This summer’s issue of your favorite Bible study magazine is filled with resources you and your group will savor! These new Bible studies from Lisa Harper, Tara Beth Leach, Barb Roose, the Proverbs 31 Ministries team, Sherri Harney, Sarah Jakes Roberts, Gary Thomas, and more take your group deep into God’s Word to discover His truth for your lives.
For the main course, we have a meaty new Study Bible, the NIV Application Bible, that connects the original meaning of the text in its context to application notes that make it personal for your everyday life. It’s a monumental new Study Bible, backed by the NIV Application Commentary series, with a whole suite of Bible studies and tools that help you understand Scripture and apply it to your life in a whole new way.
Finally, for a sweet finish, we’ve topped this issue off with two crowd-pleasing dessert recipes from beloved Bible teachers Margaret Feinberg and Karen Ehman.
Thank you for all you do to prayerfully lead the women in your care. We’re honored to be your partners in ministry.
In Him,
Beth and Sara
Beth Murphy, Director, HarperChristian Resources
Sara Riemersma, Editor, HarperChristian Resources
THE SYNERGY BETWEEN BIBLICALLY SOUND THEOLOGY and SPANX
BY LISA HARPER
WHY, MY SOUL, ARE YOU DOWNCAST? WHY SO DISTURBED WITHIN ME?
PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD, FOR I WILL YET PRAISE HIM, MY SAVIOR AND MY GOD.
Psalm 42:11 (NIV)
42 concludes with a restorative proclamation but what I appreciate the most about psalms of lament like this (lament is the formal classification for the “sad” psalms) is that God allowed them to be included in this divine love story we call the Bible in the first place! Instead of disowning disillusioned people, the fifty-nine sad psalms are effectively God’s engraved invitation for us to be real with Him—to be honest when our hearts are heavy, and not wear fake happy faces.
We got a new dog (our third) last summer because these sweet kids were selling “Golden doodles” in a Buccee’s parking lot and I just couldn’t resist, especially after my daughter Missy held him and declared, “Mom, I already love him, and he already loves me!” Bucky (what else could we have named him?) has grown into the sweetest in our crew of canines but he was definitely Sir Poops A Lot when he was a puppy! Since he’s technically Missy’s dog, we agreed that the heavy lifting of house training would fall on her shoulders. She was initially enthusiastic about that arrangement but once she started getting up with him at six o’clock every morning, her enthusiasm waned. And after about a month of doggie-doody, one morning she flat refused to get up. Which led to an unwanted deposit on a brandnew rug, which led to an animated mother-daughter discussion, which led to my normally very kind and respectful kid pitching a small fit and mumbling,
“Sometimes
I wish you weren’t my mom.”
Sometimes I wish you weren’t my mom. Goodness gracious, I went through heck and back for years to adopt her from Haiti after her first mama died. I’ve given her my whole heart. Frankly, I don’t think it even resides in my chest anymore! She’s my first priority after Jesus every single minute of every single day and yet she has the audacity to whine about trading me in for a newer, more lenient parent just because of a little poo? Of course, her petulant comment stung a smidge but she’s a hormone addled teenager, so I knew she didn’t really mean it. Which is exactly what she whispered through repentant tears during our long hug mere minutes after the meltdown.
Given the scarcity and trauma of her early years, it would
make sense if my daughter was a disingenuous peoplepleaser like most abuse survivors. Like I was when I was her age. Instead, by the pure grace of our Creator Redeemer, Missy is gut-level honest. She doesn’t curate her emotions because she’s learned she doesn’t need to present the shiniest version of herself for me to keep her. Her position in our little family is more secure than two pairs of Spanx.
Infinitely more so is our position as God’s beloved children. Biblical narrative proves over and over again that His love for us is immutable—it doesn’t change. Which means we can share everything with Him—our joy, our tears, our hopes, our dreams, our insecurities, our anger, and our fears—all in the absolute confidence that He will never leave us, forsake us, or stop loving us.
