Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
You don't have to read everything. You just have to find a place to begin.
Welcome to the I'm Third Enterprises blog, where we explore the development of people, the relationships that shape our lives, and the opportunities we have to grow.
We recognize that people have different interests, schedules, experiences, and needs. Some enjoy extended Bible study. Others are interested in personal development, family relationships, practical wisdom, or discovering a deeper understanding of their purpose.
That's why our blog offers seven categories, each with its own focus and rhythm.
Five categories belong to Word in Rhythm™, our Scripture-reading and devotional experience.
Two additional weekly blogs explore personal development through Raising Royalty and spiritual formation through Thy Kingdom Come.
You can follow one journey, several journeys, or explore them all.
The goal is not to keep up with everything we publish. The goal is to discover what helps you grow.
Explore the journeys below and find a place to begin.
Choose this journey if you're just getting started or only have a few minutes each morning.
The Daily Reading is your morning introduction to the two yearlong Bible-reading journeys offered through Word in Rhythm.
Each day, we bring together the central themes of the Sunday School Journey—including its accompanying readings from Psalms and/or Proverbs—and the Chronological Journey.
Rather than requiring you to complete two separate Bible studies before beginning your day, the Daily Reading provides a brief overview of what both journeys are exploring.
Sometimes the readings share a common theme. Other times, they reveal different dimensions of God's character, His work, and our relationship with Him.
Either way, we offer a thought worth carrying into the day.
You don't have to follow both Bible-reading plans to benefit from the Daily Reading. You can simply read the overview, consider the takeaway, and reflect on how it connects to your life.
Best for: Beginners, busy readers, and anyone looking for a simple daily introduction to Scripture.
Choose this journey if you enjoy structured Bible reading connected to the weekly Sunday School experience.
The Sunday School Journey begins each September and is designed to take readers through the Bible in one year.
The daily readings also include selections from Psalms and/or Proverbs, bringing the language of worship, prayer, wisdom, and personal reflection into our exploration of Scripture.
Each day's devotional accompanies the assigned Bible readings. We explore the passages, consider their context, and reflect on what they reveal about God and how we should live.
Our devotionals are not intended to replace reading the Bible.
The Scripture is the foundation. The devotional is a companion to help us understand and apply what we read.
But life happens. Sometimes we miss a day, a week, or longer.
When that happens, the devotionals can serve something like CliffsNotes, helping us understand the major themes of the readings we've missed so we can continue without feeling lost.
You don't have to start the entire journey over because you missed a few steps.
Just pick up where we are and keep walking.
Best for: Sunday School participants, families, Bible study groups, and readers who appreciate a structured yearlong reading plan.
Choose this journey if you want to understand how the people, events, and promises of Scripture fit together.
The Chronological Journey begins each January and is designed to take readers through the Bible in one year.
Unlike reading the biblical books exclusively in their traditional order, a chronological reading plan arranges events in an approximate historical sequence.
This approach helps readers recognize connections between the historical books, the prophets, the Psalms, and the larger story of God's work among His people.
You begin to see how events relate to one another, how God's promises develop throughout Scripture, and how the biblical story points toward Jesus Christ.
Each daily devotional accompanies the assigned readings, offering background, explanation, and reflection.
Again, the devotional is not a substitute for reading the Bible. It is designed to help you understand what you are reading and consider what it means for your life.
And if you miss some readings, the devotional can help you understand where the journey has taken us and rejoin without feeling that you must start over.
The goal is not simply to finish the Bible in one year. It is to grow in our understanding of the God who reveals Himself through Scripture.
Best for: Readers who want to explore the entire Bible, understand its historical connections, and discover how its individual stories fit into the larger biblical narrative.
Choose this journey if you want to end your day reflecting on God's Word, examining your life, and growing through thoughtful conversation.
The Night Cap brings the Sunday School Journey and the Chronological Journey together at the end of the day.
Throughout both devotional journeys, we provide reflection questions that invite readers to consider what Scripture reveals about God, what it teaches about our lives, and how we might respond.
The Night Cap returns to those questions and provides thoughtful sample answers from both journeys.
These answers are not intended to replace your thinking or suggest that there is only one acceptable response. They are offered to deepen understanding, clarify biblical principles, reveal connections we may have overlooked, and encourage further reflection.
This is especially important because reading a question and knowing how to explore it are not always the same thing.
The Night Cap can be experienced individually, with family, or in a small group.
Imagine ending the day with a few friends or family members in a Night Cap Circle.
Together, you revisit the day's Scripture, consider the reflection questions, share your own responses, and discuss the sample answers.
You may discover that someone else noticed something you missed. Another person's experience may help you understand a passage differently. A question may lead to a conversation about forgiveness, relationships, responsibility, gratitude, or faith.
No one needs to have all the answers.
The purpose is to create a welcoming opportunity to learn, reflect, encourage one another, and grow.
The Night Cap helps us move from reading alone to reflecting together, without losing the value of personal study.
Sometimes the Night Cap encourages us. Sometimes it challenges us. Sometimes it helps us recognize grace we nearly overlooked or consider an attitude, decision, or relationship that needs attention.
