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Growing up I went to church every Sunday and religion classes on Wednesdays. It wasn’t until I was on a mission trip in college that I really started to read my Bible. The Bible was big and at times confusing. I knew the basic stories but not where to find them or how to start reading on a daily basis, other than just pick it up and go. I also came to realize that there were several different versions of the Bible, kind of like different dialects (Minnesota vs Wisconsin in the water fountain or bubbler debate). Some were written in old English, which was hard for me to understand, others were more creative and flowery, plus everything in between. The New International Version has become my favorite, although I have found it helpful to read other versions to get a full picture of the meaning of different verses.
Pick a Plan
Picking a Bible reading plan can be overwhelming. Where do you even start? Here are a few plan options I've used throughout my journey of learning to read the Bible regularly, along with pros/cons.
Start at the Beginning
This can be a tricky one. Genesis starts off with creation and then people start making poor choices all the way through Exodus until Leviticus takes a twist with rules and more rules. At this point I get a little lost and start skimming. I have read the Bible from cover to cover but it was a bit overwhelming to me when I first started getting into reading it.
Old/New
Read one chapter from a book in the Old Testament (before Jesus) and one chapter from a book in the New Testament (Jesus' life and after). Adding this variety has been helpful to me when I’m reading through some of the more detailed sections of the Old Testament.
Chronologically
I discovered the Chronological Bible and absolutely love how it pulls together the books of the Bible so you are not rereading portions but are reading it in the order that events occurred. It combines the books/verses that cover the same material into one section, so you read it once. You can Google and find similar plans to follow.
Bible Roulette
Open the Bible to a random page and start reading. At times I've felt God is speaking directly to me and other times I end up with a verse about mold.
The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)
Four different authors retell the life of Jesus. They have overlapping stories and vary on details, just like when two different people tell of their own experiences. The book of John tells the story of Jesus’ life once he begins his ministry. I also like Luke, who was a doctor and gives a bit of a factual account, which includes Jesus’ birth. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are all easy reads. I enjoy picturing how Jesus lived his days on earth.
Psalms
Psalms are a collection of emotional outpourings. A variety of authors pour out their hearts through times of joy, difficulty, sin, repentance and sorrow as they get real with God. Psalms are a great place to go when you want to emotionally connect with God. There are 150 Psalms. I have read one per day, which covers about 5 months and really helps to make reading the Bible a habit.
Bible Stories
Start with your favorite Bible stories. Maybe you’re like me and grew up in the church, can remember the stories but are not sure where they are located in the Bible. Make a list of the stories and then Google them to start reading. I do better with remembering what I have read if I am reading from a paper book rather than my phone/tablet/computer. Looking up the stories has also helped me to learn the order of the books in the Bible.
Bible.com is a great resource. There are more versions of the Bible than I can count available.
This app also includes different versions of the Bible. You can choose Bible studies by topic. I've completed different studies friends because you can invite them to do the plans with you. This is a perfect way to be held accountable!
Set a Time
After picking a plan it’s time to jump in! When I first started my Bible reading habit I decided to do it right away in the morning. Are you a morning person or a night owl? I’m definitely morning person.
Timer
I initially used a timer. I would set it for one minute for each part of my “morning meeting with God.”
Get Started
Here are the steps I took when first started to read the Bible every day:
Silence
I would sit for a minute in silence, sometimes my mind would wander or I’d start to nod off but I was giving God an open door to start my morning off.
Pray
If anything was on my mind I would mention it. Prayer is really a conversation, so I would do a quick chat with what was on my mind. I now have a prayer list but that is something that has evolved over the years.
Read
I read for a set amount of time, 1-10 minutes. After I really got into it I would read 1-2 chapters.
Write
I like to write down one point that I want to remember and then look at it throughout the day. These are fun to look back on, especially if you put the date with them. I have found that when I write a point down I often see correlations during my day from songs on the radio to hearing phrases, seeing those verses, hearing them in sermons or friends bringing up the same points.
Pick a plan, set a time and get started.