A Little Leader Love
Two weeks ago we wrapped up our Breaking Free Bible study in Houston and we got a chance to share a little bit about it on the blog. Now we would love to hear from all you Bible-study-leading, blogging siestas. How did your semester go? Chime in whether or not it was a Beth Moore study. We just want people in the Word!
Labels: Bible study
posted by Amanda @ 1:14 PM
299 Comments
299 Comments:
Our Community (ALL DENOMINATIONS) Group of Women here in SW Kansas, finished up Stepping Up. WOW....it was so awesome, and this past week we just started in on the Retreat in a box of Loving Well. We decided to do it as a 4 week study. Honestly, I am loving the journal that goes along with the retreat.
Blessings!
PS: Several weeks ago there was a 30 minute session to ask Beth any question, and I asked about books she is reading. She shared, The Prisoner in the Third Cell, and same kind of different as me. My husband and I read both of them last week....wow! Any more suggestions? From any of you, please get in touch. THANKS!
I started the B F class with 26 women. When we finished it, we were 4 dedicated women who were improved and much more lovely! These studies are not for the fence riders. I have been a part of nearly every study written by Beth Moore and I can testify whole-heartedly to the fact that God has used her ministry to grow me spiritually in an Eph. 3:20 way...exceeding abundantly!!! My husband, who is in seminary, said when he gets a break this summer he is going to start doing Beth Moore Bible Studies! Welcome another Miesta!!!
I'm doing this for my leader, Aurelie who does not blog. We finished doing "A Woman's Heart" in February and the next week started "Breaking Free". We are on week 6 tonight. We started with over 28 women, but are now averageing about 12-16. Aurelie is a caring leader and she prays diligently for all of the women. Good questions and good discussion are happening. There are two mother-daughter duo's. Lots of new faces, who don't even attend our church, which has been GREAT!! All of us are being challenged and Blessed!
Except for the summer, we always have a study going. All but one, have been Beth Moore studies. Yours are just so "rich". Love you tons!
Melana in Wyoming
we just finished reading Lisa Whelchel's book 'Taking Care of the Me in Mommy' and that was a great book to study together! Definitely a recommended read!
We just finished our "Stepping Up" study and, oh my word, I could not be more sad to have to leave my Bible digging girls on the last night! We HATE it when a study ends and then Beth gets sad about it and it almost sends us over the edge! We laughed we cried we studied and "Amened" and we prayed on our faces for one another! It has changed the way that I start every morning... on my face! It has changed how we worship... meaning EVERY word we sing, and it has challenged us to remind each other to not "eat the seed!" Oh, we are aching to start again! THANK YOU JESUS for YOUR matchless WORD! PRAISE YOU LORD! Thank you Beth for being faithful to write and to pray. We pray for you each time we meet... that the Lord would work in you and that He would continue to use you as He sees fit. MUCH LOVE!
We have just started at our church a study for women. It is one I have penned myself so it is very scary. We are discussing living your life deliberatley for Christ. Coveting any & all prayers for Christ to be revealed!Waiting to do Daniel & Stepping Up!
We just finished Stepping Up and went straight into When Godly People Do Ungodly Things. We loved Stepping Up but are being really talked to in When Godly... Our church is in a season of strife right now so the issues of seduction and having a seduced-proof life are so timely. Thank you for allowing God to use you in such a way. I know that you wrote that study several years ago but it is speaking volumes to the ladies in our Wednesday night group now. Thank the Lord that He gave us His Word that is alive and active so that we may feed on His Word daily and be touched in the season we are experiencing.
Praise God!
Tina
I teach a group of college students(Masters Commission) once a week for the last 8-ish months, We have gone through different portions of the Word...whatever the Lord wants to teach them of course He teaches me. I have been all over the map emotion and experience wise this year. Being a leader is super hard, but very rewarding. I have brought some of Beths material which the kids LOVED! I have a group of women desiring to study Daniel this summer, so I look forward to that!!! Love you guys. Tiff
Last week I finished Beth's Tabernacle study and Psalm of Ascent study with two different groups. I was amazed at how they blended! For instance, Beth taught from Psalm 84 and Lev. 9:24 on a video in both studies. I happened to watch both videos with my groups on the same day! --Like bookends to my day, one at 9:00 a.m. and one at 8:00 p.m. That is just one of many, many wild "blendings" of the two studies. I am more amazed and so in awe of Him than ever. Pressing on!
Thank you so much, Beth. Much love to you!
We decided to use a whole new approach for our ladies this semester. In addition to the usual workbook/video options, we added another option. We are doing a chronological read through the Bible and discussing it via a blog. Check it out at www.calvarypslwomen.com We would love to have other women join us! It has been so encouraging reading along together and then sharing on the blog. We also use the blog for announcements etc. for women's ministry. We are excited and looking forward to an August similcast of Living Proof Live. It would tickle our women to death to have a message from you on our blog! God bless you... you are such an inspiration to this pastor's wife!
I lead the women's ministry in our Church of 2000, and we are just now starting the DVD study "Believing God" with our women. Last night we watched session 2. It is so awesome! Every woman is wildly inspired by what Beth is teaching (or should I say what you are teaching? lol). I am LOVING my homework! Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you for leading us deeper in our walks!
A group of gals at our church recently finished a study on the book of Ephesians. We did a chapter a week: reading, disecting, and journaling on our own, then coming together to discuss. It was one of the best studies I have been a part of. There is nothing like the word of God, which is very alive and active.
I currently facilitating Living Beyond Yourself. We have three weeks left.
A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.
We are a home study group. We have been meeting and doing Bible Study for four years but have done three consecutive Beth Moore Studies. All of the ladies in the group have kids at the school my kids go to. It is a group with many denominations. We have put aside our doctrines and decided to unite for the WORD. It is so beautiful. We even have a Jewish friend in our group who accepted Jesus as her savior because of THE WORD! (Just this winter, GLORY!)
It is exciting to see God move in our lives. Besides my family stuff, meeting with The Misfits (The name of our group.) is my favorite part of the week!
This semester has been incredible! Our bible study group just finished off "A Woman's heart" and it was amazing! It never ceases to amaze me how God takes all of the pieces of my life and ties them up perfectly. We were in the midst of your study when you came and spoke in Vancouver in Feb. The passage you spoke on tied in so perfectly with all that God had been teaching me in the last few months through studying the tablernacle! I have been richly blessed. Thanks to all of the people who have made these studies possible.
Blessings,
Sandra:)
I am completing my first year of Community Bible Study. We studied 1 and 2 Kings and the minor prophets. It has been AMAZING and I love my group of Godly women! I will be signing up for CBS next year too (we will be studying Hebrews and Galations, I think). So excited! :)
Our group finished Stepping Up a couple of weeks ago and it was incredible as always. Thanks for your ministry and for making a difference in our lives. We love you!
We recently finished our Beth Moore study of Daniel. We have one group that has already started Psalms of Ascent and another group to begin it in the fall. We just about always have one of her studies going at our church, and personally my nose is always in one at home whether or not we have one going at church!
I just finished Stepping Up and I tell you something-I just so happened that something pretty devastating occured in my life right around week 4... it was of course Gods perfect timing! That study changed my life, and the lives of many women in the group...
God bless-
Amanda
Oh, Praise the name of Jesus! I have the privilege of co-leading and studying the Word with Firefighter Wives and Girlfriends of Fresno City, CA. We are studying the attributes of God and I am in awe of the Lord's hand in each of our lives. He is transforming us from glory unto glory. I have never studied the Word with women who have such a deep hunger for the Lord and who are transparent to this extent with who they are. Truly Blessed! God is moving!
Funny you ask...I JUST finished (5 minutes ago) Beth's Daniel study. LOVED it. Some of it made my brain hurt with confusion (all the kings of north, south and the daughters given in marriage!!!) but even the parts where Beth said "This part won't be about you", it WAS. God really spoke to me through out the entire study. I'll be starting A Woman's Heart at the end of May. Thanks Beth for following in God's plan for your life and writing these studies for us! We all LOVE you as a siesta. Can't wait for Esther!
Thanks for asking about us, AJ!
You are the "daughter" that a
mother dreams of!
Of course, I love my own 24 year old and wouldn't trade her for the world. However, I think she would have made James Dobson despair of life completely.
Off subject - Bible Study and how did it go -
I started to lead "Breaking Free" with a group of ladies of various ages and from several different churches in my area.
Everyone was so excited, until they realized what "Breaking Free" was all about.
They all cried and hugged and let go of so many of their beliefs about "sharing" when I told about my own stronghold and how I had arrived there.
For two weeks after that, they clammed up completely. I asked one of the younger women what did she think was going on. She simply replied that she knew these people well and they were NOT going to share anything at all or even dig into what may be inside of them to break free from. It's just not proper.
I prayed, cried, and ask GOD if I just wasn't any good at leading. HE was very tender with me, but I didn't get a clear answer.
After about 3 1/2 weeks, they all just sat there and waited for someone to "share" and looked at me. I guess I have so much baggage from the pit years, I was entertaining to them.
I asked them if they wanted to continue or postpone until another time (since I was getting zero participation...they were listening to me breaking free).
They said, "Well, I guess, whatever you want".
As I got in the car that night, I was teary eyed and felt like a failure!!! But I hit my CD player and Beth's voice on audio echoed loud and clear:
"I don't want to play church. I'm too old for it. I want to do the thing!"
That was how I felt and I immediately knew that GOD was releasing me and giving a hug. I can't be their Holy Spirit.
I did the rest of the study for the second time by myself - me and Beth because I did have that.
I was completely and totally delivered 100% from a stronghold of bitterness and unforgiveness towards someone who victimized me badly. I finally took my hand off the wound I thought was a scar and let HIM clean it us and tenderly heal it.
So, long post to say, YES, my Breaking Free went wonderful. It changed my life, once again!! I'm sorry the ladies missed it. I pray that one day they will understand that it's ok to talk about it with The Father. As your Mom says, "It's not like HE'S going, "no, you are kidding? You didn't think that, did you?"
Love you guys and praying for your entire family everyday!!
Teri
Forgive me...I'm not a group leader in the way that you are thinking! But, I am a homeschooling mom to my little 'group' of 4 kids, and just finished the Daniel study on my own.
It has been a precious time for me!
I can't thank Beth enough for her teaching. The tabernacle study had always been my favorite, but the book of Daniel just stepped up and took over my heart! It's amazing how studying that book has really fit together the entire Bible for me in a new way. What an extraordinary book God's Word is!
I just began "Stepping up: Psalms of the ascent" this week and can't to know God more. I'm reading Rosenthal's "Feasts of the Lord" and Ann Spangler's "The Names of God" alongside, and feel like it is all divinely ordained for this time of my life. Thanks much to my "spiritual mom" (can't help but think of Beth as that) for her continuing faithfulness to Him. Someday I hope to hug your neck if not on this earth....in eternity!
We just finished Jesus The ONE and ONLY, right after Easter. Oh my what timing the LORD has. My fave to date. Totally a God send for our church during this season in our church.
We did "A Woman's heart" and it was wonderful!! The Lord blessed in too many ways to count and we are now looking to do "When Godly People Do Ungodly Things" starting in July.
We have 2 more weeks of Daniel. This is my second time leading it. The first time was with some young adult women, this time most of us are not so young adult women!:) We have been so blessed and have grown. We are now so aware of our self absorption and are smarter now! We are not DUMBER! Math was never my thing so the 70 sevens of Daniel were just a tad mind blowing for me, but I get it!! PTL! A bunch of us from my group are coming to Minneapolis in July all the way from the Detroit area! Can't wait!
Just finished Daniel, the first half was very eye opening. WOW! I now put my blinders on while standing in the grocery line. I even have changed my home page to remove the gossip..."Hollywood news" The second half was very challenging...very interesting but I need to do it again. Now my group had started Conversation Peace. I CAN"T WAIT for ESTHER, I think it is extra special since I have prayed for LPM through it!!
