Search Results for: Study bible

Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children

February 1, 2018 By Michelle

Bible study and prayer books fill sections of christian book stores. Most of the time, I can pass right over them all. This is not because I don’t need help and additional insight, oh no! But I find that too often we rely mostly on our own words, and miss the beauty, simplicity and completeness of the actual Words of God.

”Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children” by Jodie Berndt is a tool that is just the kind of prayer book that I keep on my study shelf. A copy of “Praying the Scriptures” has been with my Bible and prayer journal for 2 months, as I find fresh inspiration i praying for my kids. Of the 6, four are now “adults” and the other two are 15 and 17. It is a fuzzy line between teen and adult and I find many of the prayer topics covered in this book can be combined into the prayer for each of my kids.

Many times, as I do my daily readings, I find words to pray directly in the passage. Other times, when there is a need, or a topic I want to take to the Father, I fumble in my words. It is a gift to have this book at my finger tips, and as you can tell, I am praying through different topics and scriptures at this time.

I am thankful to Handlebar Publishing for this ARC of Praying the Scriptures for Your Children, in exchange for this review and blog post.

Unwrapping the Names of Jesus, An Advent Devotion

January 18, 2018 By Michelle

Do you find it funny to find a post about an advent devotion on the blog this week? I heard that the beginning of Lent is nearly here, but…

A couple of years ago I received, in ebook form, Unwrapping the Names of Jesus by Asheritah Ciuciu. This advent devotion is so good, and I am thrilled to have a hardback print copy of the book now.

The table of contents is divided by weeks and days, rather than by chapters, in keeping with the rhythm of Advent observance. And there are “activities” for each week. One thing I love about this devotion is that each item, while quite simple, is deeply satisfying or stirring. Depending on where the reader is in their own journey, one can take the devotions simply, or dig deeper. I find the Christmas season can be very hectic and over stimulating, so I am particularly thankful for the simplicity of Unwrapping the Names of Jesus.

Unwrapping the Names of Jesus is an advent devotion, but don’t let that limit you! I am keeping this book in the short stack with my Bible. Each devotion is short, but steeped in rich exposition of Biblical passages. There are more Scriptures listed for each devotion, for deeper study. Once a week or so, I will be pulling this book off the stack to continue reading and pondering the character of Jesus through His names, through the winter months.

For some years now, I’ve read the author’s blog, One Thing Alone, and greatly appreciate Asheritah’s love for God’s Word and His people.

This copy of Unwrapping the Names of Jesus was sent to my by Moody Publishing in exchange for this review.

Included in Christ, The Thrilling Message of Ephesians

November 16, 2017 By Michelle

Included in Christ by Heather Holleman is a Bible study that I recently began. this study is different from any study I’ve done on the past and I sense that the Lord is answering a long awaited prayer. Some years ago I shared here on the blog some about my past. Those posts have been taken down, as the healing and growth in my life has continued.

As that healing and growth have continued I have struggled with my identity. I have Struggled to no longer identify as only a survivor. But I haven’t known what that would look like. Over the course of the last two months two books have arrived in the mail that are gently leading me, showing me what my identity is. Isn’t that just how the Lord works?

Included in Christ is an 8-week Bible study, subtitled “Living a New Story From Ephesians.” Living a new story, this idea of taking my story and turning it into something that reflects the redemption and love of God thrills me to the core.

Through this study, I will create a Saviour Story. My story will no longer be about the details of my past, but of the Savior who is taking me out of my “shadow narratives”.

“It …(this study)… fuses what we know about redemptive personal stories with what Scripture teaches us about the reality of who we really are, and it sets us on the path to live daily in the presence of Him who tells the true story of our lives.”

This is a study that a couple of young women are interested in doing with me after the first of the year and I am so excited. May God be glorified as one by one we discover what it means to be Included in Christ and who we truly are.

Thanks to Moody Publishing for this complimentary copy of Included in Christ! All thoughts and opinions in this post I offer in exchange.

Live SoulFULL

November 11, 2017 By Michelle

“Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me, all that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor. Thus I consider all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 2:9-11

These words of Solomon many years ago are words echoed still today.

I am reading a new book, Live SoulFULL, and the words in this very first chapter pointed me to Ecclesiastes, and gave me good reason to pause. While my life is full, hard and good, I recognize the ongoing need to slow and evaluate. What am I chasing after? For what am I laboring.

There are many good things that I do, the mundane duties of laundry, all that goes into meal planning, the not mundane activities of teaching, coaching, working to keep the airways clear between my husband and me, my daughters and me. But in all that, for what I am laboring? And from where am I drawing my strength, inspiration and knowledge?

This passage from Ecclesiastes, actually all of Ecclesiastes, has set my mind to working, to searching. What part of my life brings satisfaction and fulfillment to my soul? And there are many days when I feel completely empty, dry. All poured out, no words left. Why am I now running on empty?

“To be empty is to hold or contain nothing.”

” To fill is to occupy space or volume.”

“To be fulfilled and satisfied is to contain and hold all that is possible; to have a need met; to be fully or completely supplied.” ~ SoulFull, Tabot

As I continue to go through this study, I am excited to see how God works within my mind and my heart. He has been faithful, and gentle, and I know that even if I have to cover the same ground yet again, the Father knows just how deep to go each time to cleanse, fill and set me right on the place on the path that I am to be.

