Growing up, I thought the Bible was a real snoozer. I had no idea it contained the living, breathing Word of God. The only Good Book I had ever seen was my great-grandmother’s original King James Bible, the 1611 version, and it put me to sleep. I didn’t know why Jesus was so important, but I had an inward longing to know God, so I’d pick up that cracked blue leather Bible with crinkled pages and read page one of Genesis...

...until drowsiness overtook me. Then I’d put that antique Bible back on the shelf until next time. I read the first chapter of Genesis about fifteen times as a teen, but that was as far as I got.

When I came to faith as a college student, I discovered the power of God’s Word. Reading a modern translation, I began to understand God’s love for me. As a desperate young mom years later, I discovered that God’s Word gave me peace and encouragement. When I began to parent teens, I learned God’s Word imparted wisdom and strength. In today’s world, against the backdrop of grim headlines in the news, I find hope on its pages. I find joy that sustains me in my weak moments.

To be honest, some days I roll my eyes as I open my Bible with thoughts like these: “I’ve read this passage so many times; there’s no way I can learn anything new from it.” But the Bible surprises me. It speaks to me every time I open it. God’s Word is alive and active because the Holy Spirit brings it to life. Even when I’m reading a passage for the tenth time.

The Bible is a living book with a timeless message. The more we read it, the more God’s words get into us. We get to know God better. We find wisdom and guidance for how to deal with our crazy lives. We find peace for our troubled times and hope for our hard moments.

There are certain books of the Bible that we need to read over and over. Here are 10 of them