Wow! Can you believe how much of the Bible you have already read?
If you are reading with us, by the end of today you should have read to page 264 in the Bible in 90 Days Bible or to 2Samuel 12:10.
(You can access the full reading schedule here.)
I know that some of you might be a bit (or a lot) behind and feeling a little frustrated or maybe even defeated right now. I want you to know that you CAN catch up. No matter how far back you are you can still catch up, join us and read the entire Bible with us by October 2.
Last time I was contacted by a reader a full month after the rest of us began reading. She wanted to be listed as a reader even though she knew should would finish a month after the rest of us. I wasn’t sure how to encourage her, but I was game to try.
Then an amazing thing happened… she read and read and read and then caught up with the rest of us! She caught up a full 3o days all while still continuing to live her very full life. And now she is on our mentor team helping others read.
How did she do it? I’ll let her tell you more about it…
So, you’ve fallen behind. A little bit? A lot? Let me tell you a story that may be a little bit of encouragement to you.
Last January 31, I decided I wanted to read the Bible in 90 days—saw Amy’s website “advertising” it, and thought it would be a great challenge for me in the “new year.” So I began, only to discover I’d started 30 days AFTER Amy’s group had started. But that didn’t matter; I was determined to finish in MY 90 days. When I started getting toward 45 days, I began to really want to finish with the other group—but how do you catch up when you are behind 30 days? (That’s a LOT of pages!! And right now, some of you who are behind 5 or 10 days are not feelin’ so bad.)
At first, I just read a few extra pages a day….and that caught me up 5 more days at the end of a week. But I was still behind 25 days and they were finishing in 10! So I asked the Lord to help me do this. Amazingly, He did. (Why are we always so surprised?!?)
In a matter of 16 days, I read and read and read and read…He cleared my days, He cleared my schedule, He provided space and quiet and time (and attention span) for me, and I finished with the rest of the gang. I read it in 66 days….and if I (a home school mom of 2 kids in middle and high school, a piano teacher, a wife and a swim team coach) can do it—anyone can!
I’ve written down some tips here for getting it done, and for catching up. Take what suits you, leave the rest….I really want you to succeed in this. (In fact, there is a whole group of people who want you to succeed. The mentors have been praying and helping and loving on you—we want you to LOVE the Word…and to finish this going strong! These tips come from all of us, who’ve been there before…)
Reading the whole Bible in such a short period of time literally changed my life, changed my perspective, changed my outlook, and changed my heart. I want that for you too!
- First things first. Decide that you really want to do this. Pray about it. If you really want this, you’ll be able to make time and get it done. (He will make a way for you.)
- Tell God you are going to finish. Be determined to be true to your word.
- How far behind are you? A couple days? Double up on Sunday and Monday, while keeping up with the daily reading. You’ll be caught up in no time. A week or more? Make a plan. Stay with the current day in addition to reading ½ of each day you are behind until you‘ve caught up. It may take 2-3 weeks, but you can do it. It’ll require a commitment, but you’ve already committed, so that shouldn’t be a problem.
- Redeem the Time. TAKE YOUR BIBLE EVERYWHERE YOU GO. If you have 20 minutes before the kids wake up, or they are over at a friend’s house for an afternoon, or your lunch plans at work fell through, or you suddenly find yourself waiting in the car at practice for an hour, USE IT! God has cleared your schedule and has given you this time…use it to catch up or get ahead. And then praise Him for it!
- If you are having a particularly busy time and feel you cannot commit to the whole day’s reading, at least set aside 15 minutes to get something done
- Read even if you only have 5 minutes to do it (while lunch is heating in the microwave, while waiting for your kids to get their shoes on…)
- Read the daily reading as early as possible in the day. You’ll be far less likely to forget if it’s the first thing you do. Also, you’ll get quite a spiritual boost by making the Bible first each day! I don’t think it’s by chance that David said “early will I seek thee” in Psalms 63:1. I know it’s hard to get up, I really do. But it’ll be worth it with your sense of accomplishment.
- This is a READING plan, not a STUDY plan. Just read. It’s approx. 12 pages a day, of reading. Don’t try to decipher the hidden Hebrew or Greek. Just read.
- I’ve been encouraging my group to make a “LATER LIST.” If you really don’t understand something or want to know more about something, have a list with you when you read, and mark down a phrase, a verse or a concept that you want to study LATER. Then put it aside and READ. (Last spring, when I read, I did this, and by the end of the Bible, I had discovered I didn’t know a whole lot about WORSHIP—so I STUDIED it for a couple months AFTER I was done. It works, I promise.)
- Find someone to ENCOURAGE you in this. It’s monumental, but not impossible. We all need friends. As nice as it is to have an In-Real-Life friend to do this with, it’s not always a luxury we experience. If no one in your Real Life will be the encouragement you need, email your mentor (and if you don’t have one…. Email Amy (amy at momstoolbox dot com). Email me (kari dot dyan at hotmail dot com). We can be that encouragement. We can chat. We can brainstorm to figure out a solution…There’s no shame, or embarrassment, or judgment, or anything of the sort…Just a sister trying to help you hop over this roadblock and get back on track.