We just wrapped up Stepping Up and I was extremely blessed to learn with 13 of the most delightful ladies ever! I wrote about it on my blog, but rather than you going there here is what happened on our last night:
I sure didn’t want to do it. The video had just started and I was well into my lightening speed note taking as I always do when Beth teaches the Word of God. It was our last night and I wanted to just sit back and enjoy the last Word she would share on Stepping Up.
Then I heard Him.
“Bless them.”
“I have, Lord, many times as we have met here. I’ve blessed them.”
“Bless them tonight.”
“Lord, you know I always pray for them before we leave our class. Tonight will be no different. I will bless them.”
“Bless her.”
“Bless who?”
“Her…and her…and her…”
“Huh?
“Bless each one of them…by name…individually…and personally.”
“But God…”
“Don’t ‘but God’ me. Bless them the way I’m telling you to do it.”
“What if I can’t remember anything about them to bless personally? What if my mind draws a blank and I can’t even recall their name? You know, Lord, I have that tendency in my premenopausal state!”
“Are you using THAT old excuse again? You know, Moses tried that with me once — well, not the premenopausal excuse — but the one about not being smart enough or not having the right words to say or forgetting what to say. Do what I tell you to do and it will be alright! Trust Me!”
So as the DVD ended and we stood and got in our circle as we had done many times before, I stepped to the middle. As uncomfortable as anyone could be, I laid my hand on Aimee’s shoulder, then Deanna, then Angie, then Jeri, then Robin, then Gigi, then Portia, then Candie, then Stacey, then Michelle, then Jan, then Betsy.
And I blessed them…
By name…
…individually…
…and personally…
And He brought to mind all of the wonderful things that I knew about each one of them and I began to ask Him to move in each and every situation. Some are having a baby soon. Some are homeschooling moms. Some are raising teenagers. Some are waiting for God’s best in a mate. Some are sending loved ones to the mission field. All have a fiery passion for the Word and have blessed me in immeasurable ways over the past 7 weeks.
The prayer was not beautiful. But it sure felt good to obey Him for a change, instead of reasoning it away. I followed Him this time on this request and He was faithful!
Then the most wonderful thing happened!
I bent the knee and THEY BLESSED ME…
By name…
…individually…
…and personally…
…which I think was His intention all along.
"The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed…"
Proverbs 11:25 The Message
Blessings,
Dori
We finish up our Psalms of Ascent study this evening. We've had a blast with one another...learning how to be better siestas amidst a pretty rough beginning (we lost 2 of our fellow sisters to cancer just prior to our start).
This study has been a breath of fresh breathing...a way to embrace a portion of the Psalms without being overwhelmed by the length of the entire book of Psalm.
We've loved every video, and like Beth, I come to this evening with mixed emotions. Glad for the breather I will receive as facilitator, but it is always difficult for me to shelve my videos in my Beth Moore closet for another season. I wait in eager anticipation for the Fall, with an interim study to facilitate our summer.
For anyone who hasn't read Lisa Bevere's new book, "Nurture", run to your nearest book store and secure your copy. It's a great read for your "in between" times. She's a profound writer committed to our even more profound God!
peace~elaine
My group just finished up "Jesus the One and Only", providentially ending Easter week! It was an AWESOME time and I think I can speak for all of us when I say that our walks with Christ are a little deeper and a lot sweeter. We're beginning Jennifer Rothschild's "Fingerprints of God" to take us to the end of the semester, then will have a beach retreat in July to do "Loving Well". About half of us were with you in Jacksonville...thank you again for laying the groundwork for a sweet encounter with the Most High.
I laid out a semester with my church's Bible study, because Chris was home looking for a job.
So I am taking Believing God online with another fellow blogger, Jeni.
It has been such a life source to us during this time (Chris now has a wonderful job--Praise HIM!)! Believing God is my favorite message of Beth's--hands down.
That was so timely... we just finished Wising Up today! So awesome! Amazing! We were all so Incredibly Blessed! - I am so glad I bought them so I can watch them over and over! (and of course I'll share)
***Next Week are going back to watch the "Third Series" again because some girls missed! : ) all our husbands will be thrilled!***
Then we will have a big party! Yeah! Thank you Jesus!
"How can we thank God enough for you, LPM, in return for all the JOY we have in the presence of our God because of you!" 1 Thessalonians 3:9
I'm on the last week of Tabernacle for the second time. Like you, Beth, this is a study I just know I will never get over! Blessings.
I just saw on the blog where two other Siesta's "Eternally Grateful" and "Melana" both are in the process or have finished the Breaking Free study.
I can see from your posts that you lost some participants later on in the study. Not as bad as mine, but you lost a few.
Was it because they didn't want to open up? The ladies I had were from a church background, area and alot from the opinion that "you don't air dirty laundry".
Praise GOD that Beth helped us not air it, but let HIM wash it clean and then hang it on the line (or just put in a dryer;-)
Love,
Teri
At my church, Bellaire Baptist, we just finished Stepping Up. It was great, as usual. Keep on cranking them out Beth!
Jan
Last night was the final night of the discipleship class He Speaks to Me by Priscilla Shirer. Priscilla has a way of teaching God’s word in a simple practical way. Our group discussions were not always easy however, I believe our eyes were opened to the truths God had for us. My heart was blessed by the fellowship. I did not know some of the women who attended. God used the few short weeks to establish new friendships as well as a deeper understanding of His word.
Another group of women met down the hall and they joined our dear Siesta, Beth, in her study Stepping Up. Everyone I spoke to from her study said God spoke to their hearts. They were sorry for the class to come to an end.
Love,
Mary
Finished BF in Houston and sad it was over. SO, redoing Believing God on my own. Bought workbook, checked out DVD series in church library and on week 2. Taped the "BF commissioning" to my glasstop kitchen table and taped The Healing Captive to my bathroom mirror where my face would be. I am NOT going back to the place I was!
We are working on finishing up the last 4 videos of Wising up. Such a sweet group of friends I have developed through leading small group bible studies the past 5 years. Several of the group have changed and a few have stuck with me. They have become my support group, encouragers and bible study group. I love them all. We have enjoyed a little break from having any homework because we all have small children at home. The video on intimacy was especially helpful. We will be watching the one for moms this week. Oh how I need that one this week!
I've been leading Bible study with my husband for the "older folks" (anyone over 21!) portion of our campus fellowship. We're serving with another married couple, and they teach the same lesson at another time and place every week.
I think I've been most blessed through learning how to pray for our members (which has sometimes consisted solely of asking the Lord to TEACH me how & what to pray!).
Being just married, I've been learning the hard-knocks way how to support my husband and avoid undermining him with my sorry sinful subtleties... but here we are already, at the end of a school year, and I've never loved and respected him so much.
Just a few more weeks! May the Lord serve Himself through us so that they leave with the unforgettable taste of His goodness lingering everywhere within.
I did the Patriarchs this semester - we ended it on Easter Sunday. It was perfect timing for me because I am struggling with infertility and to read about Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel struggling with the same thing and how God "remembered" each one helped to give me hope that God still does miracles today.
It means so much to me that God put those women in the Bible (plus Hannah and Elizabeth) to encourage those of us who would need it. I also spent a lot of time thinking about how each of those women must have felt so hopeless - and they didn't have fertility drugs or doctors to try and help them - they had to depend fully on God.
I'm sure I could do this study in a different season of life and get something totally different out of it!
Not a leader here, but we are in the 10th week of studying, "Having a Mary Spirit" by Joanna Weaver. I love doing the studies by Beth, however I am loving this study by Joanna Weaver. I'm learning so much about not living in the flesh, but instead living in the Spirit.
Our group of about 100 women in little Port Angeles, Washington just finished studying Daniel. It was powerful! Many of us are in various "fires" and it really spoke to us.
After a 3 week break, we are starting Believing God tonight!
I am on my last week of Daniel by Beth. Its a mind worker! But I am hanging in! H
I just completed Believing God, and will never be the same. After completing several of Beth's studies, I felt that I knew what to expect. Boy was I wrong. I have never been under as great of spiritual attack as during this study. But, I pressed on and pressed into God and as of the last week had a major breakthrough. Hallelujah!! God brought many wonderful ladies into my life and opened the door to my calling in Him. My life has been transformed, and I'M BELIEVING GOD!!! Thank you, Beth. I wish God's continued blessings upon you.
Our wonderful group of Siestas' here in Sparks, Nv. just finished Beloved Disciple. We will be doing Breaking Free in Sept. and can hardly wait!!! We just love your studies Beth & co. One of our siestas' has bought some of your hour long tapes and we all have decided that we just can't go until Sept without "hearing" from God through you so we are meeting during the summer to have some "keeping in touch" fellowship and to watch your tapes. Just wanted to let you know that God is alive and well in Nevada. And we are crazy about you.
My Small Group did Living Free while you all were doing Breaking Free. I have done Living Free before - several years ago, but was challenged beyond belief this time around.
We're finishing up "Stepping Up" in the next 2 weeks and our group LOVED it! I am so looking forward to sojourning together with my siestas worldwide. Those psalms have so much more meaning to them now. Thanks, mama Beth!
We finished Stepping Up (which we all loved) and began Believing God. We were so sad to have Stepping Up end that we had to jump right into a new study. The six of us range from 29 to 57 in age. We love being in the Word and our love for each other grows each week. In the beginning of the study Beth says that she's praying for something staggering to happen with each of us so that's what we're praying for too.
I just made my final preparations for leading week 4 of Stepping Up tonight. It is going great! I have 28 ladies participating and that is a big number for our little congregation. We have some first timers and some who have been with me for years and have done every Beth Moore study there is and a whole bunch of others. Lives are being changed--thank you Beth for allowing God to use you in such a powerful way to help us grow.
Our ladies just finished last Sunday Stepping Up. Prior to this study, we did the study on the tabernacle, and it really enlighted the study of the Psalms of ascents. I am blessed to have done this study, and the Lord is bringing opportunities to share things learned with my son. Thank you so much for your faithfulness. I love His Word. Dee
We are finishing up one of CS Lewis books ... The screwtape Letters. Odd for a womans Bible Study but we are learning so much about temptation, holy habits, Friendships and loylaty. It's amazing what's coming out of this study. One of the moms in my group even decided to follow through with baptism as a result of going through this journey. Praise God!
Oh Dearest Beth...
I'll try to keep this short....we moved out of meeting in the church and into my home....we met every Wednesday morning and did every session on "Wising Up!" Beth...there is a HUGE need for wives and mommas to wise up! This was just awesome for us! Personally, I missed the homework, but thats ok!! We didn't want to finish meeting together so we are watching the sessions from Lifeway called "Bible Study on Demand!" Also....EXCELLENT!!!
Our discussion has been so honest and so sweet. God is thick on us!
Wanting to do "Conversation Peace" this Fall! Anybody got thoughts on that one???
We love you Beth! You have been the vessel that brought Jesus into my daily life!!!
Oh yeah...doing Jesus the One and Only again this Summer with a group of younger women! I'm thrilled about that!!
Love you~
I'm not exactly a leader - I am a small group facilitator for Beth's updated A Woman's Heart study. I love being in the small group because by the end of the 11 weeks we are so close and so connected to each other. We have one woman whose husband is having a terrible time with a chronic disease, one who had surgery for breast cancer last month, and one whose son has cancer as well. Throw in the myriad of other issues that we all face on a daily basis and by the time we get through the prayer requests its usually time to go watch the video! So while we don't usually spend a whole lot of time talking about the homework, we do spend a lot of time just loving on each other and praying and enjoying God together, and isn't that what its all about?
We studied the updated version of A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place. We started strong with 15 or so, but finished with about 6. Those that hung in there really received a word! As I scanned the first few comments, I see we're not the only group that ends with fewer participants. This fact makes me feel a little better. I was beginning to wonder if it's time to revamp things. We are planning a covered-dish meal in a couple weeks - a chance for a fellowship and the Word, too! Then later in June we plan to do the Wising Up series on Proverbs. I thought this might be a little easier during the summer since it doesn't have homework. For the fall, we're Stepping Up!
Amanda, thanks for asking this question. I can't wait to see everyone's answers. There are times I feel I am not very effective. It's nice to know others feel the same way at times.
