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Oct 8, 2020

Open Your Bible.



one of the things on my summer goals list was to get in the word more regularly.  i'll be honest...this has always (like, always, always) been a struggle for me.  and this summer was no different.  i long to be the type of person who wakes up early, brews a cup of coffee or tea, and just spends time with jesus.  i even have two alarms on my phone that are titled "hey!  jesus wants to spend some time with you!" and "seriously.  get up!  jesus is waiting."  i'm not even kind of lying.

but when it comes to my alarm, my hand just always finds that snooze button.  i know, excuses, excuses.

the past few weeks, i've been trying to be really really intentional about spending time with the lord.  my soul has desperately needed it (like souls tend to), and while i've failed over and over again (no matter what time of day i try), it's been going...slowly, but going.  so obviously, i'm no expert on this one.  but i have found a few things that have begun to help me get on track with this lifelong goal that i've never quite been able to reach....



1.  be accountable to someone // when i recapped my summer goals and mentioned that i had failed at the whole devotions thing, linda from the murphmans commented to ask if i wanted to work on holding each other accountable.  we had met through another blog's package swap and had become fast friends, so i jumped at the chance to continue our friendship as accountability partners!  we chose a plan to read, a goal that we wanted to hit each week, and work on checking in on each other through text and skype.  this relationship is just the coolest thing to me because a) we met through the blogging community and are basically the same person in a lot of ways and b) are on completely opposite sides of the country (she's in alaska!).  definitely a jesus-thing.  if you can find someone who is nearby, then that's awesome!  but find someone. (and if you're in need of an accountability partner, then join the peony project...we are in the process of creating small groups and accountability partnerships right now!)

2.  find a plan // maybe you want to read a book of the bible, or maybe you want something that combines scripture with a devotion that breaks it down a little for you.  there are tons of great devotional reading plans out there!  one of my favorites is jesus calling...they're like little love notes from god to you, and there's one in the book for every day of the year.  you've probably heard of she reads truth.  linda and i are currently working our way through the "prayer in the bible" plan.  another thing i like to do is journal.  unpack what you've read or just write down your prayers!

3.  set attainable goals //  just starting out?  like any habit, it takes time to form it.  set an attainable goal for yourself.  maybe plan on doing devotions three or four days a week to start, and then increase it.  reward yourself for hitting those goals if that is motivational for you!

4.  you can pray anywhere // in the car.  while you're cooking dinner.  on a run.  you don't have to be sitting in a quiet room with your bible out in front of you to talk to god.  prayer doesn't have to be confined to your quiet time!  i pray out loud in the car all the time.  i'm sure i look like a crazy person sometimes, and i actually ran over our trash can lid coming in the driveway once because i was praying so fervently! (ok, and it was dark...and we live on a gravel lane.)  but the point is, we're all busy.  i happen to think that god doesn't mind it if we multitask and talk to him while we're doing other things too.

5.  set the mood // whatever makes you calm or gets you ready to spend time with your heavenly father, do it!  for me, i know that if i try to read scripture while i'm cozy in bed, i might fall asleep (and believe me, i've done devos through sleepy eyes and it was rough).  put on some quiet worship music, light a few candles or grab a cup of tea and a blanket and get cozy on the couch....turn off distractions and really focus on the one that you're with...he'll show up, i promise.  and keep yourself in that mindset by surrounding yourself with scripture and worship lyrics.  buy or make a print with your favorite verse on it.  grab a whiteboard marker and write it on your mirror.  memorize scripture.  seriously...it's amazing what committing scripture to memory will do for your spiritual life and your prayers.

and just to help you along in your journey to becoming a more consistent reader of scripture, i've joined up with a tiny traveler, along with a few other great blogs, to give away a she reads truth prize pack!  check out the blogs below and enter!  good luck!

daisy from Simplicity Relished // betsy from Heavens to Betsy // elizabeth from Oak + Oats // natalie from A Tiny Traveler // rebecca from Adventures of Bug and Boo


16 comments:

  1. I love this post as I too find it very hard to stick to my "morning bible plan". Sometimes when I read your posts, I swear I'm writing them! I too long to be the wake up early and brew some tea and open the bible kind of gal....it's a struggle! However, I somehow still manage to get some time in at some point in my days...most of the time? Haha...but I absolutely love the She Reads Truth product. It's so nice to have a guided reading plan that helps spark discussion and provides a forum to hold out those discussions!

