• Home
  • About
    • Meet Kristin
  • The Book
  • Podcast
  • Blog
    • Spiritual Direction
    • Turquoise Table Stories
    • Recipe Collection
    • 5-Day Meet Your Neighbors Challenge
    • Conversations
  • Spiritual Direction
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • About
    • Meet Kristin
    • Meet the Team
  • Start Here
  • Join the Community
  • Register Your Table
  • The Book
  • Podcast
  • Blog
    • Turquoise Table Stories
    • Suppers for Sharing
    • Recipes
    • Conversations
  • Media
  • Speaking
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

The Turquoise Table

Kristin Schell

  • Start Here
  • Register Your Table
  • The Community

in Conversations

It feels like Christmas…

Mia's Nativity Set

I woke up this morning with an excitement that felt more like Christmas than the thirty-first of May. I was fully awake near the end of the four o’clock hour, but I made myself stay in bed until 5:00 am. I’m an early riser, but that’s excitement folks.

Today is Day 1 of the church-wide Bible in 90 Days program. And I’m in awe of how God has wooed the people of Covenant Presbyterian to read His Word together this summer. As I prayed for each of the participants this morning, from Adams to Zachry and all 375 in between, my heart swelled with anticipation and gratitude. I’m eager to see how God will transform not only the individual lives of each person reading, but our collective life as the body of Christ, the church.

This morning after reading Genesis 1 – 16, I took a peek at the blog post I wrote last year after my first week of reading. I was immediately transported back to Seattle where I read those first few days and I was reminded of the rainbow God revealed to me.

Ellie and the Rainbow, July 2010

 

Two things came to mind, especially for those of you joining me on the church-wide Bible in 90 Days journey.

First, I kept a journal during my reading last year. It wasn’t anything special, just a regular old spiral. The contents are sweet as honey to me. I’ve participated in Bible Studies over the last 12 years, but reading the Bible like a novel feels different than studying scripture. The first few days of reading felt very, very slow as I was trying to absorb every name, place, and detail like I would if I was only reading a dozen verses. Keeping a journal helped me pick up the pace a little. I would write down names and places that I found curious and look them up later. (Or not). Since it was so helpful last year, I started my journal again this morning. Today I wrote down several verses that spoke to me as well as a few things I have never heard of, like Nephilim. I have no idea if I’ll ever get around to delving into the meaning of these mighty men, but I felt better jotting the word down in my journal.

Second, it seems like every person I’ve talked to is a little worried about travel schedules this summer. Praise God for the blessings of summer travel. Last year, I started reading Day 1 on July 5th. The day after a major holiday and the first day of our vacation across the country with the four Littles. I get your apprehension. Really, I do. But, here’s what happened to me last year. I now associate parts of the Bible with the location I was while I was reading. Funny how the mind works, I’m sure there is some psychological term for this association, but it is sweet and sacred how I remember parts of God’s story.

The photo above of our Little in the International Fountains is just one of many examples of how God continually revealed Himself to me while I was immersed in His Word. I had just read God’s promise to Noah and all living creatures, an everlasting covenant with the sign of a rainbow for all generations to come. God’s Word is true, it is alive and active and the rainbow I saw in Seattle was just as much a promise for me as the one Noah saw shortly after the flood. If I hadn’t seen the rainbow would I have still believed His Word to Noah? Probably. And I might have even appreciated the beauty of the rainbow that appeared while my Little was splashing in the fountain, even if I had not just read Genesis. But that’s the power of being immersed in the Bible. You begin to see glimpses of things from His vantage point and not a worldly one. I don’t believe in coincidences. The rainbow, Noah’s, mine and every other one, was a gift from God. Talk about affirmation just as I was wondering how in the world I would read the Bible cover to cover.

All that to say, I’m excited. I am in awe and anticipation.

I’d love to know your thoughts after the first day of reading. And if you weren’t planning on reading the Bible in 90 Days with me, it’s not too late.

What do you say? Will you join me?

Love,

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

Filed Under: Conversations

« Our Favorite Galette
Shavuot – The Feast of Weeks »

Comments

  1. Maggie Tate says

    at

    Yes! I am excited too! Nephilim also caught my attention. It’s wonderful to be a part of this!!

  2. Jenn says

    at

    Started a couple days early to give myself a but of a buffer. I’m shocked at how much ive enjoyed my reading so far. I thought it would feel more like a chore. Thank you for leading this project.

  3. Margaret says

    at

    I loved reading about the rainbow! When I read it I thought it was so incredible, and I actually think I remember that I had learned it at some previous point in my life, but had forgotten it. What a beautiful reminder of God’s love for us!

Meet Kristin

Welcome! I'm so glad you're here.

I'm on a mission to love my neighbors. I put an ordinary picnic table in my front yard, painted it turquoise and invited neighbors, friends, and even strangers to hang out and do life together at the Turquoise Table®.

I hope you'll join us!

About Kristin

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

The Book

Buy Now

The Podcast

The Turquoise Table Podcast with Kristin Schell

Listen Now

Join the Movement

  • Start Here
  • Join the Community
  • Register Your Table
  • Your Tables

Subscribe for Updates

Quick Links

  • Media
  • Contact
82 years young! Happy Birthday Mia- we love you so 82 years young! Happy Birthday Mia- we love you so much! 😍🎉🎂🥳
My people. 🫶 My people. 🫶
Celebrating Sarah! Our final HP graduation 👨🏻‍🎓 👩🏻‍🎓👩‍🎓 👩🏻‍🎓We love you SBS!
Hook ‘em Ellie! We’re so proud of you, our lif Hook ‘em Ellie! We’re so proud of you, our lifelong Longhorn! Congrats on graduation —we love you so much and are so very proud of you! 🧡🤘🏽🧡
Final kindergarten chapel to final senior year cha Final kindergarten chapel to final senior year chapel. So grateful for St Matthew’s and Hyde Park for loving and raising up our four. If you need me I’m the mama crying buckets for the entire month of May as we celebrate two milestone graduations.
This lil nugget is 18! Oh Sarah how we love you! H This lil nugget is 18! Oh Sarah how we love you! Happy Birthday baby girl 💕🎂🥳🎁🎉
Follow on Instagram

Copyright ©2005-2023 Kristin Schell · Site by Erin Ulrich Creative