One Chapter at a Time: How I Learned to Keep Going

Three years ago, when we first stepped into an American church, something inside me shifted. I had always read my Bible in Russian — the language of my childhood, my prayers, my whole spiritual life. That was enough, I thought. But as we settled into our new church community, everything shifted.

Every conversation at church reminded me how unfamiliar the “Bible language” was in English. I could catch the meaning, sure, but explaining it? That was another story. I leaned on my kids, asking them to help me translate the names, the verses, the phrases that meant so much to me in Russian but felt foreign in English. It felt humbling — maybe even embarrassing at times — to ask my children to help me navigate something so close to my heart.

Then one day, I found a parallel Bible — Russian on one side, English on the other. My heart leapt! This is it, I thought. But the excitement quickly turned into frustration. Reading in two languages side by side was slow. It felt like trying to climb two mountains at the same time, one foot in each language.

I found it!!!

I made a decision to read the Bible chapter by chapter—first in Russian, then in English. Every day, one chapter at a time. I wanted to read the entire Bible in both languages simultaneously. It wasn’t a New Year’s resolution or a spontaneous idea. It was a deep, steady commitment. And I stayed constant in that decision.

At first, it was painfully slow. My mind rebelled. Why bother? You already know these stories in Russian! But something pushed me deeper — a hunger to see Scripture with new eyes, to stretch my heart, to grow beyond my comfort zone.

And then the breakthroughs began.

Reading the Bible in English, a language that’s not native to me, gave me a completely fresh perspective. I noticed details I’d skimmed over for decades. Familiar words felt brand new, like rediscovering an old friend with a fresh perspective. Stories I thought I’d memorized started to shine in surprising ways. Every early morning, I would open that Bible, resisting the temptation to close it and simply soak in the beauty around me, listening to the birds praising the Lord with their songs.

Some days the words felt heavy, some days they lifted me up. But I kept going. Page after page. Word after word. It stretched me. It challenged me. It also made me fall in love with Scripture all over again.

It took me two years to finish reading the Old Testament — with a few books from the New Testament woven in. When I finally turned that last page, my heart swelled with joy. I had done it. It felt so good to finish something that took consistency, patience, and perseverance. The feeling of accomplishment was overwhelming, knowing I had stayed faithful to my goal no matter how long it took.

Victory

That victory, as small as it might sound to others, meant everything to me. It taught me a truth I carry with me every single day: goals are not about perfection — they are about perseverance.

Whether it’s spiritual growth, personal dreams, or building a business, you have to set your sights on a goal and keep going, even when it feels impossible, even when no one sees the struggle.

At Kuznetsov Bookkeeping, I carry that same commitment every day. Helping clients untangle their finances, organize their records, and achieve financial clarity can feel overwhelming at first — just like reading two Bibles at once! But by breaking things down, step by step, we reach the goal together.

So I want to encourage you, friend — whatever your dream is, don’t give up. Even if it takes two years, five years, or ten. If you trip, get up and keep moving. Progress is made one faithful step at a time. The victories are worth it. The journey is worth it. And one day, you will look back and realize that every small effort brought you closer to the finish line.

Because every mountain is climbed one step at a time. Every story is told one word at a time. And every dream — no matter how wild — is built one goal at a time.

Stay steady, keep going, and never, ever give up.

Natalya