God Sightings: The NLT One Year Bible

I started last year with intentions of reading the bible all the way through. I can’t say that happened. It’s a new year and I’m trying it again. One of the goals I listed in my post yesterday was to dedicate time to reading the bible and stick with it. I’m clearly not a morning person, so the appointed time will be in early evening. My goal is to transition better from my daytime activities to night time by allowing time to re-energize me.

I received a copy of God Sightings – The One Year Bible last fall and started reading it. The New Living Translation (NLT) is an enjoyable version of the bible to read. Each day there’s a reading from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs. That’s a lot of reading, but I like it because I have never really read through all the Psalms before, still have read through the prophets either.

There are a lot more resources included with this Bible. I just registered on the God Sightings website at http://www.mygodsightings.com/.

Tears in a Bottle

You keep track of all my sorrows.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book.
Psalm 56:8 (New Living Translation)

The verse above arrived via a devotion in my email last week. It struck me hard. I couldn’t tell you how many times I read it, but I drew comfort from the verse each time. 2009 was a mixed bag. It’s a little over an hour before 2010 rolls in as I write this post.

I could take the time to beat myself up over not meeting a couple of goals, but I’ve had quite the year, some good and some not-so-good surprises. Some gains and major losses. Every year has its moments, but 2009 will definitely be a year I won’t forget. Especially since I ended the decade so much differently than I entered the decade.

I’m grateful to God for carrying me through even when I wasn’t as trusting as I should be. I’m most grateful for the times I broke down in tears that He saw every tear. When no one else really saw my pain, I know He did. I’m not one for pity parties, so I’m officially bottling up the disappointment of this year and not looking back.

I have a few goals (not resolutions) for this year.

Sister Circle Talk Show Contest

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When did you know your church was the right fit for you?

I’ve been looking for a new church home for most of the year. Where I live, there are hundreds of churches. The task of where to start was a bit daunting. So I have to say I sat quite a few Sundays out. I watched television broadcasts and even attended church “online.” Neither was quite the same as going to a physical church.

To jumpstart my search, I decided to go back to my roots a bit. The first church I ever joined was an African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. Methodists are very orderly and it many cases very traditional. I wasn’t sure if this was what I wanted in a church home after spending a number of years attending a non-denominational church. I can say every AME church I’ve visited, there is a sense of comfort in knowing the order of service.

There has been a church I’ve attended three Sunday’s in a row now and I’m already feeling at home. There are few things I really like:

The pastor is female. That’s definitely different for me.
She is a bible-teaching pastor. A pastor who studies is important.
The congregation is really friendly. I’ve visited churches where even the ushers weren’t very welcoming.
The church is about growth and serving the community. I really don’t enjoy churches who seem to collect money only for the building fund.

Last Sunday as I was leaving, the pastor asked me my name. Today, we actually talked. Her reaching out and and today’s sermon on “Lukewarm Religion” (Revelations 3:14-22) were big for me. So, it appears I may be getting close to the end of my search.

I’m definitely not a pew sitter. I’ve always worked in the church whether in Sunday School or Women’s Ministry, so I’m looking to get back on track after a year of intense transitions.

When did you know your church was the right fit for you?