I realize that not everyone who signed up for this 90 day challenge is a born and bred Christian. I know that some of us haven’t known about God for very long. I know that some of us (myself included) don’t have a local church they attend or a local group to fellowship with. I know all of this, yet it doesn’t matter one bit. Why? Because we are all a fellowship now. Right here online. It’s the craziest thing, but all 500+ of us that signed up are in this together. So if you have a question, or need some help or want to vent, or are frustrated, email Amy….she’ll get you in touch with someone who will become your ally in and through this.
It’s worth it, I promise. (God promises it, too… it’s in there.) Now GO READ!
But first let us know how you are doing in the reading.
Like Kari said, there won’t be any judgment, just encouragement and love. Please scroll down and leave us a comment with how you are doing. If you are a blogger and wrote a post about your progress this week, please enter your link in the linky. Don’t forget to include a link in your post to this post so your readers can learn more about the challenge.
If you’re all caught up and want to read more about Kari, she blogs at Bits of Yarn.
And if you need a few more tips on getting ahead, another of our mentors, Beth at Adjunctmom, has a great top ten list of ideas.
Hope to ‘see’ ya tonight on Twitter from 8-9 CST using the #B90Days hashtag!
Now, on with the check in:
Comments
121 responses to “B 90 Days Week 4/ Day 22 Check in”
I’m caught up, enjoying using the YouVersion app on my iPhone, and actually started a blog post. I’m so glad the blogging part isn’t required! Really loving this and hope to do it every other quarter.
I am caught up and it feels good.
I’m a 1/2 day behind and hope to catch up soon!
Still about a week behind, but gonna keep pluggin’ away. It is so wonderful to spend so much time in God’s Word and I am noticing so many things that I haven’t before!
I got behind Friday…I had a house full of kids and couldn’t concentrate! I managed to get done with Sunday’s reading, so I’m now just one day behind.
I am half way through day 15 :( and just found out today we miscarried our precious baby so I am having a hard time even wanting to pick up my bible, I know God is still good but I am so angry and hurt
I’m still on target.
Still about the same amount behind (about a week) as I’ve been! And still trucking along! Getting a LOT out of spending time in God’s word, even if I’m not able to be in the same spot as everyone else. It’s just encouraging to know everyone else is working on it, too!
I’m about one day back. Not too bad. No worries at this time for catching up easily. Liking the book of Samuel. :)
I’ve managed to stay on track, and even a little ahead all week! Love the side affects of spending so much time in God’s Word.
on schedule for now :)
I am 2 days behind. I will catch up though. My son is at camp this week so I will use this time to get closer to God. My goal is attainable.
Doing well. We had unexpected family (my husband’s) come into town last night. We brought them to Sleeping Bear Dunes and then spent the afternoon at Lake Michigan. I’m only behind on today’s reading but will do it when I get everyone down for the night. It has become a priority for me.
i am about 1/2 a day behind right now. I think this week will be a bit challenging but hopefully I’ll be able to play catch up again next weekend.
Still behind. Still not giving up tho!! Learning lots from what I have read.
I am caught up still. I just need to do today’s reading, which I’m getting ready to do right now!
I am caught up!! I want to share my experience this week. This past Thursday was a bad day for me. I had to take my special needs daughter to the dentist to have a cavity filled. While I waited I read my Bible. But the day started to go downhill after that. I provide child care for my two grandsons ages 3 yrs and 9 weeks. The infant grandson was not feeling well due to shots that he had received earlier in the week. And the 3 year old was busy. By the time I went to bed, I was tired physically and emotionally. But I wanted to try reading my Bible for I was behind a day. I read and read and before I knew it I was finishing Judges and now I was ahead. And I was ready for a good night’s sleep. I been able to stay caught up since then.
And my husband who is doing the challenge as well is up to date as well.
To those who need encouragement keep trying, God will supply the strength and endurance to do the challenge.
Have a good week.
I forgot to check in last week, but I’m here and on schedule…actually a few chapters ahead for tomorrow!
Still a couple days behind this week. I’m trying not to be frustrated, but look on it as a learning experience. I was about to list the things that came up this week and realized. . .there is ALWAYS going to be stuff coming up. So the challenge now is–how do I make time for something that is this important to me when the day (or week) doesn’t go quite as planned.
A lot behind here, and I also can’t believe how much I’ve read! I’m more of a half full type girl. The only way I could get more behind would be to stop all together. It’s turning into a good habit for me.
I am behind…way behind…but I will try and catch up. I appreciate reading about how when it’s God’s plan…you will catch up :) even if it is not on your schedule.
I’m on track…except today’s reading hasn’t even been started yet. But, I did enjoy God’s creation this morning while picking blueberries and will get the reading done once the last kiddo gets to bed.
Wow what great ideas for catching up! I am still behind but working my plan. I feel encouraged and I know that I can do this! It is changing my heart and focus so much that I can’t give up now! Thanks for such a feeling of community.
