A Prayer for a Fresh Start

Person praying

God,

I’m excited for a new year, and I want to step into it with boldness and confidence. But if I’m being honest, I’m uncertain of what the year will hold—and that can feel unsettling.

Search me, God, and refresh my heart.

Please help me surrender my expectations for this year. Transform my mind as I draw near to You.

Search me, God, and align my heart with Yours.

As I pursue the plans You have for me, let me remember what You’ve already helped me overcome.

Search me, God, and heal my heart.

Whatever this year holds, I know You hold me. Nothing is impossible for You!

Restore me, God, and make me new.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Save Prayer

Share Prayer

How to study the Bible consistently: 4 hacks from YouVersion

Person studying the Bible

The start of a new year brings many possibilities, which makes it the perfect time to create new Bible reading habits. But, busy schedules, family obligations, and conflicting priorities can make studying Scripture feel challenging at times.

Thankfully, there are steps you can take toward consistently reading God’s Word.

Here are 4 Bible habit hacks you can do with YouVersion:

1. Make it stick

The easiest way to create a new habit is by linking it to something you already do consistently. So if the first thing you do in the morning is reach for your phone, try reflecting on YouVersion’s Verse of the Day. When you combine a new habit with an already established one, it gives your new habit more “stickiness.”

Tip: Make YouVersion the first app you see, and get instant access to the Verse of the Day, by enabling the Verse of the Day widget on your phone. Learn how to enable widgets here.

2. Make it automatic

The best way to build a habit is just to start. And as you get started, don’t focus on the amount of time you’re reading or listening to Scripture, just focus on doing it regularly. Once you complete two days in a row, go for three. Once you complete three days, try for five, and keep going until you’ve built a Bible streak.

If you’re starting to build a consistent Bible habit, pick a time to study that works for you, and set up daily reminders to spend time in God’s Word.

Tip: Keep up your momentum by viewing your Bible streak on your YouVersion Home Feed. You can also set up Plan, Prayer, and Verse of the Day Reminders here.

3. Stay connected

You’re more likely to keep studying your Bible if you do it alongside someone who cares about your spiritual growth.

Plans with Friends offers a simple, easy way to make sure you continue building your Bible study habit.

There are thousands of Plans in YouVersion, so simply pick a Plan that interests you, and start it with Friends. At the end of each Plan day, you’ll be given a space to chat with your Friends about what you discovered.

Tip: You can do a Plan with anybody! Simply share a Plan link on social media, or share a Plan with someone within the app. Get started by choosing a Plan, and follow the prompts to invite Friends to join you.

4. Make it feel new

Sometimes, the reason we get in a Bible reading rut is because what we’re doing feels too familiar. Switch up how you engage with the Bible.

If you typically read Scripture, try listening to an audio Bible. If you tend to study Scripture in one specific version, switch to a different version for a month and see if anything new stands out to you. Or, try reading in a new order to gain a fresh perspective.

Tips: To easily compare Bible versions, tap a verse, and then select the ”Compare” button that appears. And, you can listen to any portion of Scripture with audio Bibles.


Making the Bible a part of your everyday life doesn’t have to be daunting—and thankfully, we don’t have to do it alone. God loves to come alongside us to encourage and empower us by renewing and transforming our minds. He reveals Himself to anyone searching for Him.

The more you build your habits, the easier it becomes to recognize God’s voice and understand what His will truly is.

As you commit to studying Scripture regularly, remember that the God who created you can also enable you to break through the resistance that holds you back, so that you can consistently engage with His living and active Word.

FacebookShare on Facebook

TwitterShare on Twitter

EmailShare via Email

Ready for a Fresh Start?

2022

Every year, we hope things will be different…

As the calendar turns to January, we’re filled with hope that this year is going to be different, that things are going to be better.

But, God doesn’t make us better—He makes us new!

Therefore if anyone is in Christ the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here!

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17

No amount of changes we make are going to bring results that compare to actively seeking Jesus—and allowing Him to transform us.

This year, choose to make a lasting change by consistently drawing nearer to God through His Word. Get started by selecting one of the Plans below:

Find More Plans

FacebookShare on Facebook

TwitterShare on Twitter

EmailShare via Email

Your Year in YouVersion

2021 Snapshot

How did you grow closer to God in 2021?

Discover how many days you spent in the app, total Plan completions, Badges earned, and more with your 2021 Snapshot.

See Your Snapshot

After reviewing your year in YouVersion, take a closer look at how our Community as a whole drew near to God in 2021…

Plans icon

80.6 million

Plans Completed

Share icon

535.2 million

Verses Shared

Badge icon

67.1 million

Badges Earned

Audio icon

8.2 billion

Audio Chapters Played

Prayer icon

47.2 million

Prayers Created

Just like you experienced God in a personal, relevant way through YouVersion, so did hundreds of millions of people around the world!

Stats are meaningful, but what matters more is the story behind them.

From your favorite Bible Plan to the verses that impacted you most—let us know your top YouVersion moments from 2021 when you share your Snapshot on social media.

Your post could inspire someone to download YouVersion, and experience the Bible like never before.

Share icon

Celebrate more of the moments worth remembering. Check out YouVersion’s 2021 Year in Review.


FacebookShare on Facebook

TwitterShare on Twitter

EmailShare via Email

New Device? Don’t Forget to Install YouVersion

Person on phone

Think about the new device you just can’t wait to use. These devices can make our lives easier and help us stay connected to the people we love. But your devices can also help you stay connected to God and His Word.

Get the tools you need to grow spiritually in 2022 by installing the apps that help you and your family seek God every day.

Bible App

Read or listen to the Bible, discover daily devotionals, share prayer requests with Friends, and more.

Download

Bible App for Kids Jesus

Help children engage with 41 Bible stories through fun animations and immersive activities.

Download

Wherever you go, let God’s Word go with you.

Already have the App
on your devices?

Share It With a Friend

Giving icon

Has God’s Word encouraged you this year?

Despite this year’s challenges, God changed millions of lives around the world in 2021 through His Word. And when you give an end of year gift to YouVersion, you help make sure that every person, speaking any language, can experience the life-transforming power of Jesus.

Give Now >


FacebookShare on Facebook

TwitterShare on Twitter

EmailShare via Email