Small Habits, Stronger Faith: The Story Behind JW Habits

Staying consistent with Bible reading, personal study, and meeting preparation isn’t always easy. Even with the best intentions, our spiritual routines can sometimes fall behind.

Lorenzo experienced this challenge himself, which inspired him to create JW Habits, an app designed to help brothers and sisters build consistent spiritual routines through reminders, habit tracking, and motivation.

I interviewed Lorenzo and his wife, Nastasja, about the story behind the app, the challenges of developing it, and their advice for building lasting spiritual habits.

Meet Lorenzo and Nastasja

Tell us a little about yourselves. Where are you from, and what do you do?

We live in a small town in Germany. I first met Nastasja when she visited my hometown of Cologne for a ministry day.

We married in 2019 and have been serving in our current congregation since 2023.

I’m an IT engineer and enjoy creating useful apps in my free time. Nastasja works in the public sector and serves as a regular pioneer.

Our Chihuahua, Chewie, completes our little family.

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The Story Behind JW Habits

How did the idea for JW Habits come about?

Two things came together.

I’ve always struggled (and sometimes still do) with staying consistent in spiritual habits like daily Bible reading and meeting preparation.

At the same time, I regularly use habit tracker apps for fitness, nutrition, and other goals. I thought, “Why don’t I use a habit tracker for the most important aspect of daily life?”

I searched the App Store but couldn’t find anything that met my expectations. Most apps looked clumsy or offered only one main feature.

That’s when I thought: “Let’s create it! If I need it, there are probably other brothers and sisters around the world who would like to use it too.”

How long did it take to develop and launch the app?

I like launching an “MVP” (Minimum Viable Product) to get early feedback and see whether there’s demand for an idea.

From the initial idea to launching version 1.0 in November 2025, it took about two months. The first version looked different and included only basic habit tracking, streaks, and the “Faith House.”

What makes JW Habits different from other habit-tracking apps?

It’s built around our specific needs as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Bible reading, meeting preparation and personal study are part of how the app is designed.

Then there are weekly challenges and the optional social features, which many general habit trackers don’t have. You can connect with friends, see what they’ve completed, and join Streak Challenges to encourage each other.

I wanted to create something that feels familiar to brothers and sisters and fits the routines we’re actually trying to build.

Can you explain what the Faith House feature is and how it works?

The Faith House is a visual way to see your progress. As you complete habits and collect points, your house develops step by step.

I liked the idea of building something through small, regular efforts. You do a little today, a little tomorrow, and over time you can see a difference. It gives you something to work towards and a little extra motivation to keep going.

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Behind the Scenes

What was the biggest challenge while developing JW Habits?

Keeping a clear vision of how the app should look and feel.

At first, you focus on features and functionality. But as you add more, it’s easy to lose sight of the user experience, especially for someone opening the app for the first time.

When you develop an app yourself, you know exactly how everything works. Seeing it from a new user’s perspective is much harder.

Another challenge has been getting people to discover the app. I don’t enjoy traditional, aggressive marketing because it doesn’t reflect the spirit I want for JW Habits.

But development has ongoing costs, so I need to charge a small amount and reach potential users.Finding that balance isn’t easy.

Who usually comes up with the ideas, and who says, “That’s impossible!”?

We both come up with ideas, but Nastasja is usually the one suggesting something that makes me say, “That’s impossible!”

After thinking about it, I often find a way to make it work, and it turns out to be a great idea.

The social feature, for example, was her idea. It was challenging to develop, but we made it happen.

Nastasja, what inspired you to suggest the social feature?

It’s often easier to keep going when you know you’re not doing it alone. We already encourage one another in so many parts of our spiritual life. So I thought, “Why not include that in the app?”

You can connect with friends, see which habits they’ve completed, and join Streak Challenges together. It’s optional, and the idea is simply to motivate each other. Sometimes seeing that a friend has already done their Bible reading is the little reminder you need yourself.

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Building Better Spiritual Habits

How can JW Habits help someone stay consistent with Bible reading and personal study?

