Jump Start Your New Year

The New Year is right around the corner and with it comes the anticipation of New Year’s resolutions. For some it can be a fresh start and for others they look at it with dread, a reminder on how they did not achieve or accomplish last year’s resolution. According to the Washington Post 50% of Americans make resolutions, with the majority of resolutions focusing on self-improvement. Whether you are a new believer or have been a Christian for a long time, the New Year can be a great time for a fresh start in your relationship with Christ. From getting involved in a small group to serving in a ministry, there are many resolutions that you can make. One of the ones that will change your relationship with God and serve as a foundation for all the other resolutions is making a commitment to reading the Bible.

Making a commitment to read through the Bible can be overwhelming. Sometimes it can be intimidating when people talk about reading the Bible for one hour every day or when they explain what a word means in the Greek or Hebrew. Rather than focus on other people and what they are or aren’t doing, instead focus on where you currently are and how you want to grow. It might be going from reading the Bible from ten minutes a day to twenty minutes a day or taking a Bible study class that will help you understand what you are reading through.

Something that we have found helpful in making a commitment to reading through the Bible is finding a Bible or devotional that is easy to read and study. It makes such a difference being excited about studying the word when you have a devotional or Bible that you look forward to reading. Many Bibles contain devotionals to help you understand the verses you are reading. The She Reads Truth Bible is one great option for yourself or to give as a gift to that special woman in your life. It features 200 devotionals by the She Reads Truth team, and Scripture reading plans that include supplemental passages for deeper understanding for every book of the Bible.

“Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.” Luke 2:52

Throughout the She Reads Truth Bible are 66 artist-designed key verses. They are not only gorgeous, but can help in scripture memorization. We like the idea of taking a picture of it on phone and texting it to your friends or small group members to encourage them. It could even be a verse that you memorize together and hold one another accountable. You could also set the image as a screen saver so you have a gentle reminder to memorize your verse and follow through on your daily time with God.

If you are like us and don’t know where to start when it comes to reading through the Bible, there is a one-year reading plan as well as detailed book introductions. One of our favorite things about the She Reads Truth Bible is that it has wide margins for journaling or note-taking.

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Risen Reflections

Find a Bible or devotional. There are so many great options out there! Ask your friends, small group leader or pastor for a list of ones that they like. Find out why they like that particular one. Don’t be discouraged, what works for one person may not be a fit for the next. If you have time, go to the bookstore and look through the ones that interest you. You might even want to go with a friend or accountability partner and pick out one that you can read through together and talk about what you are learning.  Ask around your church or pastor might even have some options that you can borrow.

Encourage others in their walk with God. Whether it is one of your children, a friend in your small group or someone that you mentor, take time this week to see how you can encourage that person in their walk with God. It might be going with them to pick out a new Bible or helping them find a devotional that you can study together. Ask them what interests them or what they want to learn more about in their relationship with God and see if you can find something that will inspire that.

Make a commitment to grow in your relationship with God. It doesn’t have to be the New Year to make a commitment to go deeper in your relationship with God. Whether you just became a Christian or have been one for decades, God wants to grow closer in our relationship to Him. Start small. It might be reading your Bible and praying for ten minutes every day. Don’t get discouraged if you miss a day. Just hop back on track. It can help to have a friend or someone that is close to you ask how you are doing and hold you accountable.

We were given a She Reads Truth Bible by B&H Publishing by FrontGate Media. All of our thoughts and opinions are our own.