I know it’s mildly inappropriate and un-Bible-teachery to use “biblically sound theology” and “Spanx” in the same sentence, much less in a title for a wellrespected, Christian publication (who also happens to be one of my oh-so-patient publishers!). But I’m sick and tired of biblically sound theology being falsely typecast as a lofty, sterile subject matter pursued only by academics and seminarians. And when I get sick and tired, sassy stories that include things like puppy poo and undergarments are soon to follow! Which I suppose is kind of the point because theology was meant to be lived, y’all. Our Creator Redeemer is not a proposition to be examined, He’s a triune personhood in whom we get to engage and hopefully emulate! At the end of the day, good theology doesn’t produce smug scholars, it produces grateful and passionately devoted—albeit still flawed—disciples of Jesus Christ. Can I get an amen, somebody?
A JESUS-SHAPED LIFE
How Biblically Sound Theology Deepens Our Relationship with God and Each Other by Lisa
Harper
Seven sessions with video teaching
AVAILABLE JULY 2025
Theology is a conversation about God. One that invites us to experience God in all His fullness rather than just memorizing facts about God. Theology is not some academic subject to only be pursued by professors and seminarians. Theology is the way we connect with our Creator Redeemer. It’s how we remember that we’re His. And we will never have to be alone.
This seven-week Bible study by Lisa Harper is your invitation to explore the depths of God’s character, God’s love for you, and how your relationship with Him transforms you. Ultimately, you will experience how biblically sound theology deepens our relationship with God and each other.
Focus Your Prayers on God, Not Your Problems
by Barb Roose
When my kids lived at home, they asked the same question daily: “What’s for dinner?”
For the record, I fed my sweet cherubs each day. While their daily questioning frustrated me, I knew their hunger made them impatient and forgetful.
As humans, we experience emotional and spiritual hunger that we long to be satisfied. Those deep pangs for peace, purpose, healing, or deliverance can also make us impatient and forgetful.
Thankfully, God never becomes frustrated with us. He’s patient with our impatience and continues to be faithful even though we’re easily forgetful. The tragedy is how we miss out on an invitation to experience God’s soothing, loving presence when our prayers are more focused on our problems than praying to experience Him.
As Jesus ramped up to his core teaching about the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6, he addressed a pagan prayer practice that his followers didn’t need to do in Matthew 6:7 (NLT):
When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.
Why did the pagans repeat their prayers? Pagan gods were characterized as selfish or greedy, only acting when it was in their best interest. The tragic reality was that pagan gods had
no power. But, the pagans repeated their prayers because that seemed to be their only hope in making something happen.
This is not the case for God’s children! Our God has all power, and there is nothing too hard for Him to do! In light of this, Jesus gives his followers a warning and encouragement in the following verse:
Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! —Matthew 6:8 (NLT)
What does Jesus want you to pay attention to in this statement? He teaches us to put our faith in God, not in prayer. The difference between persistent prayer and repeating our prayers is who you’re focused on when you’re praying.
Repeaters only talk about their problems to God, often failing to talk about God to their problems.
Ultimately, Jesus reminds his followers, me and you, that God already knows what we need even before we ask. Your problems are not a problem for God, but your lack of focus on God will create problems for you!
In my new six-week Bible study, Matthew: Pray Like This, I introduce a simple prayer framework that starts our prayers with a focus on God. This aligns with how Jesus taught the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13.
Rather than making your problems the central focus of your prayers, begin with centering on God in these four areas:
God IS—Focusing on God’s character and nature
God HAS—Recounting God’s faithfulness to humanity God CAN—Celebrating God’s power and sovereignty over all things
God WILL—Remembering and clinging to God’s promises as you live out your purpose
Matthew: Pray Like This study teaches participants to center prayer around God, not us. This aligns with Jesus’ foundational teaching on prayer:
Pray like this: Our Father in Heaven, may your name be kept holy. —Matthew 6:9 (NLT)
This framework enlarges our view of God so that He’s bigger in our hearts and minds than our biggest anxieties or fears. Also, centering on God first opens our eyes to God’s spiritual vision, so we view our earthly lives through God’s eternal plan. This perspective shift gives us hope and fuels us to live out God’s great adventure of faith and purpose for our lives! As a bonus, this type of prayer opens space for us to feel safe and cared for by God.
