In this episode of the Summer Q&A Series, Nicole tackles one of the most common (and courageous!) questions: “I’ve never read the Bible cover to cover—where should I start?”

She breaks down practical, grace-filled strategies for reading the Bible in a way that actually works, offering insights for both new and seasoned believers. From choosing the right translation to dealing with confusing or difficult passages, Nicole empowers listeners to start reading with confidence and purpose. Whether you’ve felt overwhelmed, confused, or discouraged by Scripture in the past, this episode will give you a clear and doable way forward.

🧠 Main Takeaways


You’re Not Alone: Many faithful Christians have never read the whole Bible—and it’s never too late to start.


Don’t Start at Genesis (at least not right away): Many fall off around Leviticus. Instead, begin with:


Luke – A detailed and compassionate account of Jesus’s life


Acts – The story of the early church


Romans – A powerful explanation of the gospel


Then continue through the New Testament before tackling the Old Testament


Use a Study Bible: Even a basic study Bible can provide helpful context, intros, and notes for difficult passages.


Mark Your Progress: Write in your Bible, underline verses, and make notes—it can become a spiritual journal and legacy.


Don’t Get Stuck in the Weeds: Your first time reading is a flyover—aim for big-picture understanding, not perfection.


Psalms & Proverbs: Consider mixing in chapters of Psalms or Proverbs for encouragement and wisdom along the way.


Read With a Plan (or Not): Try chronological Bibles, one-year plans, or even 90-day “boot camps”—but always choose what fits you.


Give Yourself Grace: Falling behind is normal. Focus on steady progress, not perfect performance.

📜 Bible Verse References


Luke 1:1–4 – Introduction to the Gospel account


Acts 1:1–3 – Continuation of Luke’s writing, the story of the early church


Romans 1–16 – Understanding theology and Christian living


Psalm 139:13 – “You knit me together in my mother’s womb…”

Want More? Start Here: 


Subscribe to How to Study the Bible to follow the full Summer Q&A Series.


Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps others find the show.


Visitnicoleunice.com for Bible study tools and Nicole’s books.


Download a reading plan or grab a study Bible to get started today.


Share this episode with someone beginning their Bible reading journey.

Links & Resources


NicoleUnice.com – Bible study resources, books, and teaching


BibleStudyTools.com – Read and search Scripture online


Recommended Bible Translation for Beginners: New Living Translation (NLT)


Nicole’s Book: Brave Enough (includes Scripture promises for encouragement)


Explore past episodes for deep dives into Romans, James, and more.

