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Farewell 2024! Bible Plan for 2025

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Hi Friends,

We have less than 24 hours left in 2024. I wish I could say I got in the best shape of my life, read more than ever or exceeded some writing goal. But I did finish my Bible reading plan, and there’s great satisfaction in sticking with it the whole year! I have gotten behind and given up every other time I have tried it, sadly. What was the difference? Two things: (1) I used this 5-day plan so if you do get behind you have the weekend to catch up; and (2) Almost everyday I listened to the reading while reading along. This was huge for me. I feel like my absorption with seeing AND hearing went way up. The Bible says much about how we need to “hear” and “keep.” And obviously most of the early church members did a lot more hearing than reading. We are blessed to so easily do both! I used this free Bible app which has the audio of various translations. I pulled that up and used my physical Bible to follow along. For me, this was a game changer.

I was also amazed by how much stories and struggles from Scripture parallel today. At least a couple of times a week I would come across a verse or snippet that felt so much like what’s going on in my life or in the world at large. The plan’s organization meant you were reading one of the Gospels every couple of months, a couple of Psalms every week, and both the New and Old Testament daily. Oftentimes the readings all address a similar theme. I was in awe of how this particular structure reinforced the unified message of the Bible: He created us, He redeems us, He is with us. We are called to trust Him, love Him, surrender to Him and live joyful lives full of gratitude.

In sum, I could not love that Bible plan more. But, I am changing things up not because of the plan but because of me. Unless I had something early, like 6:30 am Bible study on Fridays, I mostly read the Bible within an hour or so of waking up. I’d often exercise first, but crank out the readings before getting ready for the day. The key word there is “crank.” Sometimes, especially in the midst of some of the harder Old Testament books, I felt like I was checking a box and sometimes walked away with a sort of bewildered feeling. I want my mornings to be more contemplative. I don’t want to feel like I’m banging it out. My plan this year is to use Paul David Tripp’s Everyday Gospel. It has a reading plan but then also a devotional. He’s fantastic. So I am excited about that. I’m going to do this later in the day, maybe even consistently right before bed.

My new goal for 2025 is to start my mornings with a snippet of Scripture and my prayer journal, meditating and praying instead of rushing through a larger portion of Scripture. This practice is sometimes called Lectio Divina and here is an explanation from Tom Tarrants of the C.S. Lewis Institute.

Psalm 119:15 says “I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.” This is my goal for 2025. I’d love it if you’d join me. Either way, I hope you have a lovely time today reflecting on this past year and looking forward to knowing and serving God better in 2025. I hope we can spur each other on!

Blessings,

Kristie

January Meditations

  • January 1st -4th 1 John 3:1-3
  • January 5th – 11th John 17:20-26
  • January 12th-18th Ephesians 1:3-10
  • January 19th-25th 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
  • January 26th-February 1st Colossians 1:15-20

A New Formula for Nuclear Energy?

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Hi Friends,

It is freshly-squeezed orange juice season in Florida. The OJ pictured above is literally $15 per gallon and I can testify that it is worth every delicious penny. It’s like sunshine in a glass. I am utterly obsessed! I am also obsessed with this little water bottle that my son, an SEC athlete, gave me. Since I have two favorite SEC schools, and may add a third Fall 2025, it is just perfect for me. But today I found out that combining OJ and my SEC bottle may cause a nuclear reaction.

Last Thursday I left my beloved bottle — half filled with orange juice — at Bible study. I meant to swing by and get it during the week but I never did. I had no idea such a mistake would cause a near death experience. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that the force with which it exploded upon untwisting was many many many orders of magnitude stronger than the most intense champagne uncorking you’ve ever witnessed. Plus this “cork” is metal. David killed Goliath with a stone to the head, and so I praise God that somehow no one was injured. I mean the ceiling is scarred but you’d have to know where to look to see it. Once again my life is marked by grace upon grace!

But you know what else is a dangerously atomic combination? Godlessness and political fervor. I have strong political convictions and I always vote. But no matter the outcome, I know God is sovereign. In fact, even when things haven’t been decided how I may have liked, I have been blessed to see how God has used certain aspects to grow me personally. I believe God is at work in my life no matter who sits in the Oval Office. I believe the calling on my life to be invested in the people where I live is the same no matter who controls the Senate. I am certain we were never intended to have our identities wrapped up in politics. The meltdowns confirm that something is really wrong.

