Have a Plan for Reading the Bible

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I've been working on this... well, I don't want to call it a diet, because it's not a diet. It's more like a "healthier lifestyle" that means less sugar and more vegetables.

Of course, sugar is way easier to grab than vegetables are. Cookies, donuts, even the wrong type of granola bar fit into the "probably shouldn't have it" category. Quick and easy is usually quick and...  bad for me.

I've found that the most important part of this new lifestyle change is being prepared.

If I know I've got half an avocado in the fridge at work, I'm less likely to grab a bag of pretzels from the dining hall. Planning out meals for the week means that I don't succumb to ordering a pizza (again).

And, I can also plan my "cheats."

A friend of mine says, "Never have an unintentional donut."

I love that.

If I'm going to splurge and eat some sugar, it should be an intentional decision- something I've thought about. So, if I know there are going to be cookies at work, I can make a decision to have one, instead of grabbing one out of a lack of self-control or habit.





I think a lot of this can be applied to our practice of reading the Bible, too.

When we have a plan, we're more likely to follow through and less likely to be tempted to skip reading Scripture all together.

Let's be honest- we've all done that thing where we open the Bible to a random page and say, "Here we go! Reading a chapter."

But that's not the most effective way to read Scripture (for starters, you may get stuck in a genealogy that doesn't make any sense, or get confused by tabernacle measurements...  wait, I wrote about that already), and it's not a very motivating way to make reading the Bible a priority.

And we've all started our Bible time with no idea where to start or what to read. And honestly? That gets kind of overwhelming and a little exhausting, and we don't need yet another excuse to skip our Scripture time.

You need a plan.


Maybe that means that you join a Bible study online, or you buy a Bible study book. Maybe your plan is to read the Bible in a year.

There are so many free Bible studies and reading plans out there- take advantage of them to improve your Bible time.

Have a plan. It helps, really.

Some Plans I'd Recommend:

*Some of these links are affiliate links, but not all of 'em. I've starred the affiliate ones.*

She Reads Truth puts out some great content- including daily readings. The online version is free, but if you want something you can hold in your hand, there are great devotionals you can purchase.


Sara Hagerty of *Every Bitter Thing Is Sweet does a simple, yet incredibly powerful means of daily connecting with God that she calls "Adoration." She prepares short treasures of Scripture each month. Highly, highly recommended.


*"Seamless"by Angie Smith is a great overview of the entire Bible, and it's a great Bible study plan. I went through this study with my small group recently, and loved it. You can see my review here.


My friend Tracy from Traces of Faith has a Bible-in-a-Year Facebook group-- you can jump on in at any time, or you could wait for September 24 for the New Testament. It's so important to have some accountability! (Read a little about Tracey's passion for the Bible here!)

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What studies or reading plans have you enjoyed? What is your plan right now?

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