STEP 1: READ
God speaks to us through the Bible. If we want to know Him, we must read what He has to say to us.

• Choose a book of the Bible (like Mark, John, Philippians, James, or 1 John)
• Choose a time to read (morning, at lunch, before bed)
• Choose how much you will read (5 minutes or 1 chapter)
• Find someone to talk to about what you are reading
• Continue until you finish that book

**The YouVersion Bible app also has many reading plans to choose from**

STEP 2: STUDY
We don't want to merely form a reading habit, we seek to know God through His Word and be transformed by it. In order to understand His Word more clearly, we study it by asking questions like: 

• WHAT?
  • What does this passage say? Make observations about the text. (Look for things like repetition, commands, promises, metaphors, comparisons, etc.)
• SO WHAT?
  • What do those things mean and why do they matter? Here you are interpreting what you've read  by asking questions like:
    • How does this fit in the context?
    • What does this teach me about God?
    • What does this teach me about people?
    • How does this point to Jesus?
• NOW WHAT?
  • How does this impact my life? Prayerfully ask God to show you how you should respond to the truth He has revealed to you.

STEP 3: PRAY
Prayer is vital; it is our communication back to God. There is no specific way to pray, but if you do not know where to start, here are some helpful formats to choose from:

• Simply turn the verses you've read into a prayer
• Follow the example of the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-15)
• Use the PRAY acronym:
  • Praise God
  • Repent of your sin
  • Ask your requests
  • Yield to His will
• Use the ACTS acronym:
  • Adoration (praise God simply for who He is)
  • Confession (confess & repent of your sins)
  • Thanksgiving (give thanks for your forgiveness & many blessings)
  • Supplication (ask God to work in mighty ways in your life & the lives of others)