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Hong Kong Long Time No See
Fri., Dec. 16. 2005 1:01am EST
 Karl Messner, lead guitarist and producer for ApologetiX here.
As you may know, I've been encouraging kids to read their bible for themselves through a simple check-in-daily accountability program. We have them read one chapter a day to start, write it in their bible, and email me that they read it.
I sometimes like to share when kids cross the finish line of their first time through. Today, I got an email from long-time reader, David Prantner. We've been reading together for over four years. He started on October 27th, 2001, and emailed me daily with his reading marked in the subject of an empty email. I have hundreds of emails from David in my reading buddy folder.
Three years ago, he sent me this email from his first time through:
From: David Prantner Date: October 17, 2003 5:56:31 PM EDT
To: readingbuddy@apologetix.com
Subject: One way through
Hey Karl-
Here I am almost two years later and I just finished Luke 24. I started on October 27, 2001 with John 1 and went straight through. I don't use the internet that much, but I JUST Had to let you know how much I still think about that night where I committed to reading everyday. I kept with the commitment although one week I had the flu real bad and I missed one day out of the whole week I was sick. I have learned a lot from what I read and am looking forward to my next project.
I am currently in a class here at School titled, "Gospel of John." The teacher is a great guy and I am learning a lot. I read the whole Gospel once or twice a week. The month so far I have read John 8 times; it is awesome. I have been thinking an dpraying about my reading for a few months now and have decided to dive into the Gospels and study them. I am doing this because I realized that I may have read the entire Bible, but there is a lot I don't understand and to understand it I will have to dive in and read and read. I hope to spend a year on the four gospels and then move on to something else. I will still write down what I read every night (I really don't think I could stop writting what I read it has become an essential part of my life) and have decided to expand beyond that and write about what I read.
I will continue to keep you up to date on my life and studies and I hope that other people have been as touched by your ministry as I have. I would love to tell you more of what is happening in my life, I have lots to share, but I am just about to leave for a retreat with a few of my friends. I will continue to pray for your ministry and the others that are reading for you.
Thank you again, Karl, for getting me started. I don't know where I would be in my walk if it wasn't for you.
Your brother in Christ,
David Prantner
Today, I got this awesome update:
Karl,
Long time, huh? I thought I'd drop you an e-mail with my progress. I'm still reading everyday, just as I promised. Sometimes I read one chapter, other times many more.
I wanted to let you know how much this has meant to me the last four years. People ask how often I read my Bible and I tell them the story of how I got started. It's really cool. I've gone through the bible almost twice now. Shortly after my first time through I wrote down all the books of the bible on slips of paper, put them in a bag and read the books at random.
In other news I got married in August of 2004. Her name is Kati and we have had a wonderful first year together.
Also, we just graduated from Crown College and are spending our first year teaching in English schools in Hong Kong. It's a very rewarding experiece to be serving God overseas. We don't know whether or not we are supposed to stay here or not, but so far we love it.
That's about all I have for now. I'm sorry I didn't write sooner. Me and computers do not get along so well. I don't like to be alone with the internet, if you know what I mean.
Thanks getting me started and in turn changing my life for the better. Keep up the ministry.
David Prantner
David, you make us proud! Keep reading and reaching your new friends in Hong Kong for Christ!
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