Thoughts on life, leadership and the movement called the church by Brian C. Hughes, Senior Pastor

by Brian C. Hughes, Senior Pastor

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

How to Invest: Part 3

I have a secret to tell you. It might burst your bubble about me. Here goes: I don't get up every day craving reading the Bible. Now, sometimes I do. I go through seasons where I can't wait to read it. I feel hungry for it, feel like I'm growing and learning and like God is sitting at the table with me, sipping a cup of coffee as we, together, solve the worlds problems.

But it's not like that always. Some seasons are, frankly, a drag. Sometimes it's because of stress or other life pressures. Sometimes it's because I just know how much there is to do in the day ahead of me. And sometimes it's because what I happen to be reading is just plain ol' hard.

But I have another secret. It's something that I've recently added to my life and only a couple of folks know about it. And it has been soooo good at keeping me from going too many days without reading the Bible. My secret? I'll call it an ATP. Stands for 'Accountability Texting Partner'.

A few weeks ago, a friend from last Semester's small group, and someone I've grown pretty close with, was lamenting with me about his spiritual life. And, frankly, I was kind of lamenting about mine. So, we got around to asking the hard question. 'So,' I sheepishly asked, 'Whatcha reading in the Bible lately?' I knew what the answer was. Same as my answer. Not much.

We both had an epiphany: we needed a little nudging. Since then, my friend and I text each other several times a week with a simple question: Have you read today?

The results have been, for both of us, pretty incredible. It's not like it's perfect. Some days still come and go with my Bible unopened. But most of the time, knowing the question might come, the phone might vibrate, the text might arrive is enough.

This sounds a little silly, doesn't it? In some ways, I feel like a kid. Shouldn't I be disciplined enough to do something as important as reading the Bible without an ATP? Probably. But if this is what it takes to make me disciplined about something as life changing as reading Scripture, then so be it.

Find an ATP. It might just be the secret you've been waiting for.

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