Armor of God

I read books all the time.  There are very few books that I do not finish but for some reason every time I start a Bible study I never end up finishing it.  I have at least six Bible studies that are sitting in my office that I've started but for whatever reason I've never finished them.  This is SO embarrassing for me to admit but isn't confession one of the steps to recovery?

When my church started a summer women's Bible study of the Armor of God I knew this was my chance to complete one.  Maybe my problem has been not having accountability to help me finish?

I was so proud of myself!  We started in June and as the weeks went on I kept up with my homework and never missed a weekly meeting until Dylan ended up in the hospital the first of August.  Our final meeting was the Thursday that Dylan came home from the hospital.  I was heartbroken but my baby definitely came first and at least this time I had a good excuse for not finishing the study.  

Despite my circumstances of adjusting to life with a Type 1 diabetic child I was determined to finish this study so I emailed our women's ministry leader a few weeks later, explained why I wasn't able to attend the last meeting, and asked if there were some way I could get a copy of notes or a video from that final meeting.  She couldn't send me the actual video that the group watched but she did send me a condensed version of the video which sadly sat untouched in my inbox for weeks.

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365 Morning Pocket Prayers

"Prayer is a privilege"

This is the first line of the introduction of the 365 Prayer Devotional.  When I read this line something just hit me.  Prayer IS a privilege and one that I more often than not take for granted.  This is why I am so thankful that God has put this book in my hand.

At first glance this little book is gorgeous!  The cover is so serene and has a leather-like feel to it.  It's a beautiful shade of blue and is small enough to carry around with you in a purse or backpack and does not take up much space on a desk. 

The days are numbered but not by specific dates which I like.  Some people like to read straight through while others like to jump around and the 365 Pocket Morning Prayers allows you to whatever is comfortable for you.  

Each prayer is a specific topic so if you wake up struggling with courage there is a prayer for that.  

As you can see each day is divided into three parts: the theme, the prayer, and a Bible verse.  The prayers are short, to the point, and relevant to our lives today.  I do not believe that prayers must be written for Christians.  That's one thing that is awesome about our faith!  We can tell the Father whatever is on our hearts whenever we want but there are times when the words do not come as easily and this is book just perfect for those times.

I've been keeping my copy on my bedside table and even though I haven't been using it every single day I love that it is there if and when I need it.  With Christmas around the corner, this would be a wonderful stocking stuffer for anyone in your life! What better gift to give than to start their day with prayer!

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

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Searching the Scriptures

I wish I could tell you that being a Christian for as long as I have that I have the whole Bible study thing down.  I don't.  I love reading God's Word but when it comes to studying its one of those overwhelming tasks that almost paralyzes you.  Do I study by topic or by book?  Is there a right or wrong way?  Which way is the right way for me?

I think that reading and hearing the Word of God is wonderful but there comes a time where that is not enough.  I think I am at that point in my walk where it is time to get off the "spiritual milk" and more into the "meat" of the Bible which is why I am so excited to be reviewing Searching the Scriptures by Chuck Swindoll.  From the first chapter I knew I was on to something.  Maybe this is the answer to the Bible study prayer that I have prayed for so long?

If you want a thorough introduction to Bible study then this is a great place to start!  For me it's perfect!  Maybe I've been trying too hard.  It's time to get back to basics!

Mr. Swindoll breaks it all down for you step by step and compares the steps to something simple and something we all can relate to: cooking.  I have read several other books about various Bible study methods and it's almost like they're written in code!  They left me frustrated and no closer to understanding the Bible than when I began.  

Mr. Swindoll even mixes in wonderful stories that help you remember certain steps.  My personal favorite is a story about the importance of observation referencing Sir William Osler.  I won't spoil the story for you but trust me it's one that you will never forget.

There are four main principles in Searching the Scriptures:

Observation - What does the Bible say?

Interpretation - What does the Bible mean?

Correlation - What other Bible passages deal with this idea?

Application - What difference does this make to me?

Mr. Swindoll goes into each of these in detail so everything is explained for you.  There is also a "Your Turn in the Kitchen" section which allows you to go deeper with your understanding of that chapter as well as getting you more into God's Word.  This interaction was truly my favorite part and am still working on some of the questions from several of the chapters so I can go even deeper in my understanding.

I could see giving a copy of Searching the Scriptures to a new believer so that they can start with a firm foundation in the Word or a seasoned Christian who might want to take a different approach to Bible study.  

This is a must-have for anyone and will be apart of my Bible reference library for years to come.  If you would like more information about Chuck Swindoll's ministry Insight for Living please check out his website.  Also, if you like challenges there is even a Searching the Scriptures Quiz to test your Bible knowledge!

I'm off to study! :)

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

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