Hello there, sweet friends and friends to be!
My bet is you’re here because you are interested in reading the Bible with me. (I know this is true because this is a brand new site with zero SEO. So you’re here because you followed a link. #AmIRight?)
You might be excited, nervous, a bit apprehensive, totally in, wondering if you’re REALLY in, or a combination of all of those. I’ve been there.
I am here to tell you that this CAN be done and that it is CRAZY REWARDING. I am here to see you through every page and every challenge.
Yes, we will be reading every single word of every single page of the Bible, cover to cover. In 90 Days you will have read it ALL!!!
This session runs October 3- December 30, 2022.
On the starting day (tomorrow!) you’ll open up your Bible at Genesis and start reading, following the Bible in 90 Days reading plan. And then, on Monday, you’ll read the next day’s passage, and the next day and the next day….. And then you’ll wonder if you really need to do this, and then you’ll be fired up, and then you’ll read the next day….. and then you’ll wonder if we will EVER get out of the Old Testament and then you’ll keep reading and then you’ll be DONE! And we will all be SOOOO excited! And then it will be 2023 and you will still be fired up and glad you read every word.
Ready for that? Want my pro tips and inside scoop? Here ya go…
Know why you are doing this
There will be moments of truth… big and little things will jump in your way. The best way to make it past those moments and battles is to know why you are doing this in the first place. Why DO you want to read the entire Bible, cover to cover? Think about it for a minute.
Sure, it can be a life checklist thing, but it can be more than that. For me, the first time (I’ve done this more times than I can count, now.) I had questions I wanted answered. I thought reading the whole Bible would take care of that. It did, and it didn’t. Some questions were answered. Some new questions were raised. And some questions just weren’t that important to me after reading the whole thing.
Ted Cooper, the man who developed the reading plan and created the ministry originally, explained that his kids were getting older and starting to ask questions. He had been raised in the church and was raising his own kids in the church, but he didn’t know the answers and felt like he need to read the entire Bible to know more… and to know FOR SURE that this was all legit. And so he created a program and followed it and his life changed. (I am so thankful!!)
For me, after reading the entire Bible, every study and sermon I have experienced since then has had so much more meaning, because I can place it in context of the whole Bible. THAT is pretty powerful.
So. Why are YOU reading it the entire Bible in 90 days? What do YOU want to get out of it? Think about, Pray about it. You’ll need to know on those days you want to skip.
By the way, you don’t have to be a Christian to want to read the entire Bible or to read with this group. You just have to want to do the reading. Yes, I will be writing here from my perspective as a follower of Christ, but I am not going to be telling you what you should take from the reading. I am just here to keep you reading.
Here are three of my favorite explanations for the naysayers that say this is too fast and a waste of time:
- The Bible tells us that time spent in the Word will never return void. (I believe the Bible to be true, so I believe this to be true, too).
- 90 days means that once you reach the New Testament, so much from the Old Testament will still be fresh in your mind, making it easier to think about the fulfillment of prophecy. Will you remember it all? Probably not… but you’ll retain more than you’d guess.
- Three months is a totally doable frame of time to focus on one thing and GET IT DONE. It doesn’t draw on forever. You are in. You do the thing. You decide what to do next.
Identify what you are giving up to make it happen
The reading takes the average reader about an hour a day to stay on track. For some of you it might take a little more time, for some a touch less. You do not have to do it all at one time– some readers like to break it into 2 or 4 parts per day. Some days may require it.
An hour or more a day adds up. It works to just shove things aside for a few days, but then it gets more challenging. What will you set aside until the end of the year to make room for your reading? How will you make this work in your schedule? We’ve got busy times ahead people, but I KNOW you can do this with some intention.
- Will you read in one block a day or break it up into 2 or three sessions?
- Will you spend less time on social media?
- Will you do less cooking and ask your partner to help more for the next 3 months?
- Will you put a different study or fiction reading aside for 3 months?
- Will you exercise less– or combine the two and walk for an hour, listening to the Bible as you do so?
- Will you wake up earlier? Go to bed later? Read during lunch?
Knowing what will go will help you find the time and have a better chance of success.
Pray before you start reading each day
I like to pray before I start reading the Bible each day, asking Him to guide me through the reading, to help me block distractions and to help me to hear whatever messages He knows I especially need to embrace. I find that the prayer gets me centered and ready better than just jumping in.
Focus on READING not studying
This is a READING plan. We are not studying. Reading the entire Bible in 90 days is enough of a challenge. This plan is designed for reading, not studying, outlining, and researching. For most of the reading I will provide an overview that Ted created to give you perspective from which to read… and to keep you from researching and getting lost, taking away from your reading time.
Just read. Research later.
Use the Bible in 90 Days Bible, or an NIV with minimal footnotes
You can read a print Bible, a digital Bible or yes, you can even listen– if you promise to REALLY listen. You can even switch between all three. (Just do the reading!!)
The HIGHLY recommend you use the Bible in 90 Days NIV Bible because it has as few footnotes as possible and is a very reader-friendly translation. (That is NOT an affiliate link. I don’t make any money off this.) If you use the Bible in 90 Days Bible, it even has the reading plan in the Bible and amounts to 12 pages a day. (You can SOOOO do that!)
The YouVersion plan does deviate a bit from our plan. I suggest using the Bible in 90 Days Bible in Kindle form rather than the the YouVersion plan.
Do not underestimate this assignment you are accepting.
It IS a challenge. And one skipped day can really be discouraging and set you back more than you expect. But you CAN do this. I’ve seen people catch up that were 10 days behind, but that is the exception. Don’t plan on that. Plan to read daily. And do it.
I’ve got resources. And a requirement.
Reading the entire Bible in 90 days is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done in my life. I am thrilled and honored to share this with you. I will pour a lot of love and prayer into this for you. I ask that you commit to reading and keep me posted as to your progress in return.
Each Saturday night of the Bible in 90 Days program I will post the reading schedule for the upcoming week alongside resources to help you make your way through the week’s reading well. All of this is 100% free. In return, I ask that you send me an email at the start to let me know you are reading with me. Let me know your name and why you are reading. Then, each Sunday, I ask that you send another email to let me know how you are doing in the reading. Yes, I really want to know. (And this adds some accountability. Accountability is critical.)
Are you in? Are you going to read the Bible in 90 Days with me?
If so, send me an email. Tell me that you are in and why.
Then get reading!
Week 1 Bible in 90 Days Resources:
- Full Bible in 90 Days Reading Plan (Print and check off your reading as you go. 🙂 )
- You Are Here in the Bible- Genesis 1-11
- You are Here in the Bible- Genesis 12-50
- You are Here in the Bible- Exodus
you-are-here-genesis-1-11
you-are-here-genesis-12-50
you-are-here-exodus
Alrighty, I’m so excited for you. LET’S DO THIS!