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In 2019, I set out to finally accomplish a goal that I had tried as early as a teenager, and that was reading the bible in a year. 

I was finally at a point in my life, that I felt like this would just be a great foundation for me as I tried to reset my spiritual foundation and strengthen my faith. I did complete my goal in March 2020! My goal now is to even complete a bible year in the future.

I honestly would recommend reading the bible in a year to anyone. It re-affirmed some things for me, and I definitely opened my eyes on some behaviors that I needed to correct. There are several benefits of reading the Word of God. But,  I believe that a better appetite for the Word of God was created in me as a result of reading the Bible in a year. 

So, I wanted to share with you 11 tips on how to read the bible in a year. These are suggestions that I found helpful along the way. 

How to Read The Bible in A Year: 11 Tips

#1 – Pray


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I believe that you should always pray before any endeavor that you take on. As you embark on reading the bible in a year, you want to ask God to give you strength to continue on the hard days and understanding for the things that you read. If you have any other goals and desires for your one year journey, bring them to God in prayer. You will want to pray throughout the upcoming year specifically about your bible year.

#2 – Be realistic about your time.

You want to really assess, how much time you are willing to devote to bible reading. There is a level of commitment regardless of what you choose. Here are a couple of questions that you need to ask:

  1. How many days per week am I willing to commit to Bible reading?

  2. What’s the best time of day for me to read?

  3. Is there a length of time that I can commit to Bible reading?

By being realistic with your time and establishing a routine for your bible reading will definitely be helpful on your super busy days.

#3 – Pick a plan.

You will want to pick a reading plan based on your reading preferences and learning style. Do you want to read from Genesis to Exodus? Or do you want to maybe read chronologically? There are different ways to get through the bible in a year. So, you will want to review a few plans to find the one that is right for you.

I knew that I wanted a plan that would accommodate some catch up days and mix things up a bit. So, I loved this 5 day reading plan

#4 -Keep reading, if you are interest is high.

Dependent upon the plan you choose, there may be days that call for you to stop reading in the middle of a chapter. However, if you are really enjoying the chapter, just keep reading. You don’t have to put the Bible down. This is the time to make your bible reading plan your own. Because there WILL BE days that you may not feel like picking up the Word of God. So, you will be thankful that you did a little extra reading. 

# 5 – Keep going, when you get behind.

Life will just sometime get in the way, or there may be a chapter that you are not really interested in. But, don’t get discouraged. Keep reading. It’s never too late to revise your plan that will eventually get you back on schedule. Although I could have completed the bible in exactly one year. I had to add on a couple of months due to missing several days throughout my bible year.

But I was determined not to give up on completing the bible in a year. So, I kept going and I am really glad that I did. (Note: although I added two months, I still count my reading as completed within a year. But, I definitely want to be transparent with you about my journey. Reading the bible in a year is definitely doable, and does take focus and commitment. )

#6 – Read on planned and unplanned breaks

One of my favorite things to do was to read a few verses or even a chapter while I was waiting in a line at a grocery store. Or, I would use my lunch break to read a chapter or two. If you have a break time, use a few minutes of it (or more) for Bible reading. 

#7- Substitute social media scrolling (or your favorite app) with reading.

This tip does fall in line with #6, because some people do use social media as a break time. However, I thought it did deserve its on line. Sometimes, we can find ourselves, spending hours on social media. And, if social media is not your jam, then check your screen time on your mobile device. Whatever app, you are using the most, try substituting that time with bible reading for a period. This will help you stay on track to read the bible in a year.

#8 – Find an Accountability Group

From friends to Facebook groups, there are ways to stay motivated and be held accountable

# 9 – Track Your Progress

It is important to document just how far you’ve come. If you are on schedule with your reading, you may even find that tracking your progress will motivate you to read even more. I loved to cross out chapters that I read and highlight entire books that I completed.

But a couple of things are for sure on how to read the bible in a year– you will need patience and  a can-do attitude. So, when you feel like giving up, a progress tracker can also be the thing you need to overcome a slump. A progress tracker also can help you figure out a game plan for completing your one year bible reading plan. When I got behind, I relied on my progress tracker to really see what I needed to do to get back on track. 

#10 – Focus on reading.

If you are a fast reader or have a significant amount of time, this tip may not apply to you. But, I had to apply this advice to my bible year. So, I initially thought that I would have time to write extensive notes or verse map each day. However, I quickly learned this would not be possible for me.  But, reading the bible in a year is just that READING. So, to stay on pace or track, you need to understand, that you may not have time for deep study. If you find a passage that you find interesting or even confusing, you will want to highlight it and come back to it later. This will be a tip to consider, if you are constantly falling behind on your plan.

#11 – Add your mobile device as a tool.

I actually have a physical bible that I used during my bible year. But, I definitely utilized my Bible app on my phone as the months went by. It was just more convenient for me especially for my unplanned breaks. 

The Best Way to Read the Bible in A Year

The best way to read the bible in a year is to choose a plan that you will provide yourself with some grace. I hope these 11 tips will help you create a game plan for your future reading or help you improve your current one.

And I wanted to share one of the progress trackers that I used as a part of my journey. My Bible reading tracker has 66 books that represents each book in the Bible. Every time, you complete an entire book in the Bible, you can just color it in. You can pick up your free copy in the Subscriber’s Library. 

So, let me know if you have started reading the bible in a year or you are thinking about it. And, if you are wanting to know more on why I ultimately decided that I needed to dedicate a year to Bible reading, you should read this post

Peace and Blessings,



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How to Read the Bible in a Year



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Thank you for reading!

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