I don’t know about you, but so often when the fun and crazy days of summer rush in, my discipline in studying God’s Word rushes out just as quickly. I hate that. BSF ended a week ago and as we broke for the summer my leader challenged us to make sure we have a plan for the summer. Be ready for it. Know that without the accountability of Bible study it will be easy to let that discipline slip. Don’t get to the end of the summer and realize that you didn’t make any time to spend with Jesus.
So, what about you? Do you have a plan?
If you are wondering what to study this summer and are needing a little accountability…keep on reading!
My friend Julie and I were talking about what the Lord has been laying on our hearts…both of us feeling like we were not sharing the gospel outside of our homes, especially with the people living in our communities. We both live in the country and it is very easy to come and go and not connect with the people God has placed around us. We live out in the middle of nowhere for a reason, right?! It is way too easy to stay comfortably within our Christian circles. But we want our hearts to feel broken over the people we encounter each day who don’t know Jesus and we want to do something about that! So…we decided to stretch ourselves a little this summer and host a community Bible study, inviting those that live around us (the country girls!). We have no idea how many people will show up…or even who will show up. We are just praying that God would draw people from our community and that we would grow to know Him and love Him deeper together.
Do you want to join us?
Obviously you probably don’t live in our community (if you do live in the Whitewater/Elbing area, you should come!). But you can still grab a friend or group of friends…or even better, reach out to a neighbor or someone in your community. I love blogging and the on-line community but it is not a substitute for ‘real-life’ connections. We need people who see us everyday…the ugly and all…to hold us accountable. We need people who can stand by us when we can barely stand on our own. We need people who are there to rejoice with us in our victories. And we need people who can be honest with us when there is sin to be conquered in our lives. Real people.
Our desire is that we would connect and study God’s word with real people that we ‘do life’ with and then come together on-line to discuss each chapter and further encourage each other here. But if that is not an option for you…of course, feel free to join us as you study on your own. 🙂
I know this doesn’t give you much time. If God is bringing someone to mind as you are reading this or you are feeling a nudging on your heart…GO! Let’s expect God to do a changing work in our hearts and our communities this summer. Nothing you have planned for this summer is more important than reading and studying God’s Word…nothing! I need that reminder too.
So, here is our plan…
Julie and I will host the study here, beginning June 14 (that is the week we will be starting our community study as well!). The study will run for 10 weeks and we will discuss a chapter each week here on the blog. We will use the comments section of each post to discuss things we are learning or questions we might still have.
There are a few ways you can purchase this Bible study on Amazon:
The Promised One (single copy) $14.39 + shipping
The Promised One (10 pack for Bible study groups) $75.88
The Promised One (Kindle Edition) $5.99
You can find a few answers to your questions about this study here:
Q&A with Nancy Guthrie about The Promised One
If you are thinking about hosting a Bible study using this book, Nancy also has some great resources for leaders:
Leader’s Guide & Bible Study Announcement Flyer (free downloads)
The Promised One DVD (optional teaching DVDs)
At the end of the intro to The Promised One Nancy says, “I am praying, as you see Jesus in a fresh way over the coming weeks through the book of Genesis, that your love for him will go deeper and that your longing for him to come again will grow stronger.”
That is my prayer for all of us too. If you are planning on joining us for this study I would love for you to leave a comment and let us know. There might only be a few of us but I pray that we will be an encouragement to each other. Also, feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
I can’t wait to study Genesis together!
Mary - I love the pictures. Your husband must be a wonderful father and the boys are just getting cuter by the minute. It will be a busy summer for sure. ENJOY!!!
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Jess Reply:
June 7th, 2013 at 4:13 pm
Mary-Yes, he is pretty wonderful! It will definitely be a busy summer for sure.
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Jess - Mary-Yes, he is pretty wonderful! It will definitely be a busy summer for sure.
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Cheryl - Levi is learning to respect and love animals…something my Dad has for animals to this day as he grew up on a farm. Farming is an honorable profession! Enjoy your summer!!
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Jess Reply:
June 7th, 2013 at 4:12 pm
Cheryl-Yes, farming is pretty great. Enjoy your summer too!
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Jess - Cheryl-Yes, farming is pretty great. Enjoy your summer too!
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Emily - What is it about throwing rocks in water? – my kids will do that for hours, too!!
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Jess Reply:
June 7th, 2013 at 4:11 pm
Emily-I didn’t realize you had a new blog!! Hope you guys are doing well. 🙂
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Jess - Emily-I didn’t realize you had a new blog!! Hope you guys are doing well. 🙂
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Melissa - Some of my best memories are of riding the tractor with my dad, counting the calves in the field, helping to move the farm equipment from one field to another, wheat harvest with my dad. He passed away this spring, and I treasure those memories with my dad. Even with adult kids of my own, I was always daddy’s little girl. Keep making memories with those precious boys.
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Jess Reply:
June 7th, 2013 at 4:08 pm
Melissa-Sweet memories. Thanks for sharing.
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Jess - Melissa-Sweet memories. Thanks for sharing.
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