Plans for 2015

Alphabetical

So, our plan for the coming few months is to look at a Bible verse a week alphabetically. I'm very aware that at 3 years old Zoë is more than capable of learning songs and film quotes, and I think memorising Bible verse will be a good habit to teach her. I'm also looking forward to learning them too! I'm also hoping to plan some songs and activities for the week to help reinforce and teach the verse.

Now, there are 26 letters in the alphabet and 52 weeks in the year... This could mean that we go through each verse twice in the year, but I think a more realistic approach would be to expect some weeks to 'not happen' due to illness or holiday or similar. So we will just work our way calmly from letter to letter and not let the 'plan' dictate to us. This will definitely be a learning experience for me!

"In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."
Proverbs 16:9

Mummy Time

I thought I'd also briefly share my aims for the year. They're not really New Year's Resolutions, just some ideas which I hope will become habits...

I'm planning on reading a chapter from the 5 Minute New Testament every morning at breakfast. This is a dated reading plan which I have tended to avoid in the past as I get behind and then feel guilty, but this year I think that dates may be the impetus I need to keep reading my Bible. I'm going to be reading in front of Zoë and Caleb so that they start to see that reading my Bible is important to me - how will they learn if they never see me reading the Bible? I'll give you a brief update each time I post.

I also have a pile of books on my bedside cabinet which I am in the process of reading (see my updated Shelfari bookcase for the definitive list!). Although I can multi-read, and frequently do, I have decided that I need to commit to finishing one book and then move onto the next. So my book for the beginning of 2015 is A Mom after God's own heart by Elizabeth George. I have been reading this book for a couple of years now as well as working through the study guide and am finding it a brilliantly challenging read.

A verse for the year

For the last 12 or so years I have selected a verse to ponder on for the year. Last year's verse was:

"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people and his incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19a

This morning I selected this year's verse after a friend shared it with me:

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33

That is my aim for the year: God first, and then everything else should fall into place behind...

I also want to choose verses to pray through for Zoë and Caleb, but need to pray some more for the right verse. I will then write it onto an outline of their hand and have it in my Bible. This is an idea I read on a blog last year and think is a great idea.