Dave (the BF) and I were attending a bible study for a few months and loved it. It gave us a chance to learn (a lot!) from the wise leaders and it was fun to hang out with a smaller group of people (since our church is rather large). But…. it got cancelled since the leader moved on to a bigger one…even further away from us.
After the study ended, I’d been struggling a bit. I really wanted to connect with Christian friends, but could never find the right group. I’d also been having some issues with things that I saw at the church that I just let bug me more than I should have. (We are ALL HUMAN. Just because we are Christians doesn’t mean we are perfect. I need to remember this!)
About a month ago, I decided to join an online women’s bible study called She Reads Truth. And I LOVE it.
The good thing about it being online is that, well, I am usually online every day. I have the current study: Prayer on one of my firefox favorite tabs (the very first one) so I can see it and it will (usually) remind me to do my reading for the day. After I do my reading, I might journal or head over to that day’s discussion. Or I might tweet about it using the hashtag #SheReadsTruth.
There are many great things about participating in a bible study. First of all: accountability. A traditional bible study makes you accountable to the people in the study, afterall, how are you going to benefit the discussion if you didn’t even read the pre-determined chapters? This online study makes you accountable to yourself and God. There is no pressure, and if you miss a couple days, you can always go back to read them. There’s even a little box to check-off. (I love checking things off!!)
Another benefit to a bible study is fellowship. I thoroughly enjoy participating in the discussions when I am able to. It’s a HUGE blessing to be encouraged by like-minded ladies and to also be able to ENCOURAGE others in their Christian walk.
Each week there is also a memory verse that the ladies can choose to memorize.
This week’s memory verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
I think this verse shows how my prayer life is lacking. I try to give thanks but more often than not, I think I just get mad and frustrated and say, “God why me?” I also need to pray more regularly AND pray for others. Like all the time. I think I used to be better about this, but my focus has shifted to ME!ME!ME!
I’m working on it. You know those times when you randomly think about a person that you haven’t seen or heard from in a zillion years? Whenever anyone just pops in my head like that, I try to remember to say a quick prayer for them. It is usually pretty generic, since I usually have no idea what they are up to these days, but God hears ALL of our prayers! The same goes for a person I am currently friends with…if I randomly think about them, I pray for them, and this prayer is more specific to what I know he/she needs in their life or what he/she is struggling with.
I really love reading David’s prayers in the Psalms. Since our current topic is Prayer, we tend to read a lot of them.
He was so emotional (I can relate to that!) and was constantly begging God to help him, to save him. Yet his prayers always seemed to end with the assurance he had that he would be saved, that his God truly loved him and wanted to help him.
David’s prayers were a little on the selfish side. But look how those prayers that were written down can help us today.
He was a real person with weaknesses and faults, but He went to God in his time of need…and didn’t just try to figure it out himself.
The Prayer study is currently on Day 16 out of 21. Anyone can jump in at anytime. Or if you’d like to wait, I’m sure there’s something else in store for us after this study wraps up.
I encourage you to at least check out the She Reads Truth blog if you are looking for some lovely Christian ladies to connect with who don’t claim to be perfect and are learning daily how to be a woman of God.
You know what else is cool about it? You can do all of this in your pjs. While eating your weird breakfast. No judgement.
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| Peanutbutter and chocolate chip toast breakfast |
Have a great weekend friends! I am off to hang out with my gal-pal Emily and her little one Rhea for some fun pool time! (I will also work on not being jealous that she is pregnant with her second baby. *sigh* Prayer time!)
Do you participate in a bible study? What do you like about it?
Do you participate in She Reads Truth? Tell me what you like or dislike about it.
I’m not religious. I’ve pointed that out to Lindsay and Lindsay (Cotter and Wright), but what I love about this online bible study (in theory) and those ladies (and you) is that you admit that you are human and are not perfect.
