Rising to a year-long challenge!

I love it when a plan comes together!

This time last year I asked the congregations of Holy Trinity a question:

 ‘Could 2018 be the year that you rise to the challenge of reading the whole of the Bible in one year?’ 

I recommended a resource to help with this, in the form of the Bible in One Year which comes as an App for your smartphone, or a daily email to your inbox (see www.bibleinoneyear.org).
As well as the option to read the Bible, BiOY offers an alternative approach - you can to listen to it read by actor David Suchet, and then hear an optional commentary on the passages for the day from Nicky Gumbel.

I’m delighted that a large number of people rose to the challenge, and some of them share their experience below.

Hi MickYou wanted to hear from people who have been reading the Bible in one Year so I thought I’d let you know how I’ve been getting on.
I’ve found it a wonderful experience and the phone app has been an extremely helpful way of doing it. I initially started just reading the passages as finding time for the notes too was difficult but I was encouraged by (a member of) our Home Group to try the notes too and I have found them very helpful. I especially like the way the Psalm/Proverbs, New Testament and Old Testament passages are linked and to see how God’s messages follow through the whole Bible. 
It has sometimes been a challenge (some of the Old Testament passages can be a bit long and hard-going) but most days I’ve managed it and have never fallen more than a few days behind. My preference has been to wake up half an hour earlier each day for a quiet time on it which also gives the chance to reflect on the passages throughout the day and have often found that they’ve been able to help me deal with the daily challenges and have the comfort that God is with me through them.
I previously attempted reading the Bible in a Year a few years ago. It took me 2 years but I got there in the end. This time has certainly been easier due to the app and the knowledge that others at Holy Trinity have been studying the same passages together.
I’d definitely encourage others to try it in 2019. SF

 I have really enjoyed the whole experience. I make it my first stop of the day, so get up, make coffee and then settle with my I-Pad to read. It helps me to start the day in a helpful way and because all I have to do is make a few clicks there is no 'which bit shall I read?’, 'what shall I do first?’ conundrum - all the decision making is done for me.Reading the OT alongside the NT (compared to starting at Genesis and systematically going from one book to the next, which is what I've done in the past), in manageable chunks, has really helped me to develop a wider and deeper understanding of the OT in the context of the NT, which, for me, makes the OT much more relevant for today. The commentary by Nicky Gumbel is very helpful, educative and most of all encouraging. I like the fact that he quotes from the Message Bible, to put something into a more modern vocabulary or context... I also like the way that he quotes from other Christian writers - to the extent that I will repeat the process next year, with a notebook to hand so that I can list the writers/books that I want to explore further.The fact that I can access it when away from home means that I don't have to miss days, and the fact that it is not deleted after the date means that when I do have to miss a day, I can play catch-up.I've also talked with other Christians … and know of two who also downloaded and partook, one on his bus journey into work each day and the other after the end of shift each evening. It's a great conversation starter and so easy to encourage each other.Thank you for introducing it to the congregation. HN

 It has been good to get together with others at (a church member's home) to share informally with others with different perspectives and questions, over a meal together.   … I had woven into my upbringing the importance of knowing the Word of God. I would therefore encourage all believers to have a thorough knowledge of the scriptures and if this project could carry on in whatever form amongst our congregation at Holy Trinity that would be great. DE

Hi Mick,
I started the challenge in January 2018. As I am dyslexic this was quite a challenge but with the help of my Home Group I have just a month to go now. I have read parts of the Bible I would not otherwise have read in my Daily Bible Notes. I was impressed, especially in the Old Testament, how much the Lord loves his people especially after they had ignored him so many times and gone their own way, but he had forgiven them over and over again, bringing them back to himself.I feel the comparison with the world today is remarkable and quite frightening but as a committed Christian, and still not perfect, I am thankful I have been forgiven through Jesus' love on the cross.
Yours in our Lord Jesus Christ,DE

I have found these testimonies a great encouragement, and I hope that more from Holy Trinity will join together in this venture again in 2019.

I'm grateful to Chris and Sonya who organised and hosted a (roughly) monthly meal at their home for those wanted to join them to discuss what they had read - thank you!

If you want to download the App and start in January - or download it and try it out now - then look for BiOY in the App Store, or go to the website and request those daily emails into your inbox.