Bible Study and More...

As I shared a while back, earlier this month I joined two Bible studies. One is through (big) Willow about living a life of discipleship. It's an independent study written by a local Godly women and while it has been life-changing it's also extremely tedious and time-consuming. Considering I hate reading and have the hardest time focusing, it's been a real struggle for me to get the study done each week. But I have to say that the countless hours I have spent engaged in it has been amazing. I can really tell the transformation I am feeling from being deep in the Word the past month. It is so hard to discipline myself to sit down and read the word and do the questions each week but it's affected me in a very strong way. I've been in Small Groups before but I quickly learned that Bible Study is much different than Small Group...or at least this particular one is!

The other study I am doing is more of a book than a study but it has reflective questions to answer after every chapter. In addition, I am part of an online study and my friend, Christy, and I are meeting every three weeks to discuss which both hold me accountable. This book, "A Confident Heart" by Renee Swope really complements the Discipleship study and it is no mistake that I am reading these two studies simultaneously. Through the two studies, I am learning with every single turned-page how it is really all about and for Him.

Well as if that wasn't enough, Jason and I decided we wanted to continue to do a study together since we're no longer leading or part of a small group. We decided on the book of the Bible and will begin our discussion on the first lesson this Sunday.

It's times like these that I wonder what's taken me so long to get into the Word. I look back to the beginning of my walk when I joined my first small group and bought my first Bible and remember how close I felt with God. I remember reading and reading trying to figure out exactly who Jesus was and what that all meant. It felt so good and I have longed for that feeling again. But life has somehow gotten in the way...and I haven't been able to get that "feeling" back. I feel like I am finally at a point where I am starting to feel that again and have such a strong desire to learn more and more about Jesus. I am really excited about the next 4-6 weeks while I complete the two studies and for Jason and I to continue our study while I find other ways to grow.