Matthew: Pray Like This also features “Daily Pray Like This” exercises for those who desire to expand their words for prayer. It’s common for Christians to feel self-conscious about praying aloud or even in private. This Bible study combines scripture prayer prompts to build confidence in prayer by the end of the six-week study.
Additionally, Matthew: Pray Like This offers a wide variety of tools to personalize, engage in creative prayer practices, and learn from other scholarly and ministry voices on prayer. The study is flexible for personal or group study with supplemental discussion questions.
Corrie ten Boom once asked, “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” For those who’ve used prayer as a spare tire more than they’d like, Matthew: Pray Like This offers you the tools to make prayer your steering wheel so that you experience the life-transforming power of prayer.
MATTHEW Pray Like This by Barb Roose A Six-Week Bible Study (no video) AVAILABLE NOW
LEARN MORE
HAVE YOU FOUND YOUR PLACE IN GOD’S STORY?
by Tara Beth Leach
You are invited on a journey of discovering the beautiful, intricate threads of God’s story—a story that has been woven together with divine intention from the beginning. This is not a haphazard tapestry; it is one designed by the hands of a loving Creator who has always had a plan. You see, every thread tells a part of the story, connecting what was to what is and what will be. And at the center of this story is a God who is not distant but who has leaned into the brokenness, into the chaos, and into our lives to bring about redemption.
From the first breath of creation, when God’s Spirit hovered over the waters (Genesis 1:2), there was a plan. The fabric of the universe was laced with shalom—wholeness, peace, and harmony. Everything fit together perfectly. Humanity walked with God in communion with Him, with each other, and with the world around them. But something unraveled. The moment humanity pulled away from God’s design, the thread
of sin began to fray the beautiful tapestry. Chaos crept in, and things fell apart.
But friends, here’s the truth: God didn’t fall apart. His plan remained intact. His love didn’t waver. The story of God is one of holy mending, of gathering the loose and broken threads and weaving them back into something even more beautiful than before. It’s a story of covenants—promises made by a faithful God to His people. These covenants are not random or disconnected but are part of a single thread that runs through the entirety of Scripture, binding everything together. The covenants are God’s way of saying, “I’m not finished yet. I’m still weaving.”
The Noahic Covenant, the Abrahamic Covenant, the Mosaic Covenant, the Davidic Covenant—all of these are promises that build toward the ultimate fulfillment of these promises in
Jesus Christ. Each covenant reveals more of God’s character, His faithfulness, and His unrelenting desire to restore the world to its intended beauty. And here’s the good news: we are a part of that story. We are invited into this divine tapestry and called to see our lives as part of something much larger than ourselves—a plan that has always existed and is still unfolding today.
In this study, we will learn about these sacred threads. We’ll explore how each covenant is not just a historical moment but also a living invitation for us to trust God more deeply, to see His redemptive hand in our lives, and to become participants in His ongoing work of restoration. And as we lean into these promises, we will discover that, though the world is often frayed and chaotic, God’s faithfulness is our anchor. His covenantal love is our thread of hope, holding us fast. This grand tapestry is not yet finished. There is more beauty to come.
THREADED
Unraveling Our Story through God’s Covenants by Tara
Beth Leach
Six sessions with video teaching AVAILABLE NOW
Tara Beth
LEARN WHAT THE BIBLE MEANS. DISCOVER WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU.
This Bible is such an awesome hybrid of accuracy and accessibility! The theologically-sound Bible translation, combined with the plethora of pertinent applications and user-friendly study tools highlight how the Word of God is not a textbook, rule book, or a collection of benign morality tales—instead it's a divine love story that compels us to follow hard after Creator Redeemer and lean more fully into His transformative grace.
—Lisa Harper
Bring the ancient message of the Bible into your world with the new NIV Application Bible and its accompanying Bible studies, devotionals, commentaries, and biblical reference tools.
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The Surprising Story of Joanna
By Sara Barton, DMin and Associate Acquisitions Editor, Harper Christian Resources
W
hen we picture Jesus traveling through the cities and villages of Galilee proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God, we usually picture him and his twelve disciples. We don’t often picture women traveling with Jesus, but Luke tells us they did.
“After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.” (Luke 8:1-3, NIV)
I was doing my daily Bible study, and this line grabbed me: “Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household.” There’s a lot to wonder about in that description. A woman followed Jesus while her husband worked for Herod? She used her own means to support Jesus—where did she get that money? Hmmm.