I went to a bible study with a friend for a while last year. I really liked the group of people and was liking the fresh perspective on Christianity that it was giving me. Until one day when we watched a video all about how being gay is wrong. And it wasn’t the fact that we watched the video that bothered me, it was the fact that my friend, who is HUGELY for gay rights, did not speak up. I did. And I immediately felt like I was no longer accepted.
I admit that the biggest turn-off for me with organized religion is the self-righteous people who say “the bible says this, so we need to do that”. The bible is thousands of years old and most scripture can be interpreted in different ways. In fact, most of the scripture that is used against gays and masturbation was written when population was an issue — they were wanting to heavily populate, so wasting the seed was a deal. The same pieces of scripture have been used against different groups of people throughout the years. And this? Is what really bugs me about religion.
However, that being said, I think that the bible does have many great lessons in humanity and general goodness, and it sounds like that’s what most of my friends and blends adhere to. And it sounds like you’ve found a group of people who are accepting and are willing to have intelligent discussions with you.
As always I LOVE LOVE your honesty. I have many of the same issues that you have with organized religion…that’s why it takes me so long to find a church that I like and I tend to back off if something bugs me. It’s like I know what I believe to be true, and I’m all for learning something new, but when someone (or a large group of people) tries to force something on me…I’m out! (Sending you an e-mail too!)
I’m not religious. I’ve pointed that out to Lindsay and Lindsay (Cotter and Wright), but what I love about this online bible study (in theory) and those ladies (and you) is that you admit that you are human and are not perfect.
I went to a bible study with a friend for a while last year. I really liked the group of people and was liking the fresh perspective on Christianity that it was giving me. Until one day when we watched a video all about how being gay is wrong. And it wasn’t the fact that we watched the video that bothered me, it was the fact that my friend, who is HUGELY for gay rights, did not speak up. I did. And I immediately felt like I was no longer accepted.
I admit that the biggest turn-off for me with organized religion is the self-righteous people who say “the bible says this, so we need to do that”. The bible is thousands of years old and most scripture can be interpreted in different ways. In fact, most of the scripture that is used against gays and masturbation was written when population was an issue — they were wanting to heavily populate, so wasting the seed was a deal. The same pieces of scripture have been used against different groups of people throughout the years. And this? Is what really bugs me about religion.
However, that being said, I think that the bible does have many great lessons in humanity and general goodness, and it sounds like that’s what most of my friends and blends adhere to. And it sounds like you’ve found a group of people who are accepting and are willing to have intelligent discussions with you.
As always I LOVE LOVE your honesty. I have many of the same issues that you have with organized religion…that’s why it takes me so long to find a church that I like and I tend to back off if something bugs me. It’s like I know what I believe to be true, and I’m all for learning something new, but when someone (or a large group of people) tries to force something on me…I’m out! (Sending you an e-mail too!)
What a great Bible to use for these plans, too! (It’s a Sanctuary NLT, right?)
I really enjoyed your post – thank you. Found it via the #shereadstruth link up.
Yes sanctuary bible! And I love this translation…it’s kind of funny because my church uses NKJV and whenever the pastor goes to describe a word or phrase in the NKJV….my bible has the explanation or the different word he uses already in the verse. Does that make sense? Basically it’s easy to understand! 🙂
What a great Bible to use for these plans, too! (It’s a Sanctuary NLT, right?)
I really enjoyed your post – thank you. Found it via the #shereadstruth link up.
Yes sanctuary bible! And I love this translation…it’s kind of funny because my church uses NKJV and whenever the pastor goes to describe a word or phrase in the NKJV….my bible has the explanation or the different word he uses. Does that make sense? Basically it’s easy to understand! 🙂
I LOVE She Reads Truth! Btw, I found you on LinkedIn yesterday – love your blog!
Thanks Melissa! I haven’t done She Reads Truth in awhile, but I definitely want to get back into it!!
I LOVE She Reads Truth! Btw, I found you on LinkedIn yesterday – love your blog!
Thanks Melissa! I haven’t done She Reads Truth in awhile, but I definitely want to get back into it!!