Carla Diogo: A Great Way to Start MY Day...

For years I got up, showered, got dressed, and went to work. Maybe God would pop into my mind on my way to work, and more times than I'd like to admit, I would go the day without thinking of God at all. That was then...

Now I get up and the first thing I do is focus on God...whether it's thanking Him for waking me up, listening to Christian music, reading a devotion or Bible reading plan or just sitting still in prayer.

This did not happen overnight. Like any life style change, it took a while to turn this discipline from something I had to consciously work at into something that now happens almost naturally. It wasn't until I WANTED to learn more about God (vs. feeling like I HAD to or SHOULD) that I was motivated to do something.

Besides getting motivated, the hardest thing for me to do is figure out where to start. Luckily my roommate in college, Jennifer, gave me a Bible for Christmas while we were in college. I was so grateful, but reading the Bible felt overwhelming. When I FINALLY decided I'd give it a try. I remember starting with a free daily devotion called "Daily Bread" that referred me to a couple of verses in the Bible...bite-sized lessons that kick-started my day. Funny, on days that I read the devotions, things seemed to run smoothly...and on those that didn't, well, not-so-much.

I worked my way up to reading Bible books - anyone of the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). And when all else failed I would read Proverbs. There are 31 books in Proverbs and I would refer to the date and read the corresponding book, e.g. on March 11, I would read Proverbs 11; on March 12, I'd read Proverbs 12, etc. When in doubt, I always started there. It was my way of reading parts of the Bible. The more I read, the more applicable it was to my life, and sometimes too applicable, if you know what I'm sayin'! Psalms was also a great book to read when I had no idea where to go. I would just open to any of the Psalms and just read.

Sometimes I am searching for an answer in my life, and I'll flip though the Bible and am drawn to a particular verse and BAM...answer. That has happened a lot...and sometimes it's not exactly the answer I want but it is the answer I need.

So try it...see what happens. No one will be able to experience it for you. You need to start somewhere. Why not give it a try over the next week

Get a Bible. Hardcopy, I personally like the Life Application Study Bible. Study bibles are great because they add context to what you are reading. You can also get a FREE Bible online. I love the YouVersion Bible. It provides all kinds of reading plans and topical devotions. It also has an app for all smart phones. Totally cool. There is also Bible Gateway.
Read it. Seems obvious right. Know how long it took me to open the Bible my roommate gave me. It took a while...just because it was overwhelming at first. Do as I did and start with reading a daily devotion and the associated verses. In a separate post, I will provide you with a couple of my favorite online devotions you can read or subscribe to.
Set a goal. Once you start feeling comfortable, set a goal. The YouVersion online Bible has a number of reading plans you can select from. Click here to check them out.
Reflect on what you read. Reading without reflection is a waste of time. Let what you read sink in and reflect on what it means to you and your life.
Apply it. Reflection without application is a missed opportunity to allow God to work in you and your life.