The question is no longer simply, What did I read today?
It becomes:
What did God's Word help me recognize, and how will I respond?
Best for: Evening reflection, personal examination, family conversations, Night Cap Circles, small groups, and anyone who wants to grow in understanding and application of Scripture.
Choose this journey if you want to go deeper into the weekly Sunday School lesson or are preparing to teach others.
The Sunday School Lesson is different from the daily Sunday School Journey.
While the daily journey follows a yearlong Bible-reading schedule, the Sunday School Lesson concentrates on the particular Scripture passage, central message, and learning objectives selected for the week.
Each weekly lesson explores the biblical text in greater depth, helping readers understand its historical setting, its meaning, and its implications for everyday living.
But the experience doesn't end with the blog.
Our dedicated Sunday School page provides additional resources designed to help individuals, families, teachers, and small groups prepare and participate.
Together, these resources create opportunities to prepare before Sunday, participate more meaningfully during Sunday School, and continue learning throughout the week.
Nehemiah 8:8 describes a beautiful example of biblical instruction:
"So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading." — Nehemiah 8:8 (KJV)
We want people not only to hear the Word, but to understand it and learn to live in response to it.
Best for: Sunday School teachers, class participants, families, Bible study leaders, and anyone seeking a more comprehensive weekly study.
Explore the Sunday School Lesson
Choose this journey if you want to explore personal development, practical wisdom, relationships, and the decisions that shape our lives.
Life requires us to make decisions long before we fully understand their consequences.
We encourage people to make good choices, pursue meaningful goals, build healthy relationships, and take responsibility for their futures. But how often do we intentionally help them develop the understanding, skills, relationships, and judgment those expectations require?
Raising Royalty is a secular human-development initiative of I'm Third Enterprises designed to help close the distance between what we expect of people and what we intentionally prepare them to become.
We use chess as a framework for understanding six important dimensions of personal development.
These six dimensions describe what we seek to develop.
Our approach to developing them is informed by three complementary frameworks: the Active-Participatory Approach, Developmental Relationships, and Developmental Assets.
Together, they help us move beyond simply providing information toward creating meaningful opportunities for participation, reflection, relationships, and growth.
Our weekly Raising Royalty blog explores these principles through everyday experiences, practical challenges, and opportunities for personal reflection.
You don't have to play chess to benefit from this journey.
Chess provides the language. Human development is the mission.
Best for: Young people, parents, mentors, educators, community leaders, and adults interested in personal development and helping others grow.
Explore the Raising Royalty Blog
Choose this journey if you want to explore what it means to abide in Christ and develop a life that responds to God's love.
Thy Kingdom Come is the spiritual-formation initiative of I'm Third Ministries.
At the heart of this journey is a conviction that God does not simply call us to accomplish religious activities. He calls us into a relationship with Himself that transforms who we are and how we live.
Jesus said:
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me." — John 15:4 (KJV)
Our Thy Kingdom Come Framework explores five connected expressions of spiritual growth.
These are not five disconnected religious obligations.
Worship is our response to God's grace. Discipleship grows out of worship as we learn to follow Christ. Fellowship, ministry, and evangelism become increasingly mature expressions of that discipleship.
Our weekly Thy Kingdom Come blog explores Scripture, spiritual practices, personal reflection, and the continuing journey of becoming more like Christ.
We consider prayer, Scripture meditation, listening, worship, silence, solitude, gratitude, confession, fasting, and surrender as practices that help us become more attentive and responsive to God.
The goal is not simply to do more for God. It is to abide more deeply in Christ so that our lives increasingly bear His fruit.
Best for: Christians seeking spiritual growth, pastors, discipleship leaders, small groups, and anyone exploring a deeper relationship with God.
Explore the Thy Kingdom Come Blog
Manna is designed to help you make time with God a meaningful part of your day.
You don't have to follow a rigid schedule. Find your rhythm and let Scripture guide the journey. (Here's my Rhythm!)
Morning — Begin with the Word
Start with prayer and The Daily, your guide to today's Scripture readings.
Follow the links to the Sunday School Reading, its Supporting Reading, and the Chronological Reading. Each opens in BibleGateway, where you can read the Scripture or select the audio option and listen.
Take your time. Listen carefully. Let God's Word speak before turning to the devotionals.
Morning Reflection — Consider What You've Heard
Return to The Daily and scroll down to your Sunday School Manna. Read the devotional and consider the reflection questions.
Then explore your Chronological Manna, connecting another portion of Scripture to your daily walk.
Don't rush the questions. Your reflections are part of the journey.
Midday — Continue the Journey
Monday through Thursday, return for The Sunday, a continuing exploration of the week's Sunday School lesson.
Each reading builds toward a deeper understanding of the Scripture and its application to everyday life.
Evening — Close with The Night Cap
Between the activities of the day and the rest of the night, spend a few moments with The Night Cap.
Revisit the day's lessons, reflect on the questions, and compare your thoughts with the suggested responses.
