When I starting seeing that the Word of God is something to enjoy instead of something to do—something to achieve—that was another place in my life that really propelled me forward spiritually.
Why is it important to study the Bible? In this video, I explain how Bible study affects every part of our life, but most importantly, our view of God.
Watch the video and catch the full transcripts over at LifeWay Voices.
I’m a head-first-diver. When I decide I want to do something, I set my mind to it … and go. Sometimes this approach works, sometimes it doesn’t. There are some cases that you just need to dive in and see where things take you. There are others that a bit of planning and foresight will go a long way. Bible study is one of the latter.
It’s important to recognize that Bible study is a journey and every time we open our Bibles, we lay another layer down for the step ahead. And since it is a journey it is oh-so-helpful to understand where we are and where we are going.
Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
1 Peter 2:2–3 ESV
We all start out on the left—a Bible Study Beginner. Peter tells us to be like babes who long for the milk that will enable us to grow up. Our spiritual life is just like our physical life. In order to grow, we must take in nourishment. The rate of our spiritual growth is in direct correlation to the amount of “milk” we take in.
No Bible, no growth. A little bit of Bible, a little bit of growth.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15 ESV
Here we have the end goal when it comes to our ability to study the Bible: an accurate handler of the Bible. This means that we ought to be able to open the Bible, read it, study it, figure out what it means (interpret), and walk forward in worship of the God who wrote it (apply it). There is a biblical expectation that all who come to Christ also become accurate handlers. All Christians eventually should be able to eat the meat.
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.
Hebrews 5:12–13 ESV
This is not meant to be a guilt trip, but a reality check—so that we can correctly place ourselves on the Bible Study Boulevard. Once we know where we are, then we can choose the right next step.
ASSIGNMENT: Take a moment in honest evaluation of where you are at on the Bible Study Boulevard. Pick a “hex” above, and take a mental note.
Build the Habit —> Gain Understanding —> Worship God
When we are first starting out in our Bible study journey, we need to focus on building the habit. Start small and doable. Get the quick win and build on that success. Place your energies on showing up. This doesn’t mean that you won’t gain any understanding—you will—but you need to first put your best effort toward getting into a rhythm of regularly opening your Bible.
Once spending time in the Bible has begun to become routine, you are ready to move on and take the next baby step toward understanding the Bible. Now you can start using those brain cells to focus more about what you are reading. You can flex those Bible study muscles and begin learning how to accurately handle the words in the Bible.
All along the way, you are worshiping God. You don’t have to wait until you know everything about the Bible and perfectly live it out before you can worship God with your life. (Spoiler alert) You never will! The depths of the Bible can be mined for a lifetime. And not one of us will ever be able to obey it perfectly. (Good news is, Jesus did on our behalf!) However, every intentional step you take along the way is one that says, “God, I want you more than ________.” And as you gain understanding, you get to see God more and more clearly. As you get a better and brighter view of who God is and what His best plan is for your life, you will naturally want to respond in obedient worship.
ASSIGNMENT: With where you are in mind, decide if you need to focus primarily on HABIT or UNDERSTANDING. Now we can move on to choosing the right next Bible study baby step for you.
This is where things get exciting!! Now that you know where you need to focus, you can put together a plan. I’ve laid out all the products I have available so you can see where they are on the boulevard. Each is designed to help prepare and propel you forward to the next Bible study baby step.
These decision-making suggestions are based primarily on skill. But you can also make your choice by the time you have available that day.
Of course, there are loads of other reading plans out there and Bible study tools besides these. Go out there and try out as many as you can. We all learn differently, so there is no one-size-fits-all approach to Bible study. All of my products are build to help you toward the goal of being able to rightly divide the Bible on your own. However, there are some really, really awesome Bible studies out there that are geared primarily toward understanding. I’ve completed dozens of them and grew tremendously from them. You may not learn how to study your Bible, but you will gain LOADS of understanding on the topic or the book it teaches on. There is a place for both!
ASSIGNMENT: Chose an approach and prepare for your next step. Here are a few resources you might find helpful.
Now all this is cool info, but it all means nothing if we don’t move forward! To recap, here is what we’ve covered:
Now, it’s time to dive in. Start now. Determine your next baby-step and take it!
I’m super-duper-excited about a new product I’ve created with all of this in mind. The Proverbs Bible Study Pack allows for all of the above beginner steps. So whether you are brand new to Bible study, or have a bit of experience under your belt, you can utilize this pack.
PLUS, my online Bible study group for women is studying Proverbs together in 2019. Grab the pack, then join us!
‘Tis the season for extra activities, endless shopping lists, and out-of-control eating because we’re all so stressed from the formerly mentioned activities. Come December 26th, we’ll be more than ready to get back to our normal routine and excited for the new year ahead. High on the priority list for most Christ-followers is to read the Bible more. Many will start reading through the Bible with great enthusiasm, but fizzle out before the next page in the calendar is turned.
