SOURCE BIBLE STUDY
LIVE A ROOTED, RESILIENT, AND FRUITFUL LIFE
When Your Life Gets Turned Upside Down
TOO BUSY to STUDY the BIBLE?
Understanding Your Identity in CHRIST
THE LIE YOU DON’T KNOW YOU BELIEVE
Jennie Allen
Dear Bible Study Leader,
As flowers bloom and the warmth of summer fills the air, I hope this season brings a sense of renewal and joy to your heart. These months remind me of transition and my longing for deeper connection. We’re thrilled to bring you this issue filled with ideas and gleanings about godly growth, personally and in community as you plan for another season of Bible study fellowship.
Inside, you’ll find a preview of some new studies coming this summer and fall, including:
• Three new studies on the Old Testament and individual books of the OT, from Dr. Sandra Richter, Lisa Harper, and Faith Eury Cho.
• An exciting new series: 20-Minute Bible Studies, for those of us who struggle with the guilt of unfinished Bible study guides or give up on Bible study after a few sessions because of the time demands.
• An exclusive first look at the new spiritual disciplines studies from best friends Christine Caine and Lisa Harper. (All I’m going to say here is there are jet skis and kayaks involved.)
• New studies from trusted teachers like Jennie Allen, Max Lucado, Anne Graham Lotz, and more!
We’ve also included a free planning tool and some great discounts for your group, to help take some of the stress and cost out of planning and preparing for your fall groups to start up. We pray these resources inspire you and your group, guiding you into a season of flourishing and growth as you dive into God’s Word together.
With you on the journey, Sara and Beth
Sara Riemersma, Senior Editor, HarperChristian Resources
Beth Murphy, Vice President, ChurchSource
THE LIE YOU DON’T KNOW YOU BELIEVE
BY JENNIE ALLEN
Iremember it so vividly. I was sitting at a table in the Atlanta airport, and across from me was my daughter, Kate. At this point, she was 20 something and she was sharing with me these thoughts, these things that she has believed to be true. Words like, “I am defective. I am broken. I am too broken for God to use me.”
And something rose up in me. I was so angry because it was so obviously untrue. Because she is fire. She walks in every restaurant we go in, in Dallas, every shop, and she knows everybody. Everybody loves
her. She is following God. She is married to this great man. Together they are building a godly home and a family. What she’s saying about herself is a lie. It is so obvious to me. When I tell her that, she stops me and says, “You’re my mom. Of course you believe that.” She thought it was all true even when she said it out loud. In that moment, all I want is to shift the way my daughter is thinking.
I have prayed about this shifting. I have fought for it in my own life, and in the lives of people who I love, because these lies, they’re not small. You actually believe these lies, too. You don’t even know that they’re lies, and yet they are shaping everything about you. They’re shaping your relationships. They’re shaping the way that you make choices about what you’re going to do and who you’re going to love. They’re shaping the way you enter conversations, the way you relate to God, the way you think about your life and the world. And these lies have stolen enough.
If you’ve been around church or your Bible for very long, you know the story in Matthew 4. It’s a giant face-off between the devil and Jesus. And I chose this passage for this subject because never is there a more blatant moment where we see Satan’s motives. We see Satan’s plans, we see his schemes played out, and then we see God’s response. We see Jesus’s response to the devil so clearly lived out. As we look at the three temptations of Jesus, in each one, Satan used a lie to try to convince Jesus to deny the truth and to live for a different kingdom.
and was at his physical weakest. That’s when the enemy came for Jesus.
He came for my daughter where and when she was weak. He came for me, and he’s coming for you.
But here’s the thing: All of these thoughts—that I’m defective, that I’m worthless, that I am broken, that I am nothing—I’ve thought they were all true. Then there was a moment when something inside me shifted and suddenly I could see the invisible chain of lies that had been holding me back my entire life. That is my prayer for you in this study, that you would see all you’ve been struggling through, it’s not just your circumstances, it’s not just bad luck or even your own failings. It’s a lie, and it’s a lie so familiar that it feels like truth. It’s a lie so comfortable that you’ve built your life around it.
