It’s officially the middle of September, and I have finally settled into the deep groove of our new routine. The tears that may (or may not) have fallen the first time I walked into our quiet, empty house on the first day of school are a vague memory. I’m loving this new season we are in.
Each day is like a blank canvas. {Well, until the school bell rings at 3}
That first week of school I let myself go a little wild on this new white canvas called my day. I ran errands, shopped, met friends for coffee and went for long walks. Like a child armed with a paint brush, ready to splatter, I felt a little wild and free.
It didn’t take long for me to remember that I’m not really that into splatter paint.
Settling into a new routine isn’t always easy.
The next week I received a surprise in the mail. Best selling author, Karol Ladd, sent me copies of her newest book, Becoming a Woman of the Word, and inside she highlighted a little quote from me.
It was a quote from something I’d written on Facebook about my love for the Word in a chapter called “Daily Swim”. In this chapter, she talks about the importance of reading the Bible, and she helps you set up a reading plan that you can stick to. She also talks about the difference between reading and studying the Word.
And in that chapter (in which I was quoted), I was convicted.
“Reading is different than studying.” I needed that reminder.
Karol says, “I like to think of reading the Bible as a vigorous morning swim through the scriptures. Just as our physical bodies are strengthened through the exercise of swimming, so our faith is strengthened through the discipline of reading and getting to know God’s Word. Studying the Bible is more like deep-sea treasure-diving, going deeper into His Word in order to discover great and rich truths we can apply to our lives.”
Although I’ve been doing lots of studying, I have missed the sweetness of reading. Reading doesn’t have an agenda. It’s slower. More personal. It’s just about Him {and me}.
Since then, my morning routine has changed.
Now, the first thing I do once the kids are out the door is I settle in to read and listen. {Because the Bible is a speaking book, meant for the ears, not just the eyes.}
There’s nothing fancy about reading. It’s a discipline. A life-giving choice.
I read one chapter in the Old Testament and one chapter in the New. Sometimes I journal over what I’ve read, sometimes I don’t. Sometimes the words jump off the page at me, sometimes they don’t.
But every time, I am met.
Why am I telling you this? Because maybe you’re in need of a gentle nudge to get you back to reading again too. Even if you’re already doing a Bible study. Even if you’ve never read it before. Even if you’re in the middle of an intense seminary class. Even if you’ve tried to commit before and quit.
Start again. Open the pages and read.
I found a one talented woman on instagram who reads one page of her “journaling Bible” a day and doodles what she learned. Check this out:
Your message hits so close to home! We can all learn to live better, it doesn't matter what it takes to get us there, as long as we are focused on God!