dig

I've never read the Bible cover to cover. I've heard many of the stories, embraced the truth of the Word, but I've never fully dug into the truth of the Gospel from the beginning of time to the revelation of what is to come.

I felt called to ministry for the first time in 7th grade at Student Life Camp in Louisiana when I was 12 years old. At the time I very clearly felt the Lord speaking into my life by saying "Rachael, I am the vine and you are the branch, but you are not abiding in me." I felt the undeniable truth that my life was selfish, but that God had bigger plans for me. And if I were to follow them into a life of ministry, then my life had to change -- even then, beginning 8th grade.

Since that calling has resonated in my life I have pursued experience, service opportunities, leadership and guidance. I've tried to learn about ministry, I've even taught about ministry, but there's one piece to the puzzle I've been missing. People's advice is good, often well-intended and wise. But the greatest Words of all are those penned by the hands of men directly led by the Spirit of the Lord in the context of the Holy Bible. GOD'S Words, above all else, are a lamp to the feet, salt to the earth, light to the world, and yet.... I do not know many of them. Some I may have never even heard. Old Testament books... stories in the form of parables... I've heard them in Sunday school, or in sermons or through Bible studies, but what about directly from the mouth of the Lord? That's what I need to hear. That's real truth. Not tainted by one man's perception or spoken by a spin to create attraction, but real, honest truth.

The Word.

Tomorrow I am going to begin reading the Bible in 90 days. The challenge is large because the Word has so much to offer -- who can really embrace it all in 90 days? I could read for years and never fully understand or comprehend the size of my God. But I want to start first by simply hearing the Word so that the rest of my life and pursuit of ministry can be committed to the true Word, the one that matters most. So Meredith and I will be reading together through the Scriptures and digging into the truths of the Bible. I am beyond excited.

The discipline of reading Scripture is one I have often failed in over the years. I can read bits and pieces, or reference the Word when I have a problem, but the Bible has so much more to gain from. So my prayer is that through this season I become a vehicle for truth to be expressed and gained. My prayer is that God is foremost glorified, that in my weakness I point only to Christ and not to myself as if to say, "look at me, how good I am..." No my prayer is that in taking the Word of life in each day I cannot help but pour it back out, through my words, my actions, my attitudes. I pray His Word becomes so alive and active in my heart it cannot be contained inside my soul! I pray I pour it out! And I pray, most of all, that my heart is humbled through the rebuke and correction His truth offers.. and that the darkest parts of my self are exposed to the light.

Let's dig.