Hi. Remember me? I haven’t been here for awhile. I didn’t even realize how long it’s been since my last post until I came to the site … and saw that the last entry was on Thanksgiving Day. November and December have slipped away.  One week from today will be Christmas Eve!

So, of course, I felt a little guilty for neglecting this. I thought maybe I could just look back through my most popular Christmas posts and re-post several of those. But … well … I’ll just let you put “Christmas” in the search box over to the right if you want to read any of the previous years’ Christmas meditations.

Today, I’m already looking at the new year, because I want to give you an advance invitation to something exciting and important.

I’d like to invite you to change how you read your Bible. I invite you to feed and grow your hope. I invite you to increase your love for the Savior you’re going to celebrate next week, and I invite you to transform your worldview.

(No, I don’t think I’m over-promising on any of those points.)

I invite you to read the Bible through next year — in four months, January 1 to April 30, 2015.

You can do it. I know  you can. I did it with friends last year. The first week was hard — the last week was bittersweet. We were so happy we had done it — our reading had become vital nourishment each day — and we were sorry to see it end. We wanted to start all over again immediately!

It all started with a challenge from Keith Ferrin, a blogger I follow. His heart and ministry is all about helping people fall in love with God’s Word. Every year, he invites everyone to participate in a Bible Read Thru. He calls it “The Challenge That Could Change Everything.”

I’ll be doing the Read Thru again this year, along with other friends. I have a feeling I’m hooked for life.

And I’m inviting YOU. Get two or three or four friends to commit to do this with you — and do it!

If you accept the invitation, you can sign up with Keith and he’ll send you weekly encouragement emails and give you access to a private Facebook group where you can meet others who are reading.

But signing up with him is not mandatory — although it gives you connections with others who are doing the Read Thru, interacting with your own group is the only necessary thing.

There are only three guidelines for your group:

1. Commit to reading the Bible through in four months. There are reasons for doing this in such a condensed time frame. Daily, it will take from 30-60 minutes. Make the time and do it.

2. Jot down some notes. Nothing long or complicated. Just jot down or mark things that the Spirit uses to nudge you.

3. Talk about what you’re reading with your friends who are also reading. Meet on a regular schedule. Not only does the group help to keep each one committed — it widens the perspective on what you’re reading. I’m thinking about even trying to Skype with a group, but I’m not sure I’m that tech-savvy yet.

Here’s a link to hear all about the Bible Read Thru 2015. Again, you don’t have to sign up with Keith, but please consider doing the reading. I promise, it will change your year!

http://keithferrin.com/36-ready-bible-read-thru-2015-podcast

p.s. I’ll be happy to answer any questions or help in any way I can. You can email me at elaineatmeditations@gmail.com