The following is a letter I wrote to my close friends and family at the end of 2013 to go along with a CD I made as their Christmas gift. On December 24, 2012, I decided my New Year's resolution would be to read The Bible in a year. The photo you see is of a gift I received on December 24, 2013 (exactly one year later to the day) from a friend who was completely unaware of my motive behind my resolution. I wanted a ring.
2013 – The Year I Was Going to Find a Husband and Read the Bible
Dear Friends and Family,
This year at Christmas I have decided to do things a little differently. Instead of standing in lines of madness that surround Black Friday or spending money on things that honestly I don’t know if you will like, need or use I created a CD. I don’t know if you will like, need or use it either and I recently read an article on how CD’s will be extinct soon but I do know that it is a gift that comes from my heart.
At the end of 2011 I received a Facebook invitation from one of my cousins on the east coast (Ahki) to join a group. The goal was simple enough – our New Year’s resolution would be to make it through the entire Bible in a year.
According to a recent Forbes article only 8% of people that make New Year’s resolutions actually keep them. So I, like the other 92% of resolvers, set out with good intentions but by the time February rolled around I was in serious Bible debt with no hope of getting through.
So I quit. Ahki finished.
Not only did she finish but also a quick check of Facebook in late December revealed that she was engaged! WHAT?! She read The Bible and found the man of her dreams?! Sign me up for that!!
December of 2012 was an extremely unstable time for me personally to say the least. I was struggling with ending a relationship with a man that I had hopes of marrying and shared a daughter with. She was 7 months old at the time and ending the relationship would clearly define me as a single mother of two.
I felt alone. I felt like there was no one that I could truly confide in. I felt used up. I felt taken advantage of. I felt vulnerable. I felt unloved.
So I sat crying on my couch and I prayed. I was led to put together a letter to my baby daddy (Yes, I said “baby daddy”) and explained how I didn’t feel like I was living the life that God intended me to live. I had to stop doing things half my way and half God’s way. I had to either commit to building a relationship that was 100% dependent on the Lord or I could continue to do things half way and remain miserable.
On December 24th 2012, I committed to reading the entire Bible in a year. My plan was to stick to the readings and then, much like for my cousin, my magical husband would appear and he and I and my children would start living our fairy tale.
Ridiculous and also super selfish in hindsight.
I stuck to it. I was determined. I was going to get out of my way and get into God’s will.
By March of 2013, I was officially a single mom of two and just when I wanted to reach back and hold on to the familiar past someone or something would show up; encourage me and confirm for me that I was on the right track. That confirmation has never, not in 359 days, gone away. It’s been pretty amazing.
In 7 days I will have made it into the elite 8% of people that actually stick to their New Year’s resolution. I will have read the entire Bible.
There is no engagement ring headed my way in the next week but I did fall in love with someone that is madly in love with me and has been for my entire life. Someone that keeps me company. Someone I can confide in. Someone who sees me as beautiful and brand new. Someone who carries me. Someone who wants the best for me. Someone I can have confidence in. Someone I can be myself around.
Someone who loves me.
I could fill a book with the stories of grace that have filled my days in 2013. New relationships, new job, getting out of some serious debt, losing weight (woo hoo!)…the list goes on and on. I am very aware that none of this was done through my own power but by the power and love of Jesus.
The CD that you are receiving is just a few of the songs that carried me along this journey. My hope is that it will be something you can tap your feet to; listen to when you feel down and find comfort in when you feel sad. These songs were part of the bridge that carried me along.
I started documenting my journey on Instagram with the hashtag #bibleinayear hence the title of the CD.
In 2013 I have learned that by filling up on God’s word on a daily basis I have been overly prepared to battle thoughts of doubt and fear. Every day will not be perfect but I know Who’s I am and where my trust lies.
I hope you enjoy.
God Loves You.
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May your days be filled with compassion, your faith remain strong and may growth be your compass.
~Tia
Interested in reading the Bible in a Year or less? Let me know in the comments below or send me a message on Facebook. I'll post pointers here at a later date or even better, we'll get a group going and we'll journey through together!
Those interested in seeing the original Facebook post from 2013 can see it here if you're logged in to your account.
Here are the songs that were on the CD.
#BibleInAYear
1. I’m Not Who I Was – Brandon Heath
2. Your Love Never Fails – Jesus Culture
3. Home –Phillip Phillips
4. Always Been About You – Fellowship Creative
5. Hallelujah-Johnny Swim
6. Beautiful-MercyMe
7. Indescribable – Chris Tomlin
8. Moving Forward – Israel Houghton
9. Finally Home - MercyMe
10. Revelation Song – Phillips, Craig & Dean
11. Lead Me To the Cross- Hillsong United
12. Stay and Wait – Hillsong United
13. From the inside out (live)- Hillsong United
14. You’re Here – Francesca Batistelli
15. Joy to the World – Jeremy Camp