Tag Archives: Bible Study

Are You a Martha, or a Mary?

I have a confession to make… I’m a terrible host. I’ve never liked cooking that much and when we have more than two people to entertain, I’m a nervous wreck. I cannot imagine how Martha must have felt as she busied herself for the arrival of Jesus and his disciples. It’s my idea of the ultimate nightmare.

I mean, Jesus is coming to dinner. For me, that would be like entertaining the Queen of England. Wouldn’t you want your place to be perfect and your baking top-notch if the Son of God was coming to your eat at your house? Hospitality was an important social requirement of the times. No-one can blame Martha for wanting everything to be perfect.  Just imagine all the jobs she’d already done in preparation…

And then, the big moment arrives.

Slip into Martha’s sandals for a moment and put yourself in her position… Continue reading

An Invitation to Walk Through Holy Week With Me

Welcome to Holy Week.

Over 2000 years ago, a remarkable man named Jesus had just one week left to live on this earth: that’s seven sunrises and seven sunsets; seven short days to show the world what love looked like.

And he did.

I’ll be honest: I’m not very good at walking through Holy Week. I’m terrible when it comes to keeping my focus, as this story, from my last trip to Israel, demonstrates.

But I invite you to walk with me through Holy Week, even if you lose your focus, and even if you miss one day. Just walk with me. I promise I’ll be waiting for you to catch up, just like a walking companion would.

If you happen to own Easter Love Letters from God. please click on the picture below to download your free Resource and Activity Pack that will guide you through each of the seven days. 

But if you don’t own the book, simply read the following scriptures each day and ask yourself:

What does this story teach me about Jesus?

Where do I see myself in this story?

What might God be calling me to do as a result of reading this story?

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Mary, The Happy Girl: The Final Part in a Seven-Week Bible Study for Women

It’s hard to believe, but we have reached the final part of our Bible study based on Love Letters from God: Bible Stories for a Girl’s HeartThis book will be published TOMORROW! I feel like the woman in our Bible story for today…..happy! But, of course, Mary Magdalene had so much more to sing about than a new book release… Jesus, the King of the world, and the Lord of her life had just been released from the grave. Let’s tiptoe to that quiet hillside with Mary and see what she sees…

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The Grateful Girl: Part Six in a Seven-Week Bible Study For Women

Welcome! I’m so glad you’re joining us for this seven-week Bible study based on Love Letters from God: Bible Stories for a Girl’s Heart. We’ll be studying the lives of seven incredible New Testament women. It’s the perfect way to journey through Lent together.

The Grateful Girl: Mary Anoints Jesus’ Feet

Read: John 12:1-8

It seems as if every time we meet Mary of Bethany, she’s at the feet of Jesus.

Two weeks ago, we met her sitting there, listening to his every word, and this week, we’ll find her not just sitting at his feet, but kneeling, as she takes his feet in her hands and anoints them. It’s one brave, bold, beautiful act for the man she loves and is soon to lose.

 

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The Generous Girl: Part 5 in a Seven-Week Bible Study For Women

Welcome! I’m so glad you’re joining us for this seven-week Bible study based on Love Letters from God: Bible Stories for a Girl’s Heart. We’ll be studying the lives of seven incredible New Testament women. It’s the perfect way to journey through Lent together.

The Widow’s Mite: The Generous Girl

Read: Mark 12: 41-44

Raise your hand if you like people watching. I do.

There’s something fascinating about people. Jesus liked people watching too. And that’s where we find him in this story… sitting quietly in the wings, watching people as they dropped their offerings into the temple treasury box. In particular, he’s watching a rich man, who gave some of his money, and a poor widow, who gave all of it.

 

Now if Jesus was watching me as I dropped my offering in the church plate, I’m pretty sure it would make me dig deeper into my purse. Actually, if the Son of God was perched on the pew opposite, it would make me empty my purse too. But here’s the difference… Continue reading

Martha: The Busy Girl. Part 4 in a Seven-Week Bible Study for Women

Welcome! I’m so glad you’re joining us for this seven-week Bible study based on Love Letters from God: Bible Stories for a Girl’s Heart. We’ll be studying the lives of seven incredible New Testament women. It’s the perfect way to journey through Lent together.

Martha: The Busy Girl

Read: Luke 10: 38-42

I have a confession to make… I’m a terrible host. I’ve never liked cooking that much, and when we have more than two people to entertain, I’m a nervous wreck. I cannot imagine how Martha must have felt as she busied herself for the arrival of Jesus and his disciples. It’s my idea of the ultimate nightmare.

