It’s time for my last post. It’s been almost two and a half months, and in that time I’ve written 75 reflections totaling just under 35,000 words. I thought I’d share some overall reflections on what this practice has meant to me.
First, I’m glad I got through it. It was a lot of reading, and a lot of writing. Writing on this blog gave me the accountability I needed to finish, which I’m grateful for. Writing is something that I enjoy once I really get into it. When I first began this blog in 2020 I wrote a lot. There were certain things that I wanted to share. Then I stopped after the summer of 2023. This practice has reawakened some things inside of me, and I want to use this as a jump start to continue writing.
Second, even though I’ve been around the Bible for my entire life, reading the entire New Testament in a short period of time helped me to better understand the context and the overall story. I was reminded of my love for this story. As I read the story of Jesus I found myself coming back to certain themes that were emphasized in his life and teaching. Years ago I fell in love with the story of the early church. Coming back to that was a lot of fun.
Third, I was reminded over and over again that at the end of the day, our primary responsibility as children of God is to love. Love is at the center of every message and from every writer.
Finally, I was reminded why I still believe. This story of Jesus changed my life once upon a time. And that story continues to be the dominant story in my life, the one that most shapes and guides me. I’m grateful for that.
I’ll end my reflection with one last passage from John.
Stay with what you heard from the beginning, the original message. Let it sink into your life. If what you heard from the beginning lives deeply in you, you will live deeply in both Son and Father. This is exactly what Christ promised: eternal life, real life!
1 John 2:24-25, The Message
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