The Message

I have been wanting to read "The Message" translation of the Bible for years now and just haven't gotten around to it.  That is until now.  The timing to start reading through the Bible again just seems right for me (when is there ever a wrong time?) and so this time around I'm going to read the Message. Everytime I've heard this translation in Scripture I've always been "wowed" by how it's written.  It's so fresh and alive!  In reading the preface and introduction to the Message, the author, Eugene H. Peterson, says this, "You are going to come across words and sentences that stab you awake to a beauty and hope that will connect you with your real life."  Sounds good to me!  Previously he writes of a common problem among Christians and says, "Many others had spent years reading it (Bible) but for them it had gone flat through familiararity, reduced to cliches.  Bored, they dropped it (Bible)."  How true this is or can become for us, right?

So, I've chosen a Bible reading plan that will have me reading the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs (twice) from now until the end of this year.  Is anyone up to join me?  It only means reading two chapters a day, one from the New Testament and one from either Psalms or Proverbs.  I'm going to get started on May 1st.  Sometimes it's easier to stick with a plan when you're in it together with someone and have that accountability keeping you on track....  Email me or write a comment if you want to do this thing with me!  :)