But the enemy’s attack was obvious to the One who knew the truth through and through. It wasn’t an attack with swords or spears. If you can believe it, the enemy used Scripture to try to trip Jesus up. It was subtle and plotted, it was well conceived, and upon reading, everything Satan presented to Jesus, can seem true. But there’s more—the devil didn’t attack immediately. He waited until after Jesus had fasted 40 days and nights
Here’s the bottom line: You have a God who loves you. You also have an enemy who hates you. And the only way the enemy gets to you is through lies. Satan wants to separate us from God. That’s his only goal and his only temporary victory. Scripture says he does this by stealing, killing, and destroying. He steals our truth, kills our hope, and destroys our ability to know the difference. In John 8, Jesus describes our enemy. He says, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and he does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” When Jesus is saying this about the enemy, he knows! Jesus was there in the beginning, when Satan fell. And what Jesus is clear about is Satan is a liar.
Some of you have believed these lies from such a young age. They were reinforced by things that happened to you, by things that were said to you. I’m so sorry. Together, we’re going to learn how to trust that God has a plan to redeem whatever has defined you up until now, and that it will not define the rest of your life.
How do I know? Well, today I can say with
confidence, I am free. These lies do not define me anymore. I feel like I’m Lucy in The Chronicles of Narnia where she’s on the back of Aslan the lion, and they are running through the magical kingdom. I know that I am loved. I’m equipped with strength and authority as a child of God. And by God's definition, I am significant and called to significant purposes.
I'm being given a front-row seat to some pretty incredible things happening. I’m watching God move in the most miraculous ways. I’m seeing college kids by the hundreds, by the thousands, come to Jesus. I am seeing spiritual chains break and lies defeated in prisons where people who have committed felonies are falling on their faces and repenting and coming to Jesus. I am watching miracles regularly all around me.
I feel like I’m in this magical kingdom and beavers are talking and it’s wild and exciting. And yet I also know there are monsters and witches and there is darkness that is coming. And this is why I wrote this study. Because we're here to fight the darkness together, because there’s so much on the line. My prayer is that through this study, you would experience a freedom that you couldn’t imagine, that there would be a joy over your life and a power over your life that you couldn’t have imagined.
THE LIE YOU DON’T KNOW YOU BELIEVE
How Jesus Fought the Devil in the Book of Matthew
6 SESSIONS WITH TEACHING VIDEOS AND CONVERSATION CARDS
AVAILABLE NOW
Today, I know that I am God’s and that he is mine because I learned how to replace the lies with His Truth. The devil’s lies are not your home. They’re not my home. You were created for something far greater, far truer, and far more incredible.
The Lie You Don’t Know You Believe helps believers uncover the three core lies we subconsciously believe about ourselves and God (I’m helpless, I’m unlovable, or I’m worthless), and provides tools to help dismantle them with the power of God's Word. Drawing from Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4), you’ll learn how to name your core lie, cut through deception and negative thinking, and replace what the enemy says with what God says about you.
Jennie ALLEN
JENNIE ALLEN is a Bible teacher, author, podcast host, visionary leader, and founder of IF:Gathering and Gather25, with a vision to mobilize the global Church. Jennie holds a master’s degree in Biblical Studies from DTS and lives in Dallas, Texas, with her husband and their four children.
Discover Yourself in These Female Bible Heroes
WEEKS
52 Weeks with Women of the Bible invites you to probe the biblical text surrounding the lives of fifty two women deeply and intentionally. As you read about the various women week by week, you will discover that their stories don’t stand on their own but are connected to the larger biblical narrative. Discovering how they are linked to each other and to the whole story of the Bible is part of the delight of learning about them.
The stories are organized in the order in which the women appear in the Bible, allowing this study to serve as a mini-commentary, exploring the story of each woman's life, her legacy in the greater biblical narrative, and our connection to her today. See the Bible freshly and uniquely from the perspective of these remarkable women.
Ann SPANGLER AND Jean SYSWERDA
ANN SPANGLER is an award-winning writer and the author of many bestselling books, including Praying the Names of God, Women of the Bible and Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus. Ann’s fascination with and love of Scripture have resulted in books that have opened the Bible to a wide range of readers.
JEAN SYSWERDA is an author and a former editor and associate publisher at Zondervan Publishing House. She has written numerous books and Bible studies, including the bestselling Women of the Bible (co-authored with Ann Spangler), which has sold over a million copies.