I’ve been there. My guess is that you have been as well. Why do so many of us struggle to simply read the Bible consistently? I believe it has much to do with our motivations. It is important to pay attention to the desires of the heart, especially when we are setting out on a spiritual endeavor.
If you are currently reading the Bible for any of the above reasons, don’t stop! Keep going. But as you do, begin praying and working toward a healthier perspective.
Advent is right around the corner and this is a great time for us to set our minds on Jesus, you know, the reason for the season! I’ve collected many advent plans and studies along the years. Here’s a list of studies I’ve done—or have wanted to do!
If you’re like me, and do better with accountability and community, don’t miss the online bible study group going through the new 12-day Adore Him reading plan. This plan is geared toward busy women (I mean, who isn’t busy this time of the year!). Starts December 1. All the details are at the end of this post. Join us!
Love Comes Near Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support!
He Is Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support!
Then Came Jesus Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support!
Kid’s Advent Calendar and Reading Plan
Advent with the Jesus Storybook Bible
The Littlest Watchman – Advent Calendar Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support!
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” —A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support!
When our view of God is off, it affects everything about us. As I look back on my early days as a Christian, hindsight clearly shows this reality at work. I saw God as holy and powerful, but I didn’t see Him as near and engaged. I was terrified of the idea of surrender because I didn’t really believe that God knew me. I figured He could know me well if He wanted to, but I wasn’t convinced that He did.
Once I began to understand not only the power and holiness of God, but the love and mercy of God as well, my attitude and actions toward God changed. I started running to God instead of drifting away. I desired to learn more and more about this God who knew me completely and perfectly—and loved me still.
So, yes. What we think about God is the most important thing about us. Because it is the main factor that either fuels or dampens our desire to be with Him.
With this in mind, let’s set our minds on the GREATNESS of God!
Isaiah 55:8–9
John 1:1-4
Isaiah 40:28
Daniel 4:34–35
Psalm 147:5
Romans 11:33–36
Isaiah 46:8–9
Want to read more about the greatness of God? I’ve got just the thing for you. This reading plan bookmark includes 12 different characteristics of God put into an easy-to-use reading plan bookmark. You can use it for 12 days of Bible reading, or take one characteristic per month for a year-round resource.
For a limited time, this reading plan is FREE.
Today I’m sharing the answer to one of the frequently asked questions I receive: “What is your favorite Bible?” Though I have many Bibles on my shelf, the one I consistently recommend is the ESV Study Bible Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support! .
I’ve used the ESV Study Bible Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support! in various ways throughout the years. The ESV (stands for English Standard Version) is the translation I love to study from the most because it is more of a “word-for-word” translation than most others, which makes it a great Bible to study from. The ESV is also my preferred version for Scripture memory, mainly because it is most familiar to me.
I have a large well-loved copy of the ESV Study Bible Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support! , which I happily lugged around with me to and from home, church, and Bible study group for years. The study notes alongside all of the resources within is a treasure trove of information—especially for the beginner to Bible study. (If I could purchase again today, I would grab this pretty teal version Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support! !)
Nowadays this copy collects dust on my shelf because I have learned how to access all the ESV Study Bible Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support! goodness on-the-go through the free ESV Bible app.
It is AMAZING!! This is one of the biggest reasons why I love the ESV study Bible Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support! so much. There are other study Bibles just as solid as this one, but (as far as I am aware of) this is the only one who boasts this incredible feature. I can access the same study notes, charts, maps, and all the other resources included in the ESV Study Bible Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support! at the tap of a button on my phone. I typically consult it multiple times a week, if not daily. It is super-convenient having all these Bible study charts, maps, notes, and book information with me at all times.
Alongside the “favorite Bible” question, I get a bunch of questions about the pens I use! Though not necessary, I think it is great to personalize our Bible study time. This is a time to enjoy, and I enjoy color (plus, I am a very visual learner!) so some nice colorful pens are a must for me. 
My all-time favorite pens are Staedtler Pens. I have several sets of the Triplus Fineliner Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support! in the plastic case (one for home, one for my church bag), and one in the pink roll case Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support! which I purchased when it was marked down and keep in my handbag for the kids to use while we are out and about. As you can tell, I don’t like to be stuck without my pens!
Here’s what I love about these Staedtler Fineliner Pens Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support! :
The only problem I’ve had with these pens is actually with the case … it kept popping open while in the easel position. I grabbed some gorgeous floral duck tape Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support! to keep it shut. Problem solved and my case was further beautified!
Enjoy!
My everyday peace is easily stolen. It takes only a simple glance at the latest world news or my mounting to-do list for uncertainty and restlessness to rise up and overwhelm my heart with anxiety. Yet another look at the success and joys of those around me can lure my soul into a never-ending longing for the possessions, personality traits, and positions in life I do not have. Just one encounter with a difficult person or a sticky exchange can quickly rob my days of peace.
