How BIY Changed my life

It was the year 2020, the world was still reeling under the covid horror and Fr Mike Schmitz approached Ascension Press and proposed to read the entire Bible in one year, as a podcast. They said,’Yes’ and what emerged was an extraordinary show that soon topped the charts of not only religious content but secular too. Towards the end of 2020, word had spread about the launch of this new podcast. 

I am someone who has made many attempts to read the whole Bible as New Year resolutions year after year, but never got past the books sometimes of Leviticus, sometimes of Numbers and other times got as far as Deuteronomy. That's when I heard that Ascension Press was coming out with ‘Bible in a Year with Fr Mike Schmitz’. Pressing play on the podcast app on 1st January 2021 was indeed the best decision of my life! This is the fourth year, I am reading the Word every day and am captivated by it. 

The Word of God is sent down for a purpose in each one of our lives and when we hear it, it will accomplish what God has intended, it will never return to him void. The Word is not a dead Word it is God’s word and it is alive. 

Here’s something from someone who has been on this journey before: 

Make up your mind to start on 1st January 2025 when this Bible in a Year Malayalam Podcast takes off. 

Before you start, Pray. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what you need to hear each day. 

The ideal way to go about this would be to listen to the podcast with your Bible open and read along. On days when you can't do that, just listen. You can listen to it while on the go, while driving, when you are on your morning walk, anytime is fine as you go about your chores. When you come across something that strikes you, make a note of it, go back to it later, let it speak to you. 

If you miss a day or two, let that not worry you. Just show up the next day and just press ‘play’. Even if you have missed it for a couple of days, that’s fine. You can catch up. Just go back and start off from where you left. 

My own experience: I fell behind not by one or two days but by 45 days, the first time. It was 16th of November and there were 45 days left in the year and I was 45 days behind, which meant I had so much catching up to do. So I went on a marathon, two episodes each day and on the 31st of December, I had completed going through the whole Bible. 

Getting to Day 365 and listening to the last episode, there's no one, just no one who can hold back a tear. And that's the reason you will want to go back and start all over again. 

And when you start listening to the podcast, remember you are become part of this community of people around the world, millions of people all journeying together, and as we pray for each other, so many people are praying for you every day. Think of that!

Finally as you read the Word, let the Word wash over you, just allow the Lord to work in your life, he will work wonders for you. 

And as you receive the Word, don’t you be like the pathway from where the birds stole away the seeds, don't you be like the rocky ground which didn't allow the seeds to take root, don't you be the thorns that crush the seeds that sprouted, but be like the good soil that nourishes the seeds and helps it grow, to blossom and bear abundant fruit 30, 60 or 100 fold!

God bless you!