Life is Long. Read Your Bible.
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Look—life is too long to not read and love the Bible. I said something to this effect to my hair stylist a few months ago, and she laughed and said, “Most people say life is too short.” And of course life is short and we are but a vapor, but I’m right, too—life is long. So very loooooong. Scripture wouldn’t be overflowing with admonitions to be long-suffering, to persevere, and to be steadfast if it weren’t.
By the way, there are a million stories in the world right now that remind us life is short, and it’s crucial for us to allow this to inform our faith and our actions. At the same time, for many of us, our current experience is LIFE IS VERY LONG. Thankfully, we serve a God who is long-suffering and he empowers us to persevere, and his word promises that perseverance leads to maturity and blessing (James 1:12, 4:7-11). But you know what? We will not understand the value of perseverance, we will not find the empowering to persevere, and we will suspect we are enduring something novel rather than something that’s part of the natural fabric of living if we don’t read our Bibles.
So, this is my counsel to you, particularly when life feels very long: Read your Bible. Not because God is wagging a heavenly finger at you but because he has strength that you need.
Of course, there’s this perpetual problem about Bible reading: Reading it makes you want to read it, so you often have to read before you want to read it. So if you are in the camp of people who want to want to, but don’t quite want to yet (do you get what I’m saying?), I have a few solutions to ease you in:
Learn some strategies for Bible reading. Knowing how to do a thing helps you like doing a thing. But listen, Type A people, don’t learn all the strategies or try to be Valedictorian of Bible Reading Strategies first—that’s one way to ensure you’ll never get around to the good stuff. Learn one or two things, and then get in the game. You can always add more strategies later. Write characteristics of God in the margin. Highlight themes. My Simple Study Binder may be a help build your toolbox! If you find it less intimidating to be guided through a short, familiar, comforting passage, my free Psalm 23 study will have you employ several Bible reading strategies that can help you beyond the study. And of course, ask people you know and admire to share their strategies! (Also, I have a teen girls’ Bible study coming out with LifeWay in the fall, Lord willing, that’s designed to help girls learn to study the Bible and like it. That may be something my younger sisters want to mentally bookmark!)
Be materialistic. If you’re able, get a Bible you like; get a notebook you like (I’m using this in purple and I love it and love the price); get some pens you like. It makes me laugh how much motivation I can get from a new pen. Is that sad? (I was gifted these from my mother-in-law and I’ve become obsessed with them! They’re erasable!)
On that note, I’ve recently fallen head over heels in love with a new Bible, and I can’t not tell you about it + a few other favorites + some new options you may really enjoy. There’s a good chance one of these will make your heart sing, and it may be the kick in the pants your want to needs. Scroll down for some thoughts on a few different Bibles, and if you have a personal favorite Bible, I’d love to know!
All of this said, do you need a shiny new Bible to be able to enjoy reading the Bible? Absolutely not. There is treasure unspeakable packed inside whatever you already have or whatever free copy you can access online. However you access scripture, I pray God will rev up your want to and stir up fresh energy and affection for his word during these long days.
Bibles! Bibles! Bibles!
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My Soul Mate: The Jesus Bible from Zondervan
(I got the ESV, but it’s also available in NIV and it also comes in this design)
I have been slobbering over this Bible. (Not literally. Gross.) When I spotted the cover online (with art by one of my favorite artists Britt Bass!), well, I passed out. In person it does not disappoint, and then the actual makings of the Bible are a win, too. For example, every book has an introduction page that directly connects the book’s content to Jesus. This is so delightful and powerful! When I was growing up, my home church had this collection of huge, ornate banners they would parade down the aisle, each banner representing a book of the Bible and proclaiming who God is in that particular book. It was always such a profound thing to witness, and it always prompted me to marvel. I had that same sensation flipping through The Jesus Bible book introductions!
Some other features:
BRITT BASS COVER—had to mention it again (I love you, Britt)
When you flip it open, it lays beautifully, and it’s super comfortable to read
It has TWO ribbon marker in pretty colors (I discovered this a few days in and squealed with delight, to which my husband responded, “Oh, my Bible has three ribbons,” and I said, “YOU ARE A FUN SQUASHER PLEASE LEAVE.”)
