Bible in 90 Days: A few tips for catching up

Now that we are two weeks into reading the Bible in 90 days, I bet some of you are invigorated by all the time in the Word… and many of you are having a tough time managing all the time it takes to do the reading.

At first glance, adding 1 hour a day to your schedule doesn’t seem like that much to add. Adding an hour a day for a week takes a bit of wiggle room. But adding an hour a week for 90 days takes a lot more re-arranging and re-prioritizing.

And for those of you determined to journal your way through, it takes substantially more time and effort.

I am so excited by the sheer volume and enthusiasm of everyone who signed on for the challenge. And I want you to complete the mission.

If you are having trouble, think about when you are reading and take a realistic look at the changes you can make. In order to succeed at this, you will have to make changes through March 31. Speaking from experience, I can say that just adding the reading to your regular schedule will lead to frustration. Something’s gotta give. What will it be for you?

Perhaps trying to block off an entire hour at a time is the challenge. You don’t want to start if you can’t finish, but you don’t have a whole hour when you thought you would. Break the reading up into 2 or three planned reading times and don’t leave it up to ‘chance.’

Maybe you thought you would get up an hour earlier each day and that isn’t happening. Or you are getting tired. Try rising 30 minutes earlier instead, then read 15 minutes later in the day while your kids are reading (or looking at books) and 15 minutes before you go to sleep.

Are you feeling really, really far behind?

Try your best to look at the next few days and see how you can catch up. Staying with the group greatly increases your chances of finishing. And you set out to finish, right? You can.

Take a look at what you need to do to get caught up. Once you  know how far back you are, divide the pages by the number of days until the next check in and add those pages to your daily reading schedule. And then budget extra time to accomplish the reading. Don’t assume it is just going to happen.

So where will you find the time you need to finish?

Can you turn over the responsibility of a few household chores for the week? Maybe someone else will take over meal prep for a few meals or manage all the dishes for you as a special treat. Can the kids help more with laundry this week or can you let a little more clutter accumulate until next weekend when you’ll be so energized to put it all away because you’ll be caught up in your Bible reading.

Set aside times on your calendar and stick to them. Don’t wait for reading opportunities to present themselves, make them and ask your family’s support in respecting that time.

Determine what activities your Bible reading can replace. Losing that much sleep will catch up with you before the 90 days are over. What else can you set aside or alter?

Instead of journaling every day, can you just write down or highlight key verses that strike you and reflect on them more once the 90 days are over? I often have to remind myself to lower my standards. This is my fourth time reading through the Bible in 90 days. The first three times I intended to journal my way through it and didn’t. Had I tried that, I may not have finished. Now I know a bit more of what to expect.

Are you checking in with others too much? The goal here is that you will read, attentively, every word of the Bible in 90 days. Our community is important for encouragement, but are you accessing that community too often? Groups that do this program typically meet just once a week for about 2 hours. This group has a check in on Mondays on MomsToolbox and a Twitter party for an hour Monday nights. Many of us are also hopping on Twitter more often.

If you are slipping, try to check in only on Mondays this week, unless you need some extra encouragement. If you are blogging and linking, consider shortening your check in posts to simply say where you are and possibly include a few key verses you’ve come across.

I am having to rein myself in here, as well. Early this Monday I visited every blog linked in the check in post and replied to every comment. As the day went on, though, I found I couldn’t spend that much time on the computer so I had to stop. If I haven’t made it to your post or comment yet, I apologize. I will do my best… After my reading, praying and mom jobs are done.

Take your Bible with you everywhere and read it every chance you get. Lots of ladies in one of the groups I facilitated got a lot of reading done waiting in the carpool line. Where can you add in 5 minutes here and there?

I know it is tough. You are developing a new habit and that takes work.  We are at a point in the reading where setting aside the time is becoming more challenging, but I know you can do it. Pray about it and ask God to show you your way. And then follow it and read!

If you  need a few more ideas, please see last week’s post, Getting Frustrated Yet?