It“And here, on the west side of the Erechtheion, we have the ruins of the Pandroseion. There would have been a wall to our left and an entrance about where we’re standing. And directly in front of us is the sacred olive tree . . .”
by Christine Caine
Live a Rooted, Resilient, and Fruitful Life
was the summer of 2022, and I was standing in the ruins of the sanctuary for Pandrosus high atop the Acropolis where I’d taken a group of friends, and together we were listening to our tour guide. Well, at least all my friends were. I’ll admit, after the first hour, and it not being my first time to climb the Acropolis, I was starting to fade. Still, being Greek and being in Greece, I wanted my friends to experience the most Greek thing Greece has going—the Parthenon.
Designed twenty-five centuries ago, the Parthenon stands tall against a sky that’s often as blue as the Greek flag—or the Aegean Sea—both of which are breathtaking to me. To architects throughout history, the Parthenon has been called the most perfect building ever built. But none of its classical architecture captured my attention that day. What left me in awe was the sacred olive tree. I had been coming to the Acropolis for decades, since my first trip to Greece in 1987, and never had I really paid attention to the sacred olive tree. You certainly can’t miss it once you’re at the top. Amidst a sea of sand-colored marble, stones, pebbled walkways, and ruins, it stands green, vibrant, and flourishing. And yet, somehow, I’d missed it.
Wandering over to the information plaque, I found myself absorbed in reading about the sacred olive tree. According to Greek mythology, the tree was a gift from Athena herself.
When she and Poseidon competed for the patronage of the city, she struck the ground with her spear, and the initial sprig of the olive tree sprouted. Of course, the tree that had me mesmerized was not that tree, but as legend has it, every tree that has stood there can be traced back to the original tree. What resilience. What strength. What extraordinary ability to not only survive and grow but to thrive and flourish. All alone. Atop one of the highest points in Athens. I have always loved olives, olive oil, and everything made from olive oil, and though I love olive trees and have two in my front yard, never had I been more captivated than I was in that moment. With one tree. And never had I felt God nudging me to study a tree. The olive tree.
Once I was back home, I began to read everything I could find about olive trees—their fruit, the products made from their wood, their enemies, their medicinal properties, and how to grow and care for them. I sought to settle, once and for all, their origin, secretly hoping they really did originate in Greece. Of course, that’s what I’ll always believe, but no doubt the Spaniards and the Italians will argue the point.
trees have been depicted in art throughout history? They’ve
I was amazed at all I learned. Did you know that Olive trees have been depicted in art throughout history? They’ve been the subjects of Claude Monet, Henri Matisse, and Salvador Dali. I found references to olive trees in poetry, songs, movies, and historical writings. I found songs from the 1960s, and films about justice and political films using the olive tree as symbolism throughout. I was amazed at all the ways olive trees have been depicted in the arts—and I love olive oil. I often joke, but I don’t doubt it for a minute,
that Mum put it in my baby bottle. After all, we were Greek! I remember Mum adding it to recipes, rubbing it on her hands, coating squeaky hinges, and dousing our salads, cheese, and bread with it. Thanks to Mum, we ate olive oil in everything and on everything. I’m sure her obsession with olive oil is why, to this day, I can’t get enough.
Included in my vast research was every biblical reference to olive trees, olive oil, olive branches, and olive anything. To my delight, there were plenty! I found that God obviously likes olives and olive trees, and not just because He made them. Together, we are going to discover the beauty, grace, strength, and importance of the olive tree, and its relevance in our lives. We are called to thrive and flourish in every season of life, to be resilient, strong, and able to endure—all qualities we’ll discover in our study of the olive tree.
I’m excited to dive into Scripture with you and uncover the deep truths hidden in the olive tree. After this study, you will never look at another olive tree the same way again.
In The Faith to Flourish Bible study, Christine Caine invites you into a transformative seven-week journey to discover what it means to remain steadfast in your faith. Drawing from her own Greek heritage and the rich biblical metaphor of the olive tree, Christine reveals how you can stay rooted in Christ through the challenges and struggles of life.
THE FAITH TO FLOURISH
Bible Lessons from the Olive Tree for a Rooted, Resilient, and Fruitful Life
7 SESSIONS WITH TEACHING VIDEOS
Christine CAINE
AVAILABLE NOW
https://qrco.de/bgibF2
CHRISTINE CAINE is a speaker, activist, and New York Times bestselling author, who awakens people globally to discover their God-given purpose and live transformed lives for Jesus. Christine and her husband, Nick, founded A21, a global anti-human trafficking organization. She also founded Propel Women, an initiative that activates women to follow Jesus wholeheartedly and live confidently in their calling. Tune into Christine’s Equip & Empower and Life & Leadership. Learn more at christinecaine.com
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DOES STUDYING THE OLD TESTAMENT FEEL LIKE A CHORE?
by Sandra L. Richter
Haveyou ever found yourself struggling with the study of the Old Testament? You wouldn’t be alone!
