Back in May 2017 while I was inbetween jobs (story of my life from 2013-2021) I decided to read my Bible through again. I had done it at least 3 other times by this point, but I was ready to start again. Previously I had read it straight through, then I read it chronologically, then I read it in 90 days (not for the faint of heart, but I've always said it's hard to tell Leighann McCoy no). I was ready for a new and different way, and I had new CSB Bible just for this.
After searching the internets I came across Professor Horner's Reading plan. It sounded a little sketchy at first, and pretty ambitious, but I was game. Using this plan you read 10 chapters a day, hopping back and forth between the Old and New Testament. Yes, 10 chapters a day is pretty insane, but the kick is you are just supposed to read it and move on, not really go back and study it, research questions you have, etc. That was the sketchy part to me, but after a while I didn't mind it. Since I was reading in a new Bible nothing had been highlighted or marked or anything, so it was fun seeing the familiar verses with fresh eyes. Also, having been reading and studying the Bible for over 50 years now, it was interesting to see little snippets that had perhaps not caught my eye before.
When I started all those years ago, it was before I had a laptop and started making notes in the trusty colorful composition book hidden underneath everything in the picture. I kept that up for several years, although sadly I did not date every day I wrote something, which still irks me to this day. Then, several years ago I decided my handwriting was getting really sloppy and I wanted to make notes on my laptop. The organized side of me got all out of control, but I made this amazing spreadsheet to keep my notes in.
I also kept track of where I was with a spreads in my Bullet Journal. However, Acts and Proverbs I had to make new squares for since those two books you read over and over. (I read both of them 8+ times).
In full disclosure, his plan has a 500 day checklist, but in all honesty it only takes 250 days to work through all the books of the Bible, which is what I did. It is divided into 10 lists where you have certain sets of books you read for that list. When you finish that list, you just start over on that list again. For example, one list is simply reading Proverbs. So every time I finished reading Proverbs 31, I would start over the next day on Proverbs 1. Another list simply had the Gospels, so every time I finished John 21, I'd start over on Matthew 1, and so on. The lists all have varying amount of days it takes to complete them, so you never end up reading the same 10 books besides Day 1 and Day 251 if you do it again.
Also in my picture below is my ever important list of kings in the Divided Kingdom. When reading a Bible, I always use to different colors to mark whether the king was over Judah or Israel. My list helps me keep track to that and I always make notes about if they were a good king or a bad king. (Spoiler alert, most are bad)
Finally I have my bookmarks. These are VITAL when doing this plan. When I started, the ones I made were the only option, now others have jumped on the ship with this and made cuter I ones I probably would have chosen. These bookmarks have the list you are reading from on them and they hold your place. I liked to keep the number side up so I can know where to go after I read one chapter, then go to the next. Honestly, though, after a while you know where you are going because you have done it so many times!
Totals:
2472 chapters read
2275 Pages
~780 days to complete
If you have any questions, let me know!
Always keep reading the Bible!
Melissa
PS: In between all this we also read the Bible through in 2020 as a church, so techinally I've read it through 5+ times now. And the good news is: The Church at Station Hill, in fact, all the Brentwood Baptist campuses, are reading the Bible through AGAIN next year church wide! I'm so excited!!
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