Hey, Everybody!
It’s almost May and, around here, that means it’s time to announce our Siesta Summer Bible Study for those who are itching to take a journey together. In all these years of doing summer Bible study together here on the blog, we’ve never gone through one I’ve authored. The biggest reason is that I really love to go through other authors’ courses with our blog community. That’s a refreshing blast of Holy Spirit-breath to me and you can count on us doing that again next summer. The other reason is that the launch date of one of mine never coincided well with the beginning of summer. With Children of the Day (an in-depth study of 1st and 2nd Thessalonians) coming out in May, the timing works out perfectly. I ask you to trust my heart on this and know that we’re not doing the study this summer so that I can drive up sales. I can’t prove my motives to you but I give you my word. That’s all I know to do. Any of you who still find it uncomfortable can, by all means, choose another Bible study by a different author and feel completely welcome to formulate your group right here in the comment section to this post. Just start your comment with the words in all caps “ANOTHER OPTION” and get together on line and choose which Bible study you’d like to do. There are so many fabulous ones available. You have my complete and joyful blessing to use this community to put your group together. Any way we can serve you is a tremendous honor to us.
For those of you who would like to do Children of the Day with our community this summer, here are a few important facts:
* We’ll start Tuesday, June 3, 2014. Around here at Living Proof, we formed the habit of Tuesday Bible study over the years so that’s why we choose it as our gathering day but you are welcome to commit to any day of the week that works for you. Simply adapt the instructions to that particular day.
* Children of the Day is an 8-week study so we will wrap it up on Tuesday, July 29, 2014.
* As we’ve done in past summers, we’re only asking you to commit to “gather” with us and/or with your group every other week since summers are so busy. We will still stay on schedule for each week’s homework but you’ll only need to check in once every 2 weeks.
* I will put up a short video greeting here on the blog by 8:00 AM every other week on our gathering days, starting with Tuesday, June 3rd. The greeting will include instructions for discussion in your small groups or with the blog community at large. Your “discussion” with the blog community will take place through your response-comment to that post.
* We strongly recommend forming small groups for the pure camaraderie and accountability of it but you are also very welcome to go solo. The best small groups of all meet face-to-face but, if that’s not possible, try to formulate one on line. You might even Skype. Do whatever would benefit you the most and offer you the fellowship we all need so desperately.
* You only need the Children of the Day workbook to participate in the summer study. You don’t need to download the video sessions. All discussion questions will be based on the written work alone, as we’ve done in past summers, so that no one is forced into the extra expense. Each week we will put up a link to that week’s COTD video session for those who also want to include those but I will leave that option entirely to you. There will be no pressure whatsoever. People often ask if the video sessions and homework portions are the same lessons. They are not. They are designed to complement one another for a comprehensive approach to 1st and 2nd Thessalonians but they are not redundant. They are on different segments and concepts found in the 2 letters.
Does that answer many of your questions? OK, now for the schedule:
Between release date (first week of May) and June 3rd, acquire a workbook of Children of the Day but don’t start it yet! No homework needs to be done before our first gathering. The workbook looks like this:
You can find it at your local LifeWay Christian bookstore by the first week of May, or click here to order online at any time: COTD workbook
GATHERING ONE: June 3, 2014 – Our summer Bible study launches! By 8:00 AM that morning, God willing, you will find a brief video greeting from me and instructions for that day’s participation/discussion. Again, you can do it any day that week. We’re just choosing Tuesday as our official gathering day. You will “register” for summer Bible study by leaving a comment on the June 3rd post with your name and city and whether or not you are participating in a group or going solo. I will give you the specific instructions at that time. At the bottom of the post will be a link for that weeks’ full-hour Session 1 video if you choose to add on that option.
Do Weeks 1 and 2 of homework for Gathering Two.
(June 10th – link will go up for COTD Session 2 video for anyone going for that option.)
GATHERING TWO: Tuesday June 17, 2014. Brief video greeting from me and instructions for that day’s gathering or discussion. (Link for COTD Session 3 video for anyone taking that option.)
Do Weeks 3 and 4 of homework for Gathering 3.
(June 24th – Link will go up for COTD Session 4 video for anyone taking that option.)
GATHERING THREE: July 1, 2014. Brief video greeting from me and instructions for that day’s gathering or discussion. (Link for COTD Session 5 video for anyone taking that option.)
Do Weeks 5 and 6 of homework for Gathering Four.
(July 8th – Link will go up for COTD Session 6 video for anyone taking that option.)
GATHERING FOUR: July 15, 2014. Brief video greeting from me and instructions for that day’s gathering or discussion. (Link for COTD Session 7 video for anyone taking that option.)
Do Weeks 7 and 8 of homework for Gathering Five.
