Some days, I open my Bible and have no idea what I’m about to walk into.
A drama? A thriller? A soap opera involving a family that could really use some boundaries? A chapter of family lineage where I’m doing my best with the pronunciation?
Other days, it’s poetry that meets me right where I am—or a passage that feels like a handbook for polishing the gems within.
There is a lot happening in these pages. And I’ll be honest: when I first committed to reading Scripture regularly, I was a little skeptical.
Would I understand it? Where was I supposed to start? What were these verses trying to tell me?
I’m still learning. Some days, I finish reading with more questions than answers. But I’m beginning to see how valuable it is to keep showing up.
A Lesson Passed Along
At Going Beyond Live, Priscilla Shirer shared a way of studying Scripture that a mentor had passed on to her: the five Ps.
That detail stayed with me. Someone invested in her understanding, and now she is helping others approach the Bible with greater confidence. It’s a beautiful example of what can happen when we share what we’ve been given.
Her explanation also helped me understand why a familiar passage can resonate differently in different seasons.
Something I barely noticed before might catch my attention when I’m navigating uncertainty, raising my boys, or facing a difficult decision. The passage has its own meaning and context, but my circumstances can help me recognize an application I hadn’t considered.
The five Ps give me a way to slow down and ask:
“What are You telling me, God—and how will I respond?”
Here’s how I’m learning to put them into practice.
1. Position Yourself to Hear from God
Make room to listen.
Maybe that means sitting in your office, settling into a comfortable reading chair, or finding a quiet corner before everyone wakes up.
If you have little ones, it might involve closing a door and hoping you get a few minutes before someone needs a snack. 😊
As a working mom of two boys, uninterrupted quiet takes some planning. But I can begin by putting my phone aside, pausing my mental checklist, and offering a simple prayer:
God, help me understand what I’m reading. Open my heart to what You want to teach me.
I’m learning that showing up with an attentive heart is something I can practice, even when the house is still noisy.
2. Pore Over the Passage
Read it. Read it again. Read it slowly.
Priscilla also encourages paraphrasing the main points—putting what we’ve read into our own words.
This challenges the part of me that likes checking things off a list.
Read the chapter? Done. Next task.
But sometimes I need to stay with a few verses long enough to understand what is happening. Who is speaking? Who are they speaking to? What came before this moment?
And if I’m confused, I can ask for help, read the notes, or bring the question to Bible study. Being a beginner gives me plenty of opportunities to do all three.
3. Pull Out the Spiritual Principles
Once I understand more of the passage, I can begin identifying what it teaches.
What does it reveal about God? Is there a command to follow, a warning to consider, or an example of faithfulness?
Reading regularly has helped me notice recurring patterns: people receive guidance, become distracted, try to take control, experience consequences, and turn back to God.
At first, it’s easy to wonder why they keep repeating themselves.
Then I think about how many times I’ve needed the same reminder.
That usually brings a little humility into the reading.
4. Pose the Question
This is where the reflection gets personal.
Am I actually living out the principle I just identified?
If I’m reading about trust, where am I still trying to control every outcome?
If I’m reading about stewardship, how am I using my time and gifts?
If I’m reading about patience, what does that look like when I’m tired, running late, and the boys have their own plans?
Sometimes my response is:
Okay, God. I get it.
Then comes the harder question:
If I get it, why am I still struggling to follow through?
I’m learning to sit with that honestly and ask for the grace to respond.
5. Plan Obedience—and Pin Down a Date
This is the step that brings the lesson into daily life.
What will I do with what I’ve learned? When will I begin?
Maybe I need to apologize, follow through on a commitment, help someone, or make room for prayer before reaching for my phone.
My corporate brain appreciates an action plan. We can spend an entire meeting discussing an opportunity, but eventually someone has to ask: Who is doing what, and by when?
I can bring that same intention to my spiritual growth.
Understanding patience is a beginning. Practicing it during tomorrow’s morning routine is where I have an opportunity to grow.
The five Ps above are adapted from Priscilla Shirer’s Bible study guidance through Going Beyond Ministries.
Still a Rookie, Still Showing Up
I’m noticing a connection to so much of what we learn about growth: invest time, identify a commitment, take action, and build discipline through practice.
In my faith, that also means relying on God’s grace and remaining willing to be taught.
Daily reading is helping me recognize patterns in Scripture and in myself. The desire for control. The hesitation to obey. The reassurance of God’s faithfulness. The invitation to begin again.
It also reminds me that we each have gifts to contribute as we share Christ’s love and participate in His mission. What we learn can shape how we parent, work, lead, and care for the people around us.
That’s what I hope we continue building through Lion’s Gem: a community willing to learn, ask honest questions, and put faith into practice as we Grow, Elevate, and Multiply.
This week, I’m asking myself:
What have I already understood that I’m ready to start living?
Maybe that’s a question we can bring into our reading together.
Lord, give me an attentive heart, understanding as I read, and humility when I need guidance. Help me follow through on what You teach me. Let Your Word shape how I love and serve each day. Amen.
Part two of my reflections from Going Beyond Live with Priscilla Shirer. Next, I look forward to sharing more about testimonies and the power of prayer.
