Prayer for 2014

The new year brings new commitments and a fresh start on goals and desired outcomes I have for my personal life and for my family.  Towards the end of 2013, I reflected often on how I might be able recharge my daily devotional time and engage with God on a more consistent and deeper level.  Oftentimes my daily quiet time feels like I'm just going through the motions, or my mind is on the day ahead, or I'm more focused on hitting the gym or heading out for a run to start my day.  I'm thankful God has transformed my heart and given me a passion to meet with Him daily in the still of the early morning (long gone are the days when I dreaded setting my alarm, now I look forward to setting it for 4:30a!)  Being the structured person that I am, I found myself looking forward to beginning a new Bible reading plan for 2014.  Two years ago, I ran across this 2-year Bible reading plan which I blogged about on New Year's Eve 2011.

This year, I'm looking forward to reading "Through the Bible Through the Year" by John Stott which was recommended to me by my friend/pastor Robbyn Abedi.

It's not your typical Bible reading plan with daily selected passages, rather this book is outlined in 3 parts (of 4 months each, with daily readings centered around a weekly theme covering the whole biblical story):

• Part 1: Creation to Christ
• Part 2: Christmas to Pentecost
• Part 3: Pentecost to Parousia (yes, I had to look this word up; Parousia = Christ's Second Coming)

My prayer is that this resource will launch me into a new approach to reading the Bible this year and awaken my soul daily as I open God's Word with anticipation and expectation that He will meet me and I will feel His presence daily.

Another resource I'm looking forward to reading daily is the new First15 from Denison Forum on Truth and Culture.  I have been receiving Jim Denison's daily devotional emails for 10+ years and would highly recommend to anyone to subscribe.

Happy New Year!