Time is running out. We have to teach our kids the Bible like time is running out…because it absolutely is!
Three things are true each morning you wake up…(1) You are one day closer to the end of your life on earth. (2) Your kids are one day close to the end of their lives on earth. (3) We are one day closer to Jesus’s return. Well, that’ll wake you up, huh?!
We don’t know which of these 3 events will occur first, but we are 100% certain that they will occur. While it may sound harsh, I think the Lord intends for us to view our God-given responsibility of the discipleship of our children with such a sense of pressing importance. Psalm 90:12 often comes to mind as it relates to motherhood, “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”
My husband and I have set a goal of reading through the whole Bible with our own kids as many times as possible while they are under our roof. Our desire is for them to come to love the Lord with all of their hearts, all of their souls, and all of their might (Deuteronomy 6:5), and to do that, they must come to know Him through His holy word.
Recently, our pastor was preaching through John chapter 4 about the Woman at the Well. He pointed out that the Samaritans said, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this indeed the Savior of the World.” (John 4:42, emphasis added) What a wonderful goal for parents! That we would see the day when our children no longer believe because we have told them, but because they have seen for themselves! But again, that happens through time spent reading God’s infallible word, which does not return void.
However, all of that said, I’m a real mom. I’m in the trenches with you on the daily. While I KNOW digging into God’s word with my kids is incredibly important, making it a priority every day is HARD! There is a quote by Charles E. Hummel from his book Tyranny of the Urgent that has stuck with me for many years and is especially applicable to motherhood. He says, “Your greatest danger is letting the urgent things crowd out the important.” There are so many urgent things in motherhood…the hungry kid, the baby that needs a diaper change, the math homework that still needs to be completed, the practice that starts in 30 minutes, the laundry basket that is overflowing…the to-do list NEVER stops. And if we aren’t very, very intentional, Bible reading will get pushed to the back burner over and over again. Busy schedules will prevail. Sadly, I speak from repeated experience.
But one thing I’ve learned is that if I’ll stop, pray, and come up with an organized plan to make it do-able on a daily basis, consistency becomes a whole lot easier. That’s why I’m so excited to share the simple, visual Book-by-Book Bible Reading Plan with you! Not too long ago, after another shaky attempt at daily Bible reading with my kids, I began to reflect on some of the obstacles that were getting in our way. For one, I always thought a one-year plan was a good idea, and I would try to use a YouVersion Bible app on my phone to keep us on track. The truth is, especially with young children, the daily readings were just too long some days. In addition, because the plan was on my phone, I was the only one who could see plan and how we were progressing through it. Furthermore, since the daily Bible reading plan was tucked away inside an app on my phone, it was out-of-sight, out-of-mind for all of us.
So, I recognized the need for a better way. I went searching for a kid-friendly Bible reading plan that would be an easy visual for even my preschool-age children. After searching high and low, I couldn’t find what I was looking for…so I made it! And I think it might be a great option for your family too!
What Sets the Book-by-Book Bible Reading Plan Apart from Others
- Easy Reference– When it’s time for us to read, I want the whole family to be able to see where we are at a quick glance. When Daddy comes home from work, I want him to be able to see at a quick glance where we are and the progress we are making as we move through a particular book of the Bible.
- Show Book in Context– I wanted the children to be able to see where our current book fits in with the other books of the Bible by highlighting it among a list. I also wanted to highlight the genre of the book (law, history, prophecy, etc). While this portion is mostly applicable to older children, it never hurts to expose younger kids too!
- Interactive– I wanted the children to take ownership of the goal of reading the entire book, and ultimately reading the entire Bible. Being able to take turns crossing off a chapter with a marker after we’ve finished it is a fun way to keep them engaged and excited about the goal.
- Prominent/ Eye-Catching– I wanted our Book-by-Book Reading Plan chart to be visually attractive and posted in a prominent place in our home (on the fridge) so that everyone could help hold us accountable to our daily habit, not just Mama!
- Re-Usable- So, guess what we’ll do when we finish reading the Bible? We’ll print out a new set of charts and start over! No need to think up a new plan. This straight-forward, simple plan can be repeated over and over again.
- Adaptable Pace– I didn’t want to follow a plan that assigned us a certain number of chapters to read each day. Some days, due to a whiny baby or a sick child, we may only be able to read a short Bible passage, while other days we can read more. With this layout, I can decide on-the-spot how much we are going to read that day. And as long as we are reading, the time frame to completion doesn’t really matter. Just keep going, even if it is at a slower pace!
Adapting for an Independent Bible Reading Plan
This Bible reading plan is also adaptable. The cross-off chart system is a great way to get older kids started on their own separate plans for reading independently. You could print an individual copy for each of your older children. The visual aspect makes it easy to check in on them to see their progress. The idea of reading the Bible cover-to-cover can seem daunting and overwhelming, but if they’ve already accomplished it for the first time in childhood, you’ve just removed a huge obstacle for them. What a gift to give them the lifelong habit of Bible reading while they are still in your home!
Get Your Copy of the Book-by-Book Bible Reading Plan
Ready to get started with your family? I’ve got some options for you! If you want to start with the 4 Gospels (the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), you can download them for FREE in my Freebies Library. You can find the entire Old Testament Book-by-Book Reading Plan and New Testament Book-by-Book Reading Plan in my Printables Store, or just click on the pictures below. I made them very affordable in hopes that all families can have access. But if cost is a factor for you, please email me at ivy@donewithdiligence.com and I will be sure you get a copy of whichever plan you need at NO CHARGE.
So, don’t let this wonderful opportunity to get into God’s word with your family pass you by. I don’t think you’ll find a more interactive, adaptable, yet SIMPLE Bible reading plan out there.
I’ll close with some words from Voddie Baucham, one of my very favorite pastors and authors. In his book, Family Driven Faith, he writes:
“The Bible is our source of wisdom…
The Bible is our source of righteousness…
The Bible is our source of hope…
We must get our kids into the Word of God if we intend to get the Word of God into our kids. It won’t happen by osmosis.“
Oh, how I want to fill my children with wisdom, righteousness, and hope! So, may we DILIGENTLY and faithfully approach the task before us, trusting in Him to carry it through to completion.
Side Note: Aside from the Bible, Family Driven Faith has probably been the most influential book I’ve ever read. I praise God for putting it in my path early in to parenthood. If you haven’t read it, I can’t recommend it enough!
Looking for more encouragement in Christian parenting? See my Raise Them with Diligence page!
