Her Faith Thrives

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16 (ESV)

One of the most memorable ways I was challenged in my faith in College was through the testimonies and hard earned wisdom of older Christians.  I remember with deep gratitude the wise older man who challenged bright eyed college students to have a deep working knowledge of the whole Bible.  Reading the entire bible always seemed like a daunting goal. At the time I was listening to him, I had read through my Bible exactly one time my entire life despite having been a Christian since I was 4 years old. 

Yet, this man did not use flowery language to persuade us, He simply spoke from his long walk with God. I remember him saying the first 5 times you read the Bible you gain a general understanding. However, by the time you have read through the bible 10, 15, 20 times you really start to grasp deeply how God has woven His truth so masterfully for His glory and for our good.  

After several years of taking his advice, I have found it to be true. I see a difference in my walk with God after reading through the Bible 5 times and I long for the continued growth that comes from continuing in this practice. The point is not to boast in our own effort. The word of God is living and active. When we dwell on the whole counsel of God’s word, it continually changes our lives in unprecedented ways. 

Since we live in a finite world, counting and time markers can be helpful.  This older Christian man encouraged us to read through the Bible in a year. Honestly I found this pace tough, after all it took me a decade and a half for my first read through. However, over time some things helped me stay consistent with a one year Bible reading plan.

Pick an Easy Translation 

When you are reading large chunks of scripture sometimes reading in a translation that has unfamiliar words and sentence structures slows you down considerably. In addition, there are a number of places in the Bible where measurements are given and when the units are unfamiliar it is hard to read at a good pace.  Having a translation that is faithful to the truth of the text but also uses plain language can be helpful. I have used the New Living Translation for a few years.

Ponder Smaller Chunks of Scripture 

One of the hard things about using a one year plan is that the daily readings can be substantial.  By the time you finish reading, it can be hard to fully ponder, study and apply everything you have read.  I have done two main things: 

First, I have selected the most pressing thought and pondered that each day by writing down some key points and applications. 

Second, I have separated my Bible reading (in which I aim to read through the whole Bible) and my quiet times (the time when I ponder small chunks of scripture and apply them to my life). 

This second approach allows me to just read or listen to the daily reading in the one year plan and highlight key ideas, then I plan for a different time to ponder these key thoughts. Over the years, this has meant that I listen through my Bible reading plan as I do other things. Then, when I sit down to have a quiet time, I either work through a book of the Bible or make a plan to go through the things I have highlighted in my Bible reading plan.

Listen to the Bible

As I mentioned earlier, I listen to my Bible. There are a number of ways to do this but I use You Version on my phone because of the convenience.  I like to listen as I do other things ( get ready for the day, prepare a meal, fold laundry etc).  This makes it easier to be consistent.  I have also listened and read at the same time in the past. This can be helpful because you end up reading faster (for those of you who are slow to medium speed readers like me). Listening as you read also makes it easier to concentrate especially when the reading is long and hard to follow.

Adjust the Plan 

Falling behind can be disheartening but when you remember that your goal is to know God through His word then you can take it in stride.  On the days you are not able to do the full reading, do half of it. On the days you have time to catch up – read a little more. If you have fallen behind enough that you need to adjust the dates on your reading plan for a different end date – that is okay.  Remember there is so much grace. What counts is faithfulness. However, even when we are not as faithful as we should be, we can ask for God’s forgiveness and keep going. 

Since I use the You Version app for my Bible reading plans, there is an easy feature on every plan  titled “catch me up.”  This feature adjusts the end date on your bible reading plan and allows your date-assigned daily reading to correspond with where you are on the plan. When I fall more than 14 days behind I use this feature.  I also read ahead when they have short readings assigned so that I give myself a little bit of a buffer for longer reading days. 

Talk to other Christians 

If you are really struggling to get through your plan, talking to other women can be so helpful. I learned a lot of the lessons I am sharing with you through trial and error as well as talking to others who were ahead of me. The first time I read through the Bible, I did it in the New International Version.  When an older godly woman heard  I was having a hard time getting through the Bible she suggested the New Living translation for reading bigger chunks of scripture and it was a game changer for me.  

We  need each other, don’t hesitate to reach out to the women in your community and talk about what you are struggling with. In addition to the women in your community, reading other Christian authors can be helpful.  For a long time I have been seeing some Christian women leaders that I admire talk about two year reading plans and this year I am ready to give it a try. 

If you are looking for a one year Bible reading plan, here are the ones I have used/ evaluated:

The One Year Bible 

I love this plan because it has a passage from the Old Testament,  one from the New Testament, one from the Psalms and Proverbs. I like the balance. You would be reading through the Bible in the traditional order of the books  (except for the Psalms and Proverbs which are spread throughout the daily readings).  If you find yourself struggling through certain books of the Bible the likelihood is, it is paired with a book that is easier to read. I have used the physical One year Bible in the New Living Translation  and also listened through this plan using the You version app. 

The Chronological Bible by Blue Letter Bible

This one year plan  has been my go to for the last few years. I love to hear a story from the beginning to the end and the traditional arrangement of the Bible is not chronological.  I appreciate that the prophecies and the events of the nation of Israel are integrated.  It makes the story much more cohesive. In the New Testament I love how the letters are integrated with the formation of the church in  the book of Acts.  I access this plan through the You Version app.

I hope you are encouraged to intentionally work on reading through your entire Bible. I can assure you it will deeply enrich your walk with God. Whether you are finishing up an old plan or starting  a new plan, my prayer is that you will experience God’s faithfulness as He instructs you through His word and as He strengthens you for this task. 

Do you read through your bible in a year? If so, what has been helpful for you?

Let us know in the comments below!

For Further Encouragement

Were you encouraged by this blog post? I would love to connect with you on the Her Faith Thrives Newsletter! This newsletter goes out every other month and contains a short personal update, and varying combinations of encouraging reflections like this one, content sneak peeks, and a handful of links to other encouraging resources!