Bible in 90 days – Finished!

Back in July, I started reading the Bible in 90 Days. I finished in 84 days. During those days, I also read the extra parts of Daniel and Esther, Baruch, and I took about four days and read Sirach as well. I actually got behind fairly quickly, so I was very glad I was able to catch up and even finish early.

I’m very glad I participated this challenge. It means that I finally managed what I tried to do at least 4 times as a child – read the Protestant Bible cover to cover! It’s a very different experience from the skipping around which made it possible for me to read the Bible through the first two times. Naturally, some parts of the B90Days challenge are harder than others. I found Psalms hard to read through at such a fast pace – I wanted to stop and linger over it. The New Testament epistles are easy to read quickly. Doing so provides the background to properly understand the sections and verses we study closely at other times.

I am surprised how reading that much of the Bible became a habit for me. Now my Bible reading is something I nearly always get to, without thinking about it. I find it helpful to try and read my Bible as soon as I can during the day. For me, that’s during/after breakfast.

If you want to read the Bible, I think reading it at a quicker pace than the stereotypical year can be a wonderful thing. Doing it in 90 days is hard, but oh so rewarding. I hope to do it again someday.

Now I’m not really sure what to read in the Bible next! I’m starting the Bible over again with a friend, and we will be reading through the narrative books. For myself, I’m starting to skip around the Bible again, book by book. I’m not sure if I’ll keep doing that or if I’ll go with a more structured approach. I also purchased a small copy of the Message today for $7 and will probably work that into my devotional reading somehow.

I’ve also switched main Bible translations. The NABRE notes were distracting me from the Bible in a negative way, so now, thanks to the aforementioned friend, I have an NRSV! I’m especially pleased with the edition I have; it is single column in the prose books and double column in the poetry books. I’m looking forward to making this Bible my own.

Still going strong with B90Days

It’s been a week since I started trying to read the Bible in 90 Days. Somehow I’ve managed to keep on track with the reading, despite a weekend road trip. I managed that by reading a bit ahead, reading snatches in the evenings, and reading in the car! During this first week, we read Genesis and Exodus.

My new morning routine: Get up. Change baby’s diaper. Put baby on the floor with toys. Get breakfast. Eat breakfast while reading Bible. Keep reading Bible until baby gets fussy (usually about 30 minutes, maybe less). Go take care of baby. When baby calms down, return to Bible reading until baby gets fussy again. Repeat until Bible reading is done.

It’s actually working pretty well, and the feeling of accomplishment helps give me the boost I need to actually get other stuff done (besides the fun stuff, like reading, journaling, etc)!

I’ve reading Genesis and Exodus about 4 or 5 times before this, but I’m still noticing new things. For instance, I somehow missed the part where a baby goat could be sacrificed instead of a lamb in some cases. I’m also wondering how in the world Jacob would have missed the fact that the woman in his bed wasn’t Rachel!!!

I’m also reading the New American Bible with the Revised Old Testament (aka the NAB-Revised Edition, or NABRE). It’s a translation I’ve never read before, and I’m finding it rather interesting. For some reason, the translators don’t put quotation marks around the Lord’s speeches, unless there is a physical theophany. It strikes me as quite odd. I’m actually enjoying the notes at the bottom, when I glance at them. The NAB notes are really more like a study Bible’s notes, but they come standard with every NAB. Some of them I vehemently disagree with, but others provide very helpful context!

So, that’s this week. Hopefully I will be able to keep going with this and not let other things get in the way!

Reading the Bible…in 90 Days

When I was a child, I wanted to read the Bible. I started at the beginning…

probably 4, 5, more times…

and never got past Numbers.

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Since then, I’ve read the (Protestant) Bible through in its entirety twice, and the New Testament twice more. But I’ve never read it through, cover to cover.

Well, I’m going to try that this time around – and I’m going to try and do it in 90 days.

Yep, it’s a bit crazy, but I think I can do it. And I think it’ll be good for me.

I’m not doing it alone – I’m joining over a thousand other people at Mom’s Toolbox. Together, we can do this. I am super excited.

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I’m working on reading the deuterocanonical books, too. I’ll read the extra parts of Daniel and Esther when I get to those books in the 90 Days plan. I’ve read all the others except for Baruch and Sirach – I’ll read those two after I finish the 90 Days.

Here goes!