(July 22 – Link will go up for COTD Session 8 video for anyone taking that option.)
GATHERING FIVE CONCLUSION: July 29, 2014. Brief video greeting from me and instructions for that day’s gathering and closing. (Link for COTD Session 9 video conclusion for anyone taking that option.)
Here is the above schedule in diagram form thanks to my beloved assistant, K-Mac. You can enlarge it to see it better or copy and paste it to a document and print it out if you’re that kind of weird person…because I am, too:
Sound fun??!? Yep, it also sounds like a bit of work but not a single word of Scripture will drop to the ground. We can have confidence in advance that the pursuit of Christ through His Word will completely alter the summer of 2014. I’m ecstatic to have the privilege of spending these 8 weeks with you in Bible study. You are a tremendous joy to me. Our God-given emphasis right now at Living Proof is on stirring up women who are less-discipled in Scripture to come to love Christ through His powerful, living, relevant Word. We would be thrilled for you to help us by inviting some women along who have never before done this kind of thing. Take the chance and ask them! So many women have a hunger for God. They just don’t know exactly how to identify it. Bring them along if God opens that door!
Can’t wait to get started! Dearest love to you all!
Beth
Haughton, La. I am excited to join in. As of right now I will be solo.
This is exciting! I will be joining you all for this wonderful study this summer. This will be my first study with you all and I am looking forward to it!
Much Love,
Ellen
So looking forward to this study being your study! The others have all been good and I know this one will be just what we need this summer, thank you!
Yes! I will be forming a small group with my two daughters. So excited!
Can’t wait, trying to get a small group together.
I’m in! So, looking forward to it!!!!
This sounds wonderful! Thank you, I’m in!!
Looking forward to this Bible study. Haven’t done one of Beth’s in awhile and miss it!
Just sent out an email to college girls, young mommies, older mommas, and some wisdom rich bonus year ladies to start an intergenerational group at my home this summer! All jazzed up!
Hi Beth,
I just finished Breaking Free with a group of ladies at my church, last week. Today is the first Thursday of not meeting together and I’m missing it. I so enjoyed Breaking Free and am working together with the Holy Spirit, to walk out of a bondage that has held me in its grip for many years. It exciting and scary…but I really want to be committed this time and finally have success. I was so longing for another study, so a summer study is something very exciting to look forward to. I’m in.
Waiting for this one! 🙂 Looking forward to the study.
I’m in, sounds like a blessed summer session!
Perfect! I know exactly who I am suppose to invite!
Thank you for your faithfulness!
joy~
As a girl raised in a Christian home, I love bible studies. The last several years have been terrible in my life and many have not sensed a spirit of dissension that has been working amongst people. Reading the wording on the Website, I am disappointed because I do not hear a humble heart. Why is it that some Christians have been so pushed by other Christians (out the door, or out of an area), when people do not take the time to hear their hearts? Doesn’t Christ establish the real pecking order in his word and how does the Word set the pecking order in our own lives? As a fallen soldier, pride comes before anybody’s fall, and for those of us attacked, abused, used and misused for years, may it be our time of honor because of our wait for humbleness as we pray for those who are prideful and may have their time of fall. Knowing what I have been put through, even by churches and organizations, I am so thankful to know the true love of a blessed savior, Christ Jesus, who has followed me with his favor, signs and wonders during my season of pain as he restores my body from the itches that have been given to me by others. Then again, even the poisons that I have been forced to swallow over the years, the Holy Spirit has covered me with his love and I can trust that even the itches will soon disappear as the tables turns, or the plates are switched around. Blessed be the name of the Lord who hears the cries of the afflicted and those who wait with humble hearts. May the bible studies and all those who take them have a time to search their hearts and spend time in the aluminating light that convicts, changes and reduces people to nothing themselves in order that God can truly be great.
What an answer to prayer! My weekly Bible study group ends in May and I was not looking forward to the “long dry spell” until September. Now I have a summer study to look forward to. Yay!
Definitely planning on participating! Very excited about this new study.
So looking forward to this study!
I’m in! 🙂
Yes, lets do this! I am in need of a good study.
Cannot wait as this will be my first time doing a study online. For now I’ll be doing the study solo but hope to be part of the group online. I’m going to order the workbook today.
: )
woohoo!
I am so in, along with a small group of women who love staying in the word year round. However, because summer vacation doesn’t really start for those of us who live in central NY until the end of June, we’ll probably be a couple of weeks behind the rest of you. Hope that’s okay!!
On another note, Beth, can’t wait to see you in Hershey PA next weekend!!!
I will be hosting a group of neighbors here in my home in Monument. LOVE these books and can’t wait to dig into the Word with you again, Beth and Melissa.
