Something so good ...

took so long to establish.

I didn’t establish a Bible-reading habit until I was in my fifties.

Why, oh why did it take so long?

I’ve been a Christ-follower my entire life, and tried to establish a habit, but I read my Bible in fits and starts, failed, tried again, failed, felt all the guilt, and still didn’t succeed.

How did I finally make the habit stick?

I’m so glad you asked.

For me, the thing that turned the guilt of not reading the Bible enough into a hunger and thirst for the Word was writing it down. Copying it word for word in a notebook.

I began in Ephesians, and let me tell you—you have to pay attention to what you’re writing. Any missed word or punctuation may change the meaning of the verse. So I carefully copied the book of Ephesians into a composition notebook. When I was done, I realized it had changed me.

Ephesians came alive. I gleaned so much more than simply reading had ever imparted. I’m a writer, so I enjoyed writing in longhand. I don’t usually write that way. I usually click away on my keyboard, and writing with a pen was somehow utterly satisfying. I also enjoy tasks that have a beginning and end (unlike laundry or doing the dishes). When I was done writing Ephesians, I had pages of scripture to show for my effort. That made me keep going. I looked forward to writing in my nondescript notebook every morning. I rarely missed a day. It was a habit before I even thought about making it one.

Over the course of over a year, I wrote most of the New Testament and some of the Old Testament before I decided my mission was accomplished. I loved reading the Bible. I loved the treasure in the pages of the Word of God. I needed it daily. I am so grateful.

Now, I make my coffee, go into my art studio, read the Bible, then paint a bit. It’s a morning routine I treasure.

My goal now is to incorporate an intentional prayer time into my morning. I am a pray-er, but not a focused pray-er. I pray as the urge hits during the day. Needs, thankfulness, joy, worry—all brought before God as it comes. But I realize that a habit of focused prayer is a needed addition to that. I’ll keep you posted.

I want to add that, throughout my life as a believer, I felt a lot of guilt about not being in the habit of reading God’s Word. I don’t think that guilt is from God. It never served as a motivator for me. I wanted to have the habit, but failed far too often. That desire is from Him.

The path to that habit is something we all have to navigate for ourselves. Reading the Bible out of guilt or “filling a requirement of my status as a Christian” is not the same as desiring the Word of God, which is a natural response of Christ in us. The enemy of our souls will throw obstacles, guilt, and frustration in our way, piling them on when we fail. But if you explore different channels and methods for incorporating the Bible into your life, you will find what works.

We are all created uniquely—morning readings won’t work for everyone, writing the Bible won’t work for everyone, but there is a way for you to be excited to be daily in the Word. (I mean daily with grace … to myself and to you … because we all go on vacation or have a busy day, or whatever. Perfection is not required or achievable.)

I hope my journey to a Bible-reading habit has inspired you. I wish it had stuck with me sooner, but I’m relishing it now.