Hi! Our group is finishing up A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place. It has been such an awesome study. We shared something together that really gave us a visual picture of the tabernacle. We ordered a tabernacle model kit and the group shared a session of painting each of the tabernacle posts and hooks, the sacrificial animals, the priests and actually put the tabernacle kit together. It was our own personal journey into the courtyard, the holy place and the holy of holies. What a blessing!! It turned out amazing! Everyone had a hand in it. Then we placed cards on each side designating which tribe was camped where and how many Israelites in each tribe. When we stand above the model and look down on it, we can see the 'cross' visual you mentioned in one of your sessions.
It was the neatest experience watching every woman take part, getting involved with each piece of the tabernacle and then looking at a small scale model of it while meeting for our study each week.
This study has brought the entire Bible together for me in a special and unique way. It has been huge in filling in gaps in my knowledge and understanding of scripture -- from Genesis to Revelation there is such an entwining of God's perfect detail and His absolute love for us, His blessed children. It has impacted my life in amazing ways.
Now, I am going to take the tabernacle and use it as a visual as I teach my children about it. So cool! Thanks Beth - what an awesome study. Blessings -- JH
we are doing one of shannon ethridge's studies...this one on forgiveness. we have several unbelievers, a few who are deeply hurting and the rest who are just wanting to get in tight with our Father.
attendance /commitment is a struggle as we have many young mothers of young children. i, as the leader, am feeling that i am being majorly refined.
please pray for us as we finish this study...that the women will come...that hearts will turned more to Jesus than a religion...and that we will all be changed. thanks a ton, as usual.
Last year I was a participant in Jesus the One and Only and Breaking Free. This year I am leading To Live is Christ at our church. Many of us were lucky enough to see Beth in Jacksonville, FL and much of what she said divinely went along with this study. We were on fire when we came back! We have had some fantastic discussions and the Beth's material always brings us closer to knowing God in an intimate way.
I am hosting a Thursday night bible study. It's called, "A Heart Like His". Have you ever heard of it.HaHa..I love it soooo much. I was doing my homework, week 2 day 4, and the Lord set me free from something I thought I had already let go of..I was jealous of my best friend..Her ministry, her recognition of chruch leaders, etc..I realized this about a year ago and cried out to God to release me from this wicked thing..and a few weeks ago I cried in amazement as I could literally feel the chains fall to the floor..He is so faithful. Words cannot describe the love that I have for Him and the jealousy is totally replaced with so much love for my friend. I must give Him all glory and praise, because He dose set us free. It may not be the second we ask, but He will do it..I'm proof..Love you Miss Beth and Amanda..God bless you for all you do..Tina Banks
I did BF in Houston, it was great but wanted to follow up with something so redoing Believing God. Bought workbook and checked out the DVD series in church library and doing the homework each week. Taped Beth's The Healing Captive to bathroom mirror where my face would be. Taped her BF Commissioning pledge to kitchen table. I'm NOT going back to the place I was, dang it!
Here in Hickory, NC we just finished Steppin Up and of all the Beth studies this is my 2nd favorite, David, A Heart Like His my all time favoirte.
I loved studing the Psalm, like our Sunday Sunday teacher who was also the BS leader tells us all the time you will find that there is a Psalm for anything you are going through in your life. I loved Psalm 124 it starts with "If it had not been the LORD, who was on our side." Just knowing that he is own our sides is enough to make me thank him everyday that he loved me so much.
I kid our leader Deidre all the time that she is a younger Beth Moore, she has such a love for God's word like Beth.
I also think this study wss special, because I was a RALEIGH girl. Thank you Beth for your HEART FOR GOD
Blessing to all
Pam
Just finished Breaking Free with a couple of friends and two weeks left in A Woman's Heart with our Bible Study group....WOW!! These studies have taken me to places that I've wanted to go to for a long time. I've gone to a place of true, sweet freedom and a place of desiring God's Word like never before. I want all He has!!
We are going to do Breaking Free in the Fall with the group and I CAN'T WAIT! I so desire the freedom that I've found for all of my dear friends.
God gave me these words after finishing Breaking Free. I'd like to share them - but if it's not okay you can just delete this part.
FREE
LISTEN CLOSELY
DON’T YOU HEAR THE SOUND
OF MY SHACKLES AND CHAINS
HITTING THE GROUND
I’VE BEEN BOUND SO LONG
BY MANY THINGS OF THE PAST
IT FEELS SO GOOD
TO BE FREE AT LAST
I CAN’T BELIEVE THEY’RE GONE
THAT I’VE BEEN SET FREE
I NOW UNDERSTAND
WHAT TRUE FREEDOM CAN BE
I CAN HOLD MY HEAD UP
LIFT MY HANDS TO THE SKY
SING AS LOUD AS I CAN
TO MY REDEEMER ON HIGH
HE UNLOCKED MY CELL
GAVE ME THE TOOLS TO TEAR DOWN
ALL THE LIES AND UNTRUTHS
THAT HAD ME SO BOUND
I REPLACED THE LIES
WITH HIS SOLID WORD
HIS TRUTH SET ME FREE
HOLY SCRIPTURE SO PURE
THOSE CHAINS THAT YOU HAVE
THE ONES YOU TRY TO HIDE
HE CAN BREAK THEM AWAY
AND TOTALLY RENEW YOUR MIND
COME ON MY FRIEND
BREAK FREE WITH ME
NO LONGER BOUND TO THE PAST
IS WHERE WE WANT TO BE
THE MASTER IS HERE
HE HOLDS THE ONLY KEY
TO UNLOCK YOUR CHAINS
AND TO SET YOU FREE
LISTEN CLOSELY
HE WANTS YOU TO HEAR THE SOUND
OF YOUR SHACKLES AND CHAINS
FALLING OFF AND HITTING THE GROUND
I just finished a semester of A Women's Heart and Living Beyond Yourself. They were both great. Besides the studies what I enjoy are the group of women I have met at this particular church. Parkcrest Church is not my home church but Jesus unites us together. Some of us will see Beth this Saturday in San Diego.
At my church I am leading a study on Genesis which will go on until finished. My precious ladies are not into in-depth study (frustrating for me) and have been frightened away when I brought Beth's Daniel into the group. They like to be spoon fed and I know they could do more but they are comfortable where they are at. (any suggestions from anyone?) BUT the are faithful to come every Tuesday and we do study the Word, slowly but surely.
I'm so thankful for my Wednesday night's at Parkcrest. That's where I get my feeding.
That's what's going on with my group.
We have two weeks left in Breaking Free. Of all the studies I have led so far, this one has had the highest participant retention. We have had so many ladies stick with it this time. The study has been a huge blessing in their lives. There are those in the midst of some serious times in their lives and this was just the message they needed to hear.
Anyone have a suggestion for a great study to do after this one? So far, we have done Loving Well, Breaking Free and Believing God.
Our young mom's group in Colorado just finished A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George. It was a good study but very complicated for those young moms that are new to walking with faith. I think a lot of the verbage got them stuck but we were able to move past it.
It was decided to take a step back and do What's Missing Inside You by Paul Schlieker. It is a bare bones, back to basic type study that might help new believers understand their walk as well as where others are in their lives.
Should be fun. A small group of us are going to start the Esther study as soon as it is available. We can hardly wait.
God's Blessings to All!
Kelli
We finished He Speaks to Me by Priscilla Shirer a month or so ago. I loved it!!! She's such a beautiful lady and so genuine.
Right now we're doing Stepping Up. I've had to miss every single video session (my favorite part of a mama B study) because of soccer conflicts, but I'm doing my homework. I'm a freelance writer, but I'm not much on poetry (don't gasp too loudly) so I wasn't sure how I'd like Stepping Up. Well, as it turns out I'm loving it. I'm in nursing school right now and with 3 kids, a hubby, and "life" in general it's just, shall we say, stressful. But every day God has been faithful to give me just what I need. It's like those lessons were molded to fit the exact emotions/trials I'm going through each step of the way.
I can't wait to do Esther!
My first Beth Moore study, the study of Daniel. I am so loving the solid teaching and applying the truths to the Babylon culture we live in. We are scheduled to finish up in a few weeks and already looking to the Fall to pick up our next one.
We are on week 5 of Stepping Up. I LOVE Psalm 130. So good. We have a small group but they are always there and sharing what God is doing in their lives.
At the end of each of our studies we have a fellowship. We all bring food (I'm bring Beth's Texas Cake this time) and we talk about the study and watch the last video. It's coming too quickly this time.
Sheryl Dean
We are finishing up Daniel and it has been quite a ride! The fiery furnace and the lions den will never be the same for sure! It has been a life changing class for many and celebrating that our God is the same today as He was then! And we certainly are feeling smarter after working through our prophecy section! ;-)
We just finished Beloved Disciple. A friend & I picked up the workbooks when we were in RI seeing Beth this August and I had prayed to select the right number. We had exactly that many ladies come out, many of whom do not participate in anything else at the church. It was such a blessing to spend time with them each week, sharing the Word and getting to know them!
We're off now for the summer but I am already pondering the fall study...
We are just finishing up Daniel...Probably the toughest and best Beth study I have done...I have learned so much about myself, what I need to be doing in this world (and what I do not need to be doing). Your study has blessed my beyond what I even know right now...Thank you so much!!!
Sue in Magalia
I have 4 weeks to go in BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) We did the book of Matthew this year. AWESOME. This is my 8th year in BSF, and my 3rd year as a children's leader. The 1st and 2nd graders rock my world with their memory and knowledge from all they learned this year.
I'm doing Daniel over the summer, when BSF is off.
Kelly S. Michigan
Hello,
I finished "Stepping Up" by Beth and it was wonderful. Mostly, what resulted from the Bible study is that, I praise THE LORD more.
We are 3/4 of the way through Believing God. I did this on my own years ago, online, then with my church a couple of years later. Then I lost both of my studies in Hurricane Katrina, and am now doing for the 3rd time! I love it more and more!
Reading some posts I'm encouraged to know I wasn't the only one who lost group members when doing a Beth Moore study. If only they knew how exciting and powerful the Word can be. But like one postee said I am not their Holy Spirit. So I pray for a break through for my ladies, despite ME!
I"m a missionary in Germany, working with university students. I am leading a group of young wives, studying how to build godly marriages. It's been amazing. I used an icebreaking question of "Describe the best marriage you've ever seen." Two of the girls answered that they had never seen a good marriage. That's the culture we are swimming against here in Europe, so when God shows up through His word and changes young womens' hearts...well, it's a beautiful thing.
We are right in the middle of a study called Victorious Disciples and it's going great! I was fairly disappointed that I would be teaching that instead of Breaking Free......which is what I thought I was supposed to lead. But God had other plans.....and in His perfect way is setting a foundation that will be a perfect transition into BF. His timing. Don't ya love it? :) I do.
We started with "Do You Think I'm Beautiful" by Angela Thomas. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to her - I had never done a study of hers before. We are finishing up next week with "Stepping Up" and as always, the messages are amazing. I so appreciate the insights God gives you as you write these studies. They touch my heart in so many ways! On a different day I'm doing Precepts "James" study - talk about conviction, well enough said there! :)
Amanda, so glad to have you and your family back on home turf. Beth, love and appreciate what you do so much!!!
-terri
I am currently co-facilitating (three of us take turns leading) a middle school girls bible study based on with a great book for teens called "Making It Real: Whose Faith is It Anyway?" by T. Suzanne Eller. It's timely for me, and it's funny, because I'm getting just as much out of it as the girls:) I would go into all that I'm learning, but I fear I have already taken up too much blog space!
We have two weeks to go after meeting tonight (we meet every Tuesday at 6:30). It's a small group, but a fairly faithful one. I invited my younger sister who is in 6th to come and so it is a blessing to have the opportunity to be a good example for her-to teach her about my faith in the LORD.
katiegfromtennessee
Just finished Stepping Up. Looking forward to Esther. Our church has a group going to Louisville on August 1st & 2nd. Also, a local church is hosting the live via satellite on those days. Thanks for all LPM does to share God's Word!
