Student of the Word

Hey, friends! I’m popping in today to share what I’ve been using for my Bible study for this year. I hope to always be a student of the Word for all my life, no matter how old I get or how many times I’ve already read the Bible. It just gets better and better!

Each year, starting January 1st, I either read through the Bible on a 12-month schedule or focus more deeply on a few books of the Bible throughout that year. When reading through the entire text, I enjoy the chronological method and have used a chronological Bible (a physical paper copy) for that in the past. Last year was my first year doing it through an audio app rather than reading an actual Bible. I joined a Bible Recap group hosted by my friend Whitney Pendell and enjoyed the community accountability, so I joined Whitney’s group again this year but changed how I used the app.

While I know listening to a reading of the Bible works very well for audio learners, I am much more visual and tactile therefore I get more out of a study if my eyes and hands are engaged. Reading a Bible and holding it in my hands, highlighting and making notes, truly enhances the experience for me and I glean so much more than just listening. My husband is very much an audio learner, and I admire that, but unfortunately my mind can easily wonder! So, this year I am still listening to the audio but following up with reading and journaling.

Ok, so here’s what it looks like! I begin my morning listening to the Bible reading on Bible Recap while I’m doing my morning stretches. It plays the chapters for that day. There is a talk-it-over option at the end that I don’t usually post on, but I do benefit from reading what others post.

Next, I listen to Tara-Lee Cobble’s Bible Recap podcast on Spotify which is usually while I’m taking my morning walk. Her insight gives me some things to think about as far as the historical context of the text. Very helpful!

Later in the morning after I’ve gotten ready for the day, I sit down and read the text in my Bible and highlight any key words or attributes of God. These are called the “God shots” that help us get to know the nature of God. I find this adds so much to my understanding of God and my relationship with Him.

This portion of my day is a sweet blessing in this season of life now that two of my kids are grown and the last one is old enough to start his day by himself. For years I’ve looked forward to having extra time in the morning for extended study and I’m there now! So be encouraged, younger mamas! It will come!!

After reading the text, if time permits, I like to read through The Bible Recap book which is the same recap that Tara-Leigh Cobble gives on the podcast but in book form.

Again, I just like the added benefit of seeing the words and being able to highlight or make notes after having listened to it.

Ok, so I’m including this next one, but it ended up not working out for me. This is the companion journal to the Bible Recap.

I love the idea of a journal to go along with the book and was really gung-ho about using this, however, I like to write a lot of words when I’m journaling and my handwriting is large so I couldn’t squeeze everything in the few lines provided for each section. Still love the idea though!

So, since the companion journal didn’t work out, I just went back to my favorite style of journal for Bible study. You can find it here on Amazon.

The pages are large (7.5×10) and full of lines so I can write as much as I want and as big as I want, ha!

This next book is not part of the Bible Recap, but it’s my prayer journal and part of my time with God in the mornings. I got it at Books-A-Million, and it’s so pretty! I start a new page at the beginning of each week, listing all the praises and prayer requests I can think of, and then I’ll add to the list throughout the week as needs arise.

If someone texts me with a prayer need or update, I can go to my journal and add it. Confession: I used to feel so guilty when I’d tell someone, “I’ll be praying for you” and then realize the next time I saw them that I had actually forgotten! Now when I say, “I’ll add that to my prayer journal” it seems to stick in my head (and heart) better and lets the person know I really intend to pray for them it if I’m going to stop and write it down. Also, once I write these requests down, I can remember them better during the week when I don’t have the journal in front of me, like while I’m driving in the car or wide away in the middle of the night.

And for what it’s worth, my favorite journaling pens are these and my favorite highlighters are these, both from Amazon.

And my favorite study buddy is Pumpkin! She is a lap baby and is happy that I take the time to stop and sit for Bible study so she can have some lap time. She also looooves to hold the ribbon in my Bible! It’s so cute.

A bonus to this study format has been when I’m talking with a friend, and she mentions that she’s doing the Bible Recap too and then we can talk about what we’ve read for the day. Growing closer to my Creator alongside friends is the sweetest blessing!