Over the many years that I have taught Old Testament I have found that the same three maladies affect everyone who dares to approach this first two-thirds of that large, leatherbound volume you are carrying around. The first issue is the one that inspired the title of this study: Christians often struggle to see the Old Testament as their story. Someone, somewhere along the way has likely told you that the Christian story starts in Matthew chapter one and Christians don’t need to understand the “unfortunate preface to the part of the Bible that really matters.” Of course, these same folk would never start reading The Lord of the Rings in book two … because we all recognize these two epic tales, even though broken down into multiple books, as a single narrative.
A second issue for so many is what I call the “great barrier”—the geographic, historical, and cultural barrier that stands between us and the Old Testament and makes the world of the Ancient Near East seem so very strange to us.
The third and perhaps most challenging issue is how complex the Old Testament seems. So many names, dates, and places that swirl around us when we attempt to navigate past the great barrier and recover our story.
Well, this twelve-week study is designed to fix all of that. After decades of teaching Old Testament to more people than I can remember—high school students to seasoned pastors, toddlers to senior citizens, undergrads to doctoral students, I’ve figured out how to move you past the great barrier, organize the mess of Old Testament facts and figures you've gathered along the way, and reintroduce you to your people!
Join me and experience the real people, real places, and real faith of your Old Testament as the truth of your spiritual heritage comes alive in a whole new way!
Sandra L. RICHTER
DR. SANDRA L. RICHTER is the Robert H. Gundry Chair of Biblical Studies at Westmont College. Sandy has a heart for the Church and bringing high scholarship to the body with accessible, exciting, and engaging teaching. Because of her passion for the real people and places of the biblical narrative, she has spent many years directing Israel Studies programs that focus on historical geography and field archaeology. She earned her PhD from Harvard University in Hebrew Bible and her MA in Theological Studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
BEAUTIFUL WORD BIBLE STUDIES
OLD TESTAMENT VOLUMES NOW AVAILABLE!
The bestselling Bible study series, Beautiful Word, now has two new studies focusing on books of the Old Testament—books your group probably hasn’t studied!
For each book of the Bible, this series focuses on a central theme— a beautiful word—that threads throughout that book, helping your group apply the Bible to daily life in practical and immediate ways.
SONG OF SONGS
The Love We Long For
7 SESSIONS WITH TEACHING VIDEOS
COMING IN JUNE 2026
In this engaging Bible study of the Song of Songs (called Song of Solomon in some translations), Bible teacher Lisa Harper unveils an eye-opening truth: This ancient, often-misunderstood book that sometimes reads like a racy romance novel, is actually a passionate declaration of our Creator Redeemer’s relentless love for His people. With her signature blend of humor, deep biblical insight, and raw vulnerability, Lisa peels back the layers of history and allegory to reveal Jesus as the Divine Bridegroom who didn’t just come to deliver us—He delights in us!
JOSHUA
Be Strong and Courageous
8 SESSIONS WITH TEACHING VIDEOS
AVAILABLE NOW
Joshua: Be Strong and Courageous is an eight-session video Bible study by Faith Eury Cho through the story of Joshua. Your group will read the entire book of Joshua and discover how walking in step with God enables anyone to be strong and courageous, no matter what lies ahead. Explore the journey from uncertainty to boldness, learn what it means to trust the Lord’s guidance, and discover how God’s faithfulness equips us to overcome challenging seasons.
Look for more studies in this series, from Margaret Feinberg, Megan Marshman, Lori Wilhite, Jada Edwards, and coming soon, 1 & 2 Peter, by Shannon Scott.
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HAVE YOU EVER FELT THAT YOUR LIFE HAS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN?
by Anne Graham Lotz and Rachel-Ruth Lotz Wright
In the God Won’t Leave You There Bible study, Anne Graham Lotz and Rachel-Ruth Lotz Wright invite you to discover the unshakable presence of God in every season or circumstance of your life. Drawing from the timeless truth of the inspiring story of Joseph, this study reveals the hope, resilience, and transformation God means for you to know.