We are right in the middle of Victorious Disciples. I was a little disappointed because I thought I was supposed to be teaching Breaking Free. However, I'm finding that this is great preparation for BF. Don't ya just love God's timing? I do! :) His ways are so much better than ours.
We just finished "Stepping Up" a few weeks ago. Our group always says, "Wow! That was our favorite one!" after each. (And it's always true! Ha!)
We've just started Jennifer Rothchild's "Fingerprints" study. We'll be back to Beth in the fall.
Blessings!
Not a leader of a women's group, but my husband and I facilitate a couple's small group. I cannot tell you how many times the foundation I have gotten from God's word because of Believing God or Daniel or Patriarchs or Living Beyond Yourself has come into play in our facilitating of that group. Thank you LPM for your example and Godly, biblical studies that you publish and pour your hearts into. Praise you Jesus!!
Our ladies recently completed a study the Lord called me to write myself. Boy howdy was that a humbling and terrifying and joyous experience. God is so good and so faithful to equip those He's called! We are currently doing "Shattering the Superwoman Myth" by Vicki Courtney. Wonderful study. I'm looking forward to enjoying some Mama Beth and the Lord this summer in the Psalms.
Blessings to you and yours,
Jenifer
This was the first time in a long time I wasn't the Bible study leader because of our move and starting a new church/women's group. However, we divided up into small groups after watching the video and we had about 50 women who were faithful to attend each session.
I can tell you each lady in my small group was deeply touched with Stepping Up. There was one lady who requested prayer for reconciliation w/ her family. They had not spoken in a long time. I am happy to tell you that God worked on her entire family while we were taking this study and the doors were opened for them to talk and work on restoring the family! We had an older lady who had been married 40 years and her husband had died a few years ago and she was struggling with loneliness and this study helped her to know God is with her at all times. She shared w/us that every night her husband would reach over and hold her hand , and how much she missed that and she prayed and asked God to help her through the loneliness and one night she felt God's presence so strongly with her and knew God was holding her hand. We had a few young mothers in their twenties who wanted a deeper passion for God and prayed for the time between caring for their babies to having time to study God's Word. We had a few who struggled to get their homework done but came to every class and shared of the many ways God was speaking to them through this study. Also, one lady requested prayer for her unsaved father(who happens to be 80) and he was saved. One sweet lady was encouraged to witness to her unsaved mother. I know this is so long but I want to tell you that having the praise music was well received! Ladies were singing along and raising their hands, it was beautiful!! This study blessed me in so many different ways and seeing as I have gone on long enough I just want to thank you for writing this study and teaching us the Psalms of Ascent. It was a timely study for me and I don't want to miss my face to the ground time with God anymore and I think my favorite part of the study was writing my own psalms. It was a special time between God and myself. Thank you for including that in the study!
Love,
Patty
Hi- We just did the Daniel study! I loved it more than I can describe with words! It is amazing how so many times the studies fit perfectly with our own lives...God is so good! We were all facinated with the prophecy-- that is now history! How can one not believe??? Learning about the end time events also made us feel a greater urgency to fulfill the great commission! Oh we did LEARN! We love the "Daniel rhyme" and also the final exam. (Side note- we all loved the 'lion' on the video so much. We gave beautiful lion statue to our leader and a stuffed animal lion for the expecting mommy in our group. It was so fun!)
In our small little town of Platte, South Dakota, we are on our 4th week of Stepping Up. We have 48 faithful women representing 8 different churches and 4 different towns. God has blessed us in many ways and we are excited to see what He has in store for us in the last 3 weeks. Blessings to the LPM staff for all of the hard work you all do.
I'm a Sunday School teacher who is currently doing the MasterWork SS curriculum and we're doing "A Heart Like His" by our Beth. We call it a "mini-Beth Moore study". We've done several of Beth's studies together in Sunday School. It takes twice as long, but no one minds. We do homework one week and watch the video the next week. No matter how long it takes, we still hate to see the study end! Since it's Sunday School, ladies sometimes miss a week but are faithful to watch the videos and catch up. We're trying to decide which study to do next, there are so many to choose from. I can honestly say, my walk with Christ would still be from a guilty distance without the solid teaching and encouragement from Beth's studies. She has shown a love for our Lord like I'd never seen and it made me want that intimacy too. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for drawing me in.
Oh yeah, and that wondering if you're being effective - well, often I wonder what in world I'm doing trying to "lead" a group of women! So don't think you're the only one who feels that way. I think maybe it's God keeping us relying on Him.
Since Tarah shared; I will share since our stories are similar. I, too, am a stay a home, homeschooling mom of four. I did the revised Tabernacle study this year. It was the most profound study I've done. Believing God changed the way I pray, Daniel challenged my priorities, but Tabernacle was just flat-out profound. It exploded my love for scripture. Thanks, Beth for being available.
Stephanie
We just finished Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World. What a great impact that had on us! We do all of Beth's studies but she doesn't come out with enough each year to keep us covered so we have to fill in with others. This was one of the first to lived up to challenging us in the way Beth does. We are now half-way through Steppin Up and are loving every single second of it!
We just completed Stepping Up right before Easter. We concluded our study with the wonderful video produced by Jews for Jesus, "Christ in the Passover" The study was such a blessing to us all. We all found it to be a little different--not sure why---but wonderful. We are looking forward to attending the Deeper Still event in Atlanta. Many of us "older" women are taking our daughters and daughters-in-law and looking forward to a wonderful time of refreshing, not only as mothers and daugters, but as daughters of the King. Can't wait for the Esther study.
I'm going through 90 Days with Jesus...
God is so Sovereign. Each day that I go through each study and *each day has EXACTLY what I am going through...You can't say that it's not God! It sometimes freaks me out a little...haa haa! But then I throw my hands up in the air and Praise Him that He pays attention to one such as I...O How Deep Is His Love!!
He will reveal in His Perfect Timing what He has called me to do. I wait on Him...and loving Him every second...even though I may hate waiting! :) haa haa. Much love ladies...much love.
About 3 years ago a group of Thirty-Something's approached me and said they were looking for an older woman to mentor them...did I want the job? Gasp! In an instant I found myself on the older side of the Titus 2 woman. I immediately went to Borders and bought The Idiot's Guide to Teaching the Bible (no kidding!), then to Norstrom's for some wrinkle cream! We laughed and cried as God pulled us into the pages of Scripture to EXPERIENCE His Son. We are changed....FREE!
We've done several of Beth's study's and LOVE each one! Just finished Stepping Up.
Currently I'm asking the ladies each to take a week to share a Scripture. It doesn't have to be profound, deep, or elaborate (although God seems to delight in making the amazingly simple, simply amazing!) It can be from a Devotional, Quiet Time, Sermon, Radio Broadcast, etc. (I've found Rick Warren's Bible Study Methods to be a FABULOUS resource.) Sharing like this can be scary, but WOW, does God ever speak. And it makes servants out of us all. In fact, now I feel like a Thirty-Something...only with hot flashes!
We are in our fourth week of the Patriarchs at my church. It is an awesome journey. I had participated in it two years ago, and went to China right in the middle of it to adopt my daughter. Now I am leading it and plan to go to Ethiopia in August for my next daughter.
Seems like Abraham leaving all and God's covenant promises accompany my adoptions! The ladies are truly enjoying it and God is working.
Two friends and I are now in our last week of Jesus the One and Only. We have all been taken by the meaning Jesus words, Passover, Psalms sung on way to Gethsemane, etc. The whole study - Wow. We have been moved to tears many times by the end of the videos, turn them off and dont know what to say.
We had done Living Beyond Yourself before. Loved that too.
Not sure what we will do next but all of us know we want to continue. Our faith is being stirred. We want to keep growing, see Him and know Him personally. Thank you for pointing us to Him.
Thanks also for coming up our way to Vancouver BC - Your bible studies have inspired me and given me great times with Jesus.
Lynn in Seattle
In the thick of the Psalms of Ascent study and am always amazed at how the Holy Spirit makes the day's material absolutely relevant to whatever my life's circumstances are at the moment. Talk about the supernatural! This (HE!) is it, baby!
Getting back down on my face,
Warm in Alaska.
My group of 10 gals -- my peeps, as I call them -- are right in the midst of "Believing God". This group has been going strong for two years in Arizona, but this is our first Beth Moore study! Many of my group had never before been a part of a Bible Study two years ago, oh how God has grown them! And what a blessing to see them step up and open up, and allow God to work through "Believing God!" I can't wait to see what He has planned for us next!
Thank you for all you do!
this year- a couple groups completer Believing God, and two groups completed Daniel, two groups completed Living beyond yourself, Wising Up was used for the womens retreat and two are still in process with A womans heart God's dwelling place...It has be a fantastic year, the Lord is working in so many hearts! And I am tired and ready for my summer break :)
I recently finished 'Stepping Up' alone...not in a group...GREAT way for me to do this study since the Lord has much to Step me Up into!!
Looking forward to Esther!!
Currently in Breaking Free, we are leading into week 7 - Obedience! It has been a powerful study with so many lives being set free by God's Word. Amazing blessings God has been showering down with life transformations not just with the women in the study but in their husband's lives. Including mine! We are talking miracles - after 10 years of praying seeing my man talk to my daughters about God and reading the Word with them and sharing with other men in our community. Praising You Lord!
Our Breaking Free class as a blog- breakingfreepalmvalley.blogspot.com
Confession: I decided to start the Breaking Free class so that we could be under the Umbrella of the Breaking Free class in Houston I knew Beth would be doing at approximately the same time! God is Good!
Well, I just began leading a Bible study online on my blog for the book "Lies Women Believe." There are 7 of us total participating and it's already been great. We are all looking forward to God showing us His Truths.
Take care,
Karen
www.homesteadblogger.com/tagblog
I'm a member of the Monday Night Group -- we just finished Patriarchs -- we never realized before what a soap opera Genesis is!! And what a blessing it is better understand God's sovereignty as He moves in and works through all kinds of messed up people. That group of women are all from the same congregation.
I lead a small group of women from several different congregations on Thursday mornings. We've been together about 8 years -- the bonds between us are God-amazing as we've grown through tough life situations and faith-journey-learning. We just started doing the first Bad Girls of the Bible by Liz Curtis Higgs -- she has such a flair for retelling stories with a contemporary setting -- makes it easier to relate. I have grown in my leadership of that group as God has taught me so much through participating in most of Beth's studies through my home church. God's loving transformation in me was most obvious through Believing God, and I regularly refer to Living Beyond Yourself for more insights into the fruit that God is developing in me. Thank you, Lord!
And thank you, Beth.
We're going through a study on Esther ourselves and loving the Word of God together. It's just amazing to me to see that moment when the truth manifests itself in a woman's mind and heart. One thing you've all helped me with so much as a teacher is to cherish those ladies who stick with the study throughout the entire thing. I agree that even one time in Bible study class won't be wasted, and so I'm grateful for every one who comes even once, but it is such an encouragement to me when I see the same faces week by week and see what God is doing in the lives of others.
I just found this blog not long ago and it is fun to see the "behind the scenes" of LPM. I help lead a high school small group with a good friend. We are coming to see Beth in San Diego this weekend and we are so excited.
Oh Beth,
After leaving a home study group in Tulsa, God gave me the courage to begin one in Austin last year. He has been sooo good!! Most of the women were old friends and many had never done a Bible study. You and the Lord have blessed us with "Jesus The One and Only" and currently "Living Beyond Yourself". We have all learned so much and are looking forward to seeing you and our Tulsa "sister group" in San Antonio in August.
Blessings,
Susan
We are halfway through "Stepping Up" and I am thoroughly enjoying it.
Hi - the ladies group I lead is a group of women that work outside the home. It has been an extremely wonderful group of women. We are totally in love with Beth's studies. We just finished Believing God, and loved it! We did Fruit of the Spirit right before this. On April 23, we are going to read a fiction book, The Yada Yada Prayer Group. This blog has been an inspiritatio to us, and I often read comments from the blog to our group. Thanks for all the wonderful words of wisdom!
