The Year I Read the Bible with Laurie Larsen
Have you ever read the Bible? Straight through without stopping? It takes effort and dedication. That's exactly what I did in the year 2023. But I didn't just read it. I jotted down things that confused me, intrigued me, made me want to learn more. And in 2024 I researched and wrote essays to share what I learned in blogs, videos and a book. And now ... a podcast! Take a listen -- I guarantee you'll learn some life-changing stuff from that dusty book on your shelf!
Thank you for listening! Want to find out more about your hostess Laurie Larsen or her The Year I Read the Bible project? Here are links:
Laurie’s website: Author Laurie Larsen | heartwarming Christian fiction
The Year I Read the Bible blog: The Year I Read the Bible blog | Author Laurie Larsen
Interested in the ebook, paperback, hardcover or audiobook? Amazon.com: Laurie Larsen: books, biography, latest update
Episodes
48 episodes
And ... It's a Wrap!
One of life's realities is that all good things must come to an end. So it is for this podcast. I've had a wonderful time bringing you these 40-some episodes and I thank you for sticking with me through it all.&nbs...
Episode 40: Why Wasn't Post-Resurrection Jesus Recognizable?
Jesus is risen! Hallelujah! Death on the cross could not keep him. He is alive.Jesus made many appearances to people during the forty days he walked the earth again after his resurrection. But people didn...
Episode 39: Pick Your Own Story! Resurrection Edition
In today's episode Laurie shares a bewildering experience from her college days, when a Religion Professor (who also happened to be an ordained pastor) spent the semester pointing out spots in the Bible where there are discrepancies in the tell...
Episode 38: A Deep Dive into Jesus's Incredible Sacrifice
Jesus's crucifixion. I'm sure you read the Bible story every Easter, or maybe more often than that. Me too. But the year I read the Bible cover to cover, I read it with a new lens. And I uncovered a bunch...
Episode 37: Abiding in Jesus, the True Vine
Jesus often used analogies to illustrate who he was -- I am the Good Shepherd, I am the Light of the World, etc. It's his generous attempt to connect with us in multiple ways -- allowing us each various ways to understand him better. ...
Special Podcast-thon episode with Jacki Brey!
This is your host, Laurie, and I am thrilled to be taking part in PodcasThon 2026 -- a global effort to flood the podcasting airwaves with love, service and good works! Over 2500 podcasts from 65 diff...
Episode 36: Peter’s Denial – What Was He Thinking?
Take a deep dive into Laurie's favorite Bible character -- Simon Peter -- one of Jesus's strongest supporters, who in his moment of weakness, denies even knowing Jesus during the terrible time of his arrest, torture and crucifixion. Why d...
Episode 35: The Approach of a King
I've always loved Palm Sunday! Joyous happy people praising Jesus as he rides into town on a humble colt! I love what we find in Luke 19 verse 40 where Jesus tells them, even if the crowds who were shouting Hosannas at him quieted, ...
Episode 34: The Curious Case of Judas Iscariot
The name of Judas Iscariot is known by everyone -- even non-Christians. He's the bad guy of the Jesus story, the villain. He turned Jesus over to the Romans to be crucified. But let's dig a bit deeper. What if Juda...
Episode 33: Jesus Knew All Along
Remember when Jesus told his "Number One Disciple," Simon Peter, "Get behind me, Satan!" What was that all about? How would Simon have reacted and what can we as modern Christians learn to make sure Jesus doesn't say the same thing to us?...
Episode 32: Praying for Miracles -- What if They Work? What if They Don't?
Let's face it -- even though Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.” ....
Episode 31: Jesus As the Ultimate Project Manager
Laurie draws parallels between Jesus's three-year earthly ministry and a job she used to perform, as a project manager of large, complicated efforts. Similarities do exist -- defining your scope, meeting regularly with your sponsor, devel...
3rd quarter promo
In this look back over Laurie's third quarter of episodes, she shares several examples where her insightful guests have "blown her mind" with knowledge and interpretations she'd never heard of or thought of before!Also -- a call t...
Episode 30: Will I Still Be Married In Heaven?
This topic single-handedly garnered the most views and comments on my blog when I was posting my Bible findings once a week. If that tells us...
PodcastThon promo
PodcastThon? What on earth is PodcastThon?It's the biggest and most far-reaching charitable event in the Podcasting world and I'm thrilled that The Year I Read the Bible was invited to...
Episode 29: You Ever Feel Like Somebody's Watching You?
Did Jesus ever get angry? Of course, we're all familiar with the time he turned the tables in the Temple when the money changers were using the sacred ground for profit. But what about the incident listed in each of the four gospels...
Episode 28: Did John the Baptist Know Jesus ... Or Didn't He?
Learn a little more about the unique character of John the Baptist. God chose him to prepare the way for Jesus on earth, but of course, as all of us are, he was human. And to me, he came across as a little strange. And ...
Episode 27: What About Baptism?
Welcome back to new Bible study content after our short holiday break! Here's wishing a super new year for all of us!Laurie digs in deep about the Christian practice of baptism. Why do we do it? What's it for?&...
BONUS episode: Laurie's fiction
How does someone who had always dreamed of becoming an author, actually push through and get started? For Laurie, it all came down to a visit to the Margaret Mitchell House in Atlanta, Georgia. That one random decision changed her l...
RE-RELEASE for the holiday week: A Clarifying Look at Jesus's Birth
Here's a repeat performance of the episode I previously did with Melissa Henderson (Oct 28) all about those elements that we've come to accept as modern Christians as it relates to the Christmas story -- but that modern Bible rese...
Episode 26: What’s So Bad About Samaritans?
The Samaritan woman at the well having a conversation with Jesus about living water. The "Good Samaritan" who helped a Jewish traveler who was beaten and left for dead along the side of the road, as if being good was an exception for a Sa...
Episode 25: What About Me?
Here's a question for you: if you were walking around the region of Galilee in about 30 AD, and this man named Jesus was preaching about a New Way and gaining followers, would you believe? Or would you be doubtful?I ...
Episode 24: Why the Secrecy?
Have you ever tried to promote a product or service? Did you spread the word far and wide so more and more people are aware of what you’re offering? When Jesus was walking the earth conducting his ministry, he often performed a mira...