Two days ago, Brian and I presented the Bible in 90 Days Bible to the Zondervan team.
Yesterday, Paul issued the challenge to all of Zondervan at our employee meeting. It's been so cool to see folks get excited about digging into God's word. I feel a precious intimacy with my colleagues right now because I am keenly aware that we are more than co-workers; we are brothers and sisters in Christ.

Some of you reading this blog are Zondervan employees taking the Challenge with me, some of you are friends I've recruited. Some of you aren't taking the challenge. To the last group, I covet your prayers for us. Over the past few weeks I have been overwhelmed with a sense of how blessed I am to be part of a company whose products are making an eternal impact.

Ashley Smith read The Purpose Driven Life to her captor, Brian Nichols, and as a result, they were able to talk about faith and purpose.

John Wessells' book, Conversations with the Voiceless offers much-needed truth about the spiritual implications of Terri Schiavo case.

These books are just two of the titles we publish and as wonderful as it is to hear how God is using these books, the really exciting thing is that we publish the Source of the insights our authors reveal.

One of my favorite verses is Psalm 5:3:

In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation (NIV).

I'm excited to see what God does in and through our company in the next 90 days as we seek together to hear what God is speaking to us individually and corporately.

Please pray that we would clearly receive what God offers to us. Please pray that we will have the discipline to push past fatigue, distraction, temptations and wandering minds to keep on the task before us.

Another verse comes to mind:
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it--Hebrews 12:11 (NIV).

Let the training begin!