LIVE SoulFULL

Music has a unique ability to cut through the noise of the world and take God’s Word deep into the soul. I’ve experienced this gift many times. I’ve also seen how simply singing Scripture aids memorization, making pathways in the brain.

Live SoulFULL is a gospel-centered Bible study that combines immersive study of God’s Word with a 13 song album of original music. I am loving how the study and the music enhance each other, and enrich my time of study.

This study is created by Scott and Ginger Tabot. I received this complimentary copy of SoulFull from Frontgate Media in exchange for my opinions which are recorded here.

FrontGate Media will be giving away copies of SoulFULL on November 20. Click here for more information and to enter.

Let the Little Children Come

October 23, 2017 By Michelle

Working in children’s ministry, at various times during the year, is one of my favorite ways to serve our local church. I find that stories and games and crafts are the most delightful ways to engage with and connect with children, but occasionally we need to do something a little different.

Just recently a fun little package arrived on my door step, containing about a dozen of this fun gospel tract from Let the Little Children Come.

Place this floppy plastic screen over each page, and a fun 3d illustration appears.

The entire tract is based on John 3:16:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have eternal life.”

These tracts seem like a fantastic tool for a quiet moments with a child, or for a child to look at while waiting. I even found a couple of teens interested in the tracts. I think the 3D is appealing across different ages.

I was thrilled to give a few of these tracts to our children’s ministry director, and another few to the Bible Study leader at a local community of single moms and their kids. Each of these ladies were interested to see how the booklets would catch the interest of children in their ministries.

Let the Little Children Come has some other interesting items, many of which might be fun to add to your candy bowl on Halloween, or in treat bags. Just please do add them to the candy, not instead of the candy.

If you are interested in a giveaway for these tracts and some other fun Let the Little Children Come items, click here.

Thanks again to Front Gate Media for the opportunity to receive and share about these 3D tracts in exchange for this review.

Reading in July 2016

July 30, 2016 By Michelle

July

July is always a super busy, but fantastically fun month. We have the celebration of Independence Day, July 4th. The church picnic that is our big summer fellowship and the Vacation Bible School kick off. That leads right into VBS, and boy is it fun. An “all hands on deck” event that has us busy even if we are not reporting at the church each day! On the heels of VBS there are hikes and youth camp. Youth camp, eight days of fun for all three of my teens, 8 days of quiet for me. Now if you know me, you know I am an introvert who loves her quiet. But I love and delight in my teens even more, so the days are too quiet when they are all off having a blast.

Reading in July

With all that, amazingly enough, there are many pockets of time to get in a chapter or two. And even more time when the kids have left, and I decide to take a Mom Retreat road trip. That trip netted me 2 full audiobooks! One non fiction and one over due fiction.

Here’s what I read in July.

Audiobooks

A Thousand Miles to Freedom by Eunsun Kim – My teens and I listened to this in audiobook to and from a recent camping trip. A Thousand Miles to Freedom is the story of Eunsum Kim’s escape from North Korea, and the long difficult journey to South Korea. What struck me most in this story is what South Korea has in place to receive the people who make it out of North Korea. They have a strong process in place, and the resources to sort out refugees, and to help refugees make a new start for success in a free society. Something our own country could glean some wisdom and planning from.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr – Another audiobook that I finished listening to in July (actually started it in May). What a good story. When I couldn’t stop talking about it to my husband, he asked me to download it to his phone for his long drive back to work. He listened to it during one long drive back to work. So fun to share a story with hubby.

Fervent: A Woman’s Battle Plan to Serious, Specific and Strategic Prayer by Priscilla Shirer – So, I have this book in paperback, on my kindle and on audible. And of all the forms, the audible version is how I finished the book. The audible version is narrated by the author and is well done. It is good to have the paperback version, as I like to underline and write notes in books like this!

Smart Money Smart Kids by Dave Ramsey and Rachel Cruze – My husband listened to this book earlier in the month and asked me to read it as soon as possible. Ah, do you see something fun emerging? Story sharing with my traveling hubby, another thing helping us to stay connected. So when I headed off on my mom retreat, this is the book I started off the trip with. What I gleaned from this book syncs with my hubby’s thoughts, and more. I appreciate books that shine light in areas of my heart that need to be exposed.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling – this is the other book I listened to on that mom retreat. What a fun story to finally have on my “finished reading” list!

Kindle

The Fitting Room by Kelly Minter – This book has been one of my morning reads, and I used it as a devotion/study companion to my morning Bible study.

The Present Principle by Claire Diaz Ortiz. I read this short book while sitting by the North Rim of the Black Canyon. A short 3 mile round trip leads to Exclamation Point, where I spent about an hour reading, taking photos and delighting in the surrounding beauty. I really appreciate the message of this book, by implementing the PRESENT PRINCIPLE, one is giving herself a gift.

Pen and Ink Books (Paperbacks)

Cinder by Marissa Meyer – this is my MMD Reading Challenge selection for a book chosen for you by… This book was recommended to my by a couple of my daughters, and my 16 year old was the one who put it on my night stand. It surprised me how much I enjoyed this scifi retelling of Cinderella, maybe when my summer TBR stack gets shorter I’ll add the next book in the Lunar series.

Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr – By the author of All the Light We Cannot See, this memoir is about his year in Rome, with his wife and infant twin sons. I loved traveling through Rome through his words.

Unstuffed by Ruth Soukup, I wrote about this book here.

Total books read: 5 Audiobooks, 2 books on Kindle, 3 Paperback books. How good it has been! What have you been reading this month?