I mean, Jesus is coming to dinner. For me, that would be like entertaining the Queen of England. Wouldn’t you want your place to be perfect and your baking top-notch if the Son of God was coming to your eat at your house? Hospitality was an important social requirement of the times. No-one can blame Martha for wanting everything to be perfect.  Just imagine all the jobs she’d already done in preparation…

And then, the big moment arrives.

Slip into Martha’s sandals for a moment and put yourself in her position…

Continue reading

The Forgiven Girl: Part 3 in a Seven-Week Bible Study for Women

Welcome! I’m so glad you’re joining us for this seven-week Bible study based on Love Letters from God: Bible Stories for a Girl’s Heart. We’ll be studying the stories of seven incredible New Testament women. It’s the perfect way to journey through Lent together.

The Woman Caught in Sin: The Forgiven Girl

Read: John 8:2-11

The woman could not escape. Two men held her arms tightly as they pushed her in front of Jesus. “Jesus!’ the teachers of the law shouted. “Look at this woman. We caught her sinning. Our law says she should be stoned. What do YOU think?”

So begins the story of The Forgiven Girl, in Love Letters from God: Bible Stories for a Girl’s HeartIt’s hard to imagine the feelings of that poor woman, who was dragged and disgraced, not just in front of Jesus, but in front of an entire crowd.

And let’s not forget the significance of where this awful scene took place. This shame-filled act happens in the temple courts, instigated by the religious leaders. In other words, this woman was judged, and already condemned, in the church, (another name for which could be ‘sanctuary’) by the church-goers (another name for whom could be ‘Christians’) of the day. Shocking isn’t it? Surely nothing like this would happen in our church, by our Christian friends, would it?

Let’s find out…

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The Thirsty Girl: Part 2 in a Seven-Week Bible Study for Women

Welcome! I’m so glad you’re joining us for this seven-week Bible study based on Love Letters from God: Bible Stories for a Girl’s Heart. We’ll be studying the lives of seven incredible New Testament women. It’s the perfect way to journey through Lent together.

The Samaritan Woman at the Well: The Thirsty Girl

Read: John 4:1-29

Israel, March 2015. The coach pulls to a stop, the doors open and we all spill out, cameras at the ready. We are British and America tourists, anxious to capture a photograph to prove that we’re standing beside the famous Jacob’s Well.

It wasn’t in the middle of a field, as you might expect. The well where Jesus sat, over two thousand years ago, and had that holy conversation with an unknown Samaritan woman, is now located in a church which serves to preserve this holy site.

We dropped a stone down the deep, deep shaft, and heard it splash 135 feet below. It was Betsy who turned the crank to wind the bucket back to the surface. And she tasted that water. I tasted that water. My sister tasted that water. We all tasted that water: the very same water that Jesus drank, all those years ago.

Don’t you think that’s incredible! After more than two thousand years, Jacob’s Well is not dried up. The water is still flowing. And if that’s not a picture of God’s never-ending, everlasting, soul-quenching love for us, I don’t know what is.

Let’s find out more about our Thirsty Girl…

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The Young Girl: Part 1 In a Seven-Week Bible Study for Women

Welcome! I’m so glad you’re joining us for this seven-week Bible study based on Love Letters from God: Bible Stories for a Girl’s Heart. We’ll be studying the lives of seven incredible New Testament women. It’s the perfect way to journey through Lent together.

Mary: The Young Girl

Read: Luke 1: 26-38

Scholars believe that Mary was only about twelve years old when the angel Gabriel appeared by her side and gave her news that would rock both her world and ours.

What were you doing at twelve years old? I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t thinking about God much, or angels. I was thinking about boys, and what I might wear to the school disco. But yet I know God was thinking about me, just like God was thinking about Mary.

I was Mary’s age, just twelve years old, when I knelt at the altar rail with my sister and invited Jesus into my heart. I remember feeling special as I rode home on the bus that night… like God knew me. Continue reading

Esther: The Prayerful Girl- Part 7 in a Fourteen-Week Bible Study for Women

Welcome! I’m so glad you’re joining us for this fourteen-week Bible study based on the newest book in the Love Letters series. If you made it this far, congratulations! We are now half-way through and, as a thank you, at the end of this post you’ll be able to enter a five- book giveaway of Girls’ Love Letters from God.

Esther: The Prayerful Girl

Read: Esther 2-8

I just saw a funny photo on Facebook. It showed a room full of little girls, all of them dressed in pretty pink, wearing tiaras and tutus, except one. She was wearing a batman cloak and mask. The tag-line read:

In a world full of princesses, dare to be batman.

It reminded me of Esther, who, even though she wore the crown, was brave enough to be herself, and to act as a true superhero who rescued generations of Jews from extinction.

 

Let’s meet Esther, The Prayerful Girl…

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