Picking the right bible reading plan

In this day and age of social media and widespread bible apps for your phone, there is no shortage in bible plans. Everything goes! Some plans are pretty straightforward, some are complex affairs.

So how do you pick the right bible reading plan? Once again, the answer is very simple. The right bible reading plan is the plan that is right for you and your way of life!
The first thing to do is ask yourself why you want to read through the bible in a year. Be honest with yourself here, as the answer you give will have an impact on what kind of bible plan you might like. As I said before, reading the bible for me is a form of spiritual meditation that will hopefully keep me grounded. It stands to reason that for me buying a devotional one year bible is not the way to go!

If you, like me,  are primarily interested in the literary aspects of bible stories a no-frills bible plan might suit you, with maybe a academical study bible on the side to explain things. If you want to feel closer to the Divine by reading through the bible, it's probably best to avoid plans that require so much reading (going through the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice for instance) that you won't have any time left for reflecting or praying on what you read. All you'll be left with is fulfilling a task and not a very easy one at that.

It's also wise to think about how much flexibility you want in your bible plan and choose a plan accordingly. Are you sure you'll find the time to read every single day? Really? My first time of reading through the bible in a year I used a plan that reserved a few days a month for reflection or catching up if you'd gotten behind. It saved me from failure!

And finally, one word of warning: if this is you're first attempt do yourself a favour and don't pick a plan that leads you straight through the bible, beginning with Genesis and ending with Revelation. You probably will be happy enough during Genesis - one of my favourite bible books - and Exodus, but after that you get hit with Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Many an attempt has stranded somewhere in those books.

Good luck with choosing a bible reading plan that fits you.

Picking the right translation

So how do you pick the right translation? The answer is simple. The right translation is the translation that is right for you!

If you want to read the bible in the old King James Version because you love the language, go for it! If you don't want to read a translation but a paraphrase (this more or less a retelling) just do it! If you want to read the bible in a translation that emphasizes gender-neutrality, just go ahead.

In other words: don't let anyone tell you that there is only one right translation. Try out a few different translations and see what version you are most comfortable with. Remember, reading the whole bible in a year involves daily readings of a few chapters at a time, it's not like in church, reading a few lines here and there. So it might be smart to choose a translation that you actually like, not one you feel you should like. But it's up to you.

My only caveat would be this: pick a translation that you actually understand. You probably won't get much from reading a bible book (or any other book for that matter) in a language you're not fluent in. So if you feel honour-bound to read the bible in the King James version but have trouble understanding it all, you're doing yourself a disservice.

Good luck choosing a translation that is right for you.

Let's read through the bible in 2012

So you want to make a go of it: reading through the bible in a year! Maybe this is your first time, maybe you tried it a few times, but haven't finished the project - yet. That doesn't matter, 2012 is a new year with a new chance to read the whole collection of books that make up the bible.

I love the bible and I love blogging. So now I want to start up my habit of reading through the bible in a year (cheating a bit along the way of course) and blog about my progress.  Please join me on my journey through the bible! Let's make it a fun bible year.
A word of caution: I don't have a degree in theology, and I am not a pastor of any kind. But if you want to read blog posts from a regular smart girl who just happens to love the bible you're in the right place.

So pull up a chair, load an on-line bible on your laptop or phone and let's go. Or you could do the old fashioned thing like me and grab an actual bible with actual pages. But before we begin: let's answer two questions.
How to pick the right translation.
How to pick the right bible reading plan.

Read your bible every day?

Read your bible, pray every day.
And you'll grow, grow, grow. (children's song)


I love the bible, there is so much beautiful literature in there. Wonderful love stories, funny stories, horrible stories about all kinds of abuse and an adventure story or two: it's all in there. Every time I read a bible story I discover things I hadn't noticed before. Fascinating!

It's so comforting to read the bible and realize that humankind has always looked for answers to the big questions of life:  Today's world is unbelievable more complex than the world of the nomadic people who gave us the stories of the Old Testament, but the big questions remain the same: why are we here, why does life hurt, why does evil exist and who will help us and lead us?

Spending some time everyday with the stories that try to answer these questions is very healthy for me, it's a good way to stay grounded. It's like a special form of meditation. Why not try it too for a few days and see if you like it? It might be just what you needed.