How One Bible Plan Reshaped My Faith Walk

Photo by Adegbenro Emmanuel Dipo on Unsplash

After stumbling across a Bible plan on the YouVersion Bible app, I started collecting scriptures in my journal. I’ve read many plans on the app before, but this one captured me. It offered not just verses, but instructions, insight, and a new perspective on how to read the Bible with intention.. Funny enough, I can't remember the plan's name, but I do remember how it changed the way I read scripture.

The plan encouraged readers to take notes on five things while reading:

• Promises to trust

• Commands to obey

• Truths to embrace

• Warnings to heed

• Encouragement to rest in

Before the Plan: My Spirit Was Nourished in Many Ways

Before I found this plan, I wouldn’t say I had a Bible study routine—but I definitely had a connection. My spirit was fed through many different sources: devotional books, verses on social media, scripture from conversations, and those random app notifications that always seemed to hit right on time. It wasn’t structured, but it was meaningful. God always found a way to reach me.

I’ve never been bound by religion. I’m spiritual. I know God lives in me, and I believe true understanding comes from reading, meditating, praying, and asking Him directly. Religion can sometimes distort the message, but God’s presence has always been something I feel within.

So when my friend suggested this plan, it didn’t replace what I had—it enhanced it. It brought structure without pressure and clarity without confinement. It helped me gather what God was already pouring into me and gave me a way to hold onto it, reflect on it, and return to it when I needed it most.

The New Way I Read My Bible

Now, when I read, I collect. I highlight in the app, then transfer the verses into my Google Notes app. I organize them by those five categories so I can quickly find what I need when life happens.

If I’m anxious, I go to Encouragement.

Trying to make a decision? Warnings to heed always slow me down.

Need comfort? Promises to trust remind me that I’m held.

I’m not always consistent with reading one specific thing, but I am consistent in how I capture and return to what I read. My Google Notes app has basically become my personal faith toolbox—plus it’s backed up in the cloud, so I never lose it.

My Nighttime Vibe With God

Most of my journaling happens at night. It's time after I’ve walked the dogs, spent time with my husband or daughter, and crawled into bed. That’s when I quiet my thoughts, open the app, read the Bible plan for the day, and reflect.

Sometimes I make a graphic to share on social. Sometimes I sit in the quiet and let the verses settle. There’s no pressure—just presence.

What’s in My Notes

Here’s a peek into what I’ve collected lately:

Promises to Trust

• Hebrews 11:40—God has something better planned.

• 1 Corinthians 15:49, 54—Death is swallowed in victory.

• Genesis 9:11—God’s covenant is peace.

• Psalms 4:8—Peace is promised.

Warnings to Heed

• Genesis 4:7—Sin is near, but we can overcome it.

• 1 Corinthians 15:50—Flesh doesn’t inherit the Kingdom.

Commands to Obey

• Joshua 1:7-9—Be strong and courageous.

• Philippians 4:6—Don’t be anxious. Pray.

• Luke 17:3-4—Watch yourself. Forgive—again and again.

Truths to Embrace

• Hebrews 11:1—Faith is confidence in what we hope for.

• 1 Corinthians 11:12—All things come from God.

• 1 Corinthians 15:58—Our work for God is never in vain.

• Genesis 2:24—Marriage is sacred.

Encouragement to Rest In

• Genesis 2:3—Even God rested. So should we.

• Psalms 4:8—Lie down in peace.

• Luke 17:6—Even small faith is powerful.

Verse That Hit Different Today

Philippians 4:6 – “Do not be anxious about anything…” Whew. That one tugged at my chest. I’ve been trying to handle everything again—small stuff, big stuff, all of it. And this verse reminded me to hand it back over to God.

My Prayer Today

God, thank you for reminding me that even when I feel like I’m not doing enough, my small acts of faith matter. Help me slow down, breathe deep, and remember Your promises. I release my anxiety, my need to overplan, and my habit of overthinking. You are God, and I trust You. Amen.

What I Hope You Take From This

I don’t have a single go-to verse when I’m struggling. I open my notes and read them over and over until one speaks to my soul. That’s how I know God is near.

I hope this encourages you to rethink how you engage with the Bible. You don’t need a set study method or a rigid schedule. Just intention, just presence, just you and God in the quiet, letting scripture meet you where you are.

Try this journaling method if you’re looking for a new way to read the Word or feel spiritually stuck. You don’t need the plan's name; start collecting what speaks to your spirit.

Your Bible isn’t just a book. It’s a mirror, a map, and a journal waiting to be filled with your reflections.

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