We’re reading week one of our workbook Ruth: Loss, Love and Legacy by Kelly Minter as we participate in the Beth Moore Summer Bible Study 3. If you have any questions as you begin your reading, don’t hesitate to contact Christine. There are nine women in the group participating in their first Bible study, so please participate in discussion questions so they may learn from you and grow in faith. We have women in the group who lead bible studies in church or at home, and your comments are encouraging to others. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the discussion. If you feel uncomfortable posting your comments on the blog, then please email Christine privately. We’re helping you stay accountable in your desire to study the Word and find intimacy with God.
How I Study My Workbook (for new people)
Many have asked how I organize my workbook when I study. I complete my study in the early morning, so I am able to reflect on the words and lesson throughout my day. Sitting in a comfortable place with a cup of tea and my two small dogs, I will start my study with a blue highlighter. I’ll highlight all the scripture references for the entire week study, before I start reading. This helps me locate the verses in my bible, and I’m able to return to my place in the workbook as I look for the blue marks. Other women in my bible study also write the page number next to the verse in the workbook, in case they want to revisit the verse in their Bible without searching for it again. If the verse is powerful and speaks to my heart, I’ll place a star beside the blue mark. As I read the daily lesson, I will highlight my favorite phrases with a yellow marker. If I see a quote I want to tweet @LifeVerse (my Twitter account) I will mark the sentence with a “Q.” It reminds me to tweet the quote. Remember when you tweet the quote, reference the author as the source. If I see something in the book that I want to discuss with the group, I write “discuss” next to the sentence or “pray” as a reminder to come back to the paragraph. If my method seems complicated for you, then I encourage you to create a method that is most comfortable for your study. Once you create it, you’ll make it a habit for lifelong bible study.
Our Amazing Group of Women
We have about 145 women participating in this online study, from more than 35 states. We’re reading the blog in different time zones and posting comments throughout the day. Yesterday, the launch day of the Summer Bile Study, we had more than 1,600 visits to this blog! After reading all the introductions, I found some common elements in the group:
- First time in bible study- 9 women
- Hosting a home small group- 4 women
- Relocated and seeking friendship -2 women
- Mother-daughter learning together- 4 women
- Need accountability- 11 women
- Recovering from illness- 4 women
- Grieving the death of a child- 1 woman
- Seeking reconciliation of a marriage- 1 woman
Women in Need of Prayer
- Elsabe- diagnosed with breast cancer this year, in remission
- Meghann- grieving her daughter who died in December
- Pamela M- recovering fro a recent surgery
- Rachell- double masectomy two weeks ago
- Renee- preparing for a mission trip to Kenya in August
- Susan S. -caretaker for disabled husband
- Tammy- diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Vanessa- daughter with Rhett syndrome, husband just lost job
- Whisperings- severe depression
Be sure to post your comment for the Summer Bible Study Launch Day. Or email your comment to Christine, as mentioned above. If you missed the opportunity to post your comment, we will contact you later this week to help you stay accountable to your first week of bible study. As Beth Moore said on her blog today, “we are a beautiful community of women!” When we share our thoughts with each other, we grow in faith.
At this point, I think mostly of Naomi. She followed her husband to a foreign land and now has lost him and her two sons to go back home. She must have felt lonely and probably would enjoy the company of her daughter-in-laws. However, her pride caused her to encourage them to go back. What a strong, determined character Ruth is to recognize Naomi’s position and insist on staying with her. Amazing that she used Naomi’s beleif to keep Naomi from insisting by saying “…may the Lord deal with me…” And those words would prove to come true. It rolls off the tongue of many to say, “I sware to God”. I pray I will be evermindful of the power of the tongue!
this is exactly what i have been looking for,i am however a little behind in the studies but plan to burn a little lamp oil this evening catching up,ruths life sounds so interesting,i was admittedted into the hospitol on the 22nd and spent 3 days in icu on a ventilater praise the lord for bringing me through it and thanyou so much christine i wont disapoint you this is my second bible study the first one was through my church i found it so addicting i wanted more but there wasnt one available yet and then i foun bible cafe this is just awesome God Bless you and thankyou christine and everyone that put this together
There is so much in this Bible study. I’m so completely awestruck at how God shows me something to apply in my life each day of the study! Praise God!! I’ve never been in a Bible study like this one, and now that I have, WOW!! I have read the book of Ruth before, because Ruth was my grandmother’s name. However, I NEVER EVER got as much out of it as I have now! I just want to say thank you for sharing this Bible study, and I hope there are plenty more like these to come! Can’t wait until the next day…(it’s hard not to read ahead) :O)
I am so very happy that you agreed to begin this journey with me! I know that it was no coincidence that I was led to this study! I believe that God has a plan for our lives: The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. Psalm 16:6
We were meant to take this journey together! And I am so glad that we are!
Love you BFF!
Ok, I know that I already replied to this but didn’t see it showing up, so if this is the second comment that you see like this, forgive me!
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;indeed I have a beautiful inheritance. Psalm 16:6
Thank you for agreeing to take this journey into the book of Ruth with me. I know that it is no coincidence that God led us to this study. I am so thankful to Him for it. I love growing in God, but how much better is it to grow in Him with your best friend.
Love you!
Christine, Thanks earlier for all the kind words. I am almost back on track to finish the study. Thanks again. I will not LET SATAN get the best of me.
Blessing,
Susan
I am just going to say… this Ruth bible study is so awesome! It is such a blessing. I just realized after I am re-writing my comment for the third time… the first I wrote last week didn’t submit… we’ll see if this one does. Satan at work on those…hmmm. BUT… the first week of study was so truly touching. I love the last sentence about walking and crying forward. This is where I am at this point in life and the tears I have shed have been tears of question, tears of “did I hear God wrong?”, “what are we doing?” We have bought a house an hour and a half away (foreign land) to get closer to family, it’s a 1922 house that is being renovated, we are selling our home in familiar land in a housing market that is just horrible right now. We have a roller coaster ride of emotions and we are truly following everything we have recieved as God’s path for us. It is a test of faith, I know. The life we will have at the end of this craziness will be His life for us. This bible study has shown me the way to follow God’s lead and remember to have trust and faith in Him. He is carrying us on this journey and even through the tears, stress, fears, challenges that we face each day with our “transition” that we must move forward. We are all in different seasons and reading each of the responses above allows me to feel that we are all in the same boat just different circumstances and whether we have tears of joy, fear, loneliness, we are crying together as we move forward. Blessings to each of you.