One of the most beautiful and poignant blessings is that we see a reflection of Jesus Himself in Joseph’s life. Jesus, the beloved favored Son, was sent by the heavenly Father to find and save His “brothers.” In obedience to His Father, Jesus began a journey that was thirty-three years long.
Although He was in His Father’s will, doing the right thing and even going the extra mile all the way to the cross, He, like Joseph, was set on a path of suffering—a path fiercer, the attacks more brutal, and the pain more immense than we could conceive or a human heart could endure. Jesus, too, was rejected by those He sought to redeem, despised by those He loved. He was stripped of His robe, which was not dipped in animal’s blood but soaked in His own blood and gambled for by cruel soldiers. His brothers didn’t throw Him into a pit; they crucified Him! He was alone. Forsaken.
Yet, like Joseph, in the blink of an eye, Jesus was raised up to sit on a throne! And from that exalted position He was, and still is, able to save not only His family but the entire world, which includes anyone and everyone who comes to Him by faith. One day the whole world will acknowledge His authority as every knee bows before Him. Jesus won’t be wearing a seamless robe that was gambled for but a robe of light more brilliant than the sun! He will be the center of universal praise as the One who alone is worthy of all glory, honor, power, strength, and wisdom. In the end, the Father’s ultimate purpose is revealed. The Son of the Father is known to the whole world as the Lamb of God whose blood atones for our sin. Jesus will be known as the only Savior whose suffering opens the way for our reconciliation with His Father, as the Risen Lord who one day will rule the world as King of kings.
Could it be that you, like Joseph, are in the process of becoming a reflection of Jesus? If you find yourself on a path of suffering that is made even more painful because you have done nothing wrong, look for Jesus in the shadows. He is with you. He is guiding you. And He will bring you through.
Step into Joseph’s story because God won’t leave you there …
Anne GRAHAM LOTZ
Called "the best preacher in the family" by her late father, Billy Graham, ANNE GRAHAM LOTZ speaks around the globe with the wisdom and authority of years spent studying God's Word. Anne is a bestselling and award-winning author of twenty-one books. She is the President of AnGeL Ministries in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Rachel-Ruth
LOTZ WRIGHT
RACHEL-RUTH LOTZ WRIGHT is the daughter of Anne Graham Lotz and granddaughter of Billy Graham. RachelRuth is Vice President of AnGeL Ministries and teaches an online Bible study that reaches over 137 different countries with thousands of registered attendees.
Seeking a Loyal Heart
by Max Lucado
King David’s life couldn’t be better. Just crowned. His throne room smells like fresh paint, and his city architect is laying out new neighborhoods. God’s ark indwells the tabernacle; gold and silver overflow the king’s coffers; Israel’s enemies maintain their distance. The days of ducking Saul are a distant memory. But something stirs one of them.
In the midst of his new life, David remembers a promise from his old one. “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” (2 Samuel 9:1 NKJV). Confusion furrows the faces of David’s court. Why bother with the children of Saul? This is a new era, a new administration. Who cares about the old guard?
David does.
He does because he remembers the covenant he made with Jonathan. When Saul threatened to kill him, Jonathan sought to save him. Jonathan succeeded and made this request: “If I make it through this alive, continue to be my covenant friend. And if I die, keep the covenant friendship with my family— forever” (1 Samuel 20:14–15 MSG). Jonathan does die. But David’s covenant does not. No one would have thought twice had he let it. But to David, a covenant was no small matter.
Finding a descendant of Jonathan wasn’t easy. No one in David’s circle knew one. Advisers summoned Ziba, a former servant of Saul. Did he know of a surviving member of Saul’s household? Look at Ziba’s answer: “Yes, one of Jonathan’s sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet” (2 Samuel 9:3 NLT). The person in question is Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan.
When the boy was five, his father and grandfather died at the hands of the Philistines. Knowing their brutality, the family of Saul headed for the hills. Mephibosheth’s nurse snatched him up and ran, then tripped and dropped the boy, breaking both his ankles, leaving him incurably lame. Servants carried him across the Jordan River to an inhospitable village called Lo Debar. The name means “without pasture.” Mephibosheth hid there, first for fear of the Philistines, then for fear of David.