I did a little research and read various articles and books, but then I found a commentary on The Gospel of Luke by AmyJill Levine and Ben Witherington1 that helped me with my questions. In this article, I want to share the surprises I found along the way. Even though the biblical references to Joanna are short, there’s more than meets the eye.
I learned that as the wife of Herod’s household business manager, Joanna was not a peasant. She would have been a middle- or high-status woman with some wealth2 So I find it surprising that instead of living in comfort, she traveled around Galilee with an itinerant rabbi preacher with a ragtag following. We’re familiar with the gospel scenes when James and John left their father’s fishing business to follow Jesus and Matthew walking away from his tax collector’s booth. Like the
twelve, Joanna also left. In choosing to follow Jesus, she left a powerful household where she was one degree of separation from power and privilege.
The second surprise about Joanna is that in the highly patriarchal culture of ancient Galilee, women did not usually associate with men outside their circle of relatives, much less travel around with them3. Joanna took an usual step way back then that is still unusual in many places today. It can still be seen as radical for women to be included in ministry. It seems that Joanna was courageous, and she didn’t let what others thought of her get in the way of following Jesus.
A third surprising part of Joanna’s story is her financial support of Jesus. Joanna’s husband was employed by Herod Antipas, the very Herod who beheaded John the Baptist, so I wonder if her husband’s employer would have known or approved that she was supporting a cousin of John the Baptist. Could it be that Joanna was potentially putting her husband’s career at risk, and maybe even putting their lives at risk by associating with Jesus? Joanna is getting more and more daring as we go along.
And there are still more surprises to come because Joanna was in the room, or shall I say, the tomb where it happened, for the biggest surprise of all time. She was there with Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and other women (Luke 24:1).
“The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment. On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.” (Luke 23:55 - 24:3, NIV).
Livine, Amy-Jill, and Witherington, Ben. The Gospel of Luke. Cambridge University Press, 2018.
Joanna and the other women at the tomb then heard those astounding life-changing words with their own ears, “he is not here, but is risen!” (Luke 24:6, NIV).
So—more surprises!
This is the fourth surprise, if you are counting. Notice how the women had a role to play as patrons and donors—and they had a role to play as witnesses to the good news of a risen Christ. This is surprising because at that time in history, women were often considered too emotional or uneducated to be valid witnesses. So they could not serve as witnesses in a court of law, but look what God gave them anyway: they were the last at the cross, the first at the tomb, and the first to proclaim Jesus to be risen. Most lawyers would tell you it wouldn’t be a good idea for winning a legal case, to take a chance on the credibility of your witnesses.
At the tomb, the women were told to remember what Jesus had taught them—and they did. They remembered they had faith, and they ran to tell the surprising good news.
Joanna may not be not a biblical leading lady like Sarah, Rachel, or Mary. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a sermon or engaged in a Bible study about Joanna, but she’s interesting, inspiring, and surprising. She’s an unexpected qualified witness who proclaims good news!
What were Joanna’s qualifications? It’s this simple: she knew Jesus and was healed and saved. Her life was so changed by Jesus that she sacrificed her time, money, and safety to follow him. She stayed with Jesus when others didn’t, even at the foot of the cross, and all the way to the tomb.
And what are our qualifications? You may feel small and unknown, like Joanna, almost a footnote in history. But it’s this simple—we also know Jesus and are changed by him. So we too are called to follow him out of our safe places and witness to the world.
Let’s remember, our God is a God of surprises!
Studies on WOMEN OF THE BIBLE
Sherry HARNEY
Plug into God’s POWER for Your Life
by Sarah Jakes Roberts
When life feels overwhelming, it’s easy to lose sight of the power that God has placed within us. Whether it’s the chaos of daily responsibilities or the wounds we carry from past experiences, the result often leaves us feeling drained, stuck, and powerless. What if I told you that power isn’t something you need to find—it’s something you already have access to through your connection with God?
