18/365: Fresh

The church I attend is reading through the Bible this year. I don't know that this would fall under the category of resolution, so much as goal; but my husband and I are reading through the Bible this year. So far we are doing pretty good at keeping up with the reading. We might miss a day but the daily amounts are small enough that it isn't a big deal to catch up the next day.

I'll be honest, the NIV translation has become stale for me. I could not see myself actually being motivated to read everyday out of the NIV. I have a bachelor's degree from a Bible college, for crying out loud. I've dabbled in the Message and I enjoy it, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. I ended up deciding to read the English Standard Version (which I ordered and received in the mail today, hence the picture). It is a slightly higher reading level than the NIV, which is exciting for me as a graduate student. I want to read at a level that will challenge me and will not be something that I can scan over and still grasp the meaning.

I am hoping that reading this new-to-me translation will give me fresh eyes for scripture and deepen my understanding.