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  2. I completely relate and struggle with the same thing Betsy. I love hearing your tips for how you've started to make spending time in the Word a priority. I definitely need to take these tips and implement them! :)

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  3. This is a constant struggle for me too...and most Christians if we're honest with ourselves I think. I am embarrassed to say I'm better at running 3 times a week than getting in God's Word daily...thanks for the encouragement and tips girl:)

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  4. This post is such great timing! I too have been trying to make it a goal to spend more time in the Word but it's difficult to get a system going. Thanks for the tips friend :)

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  5. It has been such a struggle for me as new mommy to set up a routine of getting into the word. If I am truthful it is hit or miss. But I am missing that relationship with Christ. The main thing I love about SheReads truth is how easy it is, specially for this new momma, to get that time in.

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  6. So good Betsy! I am lazy as well. I have to read at night because I cannot do mornings well...but I usually choose pinterest over the Bible. But I definitely try to pray when I'm in the car! It's nice.

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  7. Love these tips, Betsy! I'm in the same boat! I always tell myself the night before that I'm going to get up and start my day quietly with Jesus. But, I end up going to bed late at night and then I hit the snooze button on my phone so many times that I rush out of bed to get to work on time! But, I do pray wherever I am! Last night? I was in the car praying for a friend before I left to go home! Definitely pinning this right meow!

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  8. I love the way you wrote about this as an intro to the giveaway, Betsy! Such a good reminder to be in the Word. :)

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  9. great post! I think it is hard to get in the word, but we have to remember not to be hard on ourselves if we miss! I think we just have to pick back up and start! I always carry a small bible in my purse so if I am in the car with a few minutes to spare I can open it up. I love what you said about praying anywhere. Many times my prayers are said in the car! This tends to be a time, Hudson will be asleep and I can just open up!

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  10. This is a great post! I need to find some to help me to stay accountable. I love the little goals. Sometimes I don't know where to start.

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  11. #3 is such good advice...setting lofty goals can easily lead to wanting to quit!

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  12. This was definitely needed today. Sometimes I feel so fired up about the Lord and reading scriptures and other times I fall into the slumps. Right now is definitely one of the latter times, so I'm going to try to get on some of these tips! Thinking of starting an accountability partner with my best friend or a friend from my church here but I just haven't gotten up the nerve to ask yet. I feel like the one thing I do well though, is pray. Sometimes I feel like I never stop talking to God during the day, asking for strength and such.



    Highlighting and writing in my Bible helps me a lot as well. (:

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  13. YES!! I love this post, I recently wrote one on a method for bible study too and mentioned a lot of these :) You hit the nail on the head girl!!!

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  14. I love this post! My husband and I have struggled with daily scripture reading, too. But, having a baby and being forced to adapt to a semi-strict schedule has helped. I do my personal scripture study when I nurse my baby boy in the the morning and we do couple reading when I nurse him to bed! It's definitely helped!

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  15. This is so great! Thank you for the reminder that you can pray anywhere anytime!

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  16. Thank you for sharing that you struggle with this as well. Such great tips. I have trouble reading my bible on a daily basis. I've been really trying to get back into the word and that God would give be a thirst/desire to read is word everyday.


    And the thing I love about She Reads Truth is there app and that I can get the devotions send straight to my inbox.

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Hi! Thanks for reading! I read every comment posted here. Your thoughts are valuable to me! Thanks for taking the time to contribute!

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