The most important requirement is genuinely wanting to improve your spiritual habits. If you have that desire, JW Habits can help in several ways.

First, you can set reminders and notifications for activities like Bible reading. You can also build streaks and collect points by completing tasks. On difficult days, even the thought of “not losing my precious streak” can motivate you. It’s a simple but effective way to trick our brains.

The social feature where you can see what your friends have completed and join Streak Challenges to encourage one another.

JW Habits includes other ways to stay motivated, too. I think there’s something for everyone.

Who do you think would benefit most from using JW Habits?

Especially people who want to improve their spiritual routine but struggle to stay consistent. That was me, and sometimes it still is.

I think it can also help if you like having some structure or seeing your progress. You don’t need to have a great routine already. Start with one habit and see whether the app helps you keep going.

What should someone set up first after downloading the app?

Start with your most important routines and discover what works for you.

For example, begin with daily Bible reading and turn on notifications. If that works well, add personal study or create your own habits.

You don’t need to use every feature right away.

Nastasja, how do you balance regular pioneering, work, and your spiritual routine? Has JW Habits helped you?

I don’t always manage to balance everything perfectly. I try to keep my plans realistic and make time for my own spiritual routine alongside work and pioneering.

JW Habits helps me keep an overview and reminds me of the things I wanted to do. I also like seeing the small things I’ve already completed, especially when a day feels very full. Sometimes you’ve done more than you think.

Has developing JW Habits strengthened your own spiritual routine?

Yes and no.

Whenever I fix a problem or develop a new feature, I have to test it on my phone. Reinstalling the app often deletes my progress. Still, developing JW Habits means I regularly use it, so it has helped, just not in the way I’d like.

That should change once I get a dedicated iPhone for development.

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This or That

	Lorenzo	Nastasja
Morning or evening study?	Evening	Morning
Digital or printed Bible?	Digital	Digital
Coffee or tea?	Coffee	Coffee
Digital notes or pen and paper?	Digital	Digital
Quiet room or coffee shop?	Quiet room	Quiet room
Plan everything or go with the flow?	Plan everything	Go with the flow

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Personal Thoughts on Spiritual Routines

What spiritual habits have helped you stay close to Jehovah?

For me, personal study projects are the most important. They build the foundation of faith that everything else rests on.

Making time for prayer also helps me maintain a personal connection with Jehovah and feel better.

Nastasja, which spiritual habit has made the biggest difference in your relationship with Jehovah?

For me, it’s prayer. Being able to talk to Jehovah about what’s on my mind helps me feel close to him, especially when I’m worried or have a lot to do.

I also try to remember the things I can thank him for. It’s easy to focus on everything that still needs to be done and forget how much good there already is in your life.

What advice would you give someone who struggles with consistency in personal study?

We often imagine the “perfect” routine: reading the Bible at the same time every day, with a clear mind, and never missing a habit. But that’s not realistic for most of us.

We want to give our best, not achieve perfection. If you struggle with consistency, start small. That might mean shorter study sessions or exploring a topic in less depth.

Just start and see how it affects your life.

Nastasja, what helps you return to your spiritual routine when life gets busy?

I try not to wait until everything is calm again. There will always be something to do. Usually I start with something small, like reading a few verses or taking time for a prayer.

For me, the important thing is to start again, even if the day doesn’t look the way I planned. Missing a day doesn’t mean I have to give up on the whole routine.

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What’s Next for JW Habits?

What exciting features or projects are you currently working on?

I’m working on a major upgrade to the Bible Reading Plan feature. I don’t want to spoil too much, but it will address questions like “Where do I start?” and “What should I read?”

It will be a real game changer for daily Bible reading and personal study, so stay tuned!

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One Last Thought

If you could share one message with everyone trying to build better spiritual habits, what would it be?

“Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26)

This applies to our spiritual habits, too. We need to reflect on them and make improvements because they form the foundation of our spiritual life.

If you want to improve your habits, you’ve already taken the first step. Now it’s time to act. Find what works for you. If JW Habits helps, we’re happy to be part of that. But there are many other ways to build good routines.

Just don’t give up 🙂