You may discover something you hadn't considered—or find a new perspective on something you thought you understood.
Then rest.
Some days you'll read. Other days you'll listen. Some mornings will allow extended reflection; others may offer only a few quiet moments.
The goal isn't to complete a checklist.
The goal is to spend time with God, grow in understanding, and allow His Word to shape the way you live.
Fresh Manna. Every Day.
Maybe you've looked at all seven journeys and thought, I don't have time for all of that.
Good news.
You don't have to do all of that.
In fact, if you're just beginning, or your mornings are especially busy, I dare you to try something simple.
Just scan the titles.
Each morning, visit Word in Rhythm and look at the titles of the Daily Reading, the Sunday School Journey, and the Chronological Journey.
You don't even have to open a devotional to begin considering the ideas those titles introduce.
For example, imagine seeing:
Without opening a single devotional, you've encountered three thoughts worth considering.
God's deliverance should change how we live.
Our experiences should influence how we treat others.
And God may be working through circumstances we do not yet understand.
Perhaps one of those titles will stay with you throughout the day.
Perhaps you'll become curious enough to open the devotional.
Perhaps you'll follow the Scripture link and read the entire passage.
That's how a journey can begin.
Start small if you need to.
Just don't underestimate what God can do with a willing heart.
Discover the Power of Community.
You don't have to begin with an hour of Bible study or commit to reading every devotional we publish.
Spiritual growth can begin with a simple, intentional step.
And as that step becomes part of your life, you may discover that you're ready for another.
Start with the Daily Reading.
Each morning, take a few minutes to explore the central themes of the Sunday School and Chronological journeys.
Read the Scripture references when you can. Consider the day's takeaway. Carry a question or thought with you as you begin your day.
You don't have to understand everything.
Just begin making room for God's Word in your morning.
As your morning rhythm becomes more familiar, consider adding the Night Cap before you end your day.
Return to the questions raised in the Sunday School and Chronological devotionals. Consider the sample answers. Reflect on what you've learned and what you've experienced throughout the day.
Perhaps something you read that morning now makes greater sense.
Perhaps the day's experiences have revealed something about your relationships, attitudes, or decisions.
The Night Cap provides an opportunity to bring those experiences back into conversation with Scripture.
Begin the day receiving the Word. End the day reflecting on how you have lived in response to it.
When you're ready, consider inviting others into the journey.
A Night Cap Circle can be a small gathering of family members, friends, neighbors, or fellow believers who come together to discuss the day's reflection.
It doesn't require a professional teacher or an elaborate program.
Someone can introduce the Scripture and reflection questions. Each person can share what stood out. Together, the group can consider the sample answers, explore the meaning of the passage, and discuss its application.
A circle might meet in person, by telephone, or online. Some may gather each evening; others may begin with a schedule that works for their members.
The important thing is not the size or frequency of the gathering.
It is the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships around God's Word.
Over time, you may feel drawn to explore the complete Sunday School Journey, begin the Chronological Journey, join a Sunday School class, or engage more deeply with Thy Kingdom Come.
Each experience offers another opportunity to grow.
There is no requirement to follow every journey, and no need to compare your progress with someone else's.
Start where you are. Develop a rhythm you can sustain. Remain open to where God may lead you next.
Different journeys. One continuing invitation to abide in Christ.
All seven journeys are part of the same blog system.
Each category allows you to view the posts belonging to that particular journey rather than searching through everything we publish.
Once you discover a journey that interests you, select its category and bookmark that page in your browser.
The next time you want to read, you can return to your selected journey.
And you're always welcome to explore the other categories whenever you like.
You don't have to make a permanent choice.
Find what serves you today, and remain open to what may serve you tomorrow.
You don't have to remember to visit the website every morning.
Sign up for blog updates!
Join our email list to receive updates, information, and links to the full daily devotionals in your inbox each morning around 6:00 AM.
Your morning email will help you access the Daily Reading, the Sunday School Journey, and the Chronological Journey, along with available Night Cap reflections.
You can scan the titles, choose one devotional, follow the Scripture links, or explore everything.
The choice is yours.
No pressure to read every post. No need to catch up before continuing.
Just another opportunity to make God's Word part of your daily life.
Our Raising Royalty and Thy Kingdom Come weekly blogs are also available through the website, offering additional opportunities for personal and spiritual development.
Different journeys. Different purposes. Different opportunities for growth.
You may begin with one. You may eventually explore several. You may discover that what serves you today is different from what you need in another season of life.
And that's all right.
Development is a journey, not a competition.
So explore the possibilities. Find what speaks to your interests and needs. Begin where you are.
And remember:
The goal is not to keep up with our blogs. The goal is to keep growing.
God First. Neighbor Second. I'm Third.
Developing People. Delivering Services. Building Systems.
Every conversation is an opportunity for growth.
Whether you have a question, an idea, a challenge, or simply a desire to explore what's possible, we're here to listen, learn, and help.
No conversation is too small when it comes to developing people, strengthening relationships, and expanding possibilities.
Let's discover what we can accomplish together.