A Woman's Guide to Reading the Bible in a Year: A Life-Changing Journey Into the Heart of God

I have been using this book for 6 months now and cannot believe how much of the Bible I have already read and it has been painless and so insightful. Diane Storz has divided up the reading in such a creative way that makes sense and keeps the flow of reading strong. I have even made it through Leviticus and Numbers and survived to tell the tale!I like her commentary at the beginning of each week that keeps you in tune with what you are about to read and applicable to time. Diane also has a creative quote each week that pertains to the importance of Bible reading in our daily life. Each week I find that I am able to quote it to someone in a common conversation and it just fits.There have been a few weeks that I have not been able to keep up with the reading due to travel, work or plain old laziness. That isn’t a problem because you just pick up where you left off or skip to the next week. I am certain that I will reuse this book again next year so I will do my very best not to skip that week again. LOLI appreciate how Diane Stortz asks us each week the same question and it has nothing to do with selecting an A, B, or C answer. They are reflective questions such as, How did you experience God’s heart in this week’s reading and a place for me to note “something you learned or an insight you gained”. There are others but those two are my favorite.I already have recommended this book to others who want to jump into simply reading the Holy Bible and have bought several copies to give away. It is a simple tool to hand to others so that their spiritual maturity can grow.

Over the years I've received several 'through the year' bibles in many translations. What kept me from sticking to their course of reading was the choppiness of it. Each day you read some passages from the Old Testament, some from the New Testament, and some from Proverbs and the Psalms. I finally figured it out. I'm a linear reader. That kind of sampling through the Bible confuses me and I can't pick up and read the Bible that way without becoming frustrated.This Bible guide is more logical. You read a few chapters each day, keeping in mind some points to look out for and ponder. My only problem is, I get caught up in the reading and read more than I'm assigned, so I read on to the end of the next reading. But that's not really a problem. I live in a fairly rural area, where it costs gas money to gather a group together, but we can convene by email and instant messenger. I like the reading and studying together, as it boosts accountability, but I like that this can be a personal journey through the Bible, too.It's thoughtfully compiled, and I especially appreciate Stortz's suggestions to use a modern translation, rather than the King James Bible. I also enjoyed the life stories of people who have been involved in the Bible studies that produced this book. I highly recommend this Bible guide. It's better than any other of its kind I have encountered.

It's a very simple layout and that's what I love about it!

This book really helped keep me on track to read my Bible in one year. It has a simple layout which divides the Bible into 52, undated weekly readings. Each weekly section begins with brief background information about the week’s readings, a list of the chapters to read each day, a “checkpoint” box of five interesting objects, events, or people to watch for in the readings, and a “share the journey” section to write a response to what you read. Since most of the readings consist of three chapters a day, it took me just 15 minutes to read. The readings alternate between the Old and New Testament. At the end of the book, the author includes a timeline of Old and New Testament events, the rulers of Israel, and a reading plan checklist. For me, more focused questions would have helped me to really think about my reading rather than having an open-ended response section. However, this resource seems like it would be useful in a Bible study group setting to launch discussions about each week’s reading. Overall, I think this reading plan is concise, informative, and really helpful when you want to read the Bible in a year. I will definitely be using it again in the future.

Loved the writings in between the chapters. Loved how she mapped the readings out. Everything was perfect!

I was a little unsure of how I would like the format, but I am finding it fascinating. I enjoy going back and forth between Old and New Testament. My group that is going through it has noticed the connection between the Testaments that they never knew before. Because we are going through the Bible so quickly, there isn't time to sit on a scripture and study it in depth, but I find that to be part of the appeal. You don't have to think about it too hard, but connections are made and realizations are coming about because I am reading it quickly and don't have time to forget what happened 4 chapters ago.This is a great book to use as a guide for a group study, or even on your own. I will probably use it every year from now on to go through the Bible each year.

A great way to read the Bible in a year. Following the pattern suggested in this book for the second time!

A useful guide setting out a plan which I could cope with. I have not used it with groups yet and feel it may have to be modified and some days the reading is lengthy to absorb the material especially the new testament

Written from the point of view of a prominent ideology.

What an inspiration, to read the oldest book in the world, not sure that I would have done it otherwise week 5 and still loving it!!

Insights expressed a lot of personal opinion. Pretty ecumenical in view.