The Bible is a big, thick book and studying it can seem overwhelming at first. Many people want to study the Bible, but may not know where or how to start. The most effective way to study or learn anything is to combine your personality, learning style, and lifestyle. The next few ideas are helpful in developing a plan of attack.

Step 1: Use a System
In the same way that it's easier to follow a recipe, road map, or the instructions that come along with Christmas gift's labeled "some assembly required", studying the Bible can seem a lot less daunting if you have a plan of attack. Find a system that has realistic goals, whether that be buying a study guide for a particular topic, using a guide that outlines reading through the Bible in a year, or picking a particular book and doing an in-depth study.

Step 2: Begin to Study
Once you choose a system, the next step is to follow the guide. Beginning to study the Bible will probably be harder to do than picking a system in Step 1, so try to find ways to personalize it, make it more enjoyable, and keep it from becoming tedious. Writing in the margins, journaling thoughts, and writing down questions are great ways to help hold your attention. Looking up the answers to your questions later, curiosity driven research, is also a great way to better remember and learn what you're studying.

Step 3: Go Deeper
If the ideas in Step 2 aren't enough to hold your interest and you're still looking for ways to make studying the Bible fresh, look for ways to add variety while still staying true to the plan you originally came up with in Step 1. Try using a couple of different versions of the Bible, using a concordance to look up key words, the looking up cross-references in a Study Bible, or searching for sermons or articles that relate to what you're studying, beyond what's included in the system you chose.

Step 4: Memorizing and Meditating
Meditating, reading portions out loud to yourself, and reminding yourself of verses throughout the day (whether that be by strategically place note cards, burning audio files onto a CD, or some other way) on scripture that you discover is a great way of memorizing parts of the Bible. As you do these things, try to imagine what your life will be like when the words of God are hidden in your heart and drawn to the surface of your life by the Holy Spirit.

The best way to truly learn and remember something is to study it for you, because you are interested in what you're researching and because you know it will directly benefit you. If you like some advice that comes your way, of course, take it and run with it! But don't let other's well-meaning ideas and comments side track you from the system you decide is best for you. And be sure to guard whatever time you set aside to study, even from other good things.