Psalm journey

One sliver of my personal goals for the new year is to read my Bible for at least 15 minutes each day [specific goal is first thing in the morning during my 5 A.M. Sessions]. On some, if not most, if not All mornings, I hope to jot down a few notes/thoughts about what I read. I started this on 1/2/14. It's now 1/8/14. Though I haven't blogged here on my personal blog about my readings yet, I'm starting today!

Not having any particular plans to study anything in particular, I thought an awesome book to read through would be the Psalms. There are 150 of them. Most mornings I've read a few Psalms in those 15 minutes, but I soon realized I was reading and passing over so many beautiful and good bits of wisdom, encouragement, praise...and not pondering on them enough and taking them in. Yes, it's good to just read and become familiar, but I'm looking for heart change and soul change.

So this morning I decided that for those 15 minutes I would study one Psalm. One. Sometimes it'll be on the short side, and I'll be able to read it many times, study the notes (I have an NIV study Bible that has notes and tips about the text), look up cross-referenced verses if I want to, and really be able to hone in on the verses that speak to my heart. I'll really be able to get to know this book better that way, as well as myself (the good stuff and the ugly stuff, which is so hard to admit but we all have it).

At this point I've read to Psalm 16, so starting tomorrow I'm going to start over and truly take in what God has to speak to me through His word. I anticipate it will be really easy to read the Psalms full of praise and encouragement and kind of tough and depressing to read the ones that are talking about God's judgment for sinners.

Let my Psalm journey begin! Thank you, Jesus, for transforming my life in the countless ways that you have. I am eternally (literally!) grateful that You guide my life and that I can leave it up to You! This world is difficult to navigate. :)