LET'S GET TO READING IN 2012

Psalm 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

I AM ALMOST FINISHED! As of New Year's Eve, I will have completed my 47th year of reading through the entire Bible!

I started in 1964. Why then? I had been married five years and was expecting my third child. At that time we attended what would now be called a very legalistic church. Our pastor was also the Sunday school teacher of the adult class. Each Sunday he would ask every person, "How many chapters of the Bible did you read this week?" I generally mumbled "One," or maybe, "Two." I reasoned that surely I had read that many if I counted the Bible reading at church or surely in that Adult Sunday school class! Finally, I was tired of dreading that question, so I decided to join the others in our class who had taken on the challenge of reading through the whole Bible in a year. In those days, no one had heard of the One Year Bible. We did have a chart that began with Genesis and ended with Revelation. I checked that chart each day to find my assigned reading for the day. I was determined to follow the chart, and I was very methodical in my reading, and could proudly report the large number of chapters loudly to the class each week. I secretly hoped everyone was properly impressed because I was "so spiritual."

All went well until June 25 of that year, 1964. Our 7-week-old son, Jimmy, was found dead in his crib by my husband, Glen, apparently due to SIDS. But this wasn't supposed to happen to a "spiritual" person like me! I dutifully continued to read the assigned passages, but my heart wasn't in it. After June 25, my reading was robotic. I knew I had not absorbed much, so I decided to try it again the next year. The reading did go better and was only interrupted by the fact I gave birth to twins on Christmas Day of 1965. Our identical twin boys were named Nathan James and Ethan Thomas. Ethan was the smaller of the twins and only survived ten days. Needless to say, my reading became robotic once again.

Life found a normalcy after that. We became 40-year residents of California. I raised three children and my reading became a very natural part of me. In 1983 Nathan was killed by a drunk driver. To say I "trudged through" my reading that year would be quite accurate, but I didn't want to quit. My reading through the Bible each year had become a part of me.

I became the proud owner of a One Year Bible in the 70's. That made the reading so much easier. I started with the Living Translation, and now have nearly every translation in my library.

If you have not adopted a devotional routine, I implore you to start now. I have learned so much by acquiring a routine of reading each day.

I have learned:
The Bible isn't just a compilation of different books by various authors, but it all fits together. The One Year Bible presents a portion of the Old Testament, Psalms, Proverbs, and the New Testament daily. I am amazed to discover how each portion often covers the same topic or issue.

I normally sit down to begin my devotions with pen in hand so that I can underline the verses that speak to me specifically. I also have a notepad nearby so that I can jot down extraneous thoughts Satan will put in my way.

I'm certain that God sneaks extra verses into the Bible during the night because I had not noticed them before. :)

As I read through the book of Daniel, I realized that Daniel had to wait a long time for an answer to his prayer because the prayer delivery person had to fight the prince of darkness to get there! Have you ever considered praying for the prayer angel that he will have a safe and quick trip? I pray for the "prayer delivery" person now. The last thing Satan wants is for our prayers to be answered.

Many of you know that Glen and I live full-time in a motorhome...less than 350 square feet of space. I am often asked, "How do you find the privacy to have your devotions?" I answer, "That's easy, when I'm done, I simply say, 'Glen, you can get up now!'"

I urge you to take time to listen to God and talk with Him. He's waiting for you!

Marilyn Willett Heavilin

Marilyn is a wife and mother, author, and international conference and retreat speaker. She and her husband Glen serve as Counselors-in-Residence at America's KESWICK during the summer months.

Bill Welte, President and CEO, invites you to join him this year in reading through the Bible. Bill's desire is not to add one more thing to your "to do" list, but to make reading the Bible a priority this year. Visit our website www.americaskeswick.org to download a copy of this year's reading plan. Each daily reading contains portions of scripture from the Old Testament, Proverbs and the New Testament. You may also join Kathy Withers, Development Associate, on our America's Keswick Daily Bible Reading Facebook page for weekly encouragement throughout the year as we make our way through the Bible in a year. Just a few minutes a day and you CAN read through the Bible in a year!