In this episode of the&nbsp;Summer Q&amp;A Series, Nicole tackles one of the most common (and courageous!) questions: &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never read the Bible cover to cover&mdash;where should I start?&rdquo;
She breaks down practical, grace-filled strategies for reading the Bible in a way that actually works, offering insights for both new and seasoned believers. From choosing the right translation to dealing with confusing or difficult passages, Nicole empowers listeners to start reading with confidence and purpose. Whether you&rsquo;ve felt overwhelmed, confused, or discouraged by Scripture in the past, this episode will give you a clear and doable way forward.
<hr data-start="1226" data-end="1229">
🧠 Main Takeaways
<ul data-start="1254" data-end="2486">
<li data-start="1254" data-end="1370">
You&rsquo;re Not Alone: Many faithful Christians have never read the whole Bible&mdash;and it&rsquo;s never too late to start.
</li>
<li data-start="1371" data-end="1740">
Don&rsquo;t Start at Genesis (at least not right away): Many fall off around Leviticus. Instead, begin with:
<ul data-start="1482" data-end="1740">
<li data-start="1482" data-end="1549">
Luke &ndash; A detailed and compassionate account of Jesus&rsquo;s life
</li>
<li data-start="1552" data-end="1596">
Acts &ndash; The story of the early church
</li>
<li data-start="1599" data-end="1652">
Romans &ndash; A powerful explanation of the gospel
</li>
<li data-start="1655" data-end="1740">
Then continue through the New Testament before tackling the Old Testament
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li data-start="1741" data-end="1863">
Use a Study Bible: Even a basic study Bible can provide helpful context, intros, and notes for difficult passages.
</li>
<li data-start="1864" data-end="1991">
Mark Your Progress: Write in your Bible, underline verses, and make notes&mdash;it can become a spiritual journal and legacy.
</li>
<li data-start="1992" data-end="2121">
Don&rsquo;t Get Stuck in the Weeds: Your first time reading is a flyover&mdash;aim for big-picture understanding, not perfection.
</li>
<li data-start="2122" data-end="2242">
Psalms &amp; Proverbs: Consider mixing in chapters of Psalms or Proverbs for encouragement and wisdom along the way.
</li>
<li data-start="2243" data-end="2382">
Read With a Plan (or Not): Try chronological Bibles, one-year plans, or even 90-day &ldquo;boot camps&rdquo;&mdash;but always choose what fits you.
</li>
<li data-start="2383" data-end="2486">
Give Yourself Grace: Falling behind is normal. Focus on steady progress, not perfect performance.
</li>
</ul>
<hr data-start="2488" data-end="2491">
📜 Bible Verse References
<ul data-start="2524" data-end="3112">
<li data-start="2524" data-end="2658">
Luke 1:1&ndash;4 &ndash; Introduction to the Gospel account
</li>
<li data-start="2659" data-end="2820">
Acts 1:1&ndash;3 &ndash; Continuation of Luke&rsquo;s writing, the story of the early church
</li>
<li data-start="2821" data-end="2961">
Romans 1&ndash;16 &ndash; Understanding theology and Christian living
</li>
<li data-start="2962" data-end="3112">
Psalm 139:13 &ndash; &ldquo;You knit me together in my mother&rsquo;s womb&hellip;&rdquo;
</li>
</ul>
Want More? Start Here:&nbsp;
<ul data-start="3150" data-end="3572">
<li data-start="3150" data-end="3233">
Subscribe to How to Study the Bible to follow the full Summer Q&amp;A Series.
</li>
<li data-start="3234" data-end="3316">
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify&mdash;it helps others find the show.
</li>
<li data-start="3317" data-end="3419">
Visit <a href="https://www.nicoleunice.com" data-start="3329" data-end="3375">nicoleunice.com</a> for Bible study tools and Nicole&rsquo;s books.
</li>
<li data-start="3420" data-end="3495">
Download a reading plan or grab a study Bible to get started today.
</li>
<li data-start="3496" data-end="3572">
Share this episode with someone beginning their Bible reading journey.
</li>
</ul>
<hr data-start="3574" data-end="3577">
Links &amp; Resources
<ul data-start="3614" data-end="4042">
<li data-start="3614" data-end="3709">
<a href="https://www.nicoleunice.com" data-start="3616" data-end="3662">NicoleUnice.com</a> &ndash; Bible study resources, books, and teaching
</li>
<li data-start="3710" data-end="3803">
<a href="https://www.biblestudytools.com" data-start="3712" data-end="3766">BibleStudyTools.com</a> &ndash; Read and search Scripture online
</li>
<li data-start="3804" data-end="3887">
Recommended Bible Translation for Beginners: New Living Translation (NLT)
</li>
<li data-start="3888" data-end="3973">
Nicole&rsquo;s Book: <a href="https://nicoleunice.com/brave-enough/">Brave Enough</a> (includes Scripture promises for encouragement)
</li>
<li data-start="3974" data-end="4042">
Explore past episodes for deep dives into Romans, James, and more.
</li>
</ul>

As Christians, we want to experience God through the Bible… we really do!

But our good intentions fall flat when reading the Bible just doesn’t seem to help us experience God in a real way. What should feel dynamic and important and alive often feels confusing and boring and irrelevant. But it doesn’t have to feel this way.

In this bible study podcast, pastor and Bible teacher Nicole Unice brings life back to reading the Bible by walking listeners through her Alive Method of Bible study, helping us personally encounter God through His Word by giving us a practical, clear road map for understanding, interpreting and applying Scripture to our lives. 

