Thursday, January 17, 2013

Bible Apps

I have plenty of spiritual books and devotionals in my house. I go through seasons where I dig them out, set them by my bed with a notebook and a Bible. I use them a couple times before they become just a pile of things I have to move if I want a pair of socks from my dresser. I thought maybe if I used my phone - something that is with me all the time, and that I use for time filling activities like checking Facebook and playing games - I would be more likely to create a routine that would become a habit. I chose three apps to try these first 52 days of 2013 for my goal of spiritual growth.

The first is a devotional app by Joyce Meyer, called Joyce Meyer Ministries.  I picked Joyce because I have always enjoyed her preaching and her down to earth view of life and faith. I've only used the devotional piece, but there are also videos and radio programs to listen to. It was a free app and I've really enjoyed it. The readings are short, but I often find a nugget I want to write down and think about more.

The second is another devotional app by Joyce Meyer, based on her book The Confident Woman. I paid for this one ($3.99), which makes me reluctant to dump it, but I am not enjoying it as much as the free app. It may be that I am more interested in the general life messages of the free app than the "confident woman" messages of the paid app.

Finally, there's the free Bible reading app called BiOY for Bible in One Year. This app reminds me of my favorite part of writing Sunday School curriculum when I did that for the Church of God - the Bible passage commentary. Every day there is an Old Testament passage, a New Testament passage, and a section from Proverbs or Psalms. You click on the section, and you can read the text of the passage. Click back for the commentary on each section, based on a theme/anecdote that the author uses to tie the three passages together. It's a great resource and I look forward to using it each day.

All in all, I am happy with my app finds and the routine I have started for the year regarding spiritual discipline. Do you have any apps or other resources that you use in your faith journey?

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