"But I don't know Greek!" you may say - fear not, studying doesn't always mean delving into ancient words, and when it does, there are plenty of resources in English, Spanish, French and others that can help you without you having to learn all the nitty gritty of dead languages. Occasionally a grasp of what a particular word means in the Bible can give you a better understanding of a passage, especially when the "plain reading" in your preferred translation is obtuse or controversial. But most of the time you'll find that your native translation and some good commentaries are all that's needed to understand, even on a deeper level of study. (If you want to learn Greek or Hebrew, we certainly encourage you to do so - just not now.)
So how do we recommend you study? First, you will probably already have a few leads written (in your Mining section) from your previous reading. If there are Scripture passages there, we recommend you start with those, as some of the other questions you may have could be answered just by a further reading in Scripture, but if a particular topic or question is burning in your heart feel free to study that first. Look Scripture passages up first in a translation you are comfortable with (as an aside, this first reading should use an actual translation, not a paraphrase such as the Living Bible or the Message - the reason being that these are written with the author's having decided what the passage means for you, and we are attempting to do that work ourselves) and read the section mentioned. However, don't stop there. Look at context - read before and after the passage to understand why the passage was written and what points the author is trying to make. Try reading it in a different translation to see what words could have a different feel than you initially considered, or in a paraphrase to see how others think about the passage. Consider the style in which it was written - is this book a history? A letter? (and if so, to who and why?) A poem? Remember that (other than Psalms which are individual songs) most of the Bible had chapters and verses (and much of the punctuation, in fact) added by translators many years later, so just because a chapter ends doesn't mean it's the end of a thought. (Ephesians has some good examples of this.) Who wrote this and for what purpose?
It's likely that as you do this reading, you'll run across questions you can't answer. Write those down in Mining. You may also find yourself wondering about things that don't seem really on topic - that's fine, write those in Mining as well. Some people may find it helpful to mark "rabbit trails" with a different symbol than the on-topic things they are studying, so they can come back to them later.
When you're finished with all you can do for this passage at this level, it's time to go deeper - to look for answers to the questions you have, and to seek meaning you may have missed or clarifications to difficult verses. It's time to look at what other seekers of God have found.
First, go for commentaries. Many of the most famous commentaries are in public domain and can be found online or even in an app on your phone. Start with any that are older and considered "classic", especially those endorsed by any denomination that you associate yourself with - it's good to know what has been believed the longest, and what those you love are most likely to believe. This is a good place to start because it's best to have a baseline - then when you read further opinions you can say to yourself "ah, this person leans more away from what has been believed in the past" or "oh, this person agrees with what has been said before" etc.
Try to have an open mind, however do be careful not to discount ideas simply because they are "old" - remember that that means that many before you have evaluated these things as being true. By the same token, don't ignore every "new" idea - many of the older commentaries have biases from their culture above what is merely seen in Scripture, and newer ideas are more likely to take that into account. Also, keep in mind that you have your own bias as well - continually pray for an open heart and mind, and for wisdom and discernment in your study!
We are not proponents of any practice which leads to the inevitable conclusion that God must think the same way you do, such as "reading into" Scripture the feelings and thoughts that you already have about a topic. Some of that is going to happen due to your natural biases, but try to guard against it. We are here to learn as seekers of Truth, even if we dislike what that Truth may be.
After commentaries, you may want to search for articles from theological journals or magazines, blog posts from persons who have studied the topic (be careful to get varying viewpoints so as not to fall into a feedback loop of your own opinion), and even sometimes dig into the Greek/Hebrew texts to find exact meanings of words that seem vital to understanding. Or you may be ready to move on. Remember, although learning is a vital part of the process, this is a church service, not a seminary class. The goal of this section is to find out what God is saying to you, and find as many avenues that He can speak in as possible. Ideally, you'll come out of this section with a clear idea of what God is saying to you today - whether this is a call to action by itself, a simple "pay attention" to a problem around you or in you, or a message of God's hope and love (for you or another).
One more note and then we'll also move on: don't expect to answer every question. God is Other. He is not you; He is beyond your understanding. He reveals Himself to us, but on Earth you will never fully understand God, just as your adoring pet can love you but never fully understand why you insist upon vet appointments. Our task is not to fully understand (though we can try!), but to Love, as we are Loved. Leave room in your heart for the mysteries of God.