It’s the middle of January—the time when most resolutions and Bible-in-a-year reading plans fall by the wayside.
Last year, being worn out on Bible-in-a-year reading plans, I decided to change it up by taking a different approach. Instead of giving myself something that ended up feeling like a checkbox I needed to complete, I took smaller bits of Scripture and sat with them. I spent more time in silence, read in the lectionary and the Common Book of Prayer. I haven’t kept up with all of these, but it was nice to change up the routine.
We shouldn’t be afraid to approach Scripture from a different angle. Maybe try listening to it. Maybe try kneeling in prayer and contemplation or practice Lectio Divina (Divine Reading). Memorize and sit with small passages. Take it on a hike. Read with others! If Scripture is living and active (Hebrews 4:12!) and EXCITING, why do we sometimes treat it as if there are only a couple of “right” ways to go about reading it?
One of the reasons I LOVED writing Draw Close to Jesus was because my research work included spending time in short passages of Scripture DEEPLY. I read commentaries and historical and cultural backgrounds, I prayed, I imagined, I drew close. (And this was all for “work”!) What a blessing that time was.
I haven’t experimented with doing more of this simply as a way of spending time in Scripture, but perhaps I should.
I know many ARE blessed by Bible-in-a-year reading plans, and to that I give a big cheer! 
But if you are struggling mid-January, I encourage you to try something new.
But if you are struggling mid-January, I encourage you to try something new.