Another Journey Through the Bible

Posted on January 7, 2026 by brent

In 2021, a movement transpired. Fr. Mike Schmitz, a Catholic priest from Minnesota, released a podcast titled Bible In A Year. As you could probably surmise, the podcast took the listener through all 73 books of the bible over the span of 365 days.

After its release, the podcast ascended to #1 globally and was the subject of numerous news stories—catapulting Fr. Mike to fame. But the podcast didn’t flame out after 2021. Every year since, it has consistently ranked #1 in the Religion & Spirituality podcast category. As of right now, Bible In A Year is on the cusp of a billion downloads.

The Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz is incredible.

What gives? It isn’t like Fr. Mike was the first person to develop a yearly bible reading plan. However, he was the first person to journey through the bible in such an organized and compassionate way. By reading different books simultaneously, offering heartfelt prayer, and then analyzing the daily readings in such a straight-forward/loving way, he brought God to millions and won over a massive audience. In fact, this audience extends not just beyond Catholics to Christians of all denominations but to people of completely different faiths—including those with no faith at all.

I joined Fr. Mike during the inaugural year in 2021. The experience opened my eyes and brought so much clarity to how the New Testament fulfills the Old Testament. It was such a comprehensive and rich experience that it truly defined my year.

In 2025, I did it again. Realizing I probably waited too long for another very detailed reading of the bible from front to back, I made the pledge to journey with Fr. Mike for the second time. But this past year my bible odyssey was enhanced just a bit thanks to the participation of someone very close to me…

My mom.

Upon deciding that I would do Bible In A Year again, I asked my mom if she wanted to do it as well. There was no arm twisting needed, she simply and immediately said yes. We listened independently and only checked in periodically with each other about the latest episodes. However, knowing she was listening motivated me even more to listen to God’s word with Fr. Mike each day. Even though we didn’t discuss the content on a regular basis, I would find myself during the podcasts thinking, I bet my mom appreciated hearing that or I wonder what my mom thought about that?

This year, the different letters from Paul spoke to me. When reading the different books that he authored, I found comfort in the fact that a well-documented sinner like him could become one of the greatest Christians to ever walk the earth. I guess there is hope for me. From an Old Testament perspective, I tried to listen closer to the prophets. Jeremiah stood out to me and his devastating account of Jerusalem’s destruction in Lamentations made it obvious why he is often referred to as the “Weeping Prophet.”

Hearing the accounts of the wars, murders, and atrocities in the Old Testament proved difficult for me at times just like it did in 2021. However, I think Fr. Mike’s commentary stuck with me a little more this time around: The world was broken but God was still present. Things were so bad and people were so evil that progress took time to achieve but God guided the positive steps forward…even if some of those steps were baby ones.

But for as difficult as some of those Old Testament books were, the beauty and promise of the gospels made up for any apprehension that bottled up inside of me. I never tire reading about the incarnation of Jesus, His ministry, and His Resurrection and the way that Fr. Mike presented and preached about these four sacred books were the absolute best days in my 2025 Bible In A Year journey.

Friends, we are just one week into 2026. If you are looking for something to do that will truly make this year unforgettable, give BIAY a try. Simply listen to a couple of the podcast episodes per day for the next week and then you will be caught up and primed to listen to a single episode per day for the rest of the year. Of course, don’t let a yearly goal confine you. The truth is that you can listen to Bible In A Year at your own pace and stretch out the podcast over the course of three years or five years.

However, in the end, the mission should be simple: read the bible. Whether you use a podcast or not, read God’s Word. I have always needed to do a much better job at following my own advice and thankfully Fr. Mike Schmitz offered a helpful option. If you think he could assist you as well, give Bible In A Year a try and please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you need support or have questions. Don’t Blink.

Have Mercy

Posted on November 12, 2025 by brent

I am now just 50 days away from finishing my second stint of the Bible In A Year podcast presented by Fr. Mike Schmitz. In fact, we recently wrapped up the entire Old Testament.

For the past few days, we have been journeying through the gospel of Luke. Yesterday, the topic of mercy came up. Fr. Mike summarized mercy as the love that we don’t deserve. Did you know before Jesus walked the earth that mercy was viewed as a weakness? Back in earlier times, people couldn’t wrap their minds around giving someone more than what was just. However, Jesus commands us to a higher calling than simply justice.

Yes, we need to give more to others than what they deserve. What is the trick to being merciful? It is making the decision to love someone the most when they deserve to be loved the least. Easy? Not at all.

Remember, mercy isn’t a virtue for nothing. Don’t Blink.

First Thursday Rundown of 2025

Posted on January 9, 2025 by brent

Who missed my rundowns?! Oh, no one? Ha! Well, okay, but I am still going to write them in 2025. I know the last time I published one was LAST YEAR (on December 12) so just a reminder about how these work (because I have only written probably a million of them over the past 10+ years): I offer up thoughts and updates on five super random, unrelated topics. Here we go…

Family Spouse Photo – On the fourth Sunday of Advent, my parents, siblings, and our families gathered for home holiday cheer. Of course photos were taken. Out of the many I had to choose from, I decided to go with “the couples.” What a great representation of 67 total years of marriage…of course 43 of those years come from my parents 😂.

Four happy couples!

Bible In A Year – I know if you took my advice and started working on your own #1SE video, you are probably already pretty busy with an “every day” commitment. But I would like to offer yet another daily exercise that is way more important than #1SE. I humbly recommend that in 2025 you listen to the “Bible In A Year” podcast by Fr. Mike Schmitz. It is life changing. No matter what denomination you are or even if you aren’t Christian, you will find this podcast to be engaging, informative, and holy. I listened to the whole podcast during its debut year in 2021 and I am re-listening in 2025. I wrote about what you can expect and how Fr. Mike navigates the bible and structures the podcast. If you want to journey with me, PLEASE DO. Jump on now while we are early in January and please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions.

The Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz is incredible.

Favorite Drinks – On this glorious date six years ago, I wrote an even more glorious blog post (#sarcasm) about my favorite drinks. After covering my favorite sodas and favorite beers in earlier years, I ranked my top non-carbonated/non-alcoholic beverages. I am sure you can tell from the photo below some of the drinks that were included but for the full list and rankings, make sure to read the post.

In 2019, I ranked my 5 favorite drinks.

Headbanz – We are a board game family and every year at Christmas we get at least one or two new games. This year, my niece gave Sloan a game called Headbanz. It is designed for kids (although all of us adults had a blast playing it) as a fun and competitive way to describe things and ask questions. Each person puts a “headband” on and inserts a card in the contraption’s front portion so they can’t see the object on their card. The person then asks other players questions to try and guess what animal/plant/food/sport/etc. is on their card. Great fun!

Sloan playing Headbanz at our kitchen table.

College Football Playoff – From a fan perspective, I think the expanded College Football Playoff is great. The value of watching college football’s powerhouse programs duke it out in a playoff system that mirrors what has been done at the lower levels for decades is appealing. I am not crazy about the college football season extending to Jan. 20 but I guess there has to be a trade off. Despite a college athletics landscape that is broken, at least there is this bright spot. I am rooting for Notre Dame!