Summer seems to be a mixture of lazy and busy battered together and set into the sunshine to bake! Long days, schedule change, and water games. High temps, quick sandwiches, and chicken on the grill.Hammock swingin’, flowers and vegetables growin’, and iced tea sippin’.
I’ve found, for me, a shorter Bible study, less intense, yet still filled with so-much-to-ponder, is a great fit for summertime!
If this fits you as well, I have four titles for you today!
I’ve worked through each in the last ten years. I wish I would have dated each one. I completed Ruth in the summer of 2010 and I worked through Open Your Bible in January/February 2016. I didn’t date the other two. I think Me, Myself & Lies was probably 2009 and Breathe was three – five years ago????
{affiliate links included in this post}
First up:
Ruth by Kelly Minter
Loss, Love & Legacy
6 week study
No video sessions
There are songs or a music CD available at Lifeway.com.
You’ll read completely through the book of Ruth, a verse or two at a time.
I love the up close look at this story and pausing to ponder it verse by verse. Boaz is such a man of character and integrity.
Quick challenge: List ten character traits about Boaz from the framework of his story that aren’t all directly named in the telling of the story.
I already listed integrity and I see kindness and compassion in him, as well as good stewardship and leadership.
Ruth portrays selflessness and devotion. She’s known heartache, hurt, hunger and hard work.She models steadfastness and obedience and faithful trust.
Boaz and Ruth are two of my favorite Bible characters.
Fun fact: Kelly Minter’s studies have recipes in them at the end of each week.
{If you want to bump up your level of study, write out the Bible verses you read in Ruth every day in a study journal and at the end of your six weeks, you’ll have written the whole book of Ruth. I’ve done some studies with this as an extra option. I like writing and journaling, so I loved doing this and it helped me soak in the Scripture words a little more.}
Breathe by Priscilla Shirer
Making Room For Sabbath
5 week studyVideo :sessions available by DVD or individual use videos at LifeWay.com{I did the video sessions for this one, but I’ve also done a number of study books over the years without the video sessions and still learned so much}
A great summer study!
This one digs into saying no, putting first things first, the importance of margin and Sabbath, the reminder that doing everything is not the same as doing the best things, taking time to pause, savor, breathe. Summertime opens the perfect opportunity to assess our lives, slow down, breathe in deeply, and rest.
A couple of quotes included in this study:
“Some of us have made an idol of exhaustion. The only time we have done enough is when we’re running on empty and when the ones we love most are the ones we see least.” ~ Barbara Brown Taylor
“Sabbath-keeping: Quieting the internal noise so we hear the still small voice of the Lord. Removing the distractions of pride so we discern the presence of Christ.” ~ Eugene Peterson
“Rest was the capstone of creation.” ~ Priscilla Shirer
Me, Myself and Lies by Jennifer Rothschild
A Thought Closet Makeover
6 week study
Video sessions available at Lifeway.com
{I didn’t watch the videos with this one}
Week One of this study has this question blazoned across the first page. “What’s in Your Thought Closet?” followed by this Scripture verse,
Psalm 19:14 ~ “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight,O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer.”
This study has artwork sketches of bins, boxes, labels, and closet doors throughout. You’ll fill these elements of your thought closet with the thoughts and words you say to yourself and you’ll fill others with the words God and His Word say about you, as you learn to discern truth.
Week 2, Day 2 talks about labels. Jennifer Rothschild writes ~ “Some labels are just facts. We sometimes assign a fate to a label that is worse than the fact itself. We are to wear faith labels and speak statements of faith.”
The weeks go through What’s in Your Thought Closet, Filling Your Thought Closet with Truth, A Wise Thought Closet, Guarding the Door of Your Thought Closet, God in the Center of Your Thought Closet, and A Hope-Filled Thought Closet.
A favorite study of mine!
Open Your Bible by Raechel Myers and Amanda Bible Williams
God’s Word is For You and For Now
7 week study
Video sessions available at Lifeway.com{I didn’t watch the videos with this one and they’re also listed as optional in the study.}
Open Your Bible as this study leads you into Truth. Each chapter is based in embracing God’s truth.
You’ll work through Approach Truth, Engage Truth, Apply Truth, Abide in Truth, Live in Truth, and Share Truth.
“God’s Word is transformative and it will transform us.” ~ from Open Your Bible
As I worked through this study, it made me more grateful, more aware, of the amazing gift the Word of God is!
{This post has three journals for summer study in it, if you want a few more ideas!}
If you choose to work through one of these four studies, I’d love to hear! Let me know which one looks the most interesting to you! 🙂
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