Read the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 37, Ecclesiastes 9-10
Life feels meaningless without having an eternal purpose. I’ve been there. it’s miserable. But there’s a way out!
Ecclesiastes 9:2 ESV — It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath.
… [God] has put eternity into man’s heart …
Ecclesiastes 3:11b ESV
Life is Meaningless – But it doesn’t have to be – FormerAtheist58
Jerusalem – CityAlight
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Read the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 36, Ecclesiastes 7-8
Ecclesiastes 7:8-9 ESV — Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.
Being Patient in the Trials – FormerAtheist58
Psalm 126:5-6 ESV — Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
1 Peter 1:3-9, 13 ESV — Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls…. Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
I will Wait for You (Psalm 130) – Shane and Shane
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Read the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 35, Ecclesiastes 4-6
Getting personal here.
A man may father a hundred children and live many years. No matter how long he lives, if he is not satisfied by good things and does not even have a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.
Ecclesiastes 6:3 CSB
A Stillborn Baby is Better Off? – FormerAtheist58
Be Still my Soul – Sounds like Reign
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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Proverbs 29, Romans 9
In July of 1998, I found out I was pregnant with my second child. Our first daughter was two years old, and I was overjoyed that we were expecting again. Unfortunately, during a routine 12-week ultrasound, we discovered that our unborn son had a bladder obstruction. His bladder was as big as his head. This wasn’t good.
On September 10, the doctors attempted an in-utero procedure to place a stent to drain Tommy’s bladder into the amniotic sac, but the procedure was unsuccessful and four days later we found out that he had passed away in my womb.
When we first learned that Tommy had an obstructed bladder, I prayed for God to either heal him completely or take him quickly, but after losing him, I would have given anything for one more month or even one more day. I wanted to feel him move again in my empty womb anf see my belly grow big and round and full with him. I would have loved for him to grow big enough for me to bathe him and take his little handprints, even if I had had to do those things after he had died.
Friends, there is no better way or better time to lose your child. You are never ready for it. It all hurts.
But this devastating experience grew my faith exponentially. I leaned into the Lord and His Word like never before. I began praying and reading the Bible in earnest, and I learned to trust God like never before.
I ended up founding an online ministry and writing a book called A Child of Promise – part story, part Bible Study, part journal – for other moms and dads who found themselves in the position of carrying an unborn baby with a poor or fatal prognosis.
God used this pain not only for my own good, but also for the good of other hurting families. Like our reading in Romans 9, God is the trustworthy potter in each of our lives. He has mercy on those He wills, and He hardens those whom He wills. And all I can say is that I’m thankful for His sovereign, merciful hand that shaped both me and my son.
Heavenly Father, I know that You are good. I know that You are sovereign over heaven and earth. I trust You even when it’s hard. I pray for my hurting sisters. I pray that You will encourage them and fill them with Your supernatural peace that surpasses understanding. Be their calm in the storm. Hold their hand as they walk through the fire, and carry them when they can’t take one more step. I pray that Your Word would be a light to their feet and a light to their paths, pointing them straight to You. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 87, 1 Samuel 9-10.
Reading through the Bible book by book has helped me make connections that I’d missed before. The book of Judges ended with the horrific story of the Levite whose concubine was raped and murdered in the land of Benjamin. (Read Judges 19-21). Next, all the tribes of Israel went up against the Benjaminites. Thousands were killed on both sides and the tribe of Benjamin was defeated. In the end, though, Israel decided they didn’t want the tribe of Benjamin to be wiped out, so they devised a plan to repopulate the land of Benjamin by providing the few remaining men with virgin young women from Jabesh-Gilead plus those captured from Shiloh.
This week, reading 1 Samuel, Israel demanded a king and God chose a man of Benjamin. Benjamin, y’all. And the Lord confirmed this in front of all the people, choosing the tribe of Benjamin, the clan of the Matrites, and Saul, the son of Kish, by lots.
What a powerful example of God’s ways being higher than ours! And what a powerful reminder to study the WHOLE Word.
Lord, I often don’t understand what You’re doing. Sometimes I don’t know why You’re leading the way You do. Help me to trust You, to believe that You are at work even in the craziest of daily life situations in this crazy world. Help me to walk by faith day after day. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 81, Ruth 1-4
Though the book of Ruth is named for Naomi’s Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, I think we can learn so much by looking at the life of Naomi who was widowed as well as bereaved of both her two sons. Naomi had been afflicted by the Lord, but her life wasn’t over! Joy was coming! A new life, a redeemed life, was coming! If you feel like you’ve been dealt a hard hand, don’t lose hope.
Have any of you been following the life and music of Forrest Frank in 2025? I have. Here are a few videos … Pray! And keep praying!
Heavenly Father, You are good. Always good. You are always working for good. Increase my faith, Lord. Help me to trust You, to pray without ceasing, to be ever ready for Your return. We lift up Forrest Frank and other popular Christian singers and ask You to conform them into the image of Christ and to work through them for Your glory, that millions of people will hear the good news of saving, life- changing, redeeming, hope-filled faith in JESUS! In whose name we pray. Amen.
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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 78, Ruth 1
[Naomi] said to [the women in Bethlehem], “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi, when the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?”
Ruth 1:20-21 ESV
I wish I could tell Naomi not to lose hope, to trust that joy was just around the next bend.
I once heard God’s sovereignty compared to a stoplight which controls traffic in a construction zone. This light is provided to stop people from a head-on collision with oncoming traffic hidden by the bend in the road. Sometimes a person might be tempted to ignore this light, to just assume that no one is coming and give up waiting for the light to turn. As a loving God who knows the future, He asks us to wait on Him rather than barreling forward because of His great care for us.
