How I Built A Reading Plan From Zero And Stuck To It

Faith
Written By Ashley Tare

Most of us understand that nothing sells better than a good story. But have you ever wondered why? I would argue it’s because words are, in fact, spiritual things.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3, ESV)

Language isn't decor for reality. It is reality. God didn't build the world with a hammer. He spoke it into being. He called Himself the Word. He became the Word made flesh. And if words are how God reveals Himself, then what you feed your mind through words is not a neutral activity. It is forming you in a spiritual way.

We are always being formed by story.

The question then is: who or what is doing the forming?

I started thinking about the stories I was entertaining. From my upbringing, my culture, my newsfeed. What kind of person have they shaped me into? Was I choosing or absorbing them? Somewhere along the way I picked up the idea that reading becomes one way you pick the story on purpose.

I’ve spent the past year unpacking that idea. It started with a desire to grow. In my faith. In my marriage. In my motherhood. And I began to see the underlying stories I was taking in came mostly from my phone usage.

How was my addiction to my phone tanking my spiritual disciplines?

The days I doom scrolled also became days I couldn’t sit with Scripture. I couldn’t pray for 10 minutes. I couldn’t sit long enough to process my thoughts. I left scrolling sessions feeling the opposite of rested. Was I okay with that? I honestly didn’t know if I had it in me to stop. But I decided to take my attention back, find healthier ways to rest, be more present with my kids, and have more influence over the stories shaping me. And so began my experiment to spend less time on my phone and more time reading good books. 

I used to coach people professionally, and I know if you want to build a successful growth plan, you need pathways for gaining knowledge and building skill. Skill requires time under mentorship and opportunities to learn from failure, which was unrealistic while in the thick of postpartum with my third child. But reading I could do.

I wasn’t an avid reader when I started. My attention span was competing with short-form videos I was addicted to watching. We often think we just need more discipline to stop a bad habit and begin a better one. But I’ve learned from James K.A. Smith in his book You Are What You Love, it’s our habits that shape what we love. And what we love becomes who we are.

I didn’t need more willpower. I needed to retrain my affections.

And that takes time. Most plans fail before they start because people often skip this part. I pushed through with the plan by starting with what I already loved reading about rather than what I thought I should be reading about.

If you want to grow in 2027 and choose the stories that form you, here’s what I’d do:

Choose your areas, choose your books, and choose your rhythm.

Choose Your Areas

Think about the specific areas you want to grow in. Faith, marriage, fatherhood or motherhood, health, finances. What is it for you? Write it down and start with the one that matters most.

Choose Your Books

Read old books and read widely. Choose books that have stood the test of time. C.S. Lewis makes a case that every generation is blind in the same places at the same time. His antidote is that for every new book you read, pick up an old one next. And vary your genre. If you prefer non-fiction, add classic fiction to your list. If you only read theology, add something more practical for the next read. Some books hold a mirror to your own life. Others open a window into someone else's. Read both.

This doesn’t have to be a habit that breaks the bank. When choosing books, check out used bookstores, thriftbooks, or borrow from your local library.

Choose Your Rhythm

Maybe reading for 15 minutes a day is sustainable. Add it to your existing morning or evening routine. Do you wait in a car line for your kids? Add it then. Do you enjoy audio books? Listen on your commute to work, while you rock your baby to sleep, or while you clean. You can’t create more time, but you can stack reading habits with rhythms already in place.

Here’s the thing. The person who never misses isn't running on willpower. They're running on something they grew to love.

If you want to stick to your reading plan, read books you enjoy. Read for delight as much as for growth. When you find an author you love, read more of their books. When a book mentions another book, add it to your list. You're allowed to put a book down, read something else, and come back to it later. Read out loud with your kids at breakfast, dinner, or bedtime.

Let your thoughts linger on good books, characters that inspire you, and storylines that resonate with you.

What started as an experiment has changed me in ways I wasn’t expecting. It’s helped lessen my ADHD symptoms as I feed my mind in healthier ways. My children are watching me spend less time scrolling and more time getting lost in good stories with them. It’s helped me sit still long enough to enjoy reading the Word of God. And it’s helped me choose the stories I’m being formed by.

I worked most of this out at the table with MJ on our podcast. He was watching this happen from the outside, and he caught what I couldn’t see. It’s a 3-part series.

If you don’t know what book to start with, grab my list or try one of these: 

For the moms wanting to read with others:

What about you? Pick your area, choose one book, and start with 10 pages tonight.

Mentioned in this Post:

John 1:1-3, English Standard Version. (Blue Letter Bible)

C.S. Lewis, introduction to On the Incarnation by Athanasius, translated by Sister Penelope Lawson. Also published as the essay "On the Reading of Old Books." (PDF)

James K.A. Smith, You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit, Brazos Press, 2016. (Baker Publishing Group)

Ashley Tare
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When Your Strength Becomes the Problem