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Read through the whole Bible in the best and most efficient way yet!
EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD READ THE BIBLE IN ITS ENTIRETY. I TRULY BELIEVE THIS. BUT IF YOU ARE ANYTHING LIKE ME (AND A GOOD PORTION OF BELIEVERS I KNOW), EVERY NEW YEAR YOU START IN GENESIS AND SOMEWHERE AROUND DEUTERONOMY OR MARCH (WHICHEVER COMES FIRST) YOU START LAGGING IN YOUR DAILY ROUTINE AND PRETTY SOON YOU GET SICK OF PLAYING CATCH-UP. WELL, FRIENDS, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT YOU'RE NOT ALONE. SO, WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO READ THE BIBLE? I CAME TO THE LORD WITH THIS QUESTION, EXCEPT, I WORDED IT IN THE FOLLOWING WAY: "FATHER, HOW DO YOU WANT ME TO READ THE BIBLE?" HIS ANSWER CAME ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AS A STIRRING IN MY HEART. COMPLETE WITH BIBLE READING GRAPHS, INFORMATIVE CONTENT, ADULT COLORING PAGES, AND 120 DOTTED PAGES DESIGNED TO HELP YOU GET THE BEST OUT OF YOUR STUDIES, THIS BIBLE READING JOURNAL AND TRACKER IS A UNIQUE WAY TO STAY MOTIVATED IN YOUR SEARCH FOR TRUTH! THERE ARE NO TIME RESTRAINTS, NO PRESSURE TO FINISH WITHIN A SPECIFIED TIME, VERY LITTLE CHANCE YOU’LL GET DISCOURAGED, AND, BEST OF ALL, NO WRONG WAY TO GO ABOUT IT! SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? HIT THE BOOK!
HOW DOES THIS JOURNAL WORK? (Video Instructions Below!)
CREATE AND MAINTAIN A BIBLE READING HABIT, PRACTICE AND CONVERSATION!
THE HABIT: It takes 30 days to create a new habit, right? What if you could finish up to 18 books of the Bible within a single month? Would that encourage you?
Tool #1→ The List of the Books of the Bible By Length
If you utilize this tool, you will gain momentum and see progress even more quickly at the start… a perfect example of ‘hitting the ground running.’ I recommend that you use this method with a study Bible on hand. By reading the introduction to each book of the Bible, and learning about the historical context of each, you will gain a better understanding of what you are reading, even if it is out of order. Another option is to look up the video synopsis for each book to gain a greater understanding of it. If you don’t know where to start, I recommend looking on YouTube FOR something like: “3 John Summary.” With this search, you can find videos such as the one from The Bible Project Channel on YouTube which outlines books 1, 2, & 3 of John’s letters with animations that will help the reader grasp a better understanding. The Bible Project has summary videos for every book of the Bible. I don’t recommend their channel for everything theological, but their summary videos were a huge help to me! By the time you get to the longer books of the Bible, you will have established that amazing reading habit and can continue to see your progress on the page with the next two tools! If your main objective is to read the whole Bible and to keep track of what you’ve read, but you choose not to use the list of the books from smallest to largest, that is OK! We were not made with cookie cutters, and it’s not what you have to do, but it is what worked for me (and it might help you)! Even if you bypass this first tool, you can still get a LOT out of this tracker with steps two and three alone! So keep reading!
2. THE PRACTICE:
Practice makes… better! You wouldn’t sit down at a piano one time and expect to know how to play Claire de Lune, would you? Bible Reading is a life-long practice that begins with a habit, but continues as a labor of LOVE to bring us closer to our Savior every day! Sometimes love needs encouragement and that’s what the next tools offer!
Tool #2→ The BCV (Book, Chapter, Verse) Graphs a.k.a INSTANT GRATIFICATION!
