The Quiet Time Kickstart

Sinclair B. Ferguson

We’d all love to be one of those model Christians who enjoy their hour-long daily workout of Bible study and prayer. But the reality is that many of us find it difficult to spend even a brief, unhurried time meditating on God’s word and praying. And we can’t go from spiritual couch potato to the Bible-reading equivalent of an Olympic weightlifter overnight. It takes time. Perhaps a personal trainer would help... Enter Rachel Jones. In her eminently sensible approach and with a quietly-optimistic-but-not-in-an-overpowering-way spirit, she guides us through a simple and do-able programme of Bible study and prayer. The Quiet Time Kickstart lasts only six weeks; the spiritual habits it helps us develop can last for a lifetime.

Tim Chester

The living God has spoken to us in the Bible, and he continues to speak to us through the Bible. But starting to read the Bible can be a bit daunting. The good news is that The Quiet Time Kickstart walks you through the process, building up your confidence along the way. It does this not by talking about the Bible but by helping you to actually read the Bible for yourself. Rachel Jones doesn’t assume that you know a lot of theology, but neither does she talk down to you. It’s a great little guide to help you put in place some great lifelong habits.

“Excellent Guide”

This short, simple Bible study is perfect for people who want to develop a daily Bible reading habit, but don't know where to start. There are lots of books available about how to read the Bible, but this one jumps right into the process, helping people learn by doing. Rachel Jones structured this book to allow people to develop skills and build on them over time, starting with very short assigned readings, and then gradually expanding into longer readings, more complex passages, and more interpretation and application questions.

"The Quiet Time Kickstart" involves three and a half weeks of studying 1 Thessalonians, half a week of 2 Thessalonians, a week of studying Ruth, and week that introduces readers to the beginning of Mark, before leaving them with an eight-week reading plan for making their way through the rest of that book on their own. I appreciate how this book starts out with a simple, easy-to-apply New Testament letter to help people gain skills and confidence, and then helps them transfer those skills to more complex books and different genres.

This is a great guide for people who want to learn how to study the Bible, or who want to get back into it after a lapse. This guide helps people get straight into studying Scripture, instead of just reading about studying Scripture, and it is bite-sized and manageable, even for people with limited time and short attention spans. This book is a great on-ramp for adults and teens who want to start reading the Bible, helping them build the skills and discipline to study Scripture on their own.

<i>I received a free copy from the publisher, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.</i>

“Practical and encouraging”

This is perfect for somebody who is looking to make a habit of reading the Bible everyday. This would especially be useful for somebody who is a new believer and is looking for tools on how to start reading the Bible.
Jones starts off with a smaller section of verses to read which grows each week. This is a great way to start building a habit and not being overwhelmed day one. She also has a five day reading plan each week, so if you do miss any days you can make those up over the weekend. If you are caught up, then she has suggestions for rereading the sections covered.
Initially, you will start in 1 Thessalonians, then you will be guided through 2 Thessalonians and then through Ruth. These are all shorter books in the Bible so you are able to cover them in the first five weeks. For the final week, you will go through Mark 1. From there, Jones provides a reading plan for you to continue to read through Mark over the next 8 weeks. 
This guide is very practical and has great notes built in such as resources for finding historical information or words to look out for when studying. I find the notes to be encouraging and useful for diving deeper into the Bible.
I would recommend this book to anybody who is looking to take the step and start reading the Bible regularly.

“Great for giving to teens”

I think this devotional is great way to get started on the healthy habit of reading daily. Would be a great gift for a teen.
Short passages to read everyday, explanation, application of main thought, and a prayer. There are margins on the side to make own notes. Nothing overwhelming or tedious!

“Great Resource to Get Back to Ready Your Bible Regulary”

In this concise book, Rachel Jones does a great job of guiding readers on how to have a daily quiet time. She doesn't just provide theological context for the importance of reading the Scriptures but also shares practical tips and insights along the way.

Each day, you read a few verses along with a short explanation and prayer about a ten-—to fifteen-minute time commitment. Walking through 1 and 2 Thessalonians ( along with Ruth and parts of Mark), Rachel Jones shows how, by doing a little each day, over time, we can work through whole books of the Bible.

I would recommend this book for teenagers, college students, young professionals, and new believers specifically, as it doesn't overwhelm or place lofty expectations on quiet time. For seasoned saints who have grown complacent or apathetic in their daily quiet time, this book would be beneficial for getting back on the right track.