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
I’m so excited for this!! A friend and I will be facilitating this study at our church in the fall!
I can hardly wait! My Bible study is starting Children of the Day in September…this gives me a jump start! Thanks, Beth!
Hi Susan – one of my study groups is doing this study in September too. I agree – can’t wait to get started, and get to do it twice! I think there’s always a lot that we miss the first time around… getting to go through it twice is going to be a huge help in getting what we’re learning to really “stick”. =-)
I am doing breaking free and am sitting here crying wishing I could some how get my on son and daughter