My bible pages started getting a few wet drops on them. Yup, those were tears from my eyes as I read the last day of the Bible Recap with Tara Leigh Cobble on December 31st. The tears were not because I was sad it was over, it was the opposite! I’m happy that God will one day say it’s over, that we no longer have to be in pain (Revelations 21:4), and that it is actually NOT over. Revelations was the last book in the Bible Recap Reading Plan, so you end with the last word of the bible which is all about hope.

If you read that last day in the reading plan online and happen to click the arrow to advance the online Bible, you will see this amazing connection:

“Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s holy people.” (Revelations 22:2-21). 

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1).

God created the earth for us so that we may know and grow closer to Him and understand we are His holy people, all of us!

After reading that, I got the feeling that many readers know and have experienced. It is that quiet ache that settles on you that you will not be with those characters again, and you won’t be in that story that you have loved so dearly. However, with this reading, I instantly knew that this was not going to be the last full bible read for me, so that feeling did not linger. As I write this, I am already on my second reading number two of the Bible Recap. This reread is not just a favorite book that I enjoy reading over and over, but it is a life-giving transformation that I get to experience because of the gift of God’s Word He has given to me and to you!

I want to share a few things (because there were many of course) that I have learned from reading Bible Recap in 2025:

1. You don’t have to be perfect. I had days I skipped and found time later. It would have even been okay to go beyond the calendar year.
2. You can read God’s Word in multiple ways. There were days I read my physical bible and went through all the study notes. Other days, I read on the screen of my phone in the Bible App when I had a moment away from the day’s busyness, like sitting in my car (parked, don’t worry, haha!) waiting for my HEB Grocery curbside order. Then there were days I had to pop in those earbuds and listen to it as I got ready or listened in the car ride to work. 
3. Journaling and jots are amazing! Writing things out helps me to dive deeper and remember, even if it is a quick jot in the margins, on a sticky note, in my journal, or typed on the Bible App note section. I actually look forward to looking back on all of these this year in my read number two. 
4. I loved consuming God’s Word. I have heard it so many times that you are what you consume, but it is 100% true! I have changed so much this year by what I consumed daily, God’s Word. Even on ‘skip’ days, I at least read a verse, even if just from my Bible App widget on my phone screen or my desktop daily changing Chrome background (Daily Bible Verse Extension). 
5. It’s only the beginning! This is a lifelong learning journey to be reread constantly because God is constantly working in and through us.

God, I thank you for the gift of Your Word we have in our bibles. I have grown so much closer to You over this past year and I cannot wait to strengthen our relationship even more this year. God, I pray that anyone reading this will be encouraged to do the same, to be in Your Word and get to know You for who You are, our loving Father. It is in Your name we pray, Amen. 

See ya in the next post, with

✝️Lots of Faith & Lil’ Bit of Fur 🐾,

Melanie Drews-Paws on God’s Path