The Kelleher family on the day I was ordained (Justin, Barbara, Ron, & Rebekah).
For years and years, I read through the Bible every year. Sometimes I would get behind for a few days, feel guilty, and have a marathon reading session to get caught up!
Then, when I retired from a 36-year corporate career in order to attend seminary (2009) , I was reading and studying the Bible ALL the time, so I gave up the usual “read a little every day throughout the year plan.”
After graduating from seminary (2012), I spent two years as Chief Operations Officer of a global missions organization. I was in the Bible regularly preparing lessons, and an occasional sermon, but still not reading every day.
In 2012, I left the missions organization to heed God’s call to help minister to Christians in the marketplace through a blog and podcast (ronkelleher.com). Writing and publishing a weekly article required a lot of concentrated study, but again, I was not reading and studying God’s Word on a daily basis.
And that brings me to 2015.
One of my goals for 2015 was to read through the Bible once again. To re-establish that habit of being in God’s Word on a daily basis.
BUT, I decided I didn’t want to simply read through the Bible. I wanted to study as I went and to make notes in the margins of things I found interesting. On my very first day, I realized making notes in the margins wasn’t enough so I decided to keep a journal of the interesting things I noticed every day in my reading.
Reading the Bible through is wonderful.
Making notes in the margin helps me remember key points in the scripture.
But WOW!
Writing my study notes down in a journal brought out a richness in the scripture that I have never, ever realized before. Despite all my years of reading through the Bible, and despite all that concentrated study in seminary, the simple act of journaling what I learned from the scripture that day has been the best experience ever!
I would love to have you join me on this journey.
Join with me in reading, study, and journaling your way through the Bible this year. I’ll post my thoughts every day, and I’d love it if you would join in by leaving a comment with how the scripture spoke to you.
Together, as members of the family of God, we will read, study, and journal our way through the Bible this year. And I promise, studying God’s Word this way will bring a richness to your life that you have never experienced before!