Wander into any church and ask, “Who wants to read the Bible this year?” and most hands will go up. Even those who don’t embrace Christianity often think about reading the Bible. It’s a worthy goal. No book has had more influence on history, and its themes of love, loss, and redemption are universal. It reveals the God who created us, and its finale reveals the final triumph of Good over Evil.

The Bible claims authority and has been known to bring great lifechange. If reading it is one of your goals, here are seven things we’ve learned about making it happen. This is not a “do all” list. It’s a list of approaches, one of which might be just right for you.

(1) Start with the story books. Twenty minutes per day of a good story whets the appetite for more. Popular story portions include Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, Joshua through Second Chronicles, Nehemiah, Esther, Daniel, Jonah, Matthew through Acts, and Revelation.

(2) Set a healthy one week goal and be tenacious about it. Read the Gospel of Mark, or try five Psalms per day. At the end of week one, set a similar goal for week two, and so forth. Some people read five psalms and one chapter of Proverbs each day. That pace will see you through Psalms and Proverbs in a month.

(3) Use a “Read the Bible in a Year” chart. By tackling the Bible in bite-sized portions you’ll know what to read each day and finish the entire Bible in one year. Click here for a good option: Two Readings Per Day Bible Reading Plan.

(4) Do it with friends. Be accountable to one another and discuss what you’re reading. Shared interest and camaraderie are strong incentives, and hearty discussion heightens interest.

(5) Ask God every day to make you thirsty for more. The Bible is God’s book. That’s why it’s significant. Whether or not you believe in God doesn’t matter. Think of Him as its author and ask Him to give you a love for it. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus says: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened (Luke 11:9-10).

(6) Remember what it’s like to get in shape or learn a new skill. At first you struggle with it (like when you begin to run), then you get used to it, then you enjoy it, then you make it a top priority. The Bible is a spiritual book. If you’re not accustomed to spiritual exercise, you’ll need to grow into it. Stick with it. Make it happen.

(7) Pick a Bible that matches your reading style. If you’re a casual reader, buy a New Living Translation. If you’re a curious person — someone who likes to know what everything means — buy an ESV Study Bible. Or, if you just want to get started . . . read any Bible you can get your hands on. Tis action makes the hero.