It’s a reward system! The BCV graphs go deeper by helping you chart your Bible reading down to the chapter and (for the longest book of the bible) verse! The best way to use these graphs is by filling in the bubbles or squares corresponding to each chapter you read. The Bible isn’t just one single book, it is 66 books in one! We should celebrate every milestone on the path to knowing God! This tool is most useful once the books of the Bible you are reading grow longer in length and need longer than a single day to complete. Why? Because, you will see your progress in the smallest increments, and this will give you a feeling of accomplishment regardless of whether you’ve read three books or three chapters! Tool #3→ The Master List (pg 14) Once you have completed your BCV graph, you can turn over to The Master List to fill in the bubble or heart next to each book completed. The Master List is the third tool included in this Tracker and provides an overall look at your long-term progress. It is split up into two categories: The Old Testament (Genesis-Malachi) and The New Testament (Matthew-Revelation). The books in the Master List are in the same order as the ones in the Holy Bible. Regardless of the order in which you read, or how long it takes you, you will not despair because you will be able to see the finish line! Woohoo!
3. THE CONVERSATION: Reading the Bible isn’t just about completing milestones and feeling accomplished. The objective for reading the Bible should be to KNOW GOD! There are countless books on this subject (one of my favorites is “Spiritual Disciplines For The Christian Life” by Donald S. Whitney) but this final tool, a simple journal, has been a game-changer for me!
Tool #4→ The Journal!
As a writer, I just think better with a pen in hand. Whether you choose to write down key verses that stood out to you, questions you have about your reading, or you decide to pray on paper, having a place where you can record all of this, is crucial! Make this into your prayer journal. Your note-taking journal during church service. Write lengthy paragraphs or simple bullet points. Or draw! What do you see? What do you feel? Do you want to write a song? A sonnet? There’s no wrong way to go about it. At the top of each page, for your convenience, I’ve included a calendar so you can keep track of the dates you wrote or read in your journal. Journaling Tip: If you’re not accustomed to keeping a journal, try writing your reading for the day and a small summary of what you learned. It can go something like this:
January 21
Reading: Genesis 1
Takeaway: Today I learned about God’s creation of the universe in 6 days and HOW he rested on the seventh.
Favorite verse: Gen 1:31- “God saw all that he made and it was very good…” Thoughts: I wonder what Adam and Eve looked like?
ADDITIONAL TIPS, TOOLS AND HELPS!
-The Adult Coloring Book Pages: Biblical meditation is not about emptying your mind, it’s about filling it with Godly things! As you get creative with the Adult Coloring Book Pages, repeat the scriptures found there and think about how they pertain to your life! Once you’ve colored all of the drawings I provided, try making your own by writing a Bible verse in the middle of a page and decorating the page with your own creative spin!
-The Bible Memory Verse Page: (back) This page is found towards the back of this journal. Fill it up, honey! Write down all the verses that stand out to you and repeat them. Use the journal pages to write them down again and again until you’ve memorized one and can start on the next!
-The Calendar: Use the blank calendar in this journal to mark the days you read! You might find patterns that will help you plan ahead. For example, Sundays are not a day I typically sit down to read the Bible on my own because it is my day to learn from my Pastor and elders. If I look at my calendar and see that Sundays are not a day I am reading, or maybe Saturdays I have a harder time getting into the Word, I might decide to read a little extra on the night before.
-Using this Journal to Pray Through The Psalms: Now that your Bible Reading Habit is underway, is Prayer the next thing you wish to tackle in your daily time with the Lord? Seeing as the book of Psalms is the longest book of the Bible, and it is mainly a book of songs and prayers to God, you could try praying through the Psalms! Read until something stands out to you, and pray that thing over your own life. This is a method I learned from “Spiritual Disciplines For The Christian Life” by Donald S. Whitney.
Don’t know how to pray?
Psalm.
Yes. I just used that as a verb.
-Reading the Bible in 1 Year: Although this journal & tracker was designed for flexibility and no time restraints, some like the idea of finishing the Bible in one year. The best way to do so is to make sure you read at least three chapters a day. Remember: if you get behind, and it takes you longer than one year to read the Bible, that is OK! Just keep track of where you are. There is no rush.
-The Certificate of Completion: (back) I am so confident that you will finally read the whole Bible, that I’ve included a certificate at the end of this journal for you to fill-in and sign! Reading the Word of God is an accomplishment and, although the main reward is learning more about God’s unfailing love for you and His character, your efforts are something to celebrate! Once you’ve completed your Bible Reading, send a picture of your certificate to dsfisichella@gmail.com! I would love to celebrate with you!
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