“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Ps 119:105)
2026 is just 10 days away. Now is as good a time as any to prepare our hearts and habits. One simple way to do that is by planning how we’ll spend time with God each day. Two areas matter most here: a Bible reading plan and a devotional book.
First, choose a Bible reading plan that fits your life, not an ideal version of it. Some people thrive on reading the Bible in a year. I have been doing that. It’s now a habit. Others do better with a different pace, focusing on a few books at a time, or a theme at a time. The goal is not speed or checking boxes. It is consistency and attentiveness. When you decide ahead of time what you will read, you remove a daily decision that often becomes an excuse. You open the door for God to meet you in His Word, day after day.
I have tried several one-year Bible reading plan, including the Discipleship Journal, Navigators, the M’Cheyne. I thought of the highly intensive Professor Horner Bible reading plan for this year. I decided I was not ready. I thought of doing it next year. I still do not think I am ready to read 10 chapters a day. Perhaps another year.
Next, select a devotional book that will walk alongside your Bible reading. A good devotional does not replace the Bible. It helps you reflect, pray, and apply what you are reading to real life. Choose one that is biblically grounded and written with honesty and clarity.
I have been reading Charles Stanley’s God Purpose for Your Life every day. I accidentally bought it thinking it was free. It was not. It was USD 12.95. I did not regret it. This year, I am thinking to pick either My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers or New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp. Reading a devotional everyday helps me to think and meditate every day.
Planning now sets the tone for the 365 days ahead. When we prepare intentionally, we create space for a year shaped by Scripture, prayer, and steady growth. That kind of preparation invites blessing long before January begins.
I invite you to say this prayer.
Father, as I prepare for another year of spending every day with you, help me to prepare my heart. I want to read your Word, I want to pray to you, I want to worship you, I want to wait on you, every day. I pray for an intentional, joyful, and devotional time every day. I want to meet you every day, before I do anything else. Thank you. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Leave a Reply