I have facilitated several of Beth Moore's studies at our church, and the ladies love them! (me too)
In January we began Jesus the One and Only . . . I "passed the reins" over to a wonderful woman, as my husband was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma. We have since been in Houston at MD Anderson receiving treatment (and will be here until July), the study at home has gone well and I was able to finish by downloading the sessions from Itunes.
These studies have made me fall in love with God's Word. I cannot imagine going through any of this without my wonderful Savior!
Thank you Beth Moore for allowing God to use you!
I am getting ready to begin "Breaking Free" (I definitely need structure & accountability, especially being so far from my home, family and Bible study sisters!)
O My! What Godness we have Seen!!We have done 2 annual studies each year for 10 yrs - one begins Jan...EXCEPT this time for some reason (then unknown to us) we did not begin the winter/spring one until April -with Stepping Up. Had no clue really the specifics it dealt with before beginning -It 'just so happened' to coincide with our having just begun a search for a new Worship Arts Minister and it 'just so happened' we began the first night on week 1 of a 2-week prayer vigil for the Worship Min search...How Fitting could that have been!! I nearly melted out of my seat as I listened to the videos with my women and as the Lord spoke so profoundly that we were to follow video with spending time on our face as we went through the Prayer Labyrinth journey...I thought Dear Lord, you had this study written just for us, just for now!! Um,mm, mm. Don't you just LOVE our 'just so happening' God!!!
Several of us in the convent did Beth's Stepping Up study for Lent. It was wonderful preparation for Easter.
Thank you to all at LPM that make these studies possible.
Sister Lynn
We just finished the updated version of "A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place." I have facilitated I think around 6 other of Beth's studies and NEVER has the power of the Holy Spirit been on a study like it has in this one. Every week we would sit in awe at the end of the video amazed at what we had learned and hungry for more. I typically take a break from Bible studies in the summer as I find I do not have the attendance like I do during the school year. However, I believe I was in week 8 of the study when I felt God telling me to be open to having a study for late spring and early summer. In session #9 several of the ladies asked me if we could do the study again right away because they were learning so much and felt like they could learn more if they could go through it again. We are very blessed in Missouri to have our SBC Covention purchase women's studies and loan them free of charge to churches. So, I told the ladies I was very willing to do this again but I had to check with my contact and make sure that no other churches in MO had requested to use it. We were all so excited to find out we could keep the study for another session. We will start it up again on April 21st and I have other ladies in the church and community that are interested. I myself can't wait. I have never had such an experience with a Bible study like this one. Nearly every video would bring me to tears and many times the homework would do the same. God has really been working in my life and showing me things about Him I didn't know.
I would ask for all of your prayers. I am 40 and never married. I know that through this study God is asking me to give my "singleness" to Him. It's very hard for me as it's always been my dream to be a wife and mother. I know that for right now He is calling me to be single but it's a real struggle for me. How many of you know when God is asking something of you and you try and resist and all it does is make you miserable. That's where I am now. I would sure appreciate some prayer. I know He has a great plan for me, but giving up that dream of being a wife and mother is hard. However, I never want to get in His way and the plans and work He has for me to do.
I am 24 years old and menotring two girls, one age 19 the other 17. We are meeting separately. With one girl, I'm doing a Beth Moore study (Psalms of Assent). With the other girl, I'm doing Mary Kassian's Conversation Peace.
We near the end of stepping up! It was amazing!
Our local church group of women did Living Beyond Yourself, Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit. We hated to see the study end, but we look forward to our next study in August - Believing God. I can't wait! Our group loves Beth Moore studies.
xssudWe have started Stepping Up - in our second week. (We did a Priscilla Shriver one first) I stood up and cheered when Beth said Travis would be on the videos! Most thought me crazy, but I love his music, how he can pull the emotions right out of me! So happy - and I still blast his CDs in the car on the way home. Thanks so much!
We just finished "A Heart Like His". What a blessing it was to all the ladies. We'll start "Stepping Up" in the fall. Beth, thanks so much for being obedient to God and providing these much needed studies. I love "hosting" them, as I'm certainly not a teacher, but have a heart for women's ministry.
Blessings to you, your family and all the siestas!
Some of the women in our church will be starting Stepping Up next week; & I might add that we're chomping at the bit to start! Last fall we did Breaking Free, & before that Daniel & The Patriarchs. This summer we'll be doing A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place---can't wait for that one, too! We've also went through Nancy Leigh DeMoss The Lies Women believe & The Truth That Sets Them Free.We've been able to do them in my home & the last one my husband offered to do child care! Bless that man!I love the insight God gives Beth to give to us! He has blessed her with a rich gift! And,you sure can tell what we've studied with her because those portions of my Bible are well worn & marked.
Praises to Him!
Holly
Hey, all. We just finished Believing God. By the end of the study, we were all lifting our shields, saying our pledges and clapping our hands! When we see each other we motion the I Believe God signs. LOVE IT!! We did Daniel in the Fall Semester. Talk about a year's work out!! I just love the meat in these studies, and our ladies liked the work, too. I'm not sure what we will do next, compared to these two, other studies seem like pie!
How about another "kick butt" study, Beth? We've got our "big teeth" and want to keep them sharp. Thanks for all your work. God's lavish blessings onya' dear teacher.
Yada Sistas
Last semester I was in a Bible study with some girls in the neighborhood and we did Kelly Minter's study "No Other Gods: Confronting Our Modern Day Idols." It challenged me so much that I decided to do it again this spring to deal with some other struggles that I've developed. Haha..just when we think we're doing ok up pops another one. :)
I've also just started Mama Beth's 90-day David study...and so far it rocks my face off.
Oh Beth, Dear sister. Our Church went back to basics and did your study A heart like His. It was Awesome and I mean God Awesome.God was there every step of the way. He led me, His words came from my mouth and we were able to go deep. My heart was reminded that I am a David. A sinner that God saved. A shephard boy (or in my case a young girl from a not so great area of Kansas City)who God used my yuckiness in His perfect plan to bring Him Glory. A heart that praises Him, a Soul that loves Him, that is all I want to be. This was the first Bible Stuy I had ever led and I am so thankful I was able to go with you every wed. night straight to the Alter of God. Thank you for walking in obedience and writing it. It was such a blessing to me and the women of FBC Branson. Not to mention you are just a hoot. I do have to confess that when we first started I did tell the ladies to not get distracted by your hair. Gotta love it. Those were the days . Nothing but Love for ya.
Your Sis in Christ.
Our small group is in week 2 of Stepping Up. We are really enjoying it. Some of us were Raleigh girls, so it's near and dear to us!
We did the Loving Well as a four week study in Feb/March. One of our sweet women contiunes to remind us that "there's something broken in that person" whenever we complain about our foes! We tease her relentlessly, but thank her for reminding us of what was a short but convicting study! And of course some of us did marry our testys! I nearly fell in the floor over that!
I saw you for the first time in Atlanta Georgia in 2002 or 2003. On the way home I felt God telling me to facilitate a study. Each one has changed my life and brought me closer to God. Thank you for all you do. The blog has been awesome. It's so much fun and much much more!
We just completed Liz Curtis Higg's 'Loved by God' - great study (but I really enjoyed Beth's bible study workbooks better).
It is so cool to see all the different studies that everyone is doing or has just finished.
For almost 10 years I had the privilege of leading many different studies (many written by our dear Beth). But for now God has me side-lined and it is a season of being alone and trying to do "study" mostly on my own. On Fridays I do have a group of women come into my home and we did Living Free and now will start something new this week.
Off topic: but I know you are prayer warriors...my marriage is at the end unless God intervenes. I covet your prayers.
Sheryl
After leading women's ministry for 4 1/2 years, we moved to a new church and I am not leading a group of women through Bible study this season. I had picked up "A Woman's Heart" last summer because I was anticipating leading our women at the former church through the study in the fall, however, since I was no longer in the lead - I took up the study and have been working my way through it a little at a time savoring the "glory" of the tabernacle and the Holy of Holies as I go along. I am actually attending an event at our church called "Beyond the Veil" that takes you through a very intimate corporate (almost an oxymoron?) worship experience that takes the entire group through every aspect of the desert tabernacle all the way into the Holy of Holies in worship and prayer.
It is really beautiful.
I did not join any Bible studies last fall, but this Spring I found one that was led by the author of the study in our Life Group selections so I signed up. It is called "Walking In Victory" and is a very anointed teaching on the victorious life written by a member of our church that we have been journeying through this Spring. We will finish up in May. It looks like I will have my own group in the fall, and I can't wait!
Blessings sweet siestas... can't wait to meet ya'll this August at the Siesta Fiesta in San Antone!
Toodles.
The Bible Study I participate in also wrapped up "Stepping Up". It was awesome. It is amazing (sad as well) that growing up in church, I never made, nor was taught the connections of the "whys"--why Jesus spoke about what He did in relation to when He was speaking it.
We are now in the midst of "Attending The Bride Of Christ" by Martha Lawly. It has also been great. Being in the Word with a group of women is so refreshing and challenging!
Danette
Oh my goodness! We just finished week 5 of Stepping Up and I'm SO SAD that it's almost over. But I'm excited to hear what the next step is for the women who've been coming. I told everyone that I thought Beth might ask us as part of the last week's homework--and if she didn't, I would!
It will be exciting to see where God is leading and a privilege to pray for each woman as she takes that next step.
So I'm in that place of wanting to dig into the last week and see what's there, but also not wanting to start it because that means finishing it!
Joanne
Our ladies just finished "Stepping Up" about a week ago. It was such a wonderful reminder of how we are on this journey together and we need each other. We started out with about 30 ladies and for various reasons we ended up with about 20 faithful attendees. (for those who were discouraged about this, I think it happens with our studies each time)
The last lesson is always difficult because none of us are ready for it to end. I know some of the ladies who came are going through such trying situations. I felt like this study ministered to them in a special way. Some weren't at liberty to talk about what's going on in their lives.
I loved the last lesson when Beth said for us to say, "I'm not stuck!" In the last session she tells that we are to take the next step with the next strength. (Psalm 84:1-7) strength to strength.
My ladies are saying they can't wait until fall to do another study. We're praying about what to do next. Besides the wonderful teaching Beth delivers, it is such a special time for us girlfriends to spend together.
God bless you all!
Valerie
Well, we were doing a repeat of To Live is Christ at our church. We had been through it before maybe 5ish yrs ago. It was my 1st Beth study.
Originally I was slated to teach a missions class, Outside the Lines, to 3rd-5th graders for the Winter '08 semester, but it was cancelled just a few weeks before we were to begin, leaving me free on Wednesday nights. Well, the Women's Director swooped in 'like a hawk' HA! She had a facilitator for the Wed. Night Experiencing God, but she didn't have a facilitator for To Live is Christ. How could I resist?! I loved that study, it was the first bible study I had done that I really felt like God was speaking TO me, personally!
We had a really small group (9) to start with and it dwindled down to only 4 strong. I really wondered if I was doing something wrong but I/We persevered to the end. And one of the comments on the last night touched my heart in such a way. She said (loosely quoting):
‘You know I really did not care for Paul at all, before I did the study. I saw him as a cold, anti-women person. And now I have a whole new perspective I can see that he was gifted to be of a one track mind, determined to accomplish the goal...BUILD the church! He needed to keep order in the churches so that Christ would be lifted up in the towns/cities and the churches would grow.’
I loved that, we all agreed with her comment and started talking about all the events that we had studied that supported her comment.
Personally, I still am not sure why God had me do it a 2nd time. It was interesting to me that the last video lesson long ago was on Paul and his thorn and that was the lesson topic of Pre-Conference in Phoenix that I just attended a few months ago. Time to pull out notes from both and really study and seek God for a WORD!
We start Stepping Up on April 16th. I can’t wait!
Love,
Noel
Yuma, AZ
:-)
Our semester is not quite over - 2 weeks left, but it's been great. We've been doing the updated A Woman's Heart God's Dwelling Place. It was the perfect follow-up to The Patriarchs which we did last year.