Just think how much more amazing Easter will be when you have just completed reading the entire Bible a few days before it! Keep your eyes on the prize.

For those of you are up to date with your reading and can offer encouragement, please do.

Please leave a few words of encouragement and tips here in the comments.

If you have more extra time, (and you are caught up) consider clicking through to some of the participating  blogs and leaving words of encouragement for your fellow readers in any of their posts about the Bible in 90 Days.


Comments

26 responses to “Bible in 90 Days: A few tips for catching up”

  1. I was unrealistic in the time I allocated to my reading. I find so many things that speak to me, that I want to explore further. So, for now, I am just making a quick list to return to later. I am putting my reading time into my daily schedule as an appointment, so it gets priority. This whole experience has been such a blessing, I can’t thank you enough!

  2. […] feeling a bit overwhelmed, or think you may be soon, please click over to learn a few more tips for Catching up with the Bible in 90 Days. You CAN do this, even when it feels hard to […]

  3. I am very behind, but in the interest of keeping accountable to the group, I am admitting it here. I’m still in Deuteronomy (chapter 16 1/2) and ready to be with all of you in Joshua. I think the thing that will have to give is computer time…

    Also, I’m subscribed to the program, but haven’t applied to be on the blogroll, do I need to write a specific post about B90? I have the text button on my page.
    .-= Polly´s last blog ..An inside out life =-.

  4. […] you are getting a little too far behind, please check my latest post on catching up. If you are getting frustrated, give yourself a time-out to breath, pray and jump back in. You can […]

  5. I can’t believe how timely this post was. You’re looking in my window I think. Losing sleep, trying to keep my same schedule, getting behind and frustrated…..yep, you’ve definitely have the gifts of encouragement and leadership. This post was just what I needed. Thank you so much!

  6. Thank you for this Amy – I was behind – caught up now (Friday). Today there was no computer time, every spare minute waiting anywhere was spent reading, and an unexpected opening in my schedule that I would ordinarilly fill with coffee with a friend was instead filled with coffee with God – what a blessing!!!

  7. […] Bible in 90 Days: A few tips for Catching Up by Mom’s Toolbox […]

  8. Thanks so much. This has been a wonderful experience so far. Some days have been a struggle others have been very enjoyable. And whether easy or tough, I always manage to find a verse that speaks to me, Deuteronomy has been eye opening. On Sundays I share what verses spoke to me the most on my blog.

    What works best for me so far is to complete about half the reading first thing in the morning before the kids get up. Then either finish the other half in the evening, or better yet, break it up into a few 10-15 minute readings in the afternoon/evening :)
    .-= Cheryl@SomewhatCrunchy´s last blog ..Teenagers! =-.

  9. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Alyssa, The Happy Housewife, Kimberly , Amy L Norton, Keith Jones and others. Keith Jones said: Bible in 90 Days: A few tips for catching up | Mom's Toolbox http://bit.ly/8TI7PA […]

  10. I’m finding that I’m able to keep up with the reading, but I’m not able to journal like I’d planned. It was my intention to blog regularly about what I was reading, but that isn’t happening. Now I’m highlighting and will blog after the 90days are over
    .-= stacy´s last blog ..And the winner of Power of a Praying Wife is…. =-.

    1. It was tough for me not to journal my first time through, but it really paid off. I don’t think I could have done both the first time.

      I really love the highlighting and return later idea. I’ve just started doing that, myself. I can’t wait to look back and see how all the verses He specifically spoke to me will fit together at the end!

  11. The major change I made was giving up Facebook and one other bulletin board on which I was very active. Those changes alone seemed to be enough. I also always read first thing in the morning, though I am not getting up any earlier. That way if something in my days schedule HAS to go, it is not my bible reading. This seems to be working very well for me so far. I am so excited and energized by the idea of actually reading the whole way that it has not been hard so far.

