A few Christmases ago, my husband bought me a beautiful light green leather planner. I love paper and all paper products, so he usually gifts me something in that direction. This planner though was an August – December calendar with pages of large boxes to write your to-do’s on Monday through Sunday. But, if you’re following the timeline here, 1/3 of the days in this planner had already passed. I didn’t ask him, but I think his gift might have also been 30% off. What a deal! 😉
So, what do you do with a half a planner? Think inside the box.
I was reading the Bible one morning with the planner next to me, and I decided to write a verse that captured my attention in that day’s box. I wrote my thoughts about it, one thing I was praying for, and the day was full, not of to-do’s but of a quick personal note.
The next day I returned and did the same thing, and by the end of the week, I had five great verses, five thoughts and five prayers which I had laid out, thought about and grew from. And the best part, it helped me grow closer to God.
It’s my favorite planner ever.
I know for a lot of people, reading the Bible can seem daunting! At times I have also felt the same. But what if you took one verse and placed it in one rectangle? With one thought?
I would argue that if you wanted to be a runner, going out and running 10 miles on your first attempt would likely lead to failure. Possibly an internal feeling of “I really can’t do this!” I think the same is true of reading the Bible. If you start out trying to understand too big of chunks, it can quickly become overwhelming.
But what runners say about running, and I would argue is also true about reading the Bible is if you start small, you will crave more. The key is simply starting.
Start one box at a time, set aside 5-10 minutes a day, and give yourself the time to read a few verses and process your thoughts.
This year Kirstin and I are spending time daily reading the 365 reading plan Brookside church has shared. We would love for you to follow along with us! You can grab your daily reading list here.
This year, start a simple habit. Take the time to engage in something that’s going to make a significant difference in your life. Fill in a box and gain a year of wisdom. HLLF – Melissa
