Sorry, I had to use the title to get the Barry Manilow song in your head, but I DID IT! Cover to cover, I read the Bible in a year. Well, it took me a little over two years to actually do it and I started over at the beginning of the year and did it in less than a year, but I did it. My Bible and I did it. We made it. WOW, it is pretty cool.

It is all pretty summed up for me in the last day of reading of Revelation:

“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book.” Revelation 22:7 (NLT)

What’s next. To read it again. It’s funny and I am embarrassed to say it, but when I first starting reading the Bible, I did it almost as a “bucket-list” type thing. To say that I had read the entire Bible. And I am excited about the accomplishment, but it did something to me. This has begun a lifelong habit of reading the Word and applying it. So now I start the new year with a telephone book sized Study Bible that I got for Christmas to dive in even deeper. I am fired up and I am excited about sharing in the next year with tools to help my friends do the same.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward. Psalm 19:7-11 (ESV)

Thank you again for joining me on the journey. We’ve only just begun (yet another cheezy 70′s song reference). Get ready because we are only getting started! Here we go…

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After a wonderful day at church and a student ministries mentors meeting, I got home to a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie about a guy with Tourette’s Syndrome who wanted to be a teacher. Of course it’s a Hallmark movie, so he overcame his shortcomings to become a celebrated teacher in Atlanta. I was overwhelmed with what the movie was about, but it was because of the love that surrounded the character that I was able to relate with the love that surrounds me.

Those who trust in the Lord are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever.
Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, both now and forever.
Psalm 125:1-2 (NLT)

Tonight at the mentors meeting, I was surrounded by about 35 of my fellow servants at church. I can’t tell you what it means to me to work along with these people to help make a difference in the lives of teenagers. I am totally overwhelmed tonight as I write this (seriously, I wrote twice, so I really mean it) to think about the blessings that I have and these people that take the Walk along with me. Thanks to all of those that I serve with and to God for surrounding me with them and His love. WOW. Good stuff…

And yes, I shed a tear or two. Stupid Hallmark movies!

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Most people have heard the beginning of this Psalm, “The Lord is my shepherd…”, but the real greatness of this comes from the end:

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.
Psalm 23:4

What is interesting here is that the masses start believing in eternal life after Jesus had risen from the dead, yet it was talked about in the Old Testament. It is all over the place in this great Book. His love for us is amazing even though we do so much not to deserve it. Thanks. Read on…

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