Category Archives: Believing

H – E – R – O ! God is my hero

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It’s the end of Day Two of our church’s Vacation Bible School. We’re doing Superhero Headquarters. Catchy tunes, but I miss the old songs I sang as a girl. “Father Abraham,” “This Little Light of Mine,” “I am a C – H – R – I – S – T – I – A – N.”

I learned a lot of theology in those simple songs.

It’s Susan’s last year because she’s twelve, next year she wants to be a teacher’s helper so she can wear a costume. Lucy intentionally bumped up to the kindergartners. Edmund accidentally enrolled in with an older age group because I never can keep track of what his public school grade should be. Peter had everyone up at 6: 30 am so we wouldn’t be late. Yesterday we were 15 minutes late. Today we left early.

I think I finally have a child willing to be the official time keeper other than I.

I guess you can learn more than just Bible from Vacation Bible School.

I’m in the “store”. Does your church do a store, where you earn stamps for memory verses, bringing a friend, having good behavior, so you can trade in the smiley faces for candy and cheap toys? I’m not sure I like the store. Don’t tell my kids I said that.

One of my favorite aspects of VBS is the crafts. I’ve always loved the crafts. I think I’ll scan a few of my favorites from this year and post them. That may be the only way they survive.

Currently there are seven kids in my house. Ages: 12, 10, 10, 10 as of tomorrow, 9, 8 and 5.

It’s raining.

Maybe I should get off the computer.

How to read the entire Bible in 90 Days

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Last Monday, I joined with hundreds of other Christians in an attempt to read the entire Bible in only three months - 90 days of reading large sections of the Scriptures each day. I’m happy to report I am keeping up with challenge and on target with my reading.

Genesis and Exodus read like an old friend; I know these stories well. All that family drama makes for easy reading. Then we get to the laws of Leviticus. Oy! And here comes the book of Numbers, another less-than-exciting book (unless you like reading about animal sacrifice and genealogy.)

When Bible reading gets to be difficult, especially when you combine it with the busyness of life, you need a plan.

These are my tips on how to read the Bible, cover to cover, in only 90 days:

1. Start in the summertime. Less good TV to distract you. Reruns help you to turn off the electronic box and you get more reading done.

2. Read by the pool, in the hammock, at the beach or other places of recreation. You are spending more time outside, relaxing with a cold beverage, watching the kids play or enjoying the sun. Put down the trashy paperback and pick up the Bible.

3. Keep your Bible with you at all times. You never know when you can sneak in a chapter or two.

4. Read ahead a few chapters every day. I call this “reading insurance.” You never know what tomorrow will bring and you don’t want to fall behind.

5. Pray for the time, energy and eagerness to dive in into this life changing Book. Prayer works! And He wants us to know His word.

And my favorite tip:

6. Pick a new translation. I’ve already read all of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus in the New International Version a number of years ago, so for this Bible reading challenge, I decided to go with a different translation. By reading in a new-to-you translation, you can keep it interesting and maybe gain new insight to the Scripture. I’m using my pocket English Standard Version for this reading and enjoying the more formal tone with the language.

What are your tips to help you find time to read? Please share.

Next week: The benefits of quickly reading. Why would you want to read the entire Bible so fast. See you then.

Welcome, other Bible-in-90-days participants! I want to get to know you. Leave a comment and be sure to connect with me on Twitter or Facebook. If you love to read, or homeschool your children, you may want to subscribe to PaperBridges.net. It’s free!

Quotes from Crazy Love by Francis Chan

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Crazy Love (Overwhelmed by a Relentless God) by Francis Chan – written for the American Christian. I’m pulling quotes from the chapter titled “Profile of the Lukewarm”.

On Luke 8 (the parable of the seed scattered on the ground):

I think most American churchgoers are the soil that chokes the seed because of all the thorns. Thorns are anything that distracts us from God. When we want God and a bunch of other stuff, then that means we have thorns in our soil. A relationship with God simply cannot grow when money, sins, activities, favorite sports teams, addictions or commitments are piled on top of it.

On lukewarm people in the Church (as described in Revelation 3:15,16):

Lukewarm people tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are  in conflict. They desire to fit in both at church and outside of church; they care more about what people think of their actions (like church attendance and giving) than what God thinks of their hearts and lives.

Lukewarm people do whatever is necessary to keep themselves from feeling too guilty. They want to do the bare minimum, to be “good enough” without it requiring too much of them.

Lukewarm people probably drink and swear less than average, but beside that, they really aren’t very different from your typical unbeliever. They equate their partially sanitized lives with holiness, but they couldn’t be more wrong.

Thoughts? Comments? Tell me if you agree or disagree.

Disclaimer: Yup, affiliate links. Yet this is a book I purchased, learned to love, and now want to spread the word, just one book-loving, Christian to another. I pray it helps you to draw closer to Him.