I am praying that a revival breaks out in our country — that all people would stop pretending that their “works” earn them anything. Instead may we daily adopt a posture of gratitude. Guess what? We woke up today. We live in a free and prosperous country. More importantly, Jesus died for our sins. Our works don’t mean a thing, but He wants to wrap us in His completed work. We don’t have to do anything — it is done. When we accept His offer, we can rest in His robe of righteousness.

Look with skepticism on those who want to push you towards victimhood, or towards identifying with a group. Reject identifying with a voting bloc or even an oppressed group. You are you unique. You were knit together with love and intention in your mother’s womb. You are loved beyond measure because you are YOU, made in the image of your Creator. No one “sees you” like He does. No one loves you like He does. Every single person on this earth will disappoint you. But you don’t have to be devastated by that when you find your identity in Christ.

He will never leave you nor forsake you. And His love is the more powerful, more transformative than nuclear energy. His love is the most powerful thing that exists. Why would you reject that?

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3: 16-17

With Love,

Kristie

What Does the Fool Say?

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Hi Friends,

I hope you’ve had a fabulous Tuesday. I snapped the picture above on a walk with my man this morning and I just wrapped up a steak dinner grilled by my middle son who has recently taken on the role of grillmaster. These are the bookends of a very lovely day. God is good.

In my much beloved Bible reading plan, I read Psalm 53 this morning. Do you know the opening line? It is a familiar one, and the title of this blog is a hint: The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” Psalm 53:1 (ESV).

How could one walk along the beach at sunrise and think there is no God? How could one marvel at the comfort of love and think there is no God? How could one cuddle a newborn babe and think there is no God? How could one smell a sizzling steak off the grill, delivered by one who was seemingly just a newborn himself and think there is no God?

It’s foolishness, utter foolishness.

Yet my eyes are not opened as a result of my own effort. I am not able to recognize such foolishness because I am smart, as tempting as it may be to sometimes feel that way. The truth is that even my faith is a gift from God. I can take credit for nothing. All glory and honor belongs to the Author and Perfecter of my faith.

I hope when we look around and see the many who say in their hearts “there is no God,” we pray for them instead of condemning them.

With Love,

Kristie

Jackson Five Friday: “Baby Coming”

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My Friends,

I haven’t posted on my blog for over two years. In 2022 I gave Substack a whirl and it was the right platform for the right time. In fact, I could not have known what a comfort it would be to write only for my people (subscribers) in that season of life. I demonetized it as the end of 2023, and planned to write more on other projects. I cannot overstate how epically I have failed on this front. I either self-impose deadlines and structure, or I simply don’t write. So, I’ve been thinking about how to get myself back to writing more regularly. I enjoy the process of writing so much, and I invariably walk away with greater clarity, so it is selfish in its fulfillment as well. I am going to start writing here again twice a week (even if the posts are super short). On Tuesdays I’m going to do a series on the Psalms and then onThursdays I’m going to do a series on the Puritans. Psalms and Puritans may sound dry, but I’m excited to convince you otherwise!

As for today, Happy Friday. If you have followed my blog from years ago, you know that I did a series called Jackson Five Friday for about a decade. I used funny stories from my boys and life in general. I now have four giant volumes of my old posts — they are like Jackson family yearbooks. But the problem is my sons are all grown up — the youngest is a senior this year. They are still funny, but certainly don’t want me blogging about them, understandably. Will and I are not quite as entertaining, so Psalms and Puritans it is!

Of course everyday life always gives me ample experiences to write about. This morning I saw a woman putting caution tape around some trees.

“Baby coming,” she said. And I looked down. Yes, a baby agave plant was sprouting up next to the adult agave plant. She was taking precaution to protect this new little life from pedestrians who might cut the corner. Her loving concern for this baby plant has been on my mind all morning.

What a contrast to our world! I am praying today and in the days ahead that new human life, that all human life, will be cherished and protected. I am also praying for the protection of my own well-being. The evil of those who throw away every shred of caution tape can get me feeling down and defeated.

May we remember that God knit us together in our mothers’ wombs and in His own image. We are of infinite worth, as is the person who drives you most crazy. Plus, we know how this all ends.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more.’ Revelation 21:3-4a

With Love,

Kristie