Everyday peace is something I have to fight for.
I expect you might be knee-deep in this fight as well. In fact, you might feel as if you are battered and bruised, defeated by the thieves of peace. Anxiety fills your moments. Dissension defines your relationships. Discontentment rules your days.
If you find yourself lacking peace, be encouraged. You are not alone. In fact, the minute I began to write this Bible study, my anxiety levels seemed to triple, my lack of contentment incredibly evident, and (after years of peace-filled friendships) multiple relational wildfires popped up out of nowhere. Opportunities to engage in the fight for everyday peace were abundant.
As we’ll see in our study together, everyday peace is ushered in or shut out of our lives through the choices we make. Anxiety, dissension, and discontentment stare us in the face daily (if not hourly!) and these peace-robbers will continue to trail us and attempt to invade our hearts as long as we live on this sin-stained earth. Though we cannot always avoid these enemies of peace, we do have a choice when we encounter them. And the actions needed to fight for peace may not be what you think.
Everyday peace can be cultivated. Not by managing your emotions or self-helping your way to a status of serenity. Everyday peace is within reach because it has been granted to us by our faithful, generous God. He has fought and won the battle for peace. Our job is to stand firm in the provision He’s already given us.
Through the presence of God, the strength of the Spirit, and the example of Christ, our every moment can be saturated with the peace that surpasses understanding. He is working in and around you to establish this promised peace for you. God’s plan for you is everyday peace.
God, bring your peace into my moments. I long to experience the peace that passes all understanding in my everyday life. I confess my need for you to reveal to me the role I play in everyday peace. Holy Spirit, I open every nook and cranny of my heart and mind for you to carefully inspect, gently correct, and powerfully transform.
This is an excerpt from the Everyday Peace Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support! , a 4-week Bible study for women.
I get all fired up when I hear “preachers” saying God wants me to be happy, healthy, and wealthy. “You deserve more, better,” they say. “Just set your mind to something and go for it. God is for you. He will give you what you desire if you love and obey Him enough. Have faith, and life will go well for you.”
Problem is, these are half-truths—shadows of Scripture. Sound bites that are close enough to sound right and are highly motivational, but in actuality, hold devastating implications. When life doesn’t go our way we wonder what we did wrong or what we didn’t do enough of to get God to act on our behalf. And when life is peachy-keen, our need for God dissipates. We turn Christianity into a formula to be figured out and followed.
Fact is, we are not promised smooth sailing. We are not guaranteed to bypass the difficult storms of life just because we are Christians. And the presence of a squall does not mean God is upset with us. I’ve found the opposite to be true in my life. The trials I’ve faced have proved God to be lovingly present, tenderly purposeful, and powerfully able to use all things for my good. I’ve learned that being a Christian doesn’t give me some force-field bubble that protects me from harm. But having the hope of Christ within me—knowing and holding onto all He has done for me and all that He will do—brings a deep-down peace that no positive-thinking prosperity message can provide.
I’ll say it again: walking with God is not a formula to be found out and followed. Abundant life with Jesus is a journey of continually drawing near to His presence while holding fast to the gospel—our anchor of truth. All who are in Christ possess the treasure of hope. It’s a noun, not a verb. But don’t always experience the hope-filled abundant life because we either don’t truly know the gospel or we forget.
We often want to measure growth with external charts and checkboxes, but I believe true spiritual growth cannot be evaluated simply by our deeds. Actions can be modified. Attitudes can be mimicked. But holding fast to hope cannot be faked.
If our view of God is big, the reality of our hope will be big, too.
God, I confess the places where I have not trusted in Your promises. Help me to see that You are steadfast and sure. Open my eyes to see You more and more each day.
This is an excerpt from my Everyday Hope Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support! study, an easy to use, four-week Bible study. Designed for women who are pressed for time, yet crave depth from their Bible study, Everyday Hope Full Disclosure: At no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase. Thanks for your support! offers a relevant and lasting approach for reading and understanding Scripture. In as few as 15 minutes a day, discover how to hold fast to His promises amidst feelings of hopelessness.
Ready or not, Christmas is right around the corner and if you’re like me, you’re still trying to get your feet on the ground from all the back-to-school madness.
I love the holiday season for many obvious reasons, but it can also be a stressful, unsettling time. Between all the extra activities, gift shopping, and traveling to celebrate with family, my time with the Lord often falls to the wayside. If this sounds like you, you’re in good company.
Busyness may be our reality but it doesn’t have to be our excuse. I invite you to join me through my Bible study, Everyday Hope, this Christmas season. If you can carve out 15 minutes, 5 days a week, you can do this!! Simply grab a few friends to study alongside of you and maybe even text one another in the mornings to add a layer of accountability.
