If you are participating in the Bible in 90 Days challenge, today you are on Day 60 and should have read through the end of page 720 in the Bible in 90 Days Bible or through Ezekiel 23:39.
This week we hear from Erin at Closing Time who wrote a courageous post on her blog last week, admitting deep frustration in completing her commitment to reading the Bible in 90 Days. I hope her progress since that post will inspire you…
When I made the decision to join you all in reading the Bible in 90 Days, I realized the magnitude of it. It wasn’t a decision I made lightly. It was a commitment I made with great excitement.
See, I’m one of those people who has repeatedly resolved to read the Bible through in a year. And I have repeatedly failed. It was a discouraging and even embarrassing issue for me, that though I have served the Lord from my childhood (and even read through each book of the Bible at different times), I had never read it from cover to cover.
I decided, after much prayer, that this was when all that would change. I started on January 1, filled with zeal and determination. I would read the Bible in 90 Days. This time would be different. This time I would finish what I started.
As the days went on, I began to falter, gaining ground one day, and losing momentum the next. It felt like I was just dragging myself along. I could see so many of you still running the race. You were pulling ahead. I wanted to run with you, but I felt so discouraged. I was tired. And the thoughts began to fill my mind…
Maybe I should just quit. After all it wouldn’t be the first time. I’m so far behind now, what’s the point of pretending I can do it?
I knew I should write a check-in post. I should admit my weakness. After all, there would be no lack of encouragement. You would stand with me. You would pray for me. I knew that. But I was ashamed. It would have been so easy to quietly remove the Bible in 90 Days button from my sidebar, to never mention it again…to just give up.
But I couldn’t. I didn’t want to quit. So last Sunday I made myself accountable and wrote this post. It wasn’t easy to admit that I was 26 days behind. On the day that I should have completed Day 52, I was only halfway to that point. The outpouring of encouragement and prayers from those who read my post was overwhelming!
Last Monday, I started fresh, determined to catch up. There have been and will be many days of reading two days’ worth of chapters, but my goal is still to finish with the group. By God’s grace, I am gaining ground, and at today’s check-in I am now 22 days behind. And I am pressing on to the finish.
For those of you who are behind and discouraged, I want to share with you a verse that someone sent to me:
“I sought the Lord. and he answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered in shame.” Psalm 34:4-5
Our gracious God doesn’t want us to feel ashamed and downtrodden if we have fallen behind. Please don’t give up! You can do it! If you’re feeling discouraged today, I hope you’ll let us know so that we can pray for you. I know many are praying for me, and this week I believe it has made a huge difference. We are in this together!
Thanks, Erin, for your refreshing honesty and excellent encouragement. I am so thankful you felt the impact of all those prayers you inspired last week.
So, how about you? How are you doing in your commitment? And how can we pray for YOU?
If you are having trouble, what do you think is holding you back? And if you are on track, what do you think some of your keys to success have been?
Whatever your status, your comments might serve to encourage the next reader so, please, do leave a note to let us know how you are doing.
If you have written a check-in post on your own blog, please link to it here and also include a link in your own post back to this one so your readers can see who else is involved in the Blogging Through the Bible in 90 Days Challenge.
After you’ve commented and/ or linked, please pick two or three other commenters and pray for them by name.
And, of course, don’t forget to join us for our Tweet-Up tonight from 8-9 CST. Just follow me and use the #B90Days hashtag.
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