    1. Sounds like you made some wise decisions. Keep it up!

  12. I think that finding 5-10 min. formerly wasted time during the day is KEY for getting all the reading in. As a working mom, I don’t really have a huge chunk of time during the day where I can sit down and plow through all the chapters. And trying to fit it all in in one sitting is darn near impossible. But using a few minutes here and a few minutes there in moments that are normally wasted with waiting (waiting for water to boil for pasta, during lunch break, etc), makes it VERY manageable.
    .-= Sturgmom´s last blog ..World Wide Web Wednesday 01.13.10: Help Haiti =-.

    1. Oooh! LOVE how you are really using every opportunity!

  13. Hi Amy, thanks for the encouraging words and prayer. I started 7 days behind but I’m determined to catch up by the end of next week, with God’s grace of course. I have been reading every chance I get even if it’s for five minutes here and there all day long. I do pray to God when I first open my bible that day and ask that He fill me with the Spirit’s knowledge as I read throughout the day and I especially try and read as much as I can before I go to bed when the house is quiet, often waking up later in the night with my head in my bible. What I’ve learned thus far is that now I WANT to read my bible every chance I get instead of sitting for a couple of hours watching the Food Channel. I feel so blessed to be a part of this challenge!
    .-= Sandra´s last blog ..Bible in 90 Days: Day 11 Check-in =-.

    1. Yay!!! I’m so blessed by you being in and sharing your stories!! Thank you!

  14. I got behind when we had company this past week. I just couldn’t get all of the reading done. I hate being behind schedule. lol! I’m slowly getting back on track by adding additional reading each day. Ironically, my 10-year-old daughter was able to stay on track this whole time.
    .-= Heather @ Marine Corps Nomads´s last blog ..Prayers for Our Troops and Their Families =-.

    1. I’m so proud of your daughter!!!! And it sounds like you have a great plan in place to catch right back up! :)

  15. I started a few days late, got caught up, and then fell behind again when my daughter got sick last weekend. I am now completely caught up – in fact, I’m a full day and a half ahead! I think Amy’s advice is great: instead of looking at it like you have to read the entire day’s reading at one time, agree to spend smaller amounts of time reading if that fits better with your schedule. I have an hour and a half commute into work every day, so I am able to spend that time with God’s Word. But, on the days when I’m home, I’ll use some of my daughter’s nap time to read and then read again before I go to bed.
    .-= Kristen´s last blog ..16 Months Old! =-.

  16. Don’t forget the big help – GOD!!! I was behind and spending time on the computer – one of the toolbox posts actually was a push from God. I kept pulling it up and then getting distracted and not reading it. I wrote about getting behind and having God be the one that pushed me forward. I am now starting Dt – and I plan on staying cuaght up from here on out.

    http://bellebearberry.blogspot.com/2010/01/90-days-god-is-really-helping-me-along.html
    .-= Lyn@ BelleBearBerry´s last blog ..90 Days: God gets His point across =-.

    1. Yes! I’m glad you were able to listen to Him and push ahead!

  17. These tips are super. I’m not behind, though! But who is to say I won’t have to revisit this most in mid-February.
    I’ve actually not been posting as much – or checking in on the twitter parties (i’ve missed both!)….but I have been keeping up with your posts…my way of keeping up with the group.
    By the way – your decision to start off 2010 by facilitating this “journey” has been a blessing to me!
    .-= Amy´s last blog ..Bible in 90 Days updates and such =-.

    1. It sounds like you are doing really well.
      And thank you–Everyone’s comments and participation has been a huge blessing to me. It has been really exciting to be used in this way!

  18. Thanks for these tips. I am behind but catching up. I told myself no computer time last night and instead read for two hours. (I’m at work so checking in) I am committed to finishing with you all :) Amy- Could you add my blog to the sidebar please, not sure if you got my email or not :) Thanks and thank you all for being so inspiring and encouraging me!
    .-= Alicia´s last blog ..Book Reviews coming soon! =-.

    1. So glad you are finding ways to catch up!
      I’ve just added you to the sidebar. I am sorry I didn’t sooner!

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