The October challenge is to read the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5,6 & 7) every single day for 31 days.
Why? This summer our church studied the Sermon on the Mount. Our pastor encouraged us to read it every week all summer. Although, truth be told, I didn't actually read it every single week, I did read it a lot. And I was stuck by 2 things: First, that these passages are so very relevant to the journey that our family is on. If you want a manifesto for a simple, radical, authentic life you will find it in the Sermon on the Mount. And secondly, that it never gets old. There is so much in these chapters to change us and guide us and move our hearts that it never seems to get stale.
The timing is on purpose here. By the end of October most of us will be thinking about the holidays. Our pinterest boards will be filling up with ideas, our schedules will be filling up with events and parties and commitments, and what I want more than anything for our family this Christmas is that we would know what it is that Christ wants for his birthday. That we would seek to give these red letter words their rightful authority in our lives. That it would be more than advice or ancient wisdom, but the earth shattering truth of a God who was willing to love until it cost him everything this life can offer.
So, will you join me? Starting next Monday, will you find the time to read these three chapters of Matthew every day for 31 days?
If so, feel free to use this banner to share the challenge on your own blog. Just cut and paste the code below:
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In unrelated news: Our family is currently fighting off an illness, catching up on laundry and life after having weekend guests, and preparing for 31 days to Savour the Season (my October blog series that starts on my other blog next week.) Plus, we have a new puppy! Soooo....all that to say that posts might be a wee bit sparse this week while we are busy juggling life in general. Please be patient, I promise I haven't gone anywhere!
I love this idea. Our church just started "The Story". It tells the story of the bible in chronological order. Congrats on the new puppy. We recently got a kitten to join our 2 dogs and one cat.
ReplyDeleteCassie (Reno, NV)
Oooh, a puppy! :))) We just got a puppy, too.
ReplyDeleteIs it a he, she? How old is it? Picture? :)
Ieva
PS And congratulations of the puppy, of course! :) Ieva
ReplyDeleteWhat an encouraging goal for October! I think it really would help me to do this in preparation for the Christmas season and a season of excess in general. Thanks for more thoughtful suggestions to your fellow bloggers!
ReplyDeleteLove this idea. Especially the point you made about the timing. I have already been thinking forward about the holidays, and what this new way of living will bring about during the Christmas season of shopping and stuff overload. I am in.
ReplyDeleteI love this challenge. What a wonderful way to kick off the season of giving (though, EVERY season should be a season of giving!) Congrats on the pup!
ReplyDeleteLove Letters 7.10
http://loveletters710.blogspot.com
Absolutely need this. It gives me a tangible Bible-reading goal every day. I accept your challenge!
ReplyDeleteI'm in! Please post a reminder on Monday so we don't forget :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for this. I've been looking for some direction to get out of this rut and lack-of-devotions.
ReplyDeleteI will be joining you :)
God bless!
Our Front Porch View: The Story of a Young Family's Pursuit to Fulfill a Simpler Life
www.ourfrontporchview.blogspot.com
Awesome- I so like this challenge. Our family is in! Congrats on the puppy. I wanted one however we are waiting and I hope everyone gets well soon.
ReplyDeletesounds great, I'm in! I'll do it with my kids.
ReplyDeleteI love it! Those red letters are so important and so often forgotten about! Another really interesting study (and you would really think boring until you really deep study) is leviticus and the way the lord wanted the israelites to live. . I love the old testament studies, they bring such san interesting light to the things they jesus says!
ReplyDeleteWhat about adding some journaling to the challenge? What comes to mind each day as you read? What personal challenge can you take from your reading? What can you commit to putting into action? The gospel is so radical that to read it and not translate it into life makes it a religion. Trying to live it is to be wind swept by the Holy wild.
ReplyDeleteThe "Eat your Pantry" challenge involved actions that changed behaviour patterns. It did such awesome things in my life I can barely begin to explain.
I think this challenge will have so many insights that it would be a shame to see them slip away without being recorded. These are just my thoughts.
What a great idea. I'm in!
ReplyDeleteI loved this idea! I'm gonna try it, even if I may not be able to read it every single day. I'm gonna do my best!! :D
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the puppy and all my blessings so whoever's ill gets better soon! <3
I'm in but to a smaller extent. I've been reading a chapter of Proverbs each day to the family at either our noon meal or our evening meal. I think for the month of October, I'll read and re-read the Sermon on the Mount, but just a chapter at a time. We'll get through it a number of times, but not 31. :)
ReplyDeleteAny suggestions for your non-Christian blog followers? I appreciate the concept of the monthly challenge, but this doesn't apply to me or my family.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Hi Liz! Unfortunately, none of my monthly challenges can apply to everybody. Hopefully the November challenge will be better suited to you :)
DeleteIt seems to me that non-Christians could benefit from reading this as well. Obviously you wouldn't consider it inspired, or get all the same things out of it that a Christian would. But there's still a lot to think about there, even for someone who doesn't believe it's inspired.
DeleteHi Kelly, I love your blog! I'm really inspired by your convictions, and am joining in on this month's challenge :)
ReplyDeleteWe are in! Thanks for the suggestion.
ReplyDeleteWe are in! Thanks for the suggestion.
ReplyDeleteWe are in! Thanks for the suggestion.
ReplyDeleteWe are in! Thanks for the suggestion.
ReplyDeleteI'm so in! AND I challenged my blog readers (all 13 or so... haha!) to do it too!
ReplyDeleteDay 4... love this and I love your other blog, too. Thanks for such great blog posts!
ReplyDelete