Resolution #3

OK, now that I've shared my first and second resolutions, I bring you, dear computer, my third and final resolution.  This is a New Year's resolution I hear people make time and time again, but its a goal I've actually NEVER set for myself.  As I set forth to improve my physical and emotional health, it just makes sense that I would also work on improving my spiritual health.  Back in September, as I mentioned when babbling about my first resolution, Chris and I fasted and prayed in preparation for our church to begin a sermon series called Radical, based on the book by David Platt. 

 This book (and our pastor's teaching on it) challenged me in a way that I'd not been challenged before.  It hurt...it cut deep into my soul...but it changed me.  I hope it changed me for the better.  Anyway, at the end of that series, Jack (our pastor) challenged us to get deeper into God's Word.  He suggested that we might want to try reading through the Bible in order to develop a routine daily quiet time.  As a result of that challenge, here is resolution #3:

I WILL READ THROUGH THE BIBLE AND SPEND TIME ALONE WITH GOD IN ORDER TO KNOW HIM MORE AND, AS A RESULT, KNOW MYSELF MORE.

Let me add a disclaimer here...In no way, shape, or form am I only making this commitment because Jack suggested it or "everybody else is doing it."  I am doing this because, for a long time, I've felt far from God.  I know Him, I love Him, but I don't spend time with Him like I need to. And Lord knows, if you don't spend time with someone, you can't know them very well.  Back when Chris was a pastor, he used to compare it to our relationship...If he only spent about an hour a week with me, we wouldn't know each other very well at all!  What kind of relationship would we have?  Probably not the best that we could be.

Anyway, I spotted these books on my shelf (collecting dust, of course) and decided to get them off the shelf and onto my bedside table.  The One Year Bible is just that...a Bible that is printed for the sole purpose of reading through Scripture in one year.  There's an Old and New Testament reading each day and if you follow along, you'll get through the entire Bible in one year.  Time With God is a New Testament but is laid out for daily (M-F) readings...no specific dates or anything.  Each day's reading has a portion of NT Scripture, an OT Scripture that directly relates to the NT passage, and a commentary/reflection to go along with it.  Back when I used to use these resources, I truly enjoyed them.  I truly desire to restore my spiritual health to its former state before the end of 2011.  We'll see what happens!