PLUGGING INTO THE ULTIMATE POWER SOURCE
Think of God as the Wi-Fi signal for your life. When you’re close to Him, your connection is strong, and you can accomplish more with clarity and purpose. The Bible reminds us just how near His power is when it says, “The Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you” (Romans 8:11, NIV). If we have breath, we have access to His power. But just like Wi-Fi, if you move too far from the source, you'll begin to experience lags, disconnection, and burnout.
Are there areas in your life where you feel this disconnection?
Perhaps your goals feel out of reach, or you’ve sidelined dreams that once felt inspired by God. Take a moment to reflect on your proximity to the Source.
Journaling Prompt: Write down areas of your life where you feel powerless (e.g., relationships, career, self-worth, health). Next, write down what would change if God’s power was flowing freely in that space.
THE ENEMY'S SIGNAL JAMMERS
It’s not just busyness or stress that keeps us disconnected—there’s spiritual resistance at work. The Bible tells us that the enemy seeks to undermine our identity and God-given power. Just as Eve was deceived by the serpent in Genesis, we too can give the enemy a foothold when doubts overshadow trust in what God says about us. Be mindful of the lies the enemy may whisper to you:
“You’re not good enough.”
“You’ve failed too many times to try again.”
“Your dreams are too big to accomplish.”
The good news is that the enemy cannot break the connection you have with God unless you allow it. Staying plugged into God’s Word and continually seeking Him in prayer strengthens your ability to recognize those lies and replace them with truth.
Journaling Prompt: Write down a verse that has helped you realign with God’s truth and fight the lies of the enemy. Commit to memorizing the verse.
ACTIVATING GOD’S POWER
God didn’t stop at saving us; He empowers us to walk boldly in His strength. But His power isn’t passive—it requires our participation.
2 Peter 1:3 (NIV) reminds us, “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life.” This means we already have the tools to step into the fullness of His purpose—we just need to use them. Here’s a simple, practical framework for strengthening your connection to God’s power:
1. Daily Time with God – Dedicate at least 10 minutes every morning for prayer, Scripture, or worship. Remember, connection requires consistency.
2. Community and Accountability – Surround yourself with individuals who will encourage your faith and remind you of your God-given identity when doubts arise.
3. Act on Faith – Identify one small step of faith you can take this week toward an area where you feel powerless. Whether it's having a hard conversation, stepping into a new opportunity, or simply saying "yes" to God’s nudge—lean in.
Journaling Prompt: What is one step you feel God’s Spirit prompting you to take to reclaim the power you’ve lost? Write it down and commit to following through, no matter how small it feels.
LIVING IN GOD’S OVERFLOW
When power flows from God, it doesn’t just meet your needs— it pours out into the lives of others. Luke 14 tells us to humble ourselves so God can exalt us in His way and timing. When your connection to God is thriving, the overflow naturally blesses others.
Imagine the impact you could make as a conduit of His power in your family, workplace, or church. That’s the true essence of connection—not just gaining power for yourself, but using it to uplift and transform the world around you.
Journaling Prompt: How can your obedience to God’s power and plans impact the people you interact with daily?
A FINAL CHALLENGE
God created you with the capacity to reclaim power in every aspect of your life through connection with Him. If you feel far from His signal today, know that He’s calling you back so you can live fully in His strength and purpose.
POWER MOVES
What the Bible Says about How You Can Reclaim and Redefine Your God-Given Power
by Sarah Jakes Roberts
A book companion study AVAILABLE NOW Sarah Jakes ROBERTS
“Anyway ” Love
by Gary Thomas
On Valentine’s Day, Meg gave her husband Peter his favorite candy, tickets to an upcoming hockey game, and, later at night, she wrapped herself in a special outfit purchased for just that occasion.
Peter got her a card.
At the grocery store.
He didn’t add anything to it, either. He just signed it, “Peter.”
The next day, Meg told Peter that she felt a little taken for granted. Apparently, Peter had misunderstood her intent, because when they celebrated their anniversary two months later, Peter didn’t get Meg anything
Meg kept waiting throughout the day, wondering when Peter would bring out the present—but the present never came. Since she had given Peter her present—some expensive fishing lures—she knew Peter remembered the anniversary. So as they got ready for bed, Meg waited in anticipation, but Peter slipped in beside her and promptly went to sleep.