What's so neat is how a light seems to go on for me when I read familiar passages now that are even remotely related to Moses and Aaron and the tabernacle. And of course, the trip to see the Tabernacle replica in Lancaster, PA, as I mentioned in a previous post, was a wonderful visual and compliment to the study. Very cool.
His "Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Thanks, Beth, for helping me find the light switch.
Melanie
We just finished up Psalms of Ascent and will be doing Wise Up in the summer. We went to see Beth in Jax and were so fired up we started a virtual Bible Book Club (something we've been wanting to do for a while). We are all read the NT together over 9 months. Since it is through a blog, others outside of our area can join us. Each area is going to try to get together once a month or so for dinner and discussion. Our blog is www.biblebookclub.blogspot.com if you want to check it out (or even join us)!
I just finished the Daniel Study! That study just blew my mind!! I am so thankful for Beth's teaching! To walk through Daniel together....AWESOME...that's all I can say...GOD IS ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!
Amanda: Love this blog post idea! "My ladies" finished STEPPING UP last week and it was marvelous! There were 62 of us in the group and we loved every minute together as sojourners on the journey.
I am now leading some "young thangs" through "Women Making a Difference in Marriage." I am very excited about that because I love mentoring and I love the 20-30 year old women so much - your age Amanda! They inspire me and I love to share with them lessons from my marriage and mothering! (And soon to be in August.. GRANDMOTHERING!!! It's a BOY!)
We love y'all,
GEORGIA JAN
PS: We are going to do the revised version :) of A Woman's Heart after the marriage mentoring class. And I have pre-ordered Esther!!!
I am currently leading Breaking Free in my church. Our format is a little different because we only have one hour each week. One week we discuss the homework, the following week we watch the video.
We did week 5 homework review last week and it was intense! I pray that God worked mightily in the women who shared and in those that didn't feel comfortable sharing anything. It has been an incredible study so far - hard at times, but so worth it!
Thanks Beth for being such a willing and obedient vessel. We women at Hillside love you!
We got a late start this semester so we're 3/4 of the way through our study of A Women After God's Own Heart. It's been a wonderful time so far, God is showing up and opening eyes. I have lead a women's study for the better part of 10 years and am seeing a number of women who have never done any type of study before have their eyes opened to God's Word being practical and helpful in their lives. PTL!!
PS I did Believeing God summer of 2006 and it changed my life. It's been a crazy, unexpected ride since then and well, I still have my blue bracelet and today in my current situation I'm Believein' God! Looking around at my life I know what God has said and I believe it and that makes it all, as we say 'round here: "good in the hood"
I just finished Stepping Up at a local church and now have the priviledge of bringing it to my home church. It is so rich and wonderful even twice is not enough. I cannot wait until Esther comes out!!
Praying for y'all
I'm not a group leader, but I am currently doing Believing God by myself. I don't have the tapes or cds, but I can glean and learn from the daily homework anyway! Isn't God good?
We did Stepping Up beginning in January. When we finished it, we began Priscilla Shirer's He Speaks to Me and that is where we are right now. Great stuff...both of them!
I lead a group of ladies in downtown Columbia Ms. We have one week left of the Patriarchs. Its been wonderful. We meet during their lunch hour so there isnt much time to talk. We will start Stepping Up on May 13th and will meet every other Tuesday through the summer. Again during lunch. This time though we will share thoughts and discuss through blog during the week, or weeks, between sessions. Thank you for introducing me to this media.
We just finished "Beloved Disciple". Once again, we were moved by Him. Praise His name for His "living and active" Word in us!
We're having a 2 day retreat this weekend, and using the 4 disc "He Is". Looking forward to it!!
Oh ...wait...I forgot to mention...Im also doing A womens Heart with a group in Hattiesburg but I dont lead that one. We just started a few weeks ago. We meet every other week. I beleive we will be through in August or Sept.?
Anyway, after that I will only be doing one study at a time. I didnt expect the ladies in columbia to want to do a study through the summer. SURPRISE!!
But a good surprise.
This semester I've had the privilege of leading Building A House of Prayer on Sundays and The Power of A Praying Wife on Tuesday mornings. It has been an absolute joy to lead both groups. Perhaps this summer, in honor of the tenth anniversary of my first in-depth Bible study (A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place, A Study of the Old Testament Tabernacle)I'll lead the updated version in my home. I am a living, breathing, having my very being in Christ, miracle; and blogging about leading Bible studies because a precious sister-in-Christ invited me to her home for that study. It will forever be a spiritual marker for me. I was in my late thirties and had already been a Christian most of my life, but I left that first night knowing I'd never be the same. I wanted to love the Word of God like that teacher loved the Word of God, and I wanted to love Jesus like she loved Jesus. It didn't happen overnight. In the years that followed there were many in-depth studies by several teachers, but I have to say I cut my spiritual teeth on the studies God has given you to write, Beth. As has been said so often on this blog, thank you for your obedience. I'm part of the fruit that lasts, your legacy of faith. I don't think my computer has enough memory to contain the God stops (Re: Believing God) from this past year alone. Please join me in giving praise to our Great God. Glory! He has radically transformed every part of me from the inside out. I don't even look the same.
Blessings to all of you, my dear sisters,
Patti
Our group of 8 just finished the Daniel study -- wow!! I know my brain & my heart were both challenged and encouraged. We had some really great discussion. Before that, we did Beyond Yourself: the Fruits of the Spirit. It was life-changing as well. Keep 'em coming!!
Dear Amanda and Siestas,
I have read every comment so far and loved the way that women are studying God's Word throughout the US. Our God is amazing, and the study of His word is truly contagious. Once you taste the truth, you want more!
I am currently facilitating the Daniel study. We actually began last September and have done the video one week and discussion the next. It has been so neat, because we have been able to really take it all in, having more time to discuss the homework and then think about the video. We will be discussing Week 11's homework on Monday and then we will watch the last video on the next Monday after a "salad potluck" (have to be ready for our swimsuits this summer- No Baptist potlucks to end this study!). We will hate to see this study end!
We began with 26 women last fall, and praise the Lord, we still have 26 women! God is good:) I love our Bible Study because we have a woman in every age "decade" from 20 to 70... Oh how we learn from each other and our God!
Throughout the past 8 months, we have learned so many things from Daniel. There are too many to count, but these are some things that I will never forget:
1. Daniel didn't live a life of integrity by accident- It is a deliberate choice that we make to resolve!
2. We need to be culturally relevant without being spiritually irrelevant.
3. There are 3 answers to any fire that you are going through: He will save you from it, save you through it, or deliver you into his arms because of it. What a wonderful reminder that has been to so many who are fighting terrible trials right now in our group.
4. Humility is the key to godliness and puts us in a position to hear from the Lord.
5. God's word is amazing! He is faithful to what He says, and our history completely fulfills Daniel's prophecy. Praise you Lord!
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your ministry. We love you and thank God for you!
Love,
Tara
We studied Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer this spring. It was fabulous.
I'm a lontime blog reader & 1st time writing siesta - soo love keeping up with what's happening in your world. Tomorrow is our last day of Daniel, multidenominational group of 18 women and we are bringing a lunch item to party afterward. Some of us are going to read 'Captivating' by S. & J. Eldridge over the summer then begin Stepping Up in the fall (I've done it and love it and will lead). Keep the challenges coming! We pray for your ministry in our group! Susan
PS 3 of our ladies have never done Bible study before & one hadn't attended church in 20 yrs! They are hookedby God's love!
We are "Wisin' Up in Wyoming!" I have a few ladies gathering in my home on Mondays. We are all getting a lot out of it.
Thanks for all you do!
Sarah
My small group (for over the past 8 years), has one week left of "Living Beyond Yourself". Prior to it we learn about "Who is the Holy Spirit?" so this BM was a nobrainer!!!! It has been great.
I will give them this next semester without homework by teaching my own Bible Survey. This summer though we will all embark on "Stepping Up". Feeling pretty special because we are "RALEIGH GIRLS"! :)
We are almost to the end of "Becoming a Woman of Excellence" by Cynthia Heald. Last week we talked about having a meek and quiet spirit (I Peter 3: 3-4)"which is in the sight of God of great price." I heard a radio program last week featuring a Christian lady who survived a concentration camp in Germany during WWII. She talked about only having the BARE neccessities....just enough to live. Not even what we would consider necessities.....no toilet paper (!!), no showers, no shampoo or toothpaste (or brush!). It made me start thinking....if all the things we depend on to enhance our womanly appearances were denied us.....would we still have enough inner beauty of the heart to make us attractive to others??
This Bible study on "Excellence" has been such a help to me each week as I first study it and then as I teach it.
God bless you all.....
Marilyn in MS
Stepping Up! I had written before that right as I finished this Bible Study (full of The Word), my husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor. WELL...FULL of the Word we just finished the surgery: and five days later he is home resting. The Bible study totally paved the road for a faith walk during this journey. I'm in awe that God knew this was coming and made sure I was front and center during my church's study. I bet so many other women have a similar testimony: they sign up for the studies and God does a work in their hearts to prepare them for something to come. He is faithful.Praise his name.
I was a table group facilitator for Stepping Up (ended in March). The study was AMAZING and so timely. (I loved that some of us got to see Beth live up in Vancouver right toward the end of the study).
Our table group was such an eclectic bunch. We had brand new mommies, new Christians and beautiful women in their late 60's and 70's. I absolutely loved seeing how God is so personally and intimately involved in every stage and season of our lives!
We are starting A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place tomorrow and I am SO excited. This month long break has been too long! I miss you Beth!
Thank you (all of you at LPM) again for your heart(s) for educating women and getting them excited about studying God's Word.
My sister and her small group of 30-somethings are doing "No Other Gods" by Kelly Minter. It is so good that they are spending two weeks on every session. Check it out. It is part of The Living Room Series.
They will join us this summer for the "Stepping Up" study.
I just finished Breaking Free! My friend and I did it together, she is in South Africa and I am here in the USA. I was blessed in so many ways! I love the practicality of the study. Life happens and I am so excited to know God is a God of the here and now in the midst of changing diapers and dealing with tantrums as well as a God involved in changing me for eternity.
I already started Living Beyond Yourself, the online study. I have small children at home and tried various times to have a more traditional study with women at home but find it impossible to concentrate with two tots running around!!! The online studies work wonderfully! I can sit down and focus during their naptime!!
I've noticed that the more time I spend in God's Word the more questions I have. I hope that is a good thing??
May God bless you for being a vessel willing to be used by Him. I pray that He will keep you close to Him and that you will remain close to Him.
We just finished The Patriarchs study last night. I loved learning about the LORD and the men and women of Genesis time. I'm ever so mindful now of not wanting to manipulate situations as Rebekah once did. And I hope I can learn from my forefathers how dangerous it is to have favorites in the family. This study helped me see "the Patriarchs" as real people who were struggling with life and with their place with God. And now I just keep thinking about the end of the video, how this is not "it". It's those very special times with the Lord that give us a glimpse of true reality. God continues to renew my mind through these studies, and especially in helping me to know Him better. I'm so thankful that He has shown me how personal His word is for me. And I love how it all fits together. There's no end to the wonder of God and His word!
As I think about Beth writing these Bible Studies, I can see that it's a passion for her, but it also takes a whole lot of obedience, diligence and hard work, and obiously a whole lot of love. Mostly love for the LORD, but also the way she thinks about our faces as she's writing them. I'm overwhelmed with love for this very special lady who is so transparent as she reflects God's lavish love for us. But I also know that she doesn't want this kind of praise because she is living to give God the glory. So I give you the glory, Lord. Thank you for Your lavish love for us! And for giving us Beth Moore so we can catch the passion of knowing YOU! Glory to God!
I currently lead Stepping Up with our women's group. I've led several studies for us over the past two years. We started this one with 30 women and are now steady with 15 each week. It gets discouraging sometimes when people don't come or criticize the leadership, but I try to remember that the Lord is pleased with the effort and He is responsible for the outcome. We are all getting a lot out of it; I love how this one speaks to all aspects of life and relationships. Believing God is still my favorite of all. Monica in Mississippi
Hi!
