“You’ll love reading the Bible more than you love chicken.”

About 30 years ago, someone at a teen Bible study I’d attended spoke those words over me. I don’t know if there were an “impression” of sorts from God on their hearts. In fact, I don’t even remember who shared them with me. 

But, back in the day, if you knew me, you knew I loved chicken! Growing up in India, chicken at mealtimes wasn’t an everyday thing. It was a special dish. And I happened to love all things chicken! Fast forward to when I became a mom, and after conjuring up a gazillion different ways to make chicken for dinner, I’m ready to part ways with poultry. My passion for poultry may have waned over time, but my love for the Word has only grown. It wasn’t always the case.

For years—perhaps decades—after giving my life to Christ, I would read the Word out of obligation or guilt. I would be diligent about it for a week or so, after which my Bible would forlornly gather dust on the shelf. Every new year, I would resolve to “read my Bible every day.” I would stick to it for a longish streak—till I didn’t. 

But something shifted about ten years ago. I began to love reading and meditating on Scripture. 

What changed? Primarily, I began Bible journaling. Instead of using a devotional book—as I did before—I went straight to the Word of God, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to me, and simply writing down what God spoke to me about. Book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Till the love story that God wrote for us became living and active. What began as a practice has now grown into a passion, a discipline that is now a delight. 

Bible journaling was the tool that helped me unearth treasures from God’s Word. 

While it may not be for everyone—although I do encourage you to try it—Bible journaling has positioned me to expect to hear and receive from Him.

So, what exactly is Bible journaling? Essentially, it is reading Scripture, meditating on it, and then writing down what jumps out at you from the Word that day. 

While I don’t want to be prescriptive by any means, here’s what it looks like for me. I usually go through the Bible book by book. First, I choose a book,  do some “homework” to understand its context, and then simply read one or two chapters a day.  

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know I don’t typically get into instruction mode. But for those of you who might want to try Bible journaling in the new year, here are two short acronyms to help you get started. 

H – Come hungry. Come humbly. 

E – Eat of the Word; Devour it as a starving person receiving bread.

A – Ask God to speak to you. Two questions to ask as you read the passage are: What does this chapter say about God’s heart? What does it say about my heart?

R – Read the chapter again. Chew on it. Meditate on it. Be still before the Lord and let His Word percolate into the crevices of your heart.

And 

A – Annotate the passage. Circle repetitive words. Underline phrases that speak to your heart. Use highlighters to underscore words that might reveal God’s character. Scribble in the margins. 

W – Write! Here’s where you pull out a nice notebook (yes, a hardcopy one works best to minimize distraction) and you become your own devotional writer. You don’t need an interpreter because you have the Holy Spirit. As a devotional writer who has written 15 plans for YouVersion, I’m going to shoot myself in the foot and say, “Don’t read devotionals.” Yes, they can be helpful and inspiring. But there’s nothing quite like reading God’s Word for yourself. Devotionals can be supplemental aids on your faith journey. But do the deep digging yourself. And you’ll discover those nuggets of life-changing truth for yourself.

E – End with Prayer. Write a prayer based on the devotional that you just crafted. Praise God for who He is. Worship Him through your words. Confess areas where Scripture has convicted you. Maybe stop mid-way and sit in silence because His presence is overwhelming. 

That’s it: HEAR and AWE.

Putting pen to paper is considered old-school. But there’s something about that simple act that sears the Word in your heart. It gives you the space to meditate on Scripture and truly ingest it so it becomes sweeter than honey. And better than chicken.

Heavenly Father, this new year, I long to be consistent in reading Your Word. I long to do the hard and holy things that You have called me to. I pray that reading the Bible won’t just be a discipline, but it will truly be a delight. Through Your Spirit, may I discover treasures from Your Word that draw me into greater intimacy with You. Amen

I rejoice at your Word like one who finds great spoil. Psalm 119:162

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