You may no longer be in school or have summers off, but there’s just something lackadaisical about summer, no matter your 9-to-5. Schedules are a little more free and loose, days are longer, and vacations interrupt the normal routine. If you’re like us, this means staying in God’s Word can be difficult during the pool days of summer.
We thought we’d give a few tips for not abandoning the Bible along with your day planner.
- Wake up early. Just a little bit early.
Summer days mean that the sun is out earlier in the day. Try waking up 15 minutes earlier than you do now—it may help to use an old fashioned alarm clock if the temptation to look at your phone is a challenge first thing in the morning. Make a new summertime ritual out of it. Try a new smoothie recipe, do a couple of stretches to wake up, then dive into God’s Word. We have a reading plan you might like to try here. - Study on the go.
When you’re hitting the pool or driving out of town, take a Bible study with you. Read or work through study questions on the plane. We always have something to read by the pool and when we travel, why not read Scripture? If you want to join us in Bible study this summer, you can watch the God of Creation study videos with us wherever you have internet access. Find out how to be a part of that study here. - Involve the kids.
Without homework every night, your kids will be even better able to study God’s Word alongside you! Pick a Gospel to read through together as a family, work through a Bible study book together, follow along with the Family Time Calendar, or check out 22:6 Parenting for more ideas to integrate God’s Word into everyday life. The summer is the perfect time for setting new habits that can continue into the rest of the year. - Memorize Scripture.
Summer is a great time to commit a passage to memory. Print verses on index cards and laminate them to take them to the lake, on the road, or in the yard. Record yourself reading the verse on your phone and play it back as you hike or drive. Consider challenging your small group or friends to memorize alongside you and have a party at the end of the summer to celebrate and recite God’s Word to each other. If you’re looking for verses to start with, try these Scripture art printables. - Celebrate!
Challenge a group of friends—your small group, moms from your kids’ school, your neighborhood pals, or your coworkers—to read a book or section of the Bible over the summer. Encourage everyone to take notes in a journal about what God’s teaching them through His Word and then throw a party at the end of the summer to share and celebrate! - Use your phone.
Download apps for staying in God’s Word all summer long. YouVersion has several reading plans for you to choose from. First5 and She Reads Truth also keep you in Scripture daily. You can also listen to sermon podcasts. If you have friends in another town who love their church, ask if their church has a podcast you can download. Don’t forget about worship music, too! So many of the songs we sing are taken from God’s Word—you’ll be singing His words back to Him as you praise. - Take off the pressure.
Studying God’s Word can be challenging, but it should also be encouraging. We read the Bible because it is God’s Word to His people. We read the Bible because it is how we get to know Him and grow in our love for Him. There will be days when we fail to read even a verse. The goal is not to check a box, but to create a habit of being in His Word, to soak ourselves in Scripture, and to love hearing from Him, no matter the season.
How do you read Scripture in the summer? Share any fun ideas in the comments!