I just finished Beloved Disciple a couple weeks ago. Fantastic study!
I am on the second week of A Woman's Heart. I am downloading audio sessions from Lifeway. This study is so wonderful!
Thank you Beth so much!
We're not really on a semester system. We just finish one study and start another one. This round we're doing the "refreshed version" of Women's Heart - God's Dwelling Place. Before the study began, I felt led to advertise in my neighborhood about the upcoming study. It's been fun to watch God do his thing! This was the first Beth Moore study that I led 8 years ago. It's just as good today as it was then. Thanks so much! The ladies including the leader :) are growing leaps and bounds. God is so faithful to his word.
I am on week 10 of my second go around of Believing God and I have to say I have enjoyed just as much as the the first time. And guess what I'm Believing GOD!!!!
Thanks Beth
We are going to be doing Session 10in Daniel tomorrow and it has been wonderful! Two new siestas are with us, and both of them it is their first bible study EVER! What a wonderful one to jump into! It's also been my first one leading, and God has taught us all so much! What a blast studying God's word together with some amazing Air Force wives!
Thanks for asking, Amanda!
My group is on Week 5 of Beloved Disciple. This is a non-denominational study that I am doing out of my house. Everyone is very excited about receiving a fresh word every week. Some have already asked if I will have another study like this (out of my home) in the summer. It is so awesome for me to see how hungry they truly are for God's word.
Many blessings,
Anne in Missouri
The little group of 4 women that meet at my home for Bible study on Tuesday nights just finished Wising Up.
Two of the women were honest to say that they had never read the Bible, much less studied one. I actually gave both of them a Bible. They are now so hungry for the Word. One accepted Christ as her Savior a month or so ago.
Tonight we started The Measureless Love of God, also by Beth.
We are looking forward to starting a real "homework" study in May. I have prayed about the choice... and I really feel led to offer A Women's Heart, the tabernacle study. They were awed the week that we watched Beth's teaching on the Mercy Seat from Life Today. It was such a blessing to watch their faces as they "got it". We are praying that we will be able to get the leader's kit before then. We are such a small group that we can't see that we will be able to purchase it ourselves, we are hoping to find a group that will allow us to borrow it. (any takers??) I am sure that no matter which study we do... we will be blessed.
Thank you so much for allowing God to use you like this.
Lynn
Although I am not currently leading, I usually lead something during the summer months.
Right now we are studying the book of Matthew in BSF (Bible Study Fellowship). Currently on chapter 24 (been working since Sept.)
It has been so rich! And unexpected. God has been speaking in such amazing ways to me this year. He has been challenging me to take things constantly and continually to the next level in my relationship with Him.
I can't believe we only have 5 more classes. But I am excited that we only have 3 more chapters in those 5 weeks.
Just finishing Daniel. It's always been one of my favorite books, but the challenges and treasures you brought forth were amazing. I kept feeling like God had invited me to the study and was giving me a blessing and a privilege in the participation. He knew my heart and I was touched by His bringing it to me at this time of my life. We can't thank you all enough for the HARD work you and Amanda and the whole staff do to bring us quality Spirit-led materials to really get us into God's word. We give Praise to Him Who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. Be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever! In Jesus' Love Kathy Knoblock
I am in prison ministry. I was teaching biblical parenting classes and decided to do the Discover For Yourself Bible study for kids with the ladies I work with. It is written by Kay Arthur and Jan Ardnt. The ladies loved doing it and they have something to teach their children when they are released. The study was on the names of God called, "God, What is Your Name?"
The high light of the study was during worship time we had some Mary, Mary palying and one of the guards came in and took center stage and sung her lungs out. We had people who have never left their bunks coming to see this unfold (b/c guards never join us in Bible study). A spirit of worship saturated the place and Jesus did the thing only Jesus could do - He stirred hearts and unity overtook that room b/c of the outpouring of God's love and presence.
The song was, "I Just Can't Give Up Now". Powerful.
Just finished Daniel. Wow!!! Our brains were challenged and our hearts have been filled to overflowing. We started with about 10 and ended up with 3 (one of the three is a miesta and we could never be prouder). My leader is awesome and very committed to our bible studies. We will begin Stepping Up soon and can hardly wait. Thank you for letting God use you.
To Fran who asked about "Conversation Peace"- I've done this study twice. Once as a student and once as a leader. This study helped to transform the way that I used my words especially with my husband. The homework doesn't take long to complete and the videos add to the study a lot. I would say go for it.
Blessings,
Jenifer
Our community Bible study group (about 80 women this semester)has three weeks left of The Patriarchs, and loving it! I am a small group discussion leader and love that out of the nine ladies at my table, only half of them are from my home church! I also get to lead all the ladies in worship each week, and love how the Lord speaks to me through the homework to guide the song selections, etc. And I guess my favorite part is the Titus 2 relationships that develop each semester ... the older women teaching the younger women through the discussion time, prayer time, and fellowship. There is no doubt that the Lord led me to this beautiful group of ladies and has birthed many new friendships of iron sharpening iron!
Praise the God of the house of God!
Tammy
Magnolia, TX
After leading a dozen studies since 1996, I am sitting back and enjoying Stepping Up with new perspective. I've always enjoyed leading and 'the spot light';) I am in a season of great humility. Every morning it is good to start with my face on the carpet (Febreeze it!) Last fall, God also gave me a picture of putting on a 'cloak of humility' during this season of my life. My good friend asked me, "Is it silk with your initials embroidered on it?":) She then went ahead and bought me a fuzzy pink robe for Christmas - the cloak of humility I literally put on each morning while I say my Believing God prayer taped to my bathroom mirror.
You are my telescope to God Beth! Thank you. Luv U.
We're in the midst of "Stepping Up" and it is WONDERFUL! This is the first Beth Moore study for most of the ladies in my group and they are lovin' it.
We just finished the "Stepping Up" Bible study. We had many wonderful ladies attending both the morning and evening studies. God spoke so clearly to us in this study. He is all about timing isn't He? We had an added bonus when one of our beautiful ladies suggested that we ascend the stairs of our church while saying the Psalms of Ascent. We did that on our last day together and it was meaningful and powerful for us. There were several tears of joy shed on that day. We also read our blessings over each other including yours Beth. Thank you so much Beth for allowing God to use you in this ministry which has blessed us so much!
In two weeks I will finish up Breaking Free, my first Beth Moore study to go through and facilitate. Seven twenty-somethings and I (a thirty-something) meet in my home each week while my sweet husband entertains my four kids upstairs so we can break free! All manner of movies and junk food take place up there! Ha! I can't express how perfectly timed this Bible study has been in my life and in the lives of my precious girls. I think college is the perfect time to go through this study, as young things are dealing with issues from childhood experiences and looking toward their futures, trying to figure out who they are and what their purpose is, etc. Gosh, I have seen lives completely transformed in these weeks. It's been amazing and a gift from God for me to see, and experience firsthand in my own heart. We are trusting Him more, believing that we're worthy of His love, experiencing satisfaction in Him, replacing lies with the truth. I am loving it all and can't wait to do another study this summer. Thanks, Beth, for faithfully proclaiming the Truth and for being so dang passionate about it!! I love you!
Just finished facilitating "Stepping Up" with a group of ladies at church. It was wonderful. However, after working in WM for many years, I just had the opportunity to participate in a two month course with some young ladies from our local Youth Developmental and Detention Center. Too hard to explain via blog, but God showed up huge in the fragile lives of these young ladies. There was much influence from Beth's teaching of God's Word even though this was not a formal Beth Moore study. There is so much I want to share, a glimpse into God's heart for young gals in desperate need. Details to follow via mail...Thank you Beth for the influence you have had on me in ministry to others.
My Bible study group did the Tabernacle study in the Fall and then this semester we decided a great follow up would be to study Hebrews. We've just gone chapter by chapter with a few character studies from those mentioned in Heb. 11 in between. It has been difficult and great. The Tabernacle study was such a great help when studying Hebrews. We only have the last two chapters to go and will take about a month break as our leader is marrying off her last child and since we meet at her home, she needs the break! Not sure what we will do next but I can't wait to do the Esther study!
Love from Dallas, TX
After reading some of the posts, I am so thankful that our group is not the only one that starts off great and then peeters out. We finished Daniel back in Feb. We did it in 2 parts. God spoke to the women who stuck it out. I use what I learned everyday.
I think we (as a ladies group) will take some time off from doing group Bible studies. My husband(the pastor) and I discussed it and maybe the ladies just need to be hungry again for the Word.
It is kind of discouraging, but I know that GOd will reveal when the right time is to begin again. In the meantime, I am beginning Believing God the online version that I order when it first came out, but hubby was in seminary and well you know...
"I'm Believing God!" for great things!!!
Amanda SC
I facilitated two studies this semester. We just got done with the am study of Living Beyond Yourself. We are still doing Daniel in the evening study and will be until the end of June. We just have one hour a week to do the study so we had to stretch it out!!
LBY is, to me, is very meaningful. I did the study by myself about 5 years ago. I was moving through it the second time like it was my first. Since having become at least somewhat more in tune with the Holy Spirit, I felt like God really spoke CLEARLY and LOUDLY this time. I think that the women in the group felt impacted as well. The emphasis of living life through and in the Spirit does not come naturally to all. And so I think their awareness of the Spirit was heightened. Still, I found that the women in my group felt like it was all good and necessary for their lives but felt like they couldn't measure up. There are still some missing pieces, I think, when it comes to their understanding of how the Spirit works and that ultimately, He is the one who accomplishes anything in us!
AS for the Daniel study, we have a HUGE group, bigger than at any other semester. The consensus is that their expectations have been far exceeded. They are really into the study and I would say, fascinated with the content of Daniel. The depth of the book. The intrigue of the prophecy. It has blown to bits our Sunday school understanding of Daniel.
Thanks for asking. And thanks for pouring your heart out every time. You are all appreciated at Living Proof!
Love,
Elaine
I did "Believing God" online over the summer, and felt impressed by God to host a Bible study for my coworkers...we are teachers in the FL panhandle and we need all the encouragment that we can get! We just started Cindi McMenamin's "When God Pursues a Woman's Heart" and a few of us went to see Beth in Jacksonville!!!
Small country church in rural Neshoba Co., Philadelphia, MS. Just finished Stepping UP, our 6th in-depth study (all Beth's). Our group grows with each study, this time 15 participants with 7 churches represented;
He who goes out weeping,
carring seed to sow,
will return w/songs of joy,
carring sheaves w/him.
Psalms 126:6
One lady drove 3 hrs round trip just to come to class. I prayed each week,"God use me, help make class interesting enough for Sallie to come back next week." She did not miss a session.
Haven't decided what we will do this fall but I think God is leading me to Randy Alcorn's 'Heaven'. The Daniel Study's time line stirred a desire to learn more about heaven and what we can expect when we get there.
We will do Esther in Jan. Looking forward to its release.
I praise God for the work of LPM. We have all grown in love and service to God through your ministry. Still rejoicing that the Joneses are in Houston and both are now a part of the team. Looking forward to see the direction this new member will take us. Our men need guidance too.
We have been blessed,
New Harmony Baptist Church
Twenty five women in little Park River, ND finished "Jesus, The One and Only" right at Easter - was great timing and a great group - we are hoping to begin the new version of "Breaking Free" in June!
Stepping up went great! I am about to start Patriarchs again and I like y'all want people in the word. I so want God to send forth His word and heal people in desperate need of healing for their soul.
Anyway, I have been a little discouraged lately in my leading. I think it is just an attack from the enemy as I got so much sweet encouragement from my sisters tonight.
Also, for the people looking for music...CeCe Winans' cd is out! yay!
We are in our eighth week of "Jesus the One and Only". We have 36 ladies who meet on Sunday nights. At the end of this past week's session, there was not a dry eye in the room. God really moved upon the hearts of his girls! Love that!
I am currently in the middle of Daniel. I have learned so much and forgive the parrot, but I am "definitely not dumber now!" The details have opened up so much room for truth! I have actually shared it with my kids and they are as wide eyed as I am. Kids' bible studies are so watered down. I am telling you, my kids want the meat. They soak it up! I am just grateful they don't need to wait until they are 30 to have the whole truth!