Meg fretted all the next day until Peter came home from work. “How could you not get me anything for our anniversary,” she asked, “especially after our conversation about Valentine’s Day?”
“Well, I thought about getting you something, but it didn’t work out,” he replied. “And then I knew not to get you a card because you said you didn’t like that last time.”
“It’s not that I didn’t like the card. It’s that the card alone seemed a little sparse But even that is better than nothing…”
Several months later, Meg had a birthday. This time, Peter got her a present—a kitchen tool set. Several weeks before, Meg had asked to borrow Peter’s tape measure and screwdriver. Peter figured that Meg should have her own small set of “kitchen tools” so that she didn’t have to borrow his.
Meg recounted all this, then explained how she'd tried to get her husband to read several “how-to” books on loving your spouse, but he’d read the first few pages, lose interest, and never pick up the book again.
“I’ve realized, this is never going to change,” she confessed. “But I love him anyway.”
Meg's last statement, “But I love him anyway,” is one of the most profound theological statements on marriage I’ve ever heard. Most of us base love on “because,” not on “anyway.” I love you because you’re good to me. I’ll love you because you’re kind, because you’re considerate, because you keep the romance alive.
But in Luke 6:32-36 (NIV), Jesus says we shouldn’t love because , but anyway .
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit
is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.
Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
If we love someone because they give back to us or are kind to us, we’re acting no better than anyone else would. In essence, Jesus is saying, “You don’t need the Holy Spirit to love a man who remembers every anniversary—not just the anniversary of your marriage, but the anniversary of your first date and your first kiss. Any woman could love a man like that. And if you love a husband who is kind and good to you—who lavishes you with gifts, who goes out of his way to get you time off, and who is physically affectionate even when he doesn’t want sex in return—well, you’re doing what any woman would do. There’s no special credit in that!
“But if you love a man who disappoints you, who may forget an anniversary, who can be a little self-absorbed— now you’re loving ‘anyway,’ and that’s what I call my followers to do. In doing that, you’re following the model of the Heavenly Father who loves the ungrateful and the wicked, and He promises to richly reward you.”
Please don’t misunderstand me: I wish Peter would enter counseling or at least read a book to become a more thoughtful husband. Meg’s frustration is understandable, and her expectations are legitimate. But the message behind Sacred Marriage is that God can use any kind of marriage to teach us valuable spiritual lessons, including learning how to apply some of Jesus’ most painful teachings.
Will you love only “because”? Or are you willing to love “anyway”? Will you love a man who doesn’t appreciate your sacrifice? Will you love a husband who takes you for granted? Out of reverence for God, and trusting in His reward (instead of your husband’s verbal thanks), will you love a spouse who isn’t nearly as kind to you as you are to him?
Most marriages today are based on “because” love. But
Christians are called to “anyway” love. That’s what makes us different. That’s what gives glory to God. That’s what helps us appreciate God’s love for us, because God loves us “anyway.” He loved us when we rebelled against him. He continues to love us when we continue to sin against him. He gives so much—and we take him for granted. He is eager to meet with us, and we get too busy to slow down and notice him. He is good to us, and we accuse him mercilessly when every little thing doesn’t go just the way we planned it. But God loves us anyway. To love anyway is to love like God and to learn about God’s love for us.
That’s love, Jesus style.
Even a frustrating marriage can teach us to love like that.
SACRED MARRIAGE
What If God Designed Marriage to Make Us Holy More Than to Make Us Happy?
by Gary Thomas
Gary THOMAS
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PPray Without Ceasing
by the Proverbs 31 Ministries Team
ray without ceasing. That’s what God’s Word tells us to do in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. It’s one of the shortest, simplest verses in the Bible, but if we’re honest … doesn’t it seem kind of impossible?
What if your prayers feel like attempts to fill the silence in one-way conversations with a God who hears but seemingly never speaks?
What if you’re used to asking God for help in hard seasons, but you’re not sure what to talk to Him about the rest of the time?
What if you feel close to the Lord at church, but when you want to pray worshipful words on your own, it’s not the same?
But what if … prayer isn’t meant to be this complicated?
