July… a new month with some new purpose. It has become a month that I evaluate current goals and set some new goals for the rest of the year. It is often a month for travel but not this year. It is a month that is too hot for me to be outside for very long. I garden in the early morning or as the sun is starting to set. I make cooler meals and try to avoid heating up the kitchen too much. I tend to read more inside. It is a month that is taxing on my autoimmune stuff in a special way, too. LOL This year it is a month with a new Bible reading plan for me.
I spent January through April reading the Bible cover to cover. I spent May reading the Psalms. The next section I was drawn to for June were the books of John and Romans and then I jumped to Galatians and Ephesians to finish the month.
I had every intention of starting a 6 month cover to cover plan again in July but as I sat down with Genesis open in my lap this morning it just didn’t feel like where I needed to be. A few days ago I had been stalking Rebekah Merkle and Rachel Jankovic’s stuff on Canon Press and elsewhere (I got an email that sent me there so it wasn’t random) I have been a big fan of their videos, books, podcasts, and articles. They have written and shared their own lives to encourage women to be in the Word.
This search brought me to their current Bible reading challenge (Same Page Summer). The big challenge is called “To The Word.” I have known about this challenge for several years and have gone through it once several years ago. It was fresh in my mind as I sat down this morning and I had already downloaded the reading plan but had not looked at it yet. The prodding in my heart took me to that printable once I realized I wasn’t starting in Genesis. It is PERFECT for where I need to be right now.
As I sat with that Bible open I thought, “Why don’t I just dive into the July and August readings to join that challenge?” As I opened the challenge printable I realized I had already, inadvertently, done most of the month of June. LOL It’s as if God had already put me on that plan without me knowing it! Hmmmmm….
So, I flipped over to the book of Mark and started reading this morning. I read Mark 1-5 and in it I was taken to two stories that have become so dear and familiar to me.
My heart swelled as I read the first story about the man with the legion of demons. He was naked and out of his mind (insanity/mental torment). When Jesus stepped onto the scene He cast out the demons and left the man CLOTHED AND IN HIS RIGHT MIND. Don’t you want to be clothed and in your right mind? I do! Jesus brings order from chaos and saved this man’s life in the process. The rest of that story shows us the man wanted to go with Jesus but Jesus sent him on a different mission. He went about proclaiming Jesus and telling his story about how Jesus saved him. Isn’t that beautiful?!
The second story was about the woman who had been suffering for 12 years with uncontrollable bleeding and had spent all her money to find help. Female bleeding made her continually unclean, hidden, and untouchable. As Jesus walked through the crowd… a crowd so large that there was no room to move without touching people, a woman touched his garment and IMMEDIATELY He felt power go out of Him to her. Why her? Everyone was touching Him but SHE is the one who was healed. Isn’t it interesting that a woman who was untouchable was healed by touching Jesus garment? She was at the end of her options. She had tried EVERYTHING and Jesus was her last hope. Truthfully, He was always her ONLY hope! Her FAITH in the person of Jesus is why she was healed. She reached out in hope and faith. She was no longer hoping in doctors, medicines, and potions. She was putting her trust in the Great Physician and He met her need in a way no earthly thing or person can. She was healed for the Glory of God!
I have read those stories many times and I have been able to relate to both in a deeper way since I have had autoimmune issues. I love that God took me right to something familiar and meaningful for me on a day when my pain level has been high and my mind has been on hard things. They both found their healing in Jesus! I can find my healing in Jesus, too. It may not look like we think it should but He will walk with us through the hard. He will calm the chaos. He will see our hope and our desperation. He will see our faith. He knows what we need better than we do and even before we know we need it. He will give us what we need. We can trust Him.
So, here I am reading right where I should be. I am hearing the stories I need to hear. Sitting on my couch trusting the God who guides even the smallest of things in our lives (even picking a Bible reading plan). On top of everything else it sets me up to start with the To the Word reading for the fall.
If you decide to read with me on that plan please let me know. I would love for you to join the challenge. I will post all the links and such when the time comes to join that group. If you are interested in seeing what it is all about you can take a look at the website for Christkirk Church. It is also not too late to join the summer reading, too.
The key is to be in the Word of God daily.
I encourage you to read something in the Bible each day no matter how big or small the passage.
Just read every day.
I am here if you ever have any questions.
I love hearing from you guys about what plans you use for reading the Bible and recommendations for books for devotionals that you love.
May God’s Word bless you richly!
~Leann
Photo by Joana Pires on Unsplash
Some Days There's Pie 