Simple steps to open your Bible with confidence, even if you feel like you’ve left it too late.

Hey there Lovely Lady,

Let’s be honest — opening the Bible can feel a bit like opening a textbook you never actually studied.

Maybe you’ve sat in church for years, nodding along while people flip to passages you’ve never heard of. Maybe life, kids, work and caring for everyone else meant your Bible ended up at the bottom of the bedside table pile — under the half-finished novel and your reading glasses.

And now here you are in midlife, feeling a quiet nudge: “It’s time.” Time to know what you believe, time to meet God for yourself on the pages of Scripture… but you don’t quite know where to start.

Take a deep breath. You’re not late. You’re not behind. You’re just here — and that’s exactly where God meets you. Let’s make Bible study for beginners gentle, doable and very, very human.

What Bible Study Actually Is (and What It Isn’t)

Before we jump into “how”, it helps to clear away a few myths.

Bible study is…

• A conversation with God, using His Word as the starting point

• Reading slowly, not rushing to tick a box

• Asking questions and being curious

• Noticing what stands out, even if you can’t explain why yet

• Letting truth soak into real life — your marriage, your work, your worries, your hopes

Bible study is not…

• A performance for God

• A race to finish the Bible in a year

• Only for super-spiritual or super-academic people

• Something you have to get “perfect” for it to count

If you can read a recipe, write a shopping list and ask honest questions, you can study the Bible.

Step 1: Choose Your Translation (and Give Yourself Permission)

If you grew up with a very formal translation, you might have quietly decided: “The Bible is hard and I’m bad at it.”

Let’s shift that.

Look for a clear, modern translation that’s widely trusted — something that reads more like conversation than Shakespeare.

A few options you might like to explore (depending on your church and what you’re used to):

• NIV (New International Version)

• CSB (Christian Standard Bible)

• NLT (New Living Translation)

You are not being unfaithful or “watering it down” by choosing something you can actually understand. You’re being wise.

If you love the sound of your old translation, keep it nearby and use both: one for clarity, one for familiarity.

Step 2: Start in a Beginner-Friendly Book

The Bible is a library, not a single straight-through story. So starting at Genesis and hoping for the best often ends somewhere around Leviticus with a lot of confusion.

As a beginner in midlife, you’ll likely find it easier to start where Jesus is front and centre.

Good starting places:

• The Gospel of Mark – short, fast-moving, lots of stories

• The Gospel of Luke – warm, detailed, full of Jesus’ interactions with ordinary people

• The Gospel of John – more reflective, big on who Jesus is

Once you’ve met Jesus in the Gospels, Psalms and a letter like Philippians make beautiful “second steps”.

Step 3: Use a Simple Study Framework (No Degree Required)

Here’s a gentle method you can use any time you open your Bible. Think of it as a friendly checklist, not a strict formula.

The “S.A.L.T.” Method

1. S – Settle your heart

   • Take 30 seconds. Breathe. Whisper, “Lord, I’m here. Help me see what You want me to see today.”

2. A – Ask questions
   As you read a short passage (5–10 verses), ask:

   • What’s happening here?

   • What do I notice about God / Jesus?

   • Is there a promise, a warning, a command, an example?

3. L – Listen for one main takeaway
   You don’t have to understand everything. Ask:

   • If I had to circle one sentence or idea today, what would it be?
     That becomes your “word for the day”.

4. T – Talk to God about it
   Turn that one takeaway into a short prayer:

   • “Lord, thank You that You are…”

   • “Please help me to…”

   • “I’m struggling with… show me how this speaks into it.”

That’s Bible study. Simple, honest, real.

Step 4: Build a Tiny, Realistic Rhythm

You don’t need an hour-long quiet time with candles and a perfectly tidy lounge room. (If you do, enjoy it — but it’s not a requirement.)

For midlife beginners, think in tiny, repeatable moments, like:

• 10–15 minutes with a cuppa before everyone else wakes up

• Reading in your parked car before heading into work

• A lunchtime “reset” in your favourite corner of the house

Try this for four weeks:

1. Pick one Gospel (Mark or Luke).

2. Read one small section each day (most Bibles have headings you can follow).

3. Use S.A.L.T.

4. Jot a sentence or two in a notebook — nothing fancy.

You’re not “behind” if you miss a day. Just pick up where you left off. Grace over guilt, always.

Step 5: What If I Don’t Feel Anything?

It’s completely normal to have days where the Bible feels flat or confusing.

A few gentle reminders:

• Feelings are real but not the whole story. You can be absorbing truth even when it feels dry.

• God honours small, faithful steps. Turning up matters.

• Ask for help. Talk to a trusted friend, pastor, or women’s group leader and be honest: “I’m learning how to study the Bible — can we chat about it?”

You’re not a “bad Christian” if you find the Bible hard. You’re a growing one.

A 7-Day Gentle Start Plan

You can pop this straight into a journal or notes app.

Day 1: Mark 1:1–13 – Who is Jesus and why did He come?
Day 2: Mark 1:14–28 – What does Jesus’ teaching and authority look like?
Day 3: Mark 2:1–12 – What do you notice about forgiveness?
Day 4: Mark 4:35–41 – Jesus calms the storm. Where do you need peace?
Day 5: Mark 5:21–34 – The woman who reached out. What do you relate to?
Day 6: Mark 10:46–52 – Bartimaeus’ bold request. What would you ask Jesus?
Day 7: Mark 12:28–34 – The greatest commandments. How could this shape your week?

Each day: read, use S.A.L.T., and talk to God as you are.

Just Remember: You’re Not Late, You’re Invited

If no one has said this to you yet, let me say it clearly:

You are not “too late” to learn the Bible.
You are not “too old” to start again.
You are not “too behind” for God to speak to you.

Bible study for beginners in midlife is not about catching up. It’s about coming close.

So put the kettle on, pull your Bible out from the bottom of that stack, and let’s begin again — gently, honestly, together.

Until we chat again my dear friend, enjoy the process.

With Blessings and Hugs,

Dianne xx