Love,
Holly
Beth, One word – yeah! Love you, Lynda
looking forward to the bible study… not sure if group or solo yet….
Would love to participate!
Will the workbook be available in Canada?
I am pretty sure they should be available the same time in Canada, but will find that out!
I’m in! Probably solo
Because I’m relatively new to Twitter~ & not fluent in techno jive 😉 the thought recently occurred to me, like literally a few days ago, “I wonder if it’s even possible to have an online study group?” I even contemplated sending out a “tweet” to see if anyone knew if that was possible-but I did not. But,low and behold…I get this notification on Twitter a couple of days later about this study group. I’ve never done a study group either…I’m super thankful that God hears our requests & I’m so excited to do this group study with you 🙂
I’m in!! Sending our gals to Hershey next week,too!
Count me in !!!!
I can’t wait! I’m finishing up Kay Arthur’s Covenant study so I can hop right on into Children of the Day. Lord willing, I’ll be attending the Living Proof Live event July 25-26 in Denver so we’ll just about be finishing up this study by the time that event rolls around. Seems like that’ll a perfect cherry on top to wrap up the summer Bible study! You can enthusiastically count me in!
The study sounds like God’s plan to meet with us over the beautiful summer. I am so thankful and looking forward to being a part of this study with the siestas. It has been a very trying year and I am blessed to have God speak to me in this way. So grateful to Beth, Lindsee, and the staff!
I’m in. Cannot wait. Going solo this summer. Thanks for doing this! I was really hoping to dive into this new study with someone…why not the author herself! How fun!!! Can’t wait to see you in Denver in July!
*happy dance*
Do you have any idea how much the individual teaching sessions cost? I am so ready for this study! Just want to budget appropriately. Thanks.
Hi Angie, I’m not sure at the moment, but I’m almost positive they won’t be more than a Starbucks drink. I hope that helps!
Angie – here you go! http://www.lifeway.com/Product/children-of-the-day-video-sessions-individual-use-M00000343?intcmp=COTDA-MTX-Text-VideoSession-20140421# Eventually I’m sure they’ll have the Audio only, MP3, files available for each session as well.
Thanks, y’all!!
Can’t wait! I tried to participate a few years ago but just couldn’t get it together. This year I am in whether I have time or not lol:)
I’m in! Can’t wait to be in the word with all of you!
What great news! Can’t wait!
I am looking forward to participating in this my first on-line Bible Study!
This is an answer to prayer! My Tuesday group’s study ended last week. They will be starting COTD in the fall. We are relocating to VA this summer. Please pray that I can do this solo and schedule movers, etc., at the same time. Wait. Maybe this is too much. Oh, all of you pray that I can do this! Thank you so much!!
I’m In! I am not able to participate in Ladies Bible study at this time and I will have the workbook soon! So Excited about this journey. I tasted a bit of the harvest from Beth’s study in Thessalonians at Gateway’s Pink Impact in 2012. It was an amazing teaching on healing father – mother wounds and allowing God to be those things to us our earthly parents have not or could not be for whatever reason. She also asked us to look for others who encouraged us that way. Such an exciting time in the body, such an exciting teaching. CAN’T WAIT TO GET INTO IT! 🙂
Blessings,
Michelle Bentham
(Now from Granbury, TX – returning to my roots)
Last summer I did Gideon with the Siesta’s, and it was great…except for the fact that I finally finished the study in late February. Hopefully this time around I’ll finish it on time. 🙂 I’m in for sure!
Thank you Beth Moore I have been wanting to do this study when I first saw it , this is perfect timing to do this study this summer so looking forward to it .
I will probably be doing it solo unless I can find a siesta to Skype with to do the study .
Thank you
Count me in
Carol
Never done an online study but love all your bible studies!! My friends and I have done most of them and getting ready to see you in person for the fifth time in Stockton!!
Excited
This sounds so wonderful! I cannot wait!
Yahoo! Im so excited! I am starting a group with our womens at church! 🙂
We’ll be doing this study in the fall with approximately 8-9 small groups in our Community Learning Ministry at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Florence, SC. We’ve always talked about how the facilitators are a part of the small groups but sometimes they just want to be a participant – so we planned to do this study as a group this summer. No DVD, just homework and discussion. A plan to help the facilitators be prepared for the fall and a plan to let the facilitators just be participants. I am so excited you are doing this online so we can be a part of it. We begin the week before you do so we’ll be a little ahead, but will jump right in with you.
I’m in! See you all in the virtual world this summer! Should be a great study.
Our small group just finished Esther and have been trying to decide what study to do next – what an answer to prayer this is! We are so looking forward to COTD. Thank you!
I am excited too! Sounds wonderful – hopefully will be doing with my sisters!