Fresh Starts

Are you a Bible study girl? Me, too.

I’ve participated in many group studies that required homework and time in the word, but lately I found I craved more. Even though I was in my Bible, filling in the blanks in the lessons we were completing, I somehow felt something was missing. That there was more I should be learning.

I didn’t want to start another read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year plan, even though those are very good. I’ve done that a few times and highly recommend it if you have never read through the entire scripture. The last time through, I read the New Living Translation in Chronological Order and it was great.

But, it is an extreme commitment and I knew I couldn’t keep up with it and the study I was doing with my friends on Friday mornings.

I floundered around awhile until I finally started paying attention to something right in front of me. (Sometimes I am the most unobservant person ever and God has to remove the scales from my eyes. Can anyone relate?)

My instagram friend, Eliza Faye, frequently posts pages from her She Reads Truth journaling, pages that I frequently “liked” and commented on as I scrolled down to the next pretty picture.  One day I decided to check it out and I LOVED it.

Have you discovered She Reads Truth?

In case you have never heard of it, let me introduce you. She Reads Truth was co-founded in May 2012 by three young women who love Jesus and His word. Their ministry has been blessed by God and grown by leaps and bounds since that time. I don’t know the backstory, but I do know that now the plan is found on YouVersion. They have more than 10,000 likes on their facebook page and hundreds of commenters on their daily blogpost. Girls are in the word!

I love how God is using the internet for good!

Here is a little video from their website that explains how to get started. You will find many plans from the past and the current plan.

The component that has been the most “growing” for me is journaling. I am a great one for speedreading through a passage.

“That is done. Check it off the list. Go to the next task.”

Now, I read the passage, read it again, and record what stands out to me, what convicts me. Then I read it again, maybe in The Message version or ESV or NLT.

And record more thoughts. And I read it again.

What a difference this has made! Scripture that I’ve read over and over makes more sense. I’m seeing things in new ways. I’m being challenged to see things in new ways.

Jesus is becoming more real to me and I love him more than ever.

You girls are so cool and with it, you probably have known all about She Reads Truth since it began. Heck. You probably helped start it. You are all so smart and techy like that.

And giving.

But just in case you haven’t, and you desire a closer relationship with the one who died to save you, you might want to check it out.