Topics covered in this podcast:

💡 Three Common Obstacles to Understanding the Bible
💡The Basics of Bible Study (Observation, Interpretation) and How to Apple the Bible to Your Life
💡Deep Dive into Bible Studies by Books of the Bible (We've covered Ecclesiastes, Romans, Matthew, and more!)
💡 Topical Bible study lessons on Joy, Contentment, Prayer and more
💡 Spiritual Rhythms: Creating New Rhythms in Your Life
💡 4 Principles You Need to Interpret Difficult Scripture

To find more from Nicole, visit https://nicoleunice.com/.

As Christians, we want to experience God through the Bible… we really do! But our good intentions fall flat when reading the Bible just doesn’t seem to help us experience God in a real way. What should feel dynamic and important and alive often feels confusing and boring and irrelevant. But it doesn’t have to feel this way. In this bible study podcast, pastor and Bible teacher Nicole Unice brings life back to reading the Bible by walking listeners through her Alive Method of Bible study, helping us personally encounter God through His Word by giving us a practical, clear road map for understanding, interpreting and applying Scripture to our lives. 
Topics covered in this podcast:
💡 Three Common Obstacles to Understanding the Bible 💡The Basics of Bible Study (Observation, Interpretation) and How to Apple the Bible to Your Life 💡Deep Dive into Bible Studies by Books of the Bible (We've covered Ecclesiastes, Romans, Matthew, and more!) 💡 Topical Bible study lessons on Joy, Contentment, Prayer and more 💡 Spiritual Rhythms: Creating New Rhythms in Your Life 💡 4 Principles You Need to Interpret Difficult Scripture
To find more from Nicole, visit <a href="https://nicoleunice.com/">https://nicoleunice.com/</a>.

How to Study the Bible - Bible Study Made Simple

As Christians, we want to experience God through the Bible… we really do!

But our good intentions fall flat when reading the Bible just doesn’t seem to help us experience God in a real way. What should feel dynamic and important and alive often feels confusing and boring and irrelevant. But it doesn’t have to feel this way.

In this bible study podcast, pastor and Bible teacher Nicole Unice brings life back to reading the Bible by walking listeners through her Alive Method of Bible study, helping us personally encounter God through His Word by giving us a practical, clear road map for understanding, interpreting and applying Scripture to our lives. 

Topics covered in this podcast:

💡 Common Obstacles to Understanding the Bible
💡The Basics of Bible Study (Observation, Interpretation) and How to Apple the Bible to Your Life
💡Deep Dive into Bible Studies by Books of the Bible (We've covered Ecclesiastes, Romans, Matthew, and more!)
💡 Topical Bible Study Lessons on Joy, Contentment, Prayer and More
💡 Spiritual Rhythms: Creating New Rhythms in Your Life
💡 Principles You Need to Interpret Difficult Scripture

To find more from Nicole, visit https://nicoleunice.com/.

As Christians, we want to experience God through the Bible… we really do! But our good intentions fall flat when reading the Bible just doesn’t seem to help us experience God in a real way. What should feel dynamic and important and alive often feels confusing and boring and irrelevant. But it doesn’t have to feel this way. In this bible study podcast, pastor and Bible teacher Nicole Unice brings life back to reading the Bible by walking listeners through her Alive Method of Bible study, helping us personally encounter God through His Word by giving us a practical, clear road map for understanding, interpreting and applying Scripture to our lives. 
Topics covered in this podcast:
💡 Common Obstacles to Understanding the Bible 💡The Basics of Bible Study (Observation, Interpretation) and How to Apple the Bible to Your Life 💡Deep Dive into Bible Studies by Books of the Bible (We've covered Ecclesiastes, Romans, Matthew, and more!) 💡 Topical Bible Study Lessons on Joy, Contentment, Prayer and More 💡 Spiritual Rhythms: Creating New Rhythms in Your Life 💡 Principles You Need to Interpret Difficult Scripture
To find more from Nicole, visit <a href="https://nicoleunice.com/">https://nicoleunice.com/</a>.

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