Servants are soon driving a stretch limousine across the Jordan River and knocking on the door of the shack. They explain their business, load Mephibosheth into the car, and carry him into the palace. The boy assumes the worst. But David calls in Ziba and tells him, “Everything that belonged to Saul and his family, I’ve handed over to your master’s grandson … from now on [he] will take all his meals at my table” (2 Samuel 9:8–10 MSG). Faster than you can say Mephibosheth twice, he gets promoted from Lo Debar to the king’s table.
Why is David so loyal? How is he so loyal? Were you able to ask David how he fulfilled his promise, he would take you from his story to God’s story. God sets the standard for covenant keeping. He makes—and never breaks—his promises. David was a walking parable of God’s loyalty. You are called to do the same. Illustrate stubborn love. Incarnate fidelity. God is giving you a Mephibosheth-sized chance to show your children and your neighbors what real love does. So embrace it. And who knows? Maybe someone one day will tell your story of loyalty to illustrate the loyalty of God.
SEEKING AFTER THE HEART OF GOD for 52 weeks
52 LESSONS, NO VIDEO
AVAILABLE NOW
In this 52-week Bible study—designed to be started at any point in the year—Max Lucado delves into King David's story to discover what it means to chase after God's own heart.
https://qrco.de/bgibON
Max LUCADO
Since entering the ministry in 1978, MAX LUCADO has served churches in Miami, Florida; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and San Antonio, Texas. He is America's bestselling inspirational author with more than 150 million products in print.
DISCOVER A STUDY THAT MOVES SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES and PRACTICES from PERFORMANCE TO PERSON from Bible Teachers and IRL Besties
Lisa Harper and Christine Caine
Spiritual disciplines are intended to be a means of grace to connect us with God so that we can know Him more intimately. Then, out of the overflow of our relationship with Jesus, we impact the world around us. Practicing spiritual disciplines in our normal, everyday lives should be realistic and attainable. When it’s not, we become paralyzed and oftentimes walk away from engaging God more deeply.
With these eight Bible study sessions, we hope to show people how easy it can be to love God, have a relationship with Him, and organically reflect Him to our world. We’ll explore prayer, fasting, Scripture meditation, silence, and more—not as religious CrossFit, but as grace-shaped rhythms that actually draw you to Jesus. With a nod to church history (hello, Ignatius) and a conversation with modern guides (Foster, Willard, Peterson), we’ll recover practices that form souls without flattening schedules.
Expect biblical depth, practical steps, and a little sanctified snark: checklists don’t resurrect hearts, but Christ does. Each session pairs clear teaching with doable invitations you can try in real life—between carpool and staff meeting, not just on silent retreats. You’ll learn to trade guilt for gratitude,
hurry for holiness, and theory for transformation. Whether you’re a parent, pastor, student, or simply hungry for more of God, this study offers a theologically rich, joy-tilted path into intimacy with Jesus, no perfectionism required. Come for the disciplines; stay for the Savior. And yes, you can leave your spiritual gold stars at home.
God knows our reality; He knows our circumstances and commitments. More than anything, He wants moments of time with us where we experience the fruit of joy and nearness to God and others. We don't attempt to accomplish this in one day, but over time, each practice becomes woven in and out of our everyday schedules.
Our goal is to bring the fun and freedom back into spiritual formation, reminding you that these expressions of faith are meant to be practical, doable, and woven into our daily lives—whether you’re a seminary professor or a single parent working two jobs. Spiritual disciplines or practices are about formation instead of information. They’re both the fuel and fruit of a vibrant relationship with Jesus, which means we can kick guilt to the curb!
Spiritual Practices to Deepen Your Intimacy with Jesus GATHER
Spiritual Practices to Deepen Your Relationships with Others
FOUR SESSIONS EACH WITH TEACHING VIDEOS
IToo Busy to Study the Bible? GIVE GOD 20 MINUTES AND SEE WHAT
HE WILL DO
by Kristin Nave
n 2023, a Lifeway research study asked Americans about their Bible reading habits.* The number of responders who reported engaging with Scripture weekly was at a 13-year low. And the reason most cited for failure to open the Word? Busyness. More than a quarter of responders cited a lack of time as their top obstacle toward engagement with the Bible.
This didn’t surprise me one bit. As I’ve taught women how to study the Bible on social media, my podcast, and from stage, numerous women have shared with me that they’re too busy to study their Bible. They’ll go on to explain that when they pick up a new Bible study, they’re quickly overwhelmed by the amount of content.
