament every day. I use a thing I got from New Hope Community Church in Hawaii called "The Life Journal". That has me read the entire OT in the year and the NT twice. There are many variations on this but the critical thing is to find a schedule that works and just do it.

My plan this year is to read this journal and post my observations on this blog as I have them. I hope those of you who are reading this will take the time to read and post your observations and we can chat together and learn and grow and deepen our awareness of this great gift we call the Bible.

It is going to be a GREAT year.

bj