Hello

My Story

Jesus called himself the Way, the Truth and the Life in John14:6.

Soon after Jesus left this world, his followers were referred to as belonging to "the Way" (Acts 9:2)

I love that!  It's so simple!  We, as Christians, belong to Christ who is the Way.

Paul says in Acts 24:14, "I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way."

Well....I admit that too! 

Walking with Jesus...... see where I got it from?  John writes a letter to "the chosen lady and her children" and says (2 John 4), "It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us."  So,I want to be like those children, walking in the Truth and Walking with the Way!

OK, so why did I start the blog?

The long and the short of it, I am doing this blog to encourage Christians to get back into their Bibles, make discoveries on their own, and experience the excitement that comes when you do so.

Here is the long version:

I am trying to memorize a passage that really hit me.  (This is going to be the theme verse of this blog.)

Romans 12: 9-13

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality."

 I have been a Christian for 40+ years.  By the grace of God, I have had a blessed life, but boy, has my "spiritual fervor" ebbed and flowed over the years!  I have done ladies' Bible studies practically every year in addition to small groups, couples groups, MOPS, etc....you name it, I did it!  But, if homework was required, I wasn't very diligent about it (confession time here). I felt guilty when I didn't put the time into the homework, but mostly, I felt irritated that the writer of the study was so excited about what she/he had learned, but.... I didn't feel the same enthusiasm.  I know, I know... the fault was mine because I was relying on them for the teaching and not on the Holy Spirit for the teaching. I say it was my fault because I knew what I needed to do, I had heard it all before: set a regular time, get up early, pray in a closet, pray for a half-hour, start slow, build up,.... arg!!  😝  I tried but never got into a routine that lasted. Life is busy, right?! I blame it on being easily distracted by my kids!  

However, I can happily report that I have settled into a pattern of spiritual discipline that has stuck for a couple of years now!!!  Woo Woo!!  I have broken all my records!!!

It all started with a New Years' resolution, believe it or not!  (Who actually does those?!)

Seven years ago I decided I would read the Bible in a year.  I got into a routine that I was able to keep (miracle of miracles!) As the year was ending, I was actually kinda sad.  

I didn't want to break my routine.  I was liking the reading....buutttt....I didn't really want to do the whole Bible again.  I feel reading Leviticus every other year would be plenty enough for me!! 😉
 

I found out that one can read the New Testament in 90 days if one reads three chapters every day. That sounded so doable to me!  But, what would I do after that?  Well, 90 days x 4 is one year.  I had my new New Year's resolution! That year I got hooked! I spent a lot more time doing my reading because I got excited at all the cross-referencing my Study Bible offered.  I was feeling that same excitement that those writers of Bible studies were trying to pass on to me!

In my excitement, I would tell my friends what I was doing.  Soon those friends joined me.  The reading plans have changed over the years, but the habit hasn't!! I love my routine!!  I get up before my little guy gets up, make my latte, stay in my cozy robe, and settle into my very comfortable kitchen counter stool.  

That's the beauty of studying at home!!​

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When I read Romans 12:11, I realized I, as well as my friends, were needing the same encouragement that the Romans got!  Well, what better way to get re-energized than to eat food!!  Little nibbles aren't that satisfying.  Everybody wants a big meal, right? A good way to have a big, spiritual meal is to eat/read the WHOLE New Testament!  I know it works because I started eating this spiritual diet myself a few years ago and I got my zeal back!  I didn't need to be in a structured Bible study with someone else telling me what they discovered.  I needed to discover things on my own!

I am realizing that people who have been Christians for a long time can lose their spiritual fervor as I did.  That is why the writer of Romans gave that exhortation!  "Keep your spiritual fervor!"  ​​​

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I think anyone who likes to shop for a deal or go garage sailing understands that half the fun is finding the deal.  It's no fun to hear how other people got a great deal.  But when YOU find a great deal, doesn't it inspire you to keep hunting for more deals?  You know it does!!! You get a zeal for the hunt!  I think that is what reading the New Testament straight through can do for you.  You will discover things that you don't ever remember reading before or you will get the context of Scripture that sheds new meaning on old familiar verses.

I really hope you become one of my friends reading through the New Testament with me, and in doing so, you can renew your zeal.

I put a  reading guide under the Reading Plans tab.  I will post something that impressed me, hit me in a new way, caused me to wonder, etc.....  You can do the same!  I would love to hear your thoughts

If you post in the comment section, it would be like we are in a Bible Study together but in our own cozy home.

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Come on!  Walk With The Way and me!!