They get discouraged when they fail—yet again—to complete even one session a week. Additionally, women have confided that they look longingly at another person’s hour of study and convince themselves that is the only way to go in-depth. Out of defeat, they end up not opening their Bible at all.
And what are they missing? Hope. The Lifeway report goes on to note that people who regularly open their Bibles are more likely than any other demographic group to exhibit a hope-filled worldview. “Apparently,” notes the report, “those who read the Bible regularly, who live and think according to its teaching, find
resources that keep them going, even in tough times.” We need that hope—and to think, we could get it, if only we knew how to in the limited time we get between all the demands on our time each day!
The Bible tells stories of what God can do with seeming smallness. In Judges 7, God used Gideon and only 300 soldiers to defeat 135,000 Midianites. In 1 Kings 18, God used the prophet Elijah to show His power against 450 prophets of Baal. In Jonah 3, God used a five-word sermon to convict the hearts of the entire city of Nineveh. And all four gospels tell how Jesus took a meager number of loaves and a few fish and fed a multitude. Why shouldn’t we believe that God can take another seemingly meager amount—say, twenty minutes—and multiply our efforts to produce a spiritual feast of rich food for the busy woman’s soul?
I’ve been offering practical tools to engage with God’s Word in those brief windows of time for a long time in the online social space, but now I have the incredible opportunity to bring my longform learning to you in short-form study! I always seek to meet women right where they are with the time they have, and my goal is to encourage you to earnestly and expectantly look to see what God can do with just twenty minutes.
The book of Psalms is a natural starting point to engage busy women for twenty minutes, since although the Psalms are a book as a whole, they also offer individual stories we can approach with ease. You can miss a few days or more of the Bible study and still pick it up with a fresh perspective, rather than feeling overwhelmed from falling behind or forgetting the context. Through studying a selection of 40 Psalms, you will journey through the book at your own pace.
Dive in with what time you have and learn how God can take our meager minutes and multiply our efforts! Embrace the time you have, looking to God to meet you exactly where you’re at.
*Aaron Earls, “Scripture Engaged: Who Are American Bible Readers?” Lifeway Research, April 27, 2023, https://research.lifeway.com/2023/04/27/ scripture-engaged-who-are-american-bible-readers.
Kristin NAVE
KRISTIN NAVE is a Bible teacher, speaker, and host of the Love the Bible podcast, where she encourages listeners to connect deeply with Scripture and apply it to everyday life. She’s passionate about helping people see the Bible as the living Word of God, not just a historical text. Kristin has written Bible studies, leads workshops at churches and women’s events, and shares biblical insights and encouragement on Instagram @shelovesbible.
PRAYING SCRIPTURE TO UNDERSTAND YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST
Manyby Stormie Omartian
of us struggle with feelings of low self-worth and if you come from a background of verbal abuse, it’s even more challenging. “You’re never going to amount to anything! You’re worthless! You’re nothing! You’re stupid! You’re a failure!” were words my mother used to say to me over and over again. They were reinforced by her lack of affection and inability to nurture. Because we lived on a ranch miles from anyone, I didn’t have the positive reinforcement of friends or relatives, which could have lessened the impact of my mother’s neglect. Every day I heard the same words, and I grew up believing them.
Since I believed I was nobody, I became desperate to prove I was somebody. I grabbed for things instead of letting them happen. I demanded approval. I had to be noticed. Starved for love, I became involved in one destructive relationship after another. Yet no amount of love, approval, or recognition ever filled the endless void of my being because I believed those lies about myself.
We all want to be somebody. The truth is, God created each one of us to be somebody and no life is an accident or unwanted in His eyes. He has given us each a distinct purpose or calling. It is not humility to deny the Lord’s extraordinary qualities in us, it’s low self-esteem. High self-esteem means seeing yourself as God sees you and recognizing that you are a unique person in whom He has placed specific gifts, talents, and purpose unlike anyone else. Memorize this, cut it out, paste it on your hand, and say it aloud fifty times a day if you need to. Do whatever it takes to help you remember it. This is the absolute truth about you, whether you can see it or not and whether or not anyone else recognizes it.