The point was then made that God is good to not reveal the future to us for if we knew about the tragedy that lies just around the bend we would spend our lives fretting, rather than living each day in itself.
While I do wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment, I can’t help but recognize our human propensity to dwell on the negative, on the coming trial, rather than the coming joy. Several years ago, the Holy Spirit convicted me that when I spend my time fretting about what the future might hold, I end up missing out on having HOPE, trusting in God’s sovereign goodness, waiting expectantly for what hidden joy might lie just around the bend.
Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, “Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” (Romans 8:24-25) Remember, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) If we could see what was just around the bend, whether tomorrow or a hundred years from now, then we would have no need for HOPE, no need for FAITH. God grows our faith, our trust in Him, by having us wait upon Him.
So, the next time when things look bleak and hopeless and we’re tempted to despair that all hope is lost, let’s remember that God holds the future and that He is worthy of our trust. May we be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” Psalm 28:7
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.” Psalm 37:5
“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.” Psalm 130:5-7
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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 47, 2 Corinthians 7
October 15 is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day, a day set apart each year to remember those babies that have gone from our arms too soon.
In God’s providence, unaware of this date (or had it just not been established yet?) I had planned my own baby’s memorial service for October 15, 1998, because it was the one-month anniversary of his passing. In today’s reading in 2 Corinthians 7, I was struck by verse 10.
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
2 Corinthians 7:10 ESV
The greatest times of growth in my life have always come on the heels of the greatest griefs. Sometimes that grief has taken the form of physical and emotional pain – losing a baby, marriage and parenting struggles, and financial hardships. Sometimes that grief has taken the form of spiritual pain, the result of grieving over my own past or present sin.
And yet, it is quite possible for that very same grief to turn us away from God rather than toward Him. The loss of a baby, the infidelity of a spouse, a wayward child, the recognition of our own sin, all of these things can drive us to doubt God’s presence or goodness.
This, I believe, is one result of what Paul here calls “worldly grief,” grief turned inward rather than heavenward. We think God must not care for us if He has allowed such pain to enter our lives, forgetting the profound wisdom of a mother who chastens her child for his good.
Do you find yourself today in the midst of an unending sea of grief? Cry out to God. Ask Him to rescue you by the mercies of His Son, Jesus, who came to Earth to seek and save the lost, who surrendered His own life that you might have the gift of eternal life.
Heavenly Father, I lift up the person reading this post. I pray that You will draw them into Your loving arms. I pray that You will chasten them like a wayward lamb, that they will come running through the narrow gate of Christ and find safety in the fold of forgiveness. You are so good. I am so thankful for Your righteous judgment and Your boundless mercy. In the Name of Jesus Christ, my Good Shepherd and King, I pray. Amen.
Blessings – Laura Story
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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 40; 2 Corinthians 1
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.
2 Corinthians 1:3-6 ESV
I’m a member of an elite group of women, but it’s a group that I never signed up for and that I never wanted to join: moms who have lost a baby. I have two children waiting in heaven for me, neither of which I ever held in my arms. The first was just a little gummy bear when he went straight to heaven. The other was six inches long with ten fingers, ten toes, and a very big belly.
As much as I never wanted to join the “Moms of Heavenly Babies” club, now I’m thankful to be a member. I have learned so much through the pain about God and myself. My confidence that God is real and on His throne, and that He truly is the God of comfort, is a direct result of this grief.
God has used this affliction to minister through me to many other women. In fact, God opened the doors for me to found an online ministry and even write a book.
Is there a trial that you’re walking through right now or have walked through in the past? How has God used it for good? How can you comfort someone else with the comfort you received from Him?
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the cross on which Jesus died, His blood poured out for me. I thank You for the example that He gave of suffering pain that others might experience joy and comfort. Help me, Father, to bear my cross with joy and thanksgiving, looking to You and to the promise of eternal life of heaven. Let me not grow weary or faint, for my hope is built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ. Please use my testimony for the building up of the body. Help me to comfort others with the comfort that I’ve received from Your Word and Your presence. In the matchless name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
I Need Thee Every Hour – Fernando Ortega
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Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 14; Joshua 11-12
Maybe you know and maybe you don’t, but I’m just beginning my tenth year at my local Community Bible Study group. Together we study verse by verse through books of the Bible, meeting weekly to discuss what we learn and listen to some teaching on that week’s lesson. This year we are studying the Psalms.
Two years ago, when we were studying 1 and 2 Samuel, our teaching director challenged us to memorize Hannah’s prayer found in 1 Samuel 2:1-10.
And Hannah prayed and said,
“My heart exults in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.
“There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble bind on strength. Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn.
The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and on them he has set the world.
“He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail. The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
1 Samuel 2:1-10 ESV
Working on memorizing Hannah’s prayer encouraged me to remember God’s sovereignty in both giving life and giving death, in both exalting the poor and breaking the mighty, something that’s important to remember as you study through the book of Joshua. God sees the whole BIG picture and He is working. He has purposes that we don’t even know about, but we can trust that His plans are good.
If the Lord is hardening someone’s heart, it’s for good, just as much as when He’s softening it.
Heavenly Father, I know that Your ways are higher than mine. I know that You are good and Almighty and nothing happens apart from Your sovereign will. Help me to trust You when things seem bad and out of control. Help me to humbly, joyfully yield my life to Your will. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Savior and Lord, I pray. Amen
Teach What is Good 
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