Welcome to Connect2LIFE

This blog is the completion of a three year project.  It is a Bible reading plan that is designed to take three years to complete as you read through all sixty-six books of the Bible.  It is common for Bible reading plans to take the reader through the whole Bible in a year.  Connect2LIFE takes a different approach.  While any plan that gets a person reading the Bible is good, the focus of this plan is not so much to read the Bible in a certain time, but to read through the whole Bible while focusing on a response.  God inspired the Bible to speak to us and make a difference in our lives.  There are three simple questions to respond to each day.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?

3.  How can I help someone?

Another unique part of this reading process is that it is designed around reading five days a week.  The New Testament is read one chapter a day.  Doing this five days a week, you will read the New Testament in a year.  The Old Testament starts out reading one chapter a day.  Then, starting with Exodus chapter 17, read two chapters a day.  It will take you two years to complete the Old Testament this way.  Reading for five days a week, and reading one or two chapters a day, allows for reading other parts of the Bible.  Many like to read from the Psalms and Proverbs daily.  Many have a favorite passage they like to read often.  This allows for that.

I have written my thoughts for each chapter and posted them on this blog.  The process took me a little over three years.  This is a good illustration that things don’t always go the way we plan.  In the process of the three years, my brother, Roger, died unexpectedly.  We were at the hospital for more than two weeks with him.  I also worked through a year-long transition and retirement process with the church I have had the privilege of serving for twenty five years.  It was a privilege to work with them as they selected their new pastor.  So, this all took me a little longer than planned, but I completed my goal.

I started with the New Testament.  If you go to the oldest posting on this blog, you will find Matthew chapter one.  Go to the blog archive, year 2012, to find the beginning.  My suggestion is that you read the chapter(s) for the day and then write your thoughts first.  This does not need to be extensive, nor a commentary on the whole chapter.  The goal is for each reader to write something that speaks to you as you read.  Pray for God to make His Word speak to you.  And, unlike what I did, you are not writing for publication. So, let God speak to your heart as you read and write your thoughts.  After you write, read what I wrote.  There is no right or wrong thing to write, as the goal is for each reader to think about what they are reading and how can they apply the Bible to daily life.  Also, it helps us get our thoughts focused on serving others, the last question asks how I can help someone.

The 119th Psalm says that God’s Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  The Psalmist wrote that he would hide God’s Word in his heart so that he wouldn’t sin against God.  There is no better book to read to establish the foundation for our lives than the Bible.  I trust that you will be drawn closer to the Lord Jesus Christ as you read and write.  So, grab a notebook and get started.