This is afterall a blog on Intentional Discipleship & Triathlons, so I feel I have the acountability to update you on my Spiritual journey into Intentional Discipleship. :)
- I may have shared sometime back that I am (slowly) reading thru the bible (for only the second time ever), and I am happy to report that today I finished going thru the Old Testament! Can't wait to start on the New Testament tomorrow. Just like the last time, I am following this chronological reading plan. I find that having a chronological reading plan makes reading the Old Testament much easier as it presents the events as they actually happen in the course of time. If you have not tried it, I strongly encourage you to do so - there are lots of on-line and published chronological reading plans, and they do make understanding the Old Testament MUCH easier.
- However, unlike the last time I used this plan, I am not giving myself the pressure of finishing the reading plan in a year, but taking my time and focusing on letting the passages speak to me. I have found that it helps a lot just to keep a journal of 3 main headings - "What is God Saying to me?", "My Response", and "Lessons Learnt" - as I read. It forces me to think and pray about what God is telling/teaching me thru His Word. Try it, it really works! :) Another thing I am doing differently is that I am using the New Living Translation (NLT) Bible this time, which I find easy to read, while giving an added perspective to the same passages that I read last year in the New International Version (NIV) Bible.
- While I have found reading His Word to be very rewarding (especially when I am consistent with it), I have been getting increasing concerned about my (lack of) prayer life. This concern has been bubbling over for sometime now, and I finally gave voice to it at my last Care Group meeting last Friday. The group must have been praying hard for me, because on Sunday we had a surprise visiting pastor (Pastor Benny Ho) who decided that he would give us a sermon on "Prayer that Prevails". How cool is that? Praise God!
- It was a simple sermon about praying
PROPHETICALLY - Prayer being a powerful means to birth forth God's will on earth;
PASSIONATELY - Prayer being an intense and passionate communication with God;
PROACTIVELY - Actively looking for God's answer even as we pray;
PERSISTENTLY - Praying till we have an answer;
but the sermon spoke to me in a very personal way as only the Holy Spirit can. Truly our God is an awesome God, and when He speaks, we can't help but to hear Him. :D - The funny thing is, when I sat down and comitted to consistently praying for the 3 most important things in my life - Salvation for my parents, Well-being of my family, Personal Walk with God - neither work nor triathlons came up at all. Go figure!
Until next time, train safe and God Speed!
8 comments:
Good reminders- I like the idea of reading slower and taking time to contemplate rather than just powering through to say you've read through the Bible in a year.
That is frustrating about your oly tri-could you form a relay and do the race? The other thing our tri club here will do is set up our own races of sort-we'll set out a course and "race" it together-then gather with our families for a picnic/games etc. It's a good way to train like a race without the cost and pressure.
Your 3 goals are good ones. The rest is as God allows.
Every time I pray for God to work something out in my life, His answer seems to be that is not what is important, but my response to it is.
God has the most awesome way of putting the 'icing on the cake'. He's MORE than got you covered. you are in my prayers as well. Continue to walk passionately in your faith!
I was just catching up on your blog. Congrats on your last race! That's awesome. Your kids are adoreable. They will be in such great shape when they grow up. I love how you mesh spirituality with training. That's what it's all about.
Kewl,
I finish reading Samuel 1 & 2 and heading into Kings. Wow. Who said Bible is boring. This is way too exciting. There are nights where I can't stop putting my Bible down. I guess I haven't read Numbers yet :0
My structure of devotion and prayer still need to be refine.
I will keep a journal and use similar heading as u use.
Excellent post. I have always loved your posts of a spiritual nature!
Thanks for another excellent post. They always remind me to find more QT for prayer.
I read the NT through once and did the Bible in Year book which did one OT, one NT and a life lesson each day. I have probably read it all the way through one more time.
I must say Leviticus and all those 'begats' began to drive me 'benutty'.
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