Episode 33

Want to have a quiet time but aren't sure where to get started? Here are lots of ideas of different plans to use for your quiet time. The Bible is full of fascinating history, instructions for living, encouragement for difficult times, and books of the life of Jesus. What is your favorite book of the Bible to read?

Show Notes

Welcome to last episode of the Quiet Time series. I’m passionate about this subject because more than any other thing my morning time in the Word has directed my heart to Jesus, no matter what else happens.

Here’s the previous episodes:

• Episode 30: WHY A Quiet Time Is Still Important: why makes the difference

• Episode 31: Finding Time For A Quiet Time: because none of us have enough time

• Episode 32: The HOWS of a Successful Quiet Time: because we need how to keep going if at first we struggle with staying with it

The first thing I do every morning is open my eyes.

The second? Put on my glasses. Sometimes, when I’m EXTRA tired, I’ll realize I’m walking around in a blur and that I forgot to put on my glasses. Until I’m wearing them, I’m useless.

Once my vision is restored, I make coffee.

Once coffee is perking I open my Bible.

I’ve found if I wait until I “just do one thing” or answer an email or quickly check social media I get distracted and either never have a quiet time, or spend a much shorter time to spend in the Word.

• But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33, ESV)

This literally means FIRST for me. 

• (Except for the brewing coffee, because coffee greatly aides my alertness while reading. 

• And glasses, because I can’t see the words without them.)

But what do I read?

• I tend to take a book at a time. I like the continuity and finding themes.

• I alternate between Old and New Testament. I want the whole message of God’s Word.

• Also, I’m a journaler. My brain, after seven kids, is a sieve—as much runs out as stays in. So I need to write things down. A benefit of that is that when I slow down enough to write I find more patterns and repeated ideas than I see with just a quick read.

Bible Reading Plans

One of the best productivity hacks in my life is the habit of the “pre-decision.” I talked about this in earlier episode. PRE-DECIDE to have your QT. As I go to sleep I tell myself the first thing I’ll do in the morning is my QT.

I actually try to pre-decide what will be my first three tasks of a day. My first task is quiet time. And this is why I always want a PLAN.

And if I already KNOW what I’m reading, then I can sit down and start. No hunting around. I just open to my book mark and get started. If I miss a day or even days I just pick right back up where I left off. 

What To Read

When I’m struggling:

Psalms

When my heart aches or my life feels storm-tossed, I find refuge in the Psalms, I think the most honest and heart revealing of Scripture. The poetry and songs there are real. Doubts are expressed. Complaints made. And the hope and reality of God in the midst of the hard is proclaimed.

But what Psalm to read? I love this. All I have to know is the date.

Read the Psalm for that day, and then add 30 to it and read the next, and the next, until you come to the end. For instance, today is the 6th. So I would read Psalm 6, Psalm 36, Psalm 66, Psalm 96, and Psalm 126. I absolutely did not think of this method. Somebody shared it with me and now I am sharing it with you.

Many Psalms are short so this not overwhelming. I’ve found repeated phrases and themes that hop from one Psalm to the next. Whenever I’m down, I fall back on this for my quiet time. I think I’ve read the Psalms more than any other book. There were years in the trenches of motherhood that I spent all 12 months in the Psalms.

• Read the Psalms of the day.

• Observe the honest ways the psalmists cry out to God.

• Write down phrases that resonate with you and spend time crying out to God too.

• There are often prayers in the Psalms. Take time to pray those words back to God.

When I’m facing battles:

1 and 2 Chronicles

I love God’s history. Reading the stories of His people and how much they failed and how often He showed up anyway, fills me with hope and strength for whatever battle I’m facing. Chronicles was written from Babylon to make sure the people remember their history and what the Lord had done. It focuses more on the Kingdom of Judah.

I’ve discovered that God’s people succeed not from what they do but from how much they trust. When they turn fully to the Lord and FOLLOW, letting Him fight FOR them, the most amazing stories occur.

God has never seemed to be worried about numbers. Personally, I enjoy being in a majority. It’s comfortable. 

Read a chapter at a time and record ways people abandon the Lord. Observe how He calls them back, and how He fights for them when they repent.

When I don’t know what to do:

New Testament Letters: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians.

The Letters are full of instruction from how to guard our hearts to how to work with others. I look for explanations of the character and work of Jesus and write that down. I also record specific instructions for my own behavior, though I guard against making a list of behaviors and only concentrating on that. My flesh prefers a list to accomplish and wants my heart to stay out of the way.

• Read a chapter a day and make a list of what you observe about Jesus and His work.

• Then write down any specific instructions to obey.

• Write a list of what He promises in us.

• Record prayers and pray them personally for yourself.

Concentrate on Jesus

Gospels
Read the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, one right after the other. I read one chapter a day and put a marker where I end. If I miss a day or even days I just pick right back up where I left off. Each Gospel writer has a little different viewpoint so reading them in a row brings insights about Jesus.

Some other plans:

First Five Books
Read Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy one after the other. Full disclosure: I tend to skim through the long lists of names in Numbers. But we need to know the history that God bothered to record through Moses. And don’t be afraid of Leviticus. It is fascinating and shows the detail with which God cares for His people. His food Laws kept His people healthy for centuries before refrigeration.

Israel’s History
Read Joshua, Judges, I Samuel, II Samuel, I Kings, II Kings. 

This is the tree we are grafted into. It makes it our history as well. 

Keep your eyes open for good kings because there are some really good ones in there. What do you see about God’s desires for His people and the rulers He appoints? Be inspired by the wonderful miraculous hand of the Lord Who works in His people . There are stories in there I definitely would have left out of the family history. But the Lord includes them, and I think there’s much to learn from that.

Restoration
This is one of my favorite plans. I followed a timeline in my Bible to know what to read next. This goes through the history of Israel as captives as judgement on their sin, and then their return and the rebuilding of the Temple and Jerusalem.
Read in this order: Daniel, Ezra chapters 1-6, Zechariah, Haggai, Esther, Ezra chapters 7-10, Nehemiah, Malachi.
As a Believer, this is our history. We need to know it!

Get In The Word

I encourage you to just get started. And keep going. The more you pre-decide to do it first, and the more often you don’t allow missed times to keep you from starting again, the more of a habit it becomes. 

The value of time in the Word comes from long, slow, consistent faithfulness where one small truth builds onto another into a solid foundation that bears the weight of hardship, doubt, illness, failure, and other pains of life.

No other discipline has built more into my life or corrected my vision.

So I can’t repeat enough. Get in the Word!