Blessings,
Jina
We just finished the Daniel study. We finished off by having a pot luck dinner and sharing what impacted each of us the most. It was such a good reminder of how we should be living. And how our excuses just don't fly real well when you consider what life was like in Daniels day. We all got so much from this study, that the women are asking what we are going to do next and when we are going to start. My answer is I don't know when womens ministry will begin the next study. I really tried to demonstrate to the other ladies that they to could lead a group, but they just look to me and assume I will lead the next one. Please pray with me that they will realize that they too can lead a study and that I don't have to lead all the time. Don't get me wrong, I really do love leading bible studies and teaching, it is just that I want them to take some ownership of what we do. I would love to keep on leading and teaching all the studies, it is just that I am not sure it is a healthy thing for the church to have the pastors family do it all.
I am planning to do Stepping up on my own. As I was planning it out God laid it on my heart to invite a group of fellow homeschooling moms to join me. I am really excited about this.
Thanks for asking,
Kim B. In AZ
We're finishing up Priscilla Shirer's Discerning the Voice of God next Wednesday. It has been awesome. I am hearing God speak to me and seeing Him at work like never before. I think Believing God first opened my eyes to the need to pay attention to God at work. Since then I've been sure to take notice, give Him the credit He's due, and watch for an encore.This study by Priscilla has taught me to also listen! My ladies have loved it and I love watching them take it all in. They give me great joy each week and I miss them so much during our summer break. What a privilege to teach them each week!
Our group did Believing God. It was absolutely faith-changing! My hubs did it, too, and loved it so much that he is attending the LPL conference in San Diego with me this weekend.
Hey Beth,
We are doing "A Woman's Heart" right now. After doing "Stepping Up", we will have done all your studies at our church in the last four years. :) Except for the David one and the little Living Free. I personally didn't do "To Live is Christ" yet. Living Beyond Yourself is my favorite, but I can't wait for Esther!
We trade studies around with a bunch of different churches in our area. I know you will like that. :)
Our little group of ladies is working through Jesus the One and Only right now. We hit Session 7 tomorrow! This is our third Beth Moore study together as a group of stay at home moms! We've done Daniel, Believing God and now Jesus, the One and Only. We love the homework because it's broken down into specific days and has things laid out for us. That's a huge help when we are all juggling two, three and four kids at a time! We're just thrilled to be able to come together as a group of moms and sit for a while (short as it may be!) at the feet of Jesus and fill up on His words!
Hey Siestas! This was a truly fun and encouraging post to read through, if any of you have a few free minutes. I LOVE knowing our nation is full of women (and men, too, I know) on their faces and knees before God and IN THEIR BIBLES!!! I just love the Kingdom of our God and King!
Yolanda (first post) a couple years back I read The Heavenly Man. This is my all time favorite book (next to The Word, obviously). It's not that it's necessarily literary, although it's well crafted, but the story is life altering. I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS BOOK ENOUGH. I've heard it was the Christian Book of the Year in the U.K. where it was published - and I didn't have a hard time believing it.
Lots of love all,
Warm in Alaska.
--And, may I please brag on my State for just a sec? Because you all are staring at beautiful spring flowers and I'm still looking at ice and snow - but we DO HAVE MORE LIGHT NOW then the Lower '48 (our term for the Continental U.S.). So there. It's the only spring bragging right I have and I just needed to exercise it. :)
oxox
Beth,
It's me again. Sorry for the two posts this time, but I was doing some late night dishes and laundry and thinking... That can be dangerous at my house with days so full. But be that as it may, I was lost in a thought that I so wish I could tack onto my first entry.
First of all, God is giving me a passion for equipping the next generation to cut through Babylon and just serve Him. Obviously, to do that they need to know Him. Well, I am using my own kids as guinnea pigs, poor souls :). I am also involved in the 4th and 5th grade class. I have this burning thought that surfaces regularly: these kids are not going to have the luxuries that my generation has known. They really need to know the Rock and His Word, so that when all else shakes out they will stand firm. I have watched families of God fall apart all around me, felt the attack on our own at times, but am committed to the will of the Father on all fronts. I believe the Lord gave me a picture of Moses and Joshua. Joshua had the priviledge of watching Moses develop this incredibly intimate relationship with the Lord. He was able to be present in the tent of meeting. He watched God sift and refine. He watched how God worked. I believe our kids need to be let in enough to bear witness of our testimonies. I realize there is a huge line between bearing witness and unneccessary burdens. I don't advocate going there.
All that said, as I had said in my earlier post, my kids get the summary of what I draw from whatever I have studied for that day. Right now, embarking on Chapter 7 in the Daniel study, they have heard an earful! How someone can go through the fire with only the bondage burned off and not even smell like smoke! We had memorized Isaiah 43 earlier this year so they started reciting it right away, I didn't even need to take them there.
So... My little 8 year old Natalie (whom we have dubbed 411 in our home) heard all about the Lion carrying away the hunter in Africa. I wanted them to feel the tension of how farocious these beasts are. I even recalled how the Lion can lick your skin off. She proceeded to take all that information to her creative writing class and share it with teacher and classmates. They were astounded. Eaten alive, starting with the limbs first... and so on and so forth... The teacher promptly pulled me aside and asked if a lion can really lick your skin off in just 10 licks! Well, we have some work to do on exaggeration, but I do see fruit.
Any suggestions for children's studies that bring the meat Beth? No pun intended. I told you I can get a little "off" the later it gets.
Love you all,
Jina
Our group is right in the middle of Living Beyond Yourself. And LOVING IT! Several different denominations, ages, etc. We were studying the section on "Peace" last night. As I was preparing for the week's study, I had felt led to ask a young lady to share her testimony about how God had given her peace in the midst of turmoil in her life. I knew she had been through a lot, but her powerful testimony about finding peace in Christ after having attempted suicide over a year ago was amazing. What the enemy meant for evil was used to the GLORY OF GOD!!!! Not only was God glorified but many other women finally began to share on a more personal level. PRAISE JESUS!!!!!
Facedown and praising, Kim
Apparently I missed the 30 minute - "ask Beth" session. So can I just throw this in there -
How tall is Beth?
Trivial - yep. But just curious.
I am in the midst of Stepping Up. I purchased the audio version and just close my eyes and picture Beth as I hear her words through my computer. This is my quiet time - and it has really helped me during some difficult times I've been having lately. I wish Beth was sitting in my room on the couch next to me - but, hearing her voice is the next best thing. The psalms of ascent are now something I will also associate with her and I can't wait for the next hour with her. God bless. Kerin
Bethel Baptist Church of Cary NC. We have had a mind workout on Daniel. We are smarter now.
I am so grateful to see the women that have persevered through the 12 weeks. I am soooo proud of them. Besides being aware of how we are to look like Daniel instead of blending in, we also got a huge history lesson. I love seeing the exile or remenant mentioned in many of the OT books like Ezra, Nehemiah, Ester, Psalms, and the minor prophets. God is just a fascinating God of order and completion. Whoa!
Pressing on,
Christene
We began our study-year with Stepping Up and were blown away by the study. Out of a class of 19, exciting, positive comments were quickly expressed. Many said
'this is the best study I have ever done!' It truly was life-changing for many. Saying, working and praying the Psalms was an experience that we will never forget. The experience touched us in very deep, meaningful ways. I, the leader, going through tough personal times with an elderly mother found healing and hope by walking with God through this study. I found myself speechless at times as God moved and revealed priceless secrets to me. His Presence was overwhelming and blessings flowed. Thank you for the provision of this bible study! We are following Stepping Up with Wising Up Wherever Life Happens having started the study last night. We're looking forward to putting our hands in God's hands and not letting go... Blessings to all!
Hey there...
We just wrapped up "Believing God". We added it 10 weeks ago to a "Job" study we were doing. It worked out great. The Ladies watched the video online at home and we came together for discussion for an hour. Thanks for all the hard work you do for His kingdom.
Heidi in WI
I facilitate the Patriarch's in my home on Thursday evenings. We will be finishing week 6 tomorrow. On a side note, my neighbor, who is not a Christian, attends faithfully even if she doesn't get all her homework done. Yesterday we were driving out of our driveways at the same time. She rolls down her window and says, " I love this study! I never knew all this was in the Bible. My family isn't as dysfunctional as I thought!"
Another group from my church has just begun Stepping Up last night. They began with 30 ladies and I am praying they end with 30. God is moving in women's heart in my local church. Thank you Beth for your faithfulness to the Lord.
TC
I am blessed with the priveledge of leading women's bible studies at my full bible, non-denominational church and we just finished "A Woman's Heart". There were a number of newcomers to this group, about a dozen faithfully attended and completed the study. I was so proud of them in a Godly way! Transformation of the heart, a deepening of intimacy with God our Father and a love for His Word was what occurred every week for 3 months! Praise God!!
Thank you Beth for your obedience to God's call on your life, you truly bring Him glory!!
We will begin Mary Kassian's "Conversation Peace" next week. But the general consensus with the women is that we will definitely be ready for the challenge of another Beth Moore in the fall ~ hopefully the Daniel study.
Blessings to you all at LPM!
I began having a small bible study in my home in January. Six women did Jesus the One and Only. We are always amazed at how alive the Word is, and how the lesson applies to each of our lives differently! Two women (a mom and daughter)in our study group left around week 5 to go to Korea as missionaries. They continued the work and viewed sessions online. I loved reading their testimonies of how alive and active the word was in their situation across the globe. I love how He times it just right so that the word is useful to each and every one of us.
We're starting Stepping Up tomorrow. (My 10 year old daughter wants to join us!) And we eagerly await the revised edition of Breaking Free. Several of us have never done Breaking Free before.
Thanks to LPM for all you do to equip the saints. It is changing lives, one truth at a time!!!!
We are finishing up a study on Women of the Bible. It si incredible...there are women I have never even heard of mentioned! It is amazing the differnces and similiarities to our lives today!
We're finishing Jennifer Rothschild's study which is very good. Our group of 100 changes discussion groups each fall and each spring I hate saying goodbye to my group (knowing we won't be in the same group next fall). God always gives me the most beautiful, fun and wonderful women at my table. And usually women I wouldn't choose myself, but who become dear, sweet friends!
Our group just finished Daniel. It was AWESOME! We did DVD 1 Week and Discussion the next on our study so it was 24 weeks vs 12. I loved the format. I learned so much from the ladies who particpated in the discussion weeks. We can glean so much from our sisters.
There were 40 registered for our class with an average attendance of 20 to 25.
In May we start "Stepping Up" and I can't wait.
By the way, Daniel was my first Beth Moore Bible Study, talking about baptism by fire. :)
Marita
I am in the beginnings of Jesus: 90 days with the One and Only. I'm doing that one on my own right now. I want so much to know and love Him more than anything and when I saw this one, I couldn't leave it on the shelf. I am loving every day of it. I also just received the Wising Up program in the mail yesterday and watched the first one last night. I am so excited about both of these. Big hugs from the east coast Beth and Amanda! I thank God for y'all very much.
We finished Stepping up about four weeks ago, fabulous, and are now on Week four of Jesus The One and Only - fabulous also - how God is using His precious Word and Beth to shine light into my heart and change my life. Singing praise and glory to Jesus, The One and Only.
Love and Blessings, Debbie in Tennessee
PS How about those Lady Vols! National Champions AGAIN! Woohoo!
Our group is currently in the Fruits of the Spirit study...its been a 22 wk study for us and well worth it. We have also done the BF and that was the one that hooked our group to continually be in one of Beths studys. Getting ready to go to the San Diego conference this weekend and taking my non-believer daughter with me. I am fully expecting God to work his wonder and soften her heart to His word..have been on my knees praying for it as well as the safety of all the Living Proof team. Soooo excited. Thank you for all you do for women Beth..you have no idea how many women are touched, motivated and revived because of your work. SEE YOU THIS WEEK END IN BEAUTIFUL SAN DIEGO...weather is going to be gorgeous.
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