It features several essays on the big story of the Bible from people like John Piper and Ravi Zacharias. (Anyone familiar with my ministry Story & Soul knows I am crazy about the big story stuff!)
Margins have plenty of room for notes
Sidebar articles help you make Jesus connections throughout the Bible
My Steady Friend: ESV Single Column Journaling Bible from Crossway
I’ve had this Bible for almost six years now, and I adore it. I mark it up like crazy, and it’s been my companion through nearly my entire motherhood journey, so it’s a great treasure to me. In my opinion, this Bible is the perfect “blank canvas”—no study notes or cross references (which I enjoy because it challenges me to dig into the text myself first!), but plenty of space in the margins for notes. I don’t think my particular version is available anymore, but you can find comparable version here with a pretty cover!
My Reference Pal: The Gospel Transformation Study Bible
I keep this on the shelf for easy reference when I'm studying a passage. I love the cross references, and then the intro page before each book gives helpful insight into the context, not just of the book, but its context in light of the gospel story. It’s been a great help to me!
The NIV Beautiful Word Bible from Zondervan
This Bible is so fun and lovely! As soon as I saw it, I smiled, and I immediately I imagined a high school or college student pouring over it. (The design is so fresh and creative, and I suspect that’s why I first thought of my younger sisters in Christ, but I really think this would be a delight for any woman who needs a shot in the arm for Bible reading.) One of the best parts is that it includes hand-lettered peel and stick Bible book tabs, which are fantastic for anyone who wants help navigating the different books! The margins have space for notes but also feature full-color illustrations from some awesome artists (like Lindsey Letters) that set a tone for Bible journaling. It’s ideal for a creative looking for inspiration—or for someone who desires a colorful Bible but prefers to leave the doodling to the pros.
P.S. If you’re looking for a graduation gift—this is a fantastic option! I’m so excited to pass this one along to a friend of mine who is investing in a very special student, and I’m praying it is a delight to her!
The Busy Mom’s Bible (NIV) from Zondervan
This Bible has such a smart design: small-ish size and weight (easy for the car or a bag), easy-to-read font and translation, lay-flat cover (so you don’t lose your spot when you leave it on the counter mid-read), pretty teal leathersoft cover your kids can’t mess up, and then—wait for it—52 different devotionals that include 1-minute, 5-minute, or 10-minute options. HELLO! If your season of motherhood has you floundering and wondering how you can actually “stay in the Word” among all the spitting up and the snack dispensing, etc., this is a really, really cool option, and I suspect even after you did all 52 devotions, their formatting would equip you to take in the Word in a meaningful way no matter how small of a slice of time you’ve been given. I’ve been thinking that I might put this in my rotation of baby shower gifts—because I think it would have been especially refreshing to have this at-the-ready on the coffee table as I navigated those early days of what-in-the-world-have-I-gotten-myself-into. I’m passing this one along to a friend of mine, a homeschool mom who has four kids (the youngest two are twins and in the thick of potty training—whew), and I just KNOW it’ll be a great tool for her!
Our Family Story Bible (NIV) from Zondervan
This huge, beautiful book is designed for the whole family to use together. I can picture it splayed on the kitchen table day after day for family devotions and scribbling thoughts from each family member in the margins. There are also places to record important family milestones, a family tree, family favorites and photos, a pocket in the back for treasures, and prompts like, “Here are some ways God has delivered our family from trouble.” The Bible’s cover is beautiful and the pages have shiny bronze edges, but I think it’d be even more beautiful covered in smudges and filled with notes from everyday conversations. Can you imagine? I am so excited to share this Bible with a sweet friend whose family just grew through adoption, and I think it’ll be a fun way for her family to connect over the Word of God.
I received a free copy of some of these Bibles from Zondervan and Crossway and given the opportunity to share my honest review. I wouldn’t gush about something if I didn’t love it! These were easy to love.