This is a great study to set your heart and mind on the realities of all Christ came to bring us.
To jump in, all you need is a copy of Everyday Hope and to grab a few friends.
Over decades of ministry I’ve noticed quite a few trends that have been true in every station the Lord has led us. From the 19-year-old college student to the seasoned 91-year-old, the area of prayer is one where many people want to pray but don’t know how. Most either remain silent or default to a string of words they’ve heard someone else utter—and I totally GET THIS! I used to be terrified when it came to prayer. I didn’t want to pray out loud, and my private prayers were short and aimless.
There is a great void for most Christians when it comes to praying specific, Biblical, and powerful prayers. I’m so grateful for my friend (and fellow Auburn fan!) Teri Lynne and this GIFT she has given us in the area of prayer. Praying for Girls: Asking God for the Things They Need Most is her earnest and engaging invitation for moms to join her — not as perfect pray-ers but as humble daughters of the perfect Father, interceding on behalf of the girls they love.
Containing 200 Bible-based prayers as well as suggested activities and conversation starters, Praying for Girls is a must-have tool in every mom’s arsenal. Though this book is for “girl-moms” there is much that can be applied to our own hearts. I’m excited to share an excerpt from this new, incredible resource.
Every morning I move, bleary-eyed and stumbling, from my bedroom to the kitchen where Scott already has the coffee brewed. In our home there are no less than six ways to make coffee. Hands down, the best coffee is from a percolator. Remember those? You put the water in and it bubbles up through the coffee grounds. Since it takes longer to percolate coffee than it does to brew it in the coffee pot, we don’t use ours all the time. But when we do, it’s definitely worth the extra time.
As a little girl, I faithfully memorized Bible verses for Sunday school and Vacation Bible School. Honestly, I know very few of those verses today. The process was sort of like using my Keurig—quick and effective. I love my Keurig. I am thankful to be able to make a cup of coffee in just a couple of minutes because some days that is all I have.
But renewed minds are like percolated coffee. It’s a slower process than simply memorizing Scripture. The Word, like the water in the percolator, moves through our minds, touching each thought, desire, and dream.
When we allow the Word to percolate inside our mind, it saturates every part of us.
Over the years, I’ve found there are few simple ways I can keep myself on track in this area.
1. Read. It sounds incredibly basic; but, I’ve learned that there are a whole lot of women who don’t regularly read the Bible. Not because they don’t want to or don’t think it’s valuable, but because of time. But because we get busy or distracted and never sit down to do it. Here is where technology is our friend—we can listen to Scripture on our phones while we do dishes, nurse a baby, or drive to work.
2. Rewind. If I am reading a passage and it doesn’t make sense, I go back a little farther. Reading the verses or even chapters around what I’m studying help give context I need to make sense of what I’m studying.
3. Reflect. I give myself space to reflect on what I’m learning. I don’t go from one Bible study to the next with no time in between. In fact, the deeper I’ve studied, the more time I give myself to reflect on what I’ve learned before I jump into the next study. It is important to give ourselves time to reflect. I often use Saturday mornings for this practice.
4. Repeat. One of my favorite ways to dig deep into a passage or book is simply to read it over and over. Repetition is a great way to let the Word sink deep into our hearts and minds.
5. Restart. Let’s be honest here, sometimes this is where we are. We’ve gotten off track for whatever reason and we don’t need guilt. We just need to pick up our Bibles and restart.
When we are faithful to invest time in learning the Word and to allow our minds to be renewed and shaped by what we read, our children will learn from our example.
Whether my coffee is percolated, brewed, or fixed in my Keurig, it is always good. So, on the days when you have lots of time to let the Word simmer and soak in deep, cherish it. And when you are in a grab and go season, trust the sufficiency of the Word to meet you where you are and accomplish what God intends. And for the days in between (which are really most of our days), savor the Word and allow your mind to be renewed by the truth God offers. And invite your children to grow in those same habits.
Lord, in a culture that esteems conformity, may _________________ choose to be transformed into Your image. May she seek the renewal of mind You offer that she will be able to understand and live in Your will for her. (Romans 12:2)
Lord, I pray You will put Your Word deep inside _________________. Write it on her heart, embed it in her mind. I pray she will know the beauty of being Yours, of knowing You are her God. (Hebrews 8:10)
Teri Lynne Underwood is a pastor’s wife, ministry speaker, and Bible teacher. As the mother of a teenage daughter and the founder of Prayers for Girls, a popular online community for mothers of daughters, Teri Lynne is a cheerleader for girl moms and the author of Praying for Girls: Asking God for the Things They Need Most. You can connect with Teri Lynne on her blog, Facebook, and Instagram.
Order your copy of Prayers for Girls here on Amazon or wherever books are sold!