The book of Psalms in the Old Testament is filled with prayers God has graciously given us to show it is possible to pray without ceasing—but only if we let go of our impossible ideas about how we’re supposed to feel, what we’re supposed to say, and where we’re supposed to be when we come to Him.
As you study Psalms, you’ll be stunned by the writers’ freedom of expression: Some psalms are long and poetic, but others are shorter than a TV commercial. Some are prayers of joyful praise and gratitude, but others are miserable complaints—and many are both. Some prayers are directly connected to what
the psalmists were experiencing, and other times the psalmists chose not to focus on their circumstances but instead looked to the transcendent. They talked to God about the past, and they talked to Him about the future, and they asked Him for strength and forgiveness and rescue and justice in the present.
Psalm 42:1 (ESV) says, “As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.” And here’s the thing: Drinking water when we’re thirsty doesn’t feel like work. It isn’t exhausting, inconvenient or stressful, and we don’t need formal education or special skills to do it. Maybe prayer is the same way—it’s not just something we’re supposed to give to God but a way of receiving from Him everything we need. More than a continual challenge, prayer is a continual calling into deeper, sweeter, life-sustaining abiding with our heavenly Father.
What a relief!
1 John 5:14-15 (ESV) says, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”
Praying the psalms gives us a massive amount of words to pray when we can’t find words on our own. There is certainty when we pray the words of Scripture back to God. Praying in the Psalms can help you build a habit of daily praying “on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests” (Ephesians 6:18, NIV).
If prayer is communication with God, then the ancient songs of the people sung to God are also prayers. Poetry written to and about God is prayer. The biblical psalms, then, are all a form of prayer.
We can pray with confidence through the psalms knowing that when we pray them, we are praying alongside authors who prayed in God’s inspired will.
30 DAYS OF PRAYER A Bible Study in Psalms by Proverbs 31 Ministries
AVAILABLE JULY 2025
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DARK CHOCOLATE SEA SALT COOKIES
( gluten - free )
We hope you and your group enjoy this amazing cookie recipe from Margaret Feinberg’s tastiest Bible study!
3 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened dark chocolate cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon salt flakes
4 large egg whites at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
Parchment paper
(Bonus ingredients: 2-1/2 cups walnuts and 1 cup peanut butter chips)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and fine salt. Add egg whites and vanilla and whisk together until most clumps are gone. If you over-whisk, the batter will stiffen. Spoon onto baking sheet, making 22–24 cookies. Sprinkle a few salt flakes on the top of each cookie.
3. Bake cookies 15–18 minutes. Pull from oven when cookies are glossy, firm to the touch, and cracked on the surface.
4. Slide the parchment paper on two wire cooling racks. Use a spatula to loosen the cookies from the parchment paper shortly after they come out of the oven.
BONUS: Leif prefers to add 2-1/2 cups of walnut halves and 1 cup of peanut butter chips to the recipe. We’ll often bake our cookies side by side and when we share them, we’ll ask people to vote between Team Margaret and Team Leif to decide which is best.
We’d love to know your vote! If you try both recipes, email us at hello@margaretfeinberg.com and let us know which you prefer.
PEANUT BUTTER APPLE CRISP
Karen Ehman’s Bible study, Keep It Shut, challenges us to dig deep into what the Bible says about the ways we use our words—both in person and online— and when we should just keep our lips zipped. But you will definitely NOT want to keep it shut when you smell this delicious crisp coming out of the oven!
Filling
tart apples (Granny Smith, Spy, Golden Delicious, Pink Lady, etc.; don’t use an “eating apple”)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
Topping one stick real butter, softened
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1-1/2 cup rolled oats (not the quick-cooking variety)
Spray a 9"×13" pan with cooking spray. Peel and slice enough tart cooking apples to fill the pan. Sprinkle with lemon juice and salt. Mix together flour and sugar; shake over the top of the apples. Toss gently.
For the topping, mix butter and peanut butter. Add in the next four ingredients. It should hold together in clumps when pressed in your fist. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour. Sprinkle topping over the apples and bake at 375 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, until apples are tender and topping is lightly golden. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. FABULOUS!
FREE DOWNLOAD!
“5 Powerful Phrases to Speak to your Spouse, Child, Parent, and Friend”
KEEP IT SHUT
What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All
