A NOTE FROM GRETCHEN

I don’t want to just own a Bible; I want to know my Bible. I don’t want to just read my Bible every so often; I want to study my Bible and to live out what Scripture teaches. God’s Word is not meant to sit on a shelf and collect dust; it’s meant to be cherished, studied, and obeyed.

The first time I read through the Bible chronologically, I found myself in awe of God’s work of redemption. Reading consistently from start to finish helped me better grasp the overarching narrative, the consistency of God’s character, the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the threads of hope woven in every book. 

I’ll never forget the moment I finished reading the Old Testament and began the New Testament. A heavy weight of longing and anticipation had settled on my soul as the Old Testament showed me with fresh vision that we desperately need rescue from our sin. So when I began the book of Matthew, tears streamed down my face as I read of the long-awaited birth of Jesus, our promised Savior. At the year's end, when I read the last chapters of Revelation that promise Jesus’ return and describe the eternal life we’ll have with him in God’s kingdom, I couldn’t help but praise God for his faithfulness that endures forever. 

The Bible is our hope, peace, life, and wellspring of joy. Drink deeply from the well of God’s unchanging truth. May your eyes be opened to the threads of redemption woven throughout every book of the Bible as you read the Word in every season.

 

Rooted in him,

Gretchen

Founder

 

P.S. Read the entire Bible and see the story of redemption come alive! Our In Every Season Journal Set guides you through a chronological Bible reading plan. The journals are undated, so you can go through the entire Bible in a year or go at your own pace!

 

A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT

To be loved but not known is superficial. To be known but not loved is our nightmare. Only Jesus knows us to the bottom and loves us to the sky. —Timothy Keller

 

FILL YOUR EARS WITH TRUTH

Podcasts, Bible teaching, and worship songs we’re loving lately 

"King Forevermore (God the Uncreated One)" by Aaron Keyes

"No Place Better (Psalm 84)" by Caroline Cobb

Where Life & Scripture Meet, a podcast by CCEF, is a real gem. The episodes are short and incredibly helpful. I can’t stop thinking about two recent episodes, and the ideas in them are still impacting my real life. If you’re in a difficult season in any of your relationships, don’t miss Does Love Always Trust? And if you’re brave and ready to face what’s going on inside your own head, check out Making Sense of Self-Pity. —Maggie, Content Director

 

READ-A-MENTOR RECOMMENDATIONS

Books, articles, and emails we’re loving lately

The Reason for God by Timothy Keller has been on my to-read list for years. After Tim Keller’s recent passing, I decided to finally pick it up. It has encouraged me to grow to love God more with my mind and helped me see my doubts as something that can ultimately strengthen my faith. Following Christ requires faith, but it’s not an unreasonable faith. There is so much evidence for God all around us if we’re faithful to seek truth in our searching. This book will give you confidence in your faith or challenge you to defend the gospel with love and humility. —Whitney, President + CFO

I flew through Beth Moore’s memoir, All My Knotted-Up Life. Her ability to face her own life—with all its brokenness and beauty—head-on with courage, candor, and compassion gripped me, sobered me, and made me laugh and cry. To be allowed into the intimate places of pain and sorrow is a privilege, and I felt supremely humbled to witness her relationship with God and experience a kind of fellowship with her. Her wisdom and understanding ministered deeply to me. —Lauren, Theological Editor

 

A RESOURCE WE RECOMMEND