I’m having a great time! I am currently caught up and hope to stay that way. Thank you for the encouragement.
Had an unexpected and unplanned trip out of town for a few days to beautiful Monterey, CA and one of California’s historical missions in Carmel so am a little behind but I will catch up and see this through. I must say that the unplanned trip took on a whole new meaning while taking place while reading through the Bible in 90 days as I was surrounded by, refreshed by, and renewed by God’s beauty everywhere I went with my family, including by all the awesome sea life that surrounds the Bay as well. I am learning so much more by spending quality time in God’s word and I am so excited that I have read through more of the Bible than I ever have before and I can’t wait to finally read it all the way through. Not just to be able to say that I have read the entire bible, but more importantly to have read every word and instruction God has ordained. Blessing to everyone!
I am a week behind but am hoping to get caught up this week. Really needed the encouraging words from Kari above. I am determined to finish this!
I’m totally on schedule, and it feels great! I’m making so many connections that I’ve never made before.
I am about a day behind, hoping to get caught up tonight!
I’m a few days behind but I plan to be all caught up by Friday or before. I feel so good knowing I CAN do this!! Getting to know God more deeply in just reading His word is an AWESOME feeling!!!
All on track! Getting ready to do today’s reading now. :)
Really really needed this encouragement today! Was just about to throw in the towel but was in no way ready to throw away all the blessings. I have received so many so far and am looking forward to so much more!
I am about 5 days behind due to not reading enough in the beginning and to visitors. But I am praying to keep catching up. It is so good to know we are all doing this together.
Dani Joy
I am on schedule. Last week I was on vacation and read a day ahead so I could have the grace to read less on vacation. That is exactly what happened. The Lord is working in my heart and in my life. He is teaching me and growing my faith and understanding of who He is. We serve an amazing God who is worthy of worship and praise! I feel blessed to be able to read His love letter to me this way.
Just checking in…..a bit behind but I am still reading daily. Slowly making progress in catching up. :)
Checking in! No #B90Days post on my blog this week, but boy, did anyone else notice how many bad choices were made? And I began to wonder what parenting tips we could learn from the negative examples this week. Whew!
Oh, and PS, I’m all caught up. :)
I am on last Tuesday’s reading, but slowly catching up. I didn’t read much at family camp, but the main topic was focusing on the cross. Everything before points to the cross and everything after points back. I’m very glad I’m reading the whole bible so I can see it myself.
I’m moving right along and on schedule.
I’m glad to say that I am on track and I too am finding that I make more connections between things in the Bible because I’m reading a bigger chunk. A real plus!
I am caught up!!! I had some extra time to read on Saturday night when the family went to sleep, so I read extra to make up for what I knew I would not accomplish yesterday. So glad I did!!! This is such a blessing to me right now!
Finished Sunday’s reading today at lunch, and determined to finish today’s reading before the Twitter chat tonight. I have found myself highlighting, starring, underlining verses that I think are important or special so that I can look them up or remember them at a later date. I manage to keep up during the week, but on the weekends tend to get behind because I run around more with the kids and the hubby! I am so happy that I found the You Version app for my Blackberry because I can sneak in a few chapters here and there. Great job everyone, I really enjoy reading all the comments and blog posts!
I don’t have a blog post up at this second…going over there now. I am on schedule.
Way behind, but I knew this was going to happen. End of term is always a doozy and makes life really unpleasant. Hopefully two weeks from now, I’ll be reporting that I’m caught up again. That’s about what it’s going to take to get from behind to back on track, but I know I can do it.
I’m a day behind – haven’t done yesterday’s reading yet, but hope to get caught back up today while DH is home most of the day. Getting sick but hopefully that won’t slow me down. :(
Behind, but determined to finish Deuteronomy tonight before the twitter party, which will put me one week behind.
Thank you for the encouragement from Kari. I know I can catch up – I just have been feeling overwhelmed with everything… and know that I need to rest in God and let him clear my schedule so that I can achieve this amazing goal.
I am right on schedule. Enjoying the BIG picture reading this way gives me.
We had an extremely busy weekend so I’m 2 days behind but I plan on catching up today during the baby’s afternoon nap. I’m going to try to read a bit ahead this week because we have another busy weekend coming up
I am only 6 chapters behind – in 1 Samuel, but hope to catch up tonight.
All caught up. :)
Ok, so I am caught up and doing well even though I completly forgot to check in last week! sorry!! Going great! A couple of things seem to be helping me. 1) just clinging to God that He will get me thru this task I have taken on 2) having the iphone app – it’s with me all the time, it scrolls so nicely and checks it off as I go!! 3) all the encouragement and reminders help keep it in the forefront! 4) just reading like its a story – a TRUE story and listening to the flow instead of focusing on ONE or two verses etc.
I cannot believe how much we have already read and looking forward to completing. thanks, k
I am caught up. I was behind today but the Lord gave me some extra time in my schedule and I was able to get caught up. ;-)
I am checking in. I am really behind but will catch up this week. Hard week with life but am determined an inspired by all the other readers!!!