What the Scriptures Say
Observe how the Bible describes you in these verses:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”
2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
John 1:12 (NIV)
“For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you.” 1 Thessalonians 1:4 (NIV)
No matter what anyone says, God gets the last word about You. He has gone to great lengths to reveal your identity in Christ on the pages of Holy Scripture. As a Christian, it’s your responsibility to know what God’s Word says about you and to believe it. The Scriptures listed above are just the starting point—the Bible has many more passages that teach believers who they are in Christ Jesus. I have learned to value myself as God values me by deliberately thanking Him for any positive things I see.
As we praise God for specific things, we are inviting His presence to bring transformation. It’s the best medicine I know for believing lies about yourself. For better or worse, we live out what we believe to be true about ourselves. Much of your emotional pain may be caused by believing untrue things about yourself. If you entertain lies about yourself, or if you question your identity in Christ, it’s imperative you learn what the Bible says about you. Ponder what it says, ask God to confirm these truths in your mind and heart, and live these truths out in your life.
Praying the Scriptures
Lord, I pray that by Your power I will understand my identity in Christ. Help me to always remember that I am Your daughter (John 1:12). Because of Jesus, my past is forgiven, and my future is secure (Ephesians 1:7). I thank You because You have given me skills and talent and You call me to use my gifts to glorify You. I don’t need to worry because You make me competent to do everything You call me to do (2 Corinthians 3:5-6). I thank You because I am loved, I am embraced, and You will never leave or forsake me. Because You are with me, there is no reason for me to fear. Thank you for giving me a spirit of love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Lord, I confess I am prone to forget who I am and sometimes I fall into the trap of believing lies about myself. Make me quick to redirect my thoughts to Your Word and remind myself of who I am in Christ.
Struggling to find focus and meaning in your prayer life? You're not alone. This guide provides a clear roadmap for spiritual growth in practical ways that apply to your unique daily needs.
Stormie
STORMIE OMARTIAN is an award-winning bestselling author and speaker whose award-winning POWER OF PRAYING series have sold more than 34 million books worldwide. Stormie and Michael have been married for over 42 years and have two married children and two granddaughters.
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE
YearswithGod
by Shannon Bream
ago, I struggled with a chronic condition that left me in excruciating pain—the kind that ranks 10 out of 10. I visited a long list of doctors in search of a diagnosis. Months bled into years as I suffered. I grew increasingly despondent and depressed.
I prayed, “God, if it’s not Your will to heal me, will You please lead me to the right medical professional who can help me?”
I eventually discovered a doctor who diagnosed me with map-dot-fingerprint dystrophy. This genetic condition caused me to tear the surface of my corneas repeatedly. When the doctor said he knew how to help me, my heart flooded with hope and joy.
Then he said the words I never wanted to hear: “There’s no cure.”
promise has been enough—sustaining me through different medications and eventually a surgery that brought an end to nearly all the physical and emotional suffering the disease had caused.
I share that because, like me, maybe you’ve encountered situations where it feels impossible—where you want or need to overcome something and you just can’t. Maybe right now life feels like too much. You don’t see a way forward. And God feels a million miles away. If that’s you, I get you, and you are not alone.
There’s a long list of biblical heroes who have felt the same way. They’ve wandered and wondered. They’ve struggled and suffered. They’ve felt disappointment and defeat. And yet they’ve overcome simply because God was with them.
I retreated to my car and wept, eyes swollen with grief. I couldn’t imagine living with this pain for the rest of my life. I begged God to help, to heal, to do anything. That’s when the Lord whispered in my Spirit, “I will be with you.”
He didn’t promise I’d be healed or that everything would suddenly be okay. He simply assured me of one thing: He would walk with me through whatever came. And that
In this study, we’ll explore the stories of eleven people from the Bible and the impossible situations they faced. These individuals wrestled with the same issues we do—everything from imposter syndrome to social anxiety to paralyzing fear to significant trauma. They dealt with the same feelings we do too—those of loneliness, rejection, and being overwhelmed. They faced impossible odds, yet they overcame because God was with them. And with God, you can overcome too.
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD, WORKBOOK
Eleven Bible Heroes, One God, and Endless Lessons in Overcoming
COMING IN JULY 2026
Nothing Is Impossible with God Workbook is a deeper dive into the biblical stories of eleven heroes where you will find encouraging connection to your life, inspiring reminders of how God is willing and able to bless you more than you can possibly imagine, and confidence in the truth that nothing is impossible with Him.
Shannon BREAM
SHANNON BREAM an author and the anchor of Fox News Sunday, and the Fox News Channel’s chief legal correspondent.
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