Hey Crowned Creative! I am too thrilled to begin a new year with a new bible reading plan! Last year I was read the Bible Recap and finished the entire Bible in a year! This was my second time finishing the Bible and I am so elated!
I have experienced this before: a new year, a new reading plan. I understand the preparation and excitement that accompanies the journey. I also understand the feeling of failure if the plan is not executed exactly the way it was envisioned. There is a strategy for staying motivated and encouraged through the process. Here are 8 ways to stay on top of your goal of completing your plan:
- Stay focused on the goal. Often times you start a bible reading plan, read through it quickly and then just check off the task on your to-do list. That is not the purpose of the goal. You are supposed to be learning more about and drawing closer to God. Check that off the list instead!
- Stay connected. God did many things in the bible in pairs! The message: don’t do it alone! Get with a partner, friends or online group or others who are reading the same plan. Get together electronically or meet up to break bread; discuss what you are reading for additional encouragement or as a just check in.
- Stay flexible. So you have read the King James Version for years… that doesn’t mean that you have to read the bible for understanding in the same way. Reading other versions or listening to an audio version is a great way to add variety and another level of understanding to your study.
- Stay approved. The bible says to study to show yourself approved… the key is to study. You will experience days where you have plenty of time to read and you may even read ahead of the plan. However, there may also be days where you cannot fathom opening any book. If you miss a day (or two) be encouraged to keep up with God, not with a deadline.
- Stay creative. Finding a unique way to track your progress. Bible journaling or illustrating in your bible is a creative way to study. Even if you cannot do this daily, don’t leave it out of your study time.
- Stay loaded with resources. You may become discouraged if you are reading and not understanding what you are reading. Pray before beginning and arm yourself with useful tools, like bible study devotionals and guides, podcasts, the internet and concordances.
- Celebrate milestones. When my accountability partner, Joanna, and I got through six months of reading the Bible together, we went live on Instagram and celebrated! Leading up to this occasion, we celebrated privately every time we finished a book of the Bible or even a day on the Bible app. Celebrate the small wins which lead to large victories!
- Stay pumped. The bible says to seek the Lord with all of your heart. Your heart should be pumping for God, but this does not mean that everyday will be a day without tribulation. Even on the days when you are not feeling your best, move forward with the reading plan and watch God answer the silent and spoken prayers of your heart!
Now that you know my strategy, what will you do differently or try this year to keep yourself focused and motivated? Comment below!
xo,
*Note: This blog post was originally published in 2018. It was revised, updated and republished in 2023. Since the time of this post, LaQuisha and Joanna finished reading the Bible together in one year.
Love, love, love your tips and how you put everything together! You are such an inspiration!! ❤
Thank you for the tips! I have never successfully completed a yearly Bible reading plan 😔, but I hope tol this year with the encouragement of others around me who are also doing it.
P.S I love your new website and all of the additions to your ministry! May God continue to bless you as you share Him and bless others.
I’m doing this plan too and am so excited about it! Can’t wait to connect with everyone else! Blessings!
Love your creativity and your tips! I will remember all of this as I journey through this bible reading plan. Let’s do it together 💪🏾
Love these ideas. Can’t wait to join in this Bible reading plan too! 💕
great suggestions, thanks for sharing
I’m super excited to be doing the Beloved Society plan with a great group of godly women.
Great tips! Glad to be doing this withh you!!
Looking good, Queen! Super blessed to know you! I’ll be doing the chronological on the Bible app and trying to post more on my blog as well!
I absolutely love this! Thank you for sharing!
Your live IG was the encouragement I needed to get back in my bible daily. Thank you for sharing your plan and letting me know where to download the resource and even a FB group to go along. Keep up the God work 💕
I loved taking a look inside your devotional. So inspirational and creative too! Thanks for sharing.
I haven’t read the Bible in ages. After being raised in a very religious household and becoming an adult I decided I don’t need organized religion or the Bible to instill values in me that is at the core of all humans which is to be loved and treat others with kindness
I’m reading this plan along with a friend who lives here locally. Having the accountability from her and you all online will definitely be encouraging.
I like how you encourage readers to compare other versions of the Bible. Many words used in the king James version are no longer in use today. That could make the meaning of certain Bible verses on clear to the reader. Great advice.
I am actually following a plan on the app You Version but reading from my Bible. I have never tried to accomplish this before so I pray I can hang in there. I am thankful for your tips to help me along the way. Love ya queen.
Thank you for sharing these tips! You have great ideas & I know they will be helpful as the year rolls along.
Thanks for the tips. One of the things helping me this year is my church is also encouraging us to read the Bible this year. I feel like God is wanting me to READ since my bible journaling and church friends are all doing it.
Thank you for the tips! This is my first time completing a year long bible reading plan so your words were very encouraging. I just found your website and I’m loving the content! Thank you!
This year is my year to show myself approved. I have not done what I needed to last year to accomplish this so I am going to do that this year. Daily Bible reading is key.
I adore these illustrations. My plan is to read my bible period. I can’t remember the last time I picked up the good book.
For several years when I was in high school and college, I would read the Bible through. It was a calming experience for me. I decided to revisit it in 2018 and read the Bible though again. I am looking for to having a different reading experience now that I’m an adult, wife, and mother.
These are such great tips! I don’t want to say the last time I’ve read my Bible but I know I need to get back to my reading plans. Thanks for the reminder!
Great post – thanks so much for the tips! Looking forward to doing this plan with so many lovely ladies!
Great reminder of importance for the new year! I love the tips to stay on track.
Great tips! Hopefully they will keep me on track since I am already behind 😩
I am doing the same Beth La Fleur reading plan. I love her heart and her beautiful illustrations! I am new to Bible journaling, but it has made me excited to spend time in the Word for the first time in my walk with Christ. Thank you so much for the tips and encouragement!
I am seeing more accessories and products for biblical planning. These designs are so cute.
I love love your tips I will be doing the illustrated faith yearly plan. I am so excited to grow in my faith and learning more of the Bible.
Hey, Queen! You have inspired me to use The Bible Recap this year for reading thru the Bible in one year. I’m really enjoying it! My sweet Daughter in law gave me a beautiful Bible for Christmas. I read it while my Bible app reads the day’s passages out loud. I take notes & listen to the podcast recap every morning. I feel like I’m learning so much about God. Thank you for always being a light that shines on the path to God’s glory! You are a blessing to me!
My dear, sweet friend!! Thank you so much for sharing this with me! Truly, The Bible Recap shifted my thinking and understanding of God’s word. I am repeating it again this year–we can do this, sis!