I saw the most beautiful stars, only I wasn’t outside. I was sitting down next to my longtime friend, Alex, at the gym and slowly slipping out of consciousness. By a miracle, my wobbly knees made it back to that seat. Alex was holding a steamy Ziploc bag out in front me but I couldn’t make out what was inside. “Want some?” he said. The oxygen returning to my brain allowed me to eventually see Johnsonville breakfast sausage in the bag. I put my hand over my mouth and quickly looked away as the thought of lukewarm sausage made me want to deposit my first breakfast back onto the floor. I closed my eyes and prayed this feeling would go away. What had we got ourselves into?

The sick feeling came from the first of three workouts. Although Alex and I were in the best shape of our lives, we were falling behind at our local CrossFit Competition. Things started out strong. We partnered in a rowing and lunge workout against six other teams. We had a commanding lead. The crowd near us shouted and cheered as we pulled ahead. There was one problem though. We didn’t realize that we needed to pace ourselves. The speed we had begun with just wasn’t sustainable.

Not only did we come in fourth during the first workout, but we were totally exhausted. (Alex, a former Army Ranger, was doing MUCH better mentally and physically than I was). The next two workouts were an absolute blur to me. Without asking Alex to find some old pictures years later, I couldn’t even remember them. My sprint pace didn’t bode well for the marathon event. Had I paced myself, we would have finished much stronger. At the very least, I wouldn’t have felt the light at the end of the tunnel closing on me. In hindsight, Alex would’ve performed much better with a different partner! Sorry, Alex!

I’ve set many goals that end up the same way. When I first started reading the Bible, I was so overwhelmed with where to begin. Sometimes I’d close my eyes, open to a random page, and place my index finger right onto the thin paper. Okay, let’s start here! Surely the Holy Spirit worked like that right? After losing traction with that, I’d take on a Bible in a year plan. I would carefully think through which method to use. Should I do it chronologically? Should I mix in some Psalms and a gospel chapter daily? I’d dive into one of those plans with a high level of intensity and motivation, but I would lose my pace through the book of Leviticus or Numbers. Those books are hard to understand, and I would give up. It just wasn’t sustainable.

Finally, something clicked for me my junior year of college. A good friend “forced” me into leading some Bible studies. Understanding the content was a prerequisite for leading. I had to go very slow and tackle a chapter at a time. The game changer for me was slowing down. Additionally, answering a few questions after reading each chapter helped me understand it. Before I’d start a book of the Bible, I’d ask three questions. A good study Bible or a google search from a reliable source can sure help with these.

Who wrote this book?

         What’s the setting?

         What’s the purpose of this book?

Those coffee cup Bible verses really come to life once you read them within their context. Knowing the answer to those three questions goes a long way as you work your way through reading. I would then tackle just one chapter at a time. If you see a name or word you don’t understand, look it up! A good study bible or online commentary can also elaborate on each chapter. After each chapter, think about or write down what that passage is saying about God and how that applies to life. One chapter at a time. Don’t feel bad for going slow. This changed my life. (The book of John is a great place to start.)

Last but certainly not least, pray and talk about it. Ask God to help you! He doesn’t want to confuse you with the Bible, but it will take some effort to read and understand it. Tell your spouse what you read. Tell your co-workers. Tell your friends. The Holy Spirit makes the Bible come alive within God’s community. Conversation sparks praise, insight, and enhances the memorization of verses.

This isn’t a one size fits all plan, but it worked for me. As I felt more comfortable, I started answering more study questions after reading each chapter (slowly). There are times that I’ve spent days on one chapter or months on the same book. That’s okay! Some people can pick up a Bible in a year plan and knock it out (I’ve been told the Bible Recap Podcast is a good resource). That’s amazing and my hat is off to them, but I couldn’t do that at first.

Alex and I bit off more than we could chew with that first workout. Not only was the remainder of the day a struggle, but we also felt behind the whole time. Feeling behind leads to frustration. Frustration can even lead to giving up. Pick something that’s sustainable for you whether it’s listening to the Bible for ten minutes a day, reading the whole thing in a month or taking off small bites of a chapter at a time like me. One thing is for sure, developing a sustainable habit of reading scripture will sustain your soul! You CAN DO THIS!

Email me if you have a question about how and where to start, there are hundreds of amazing resources out there.

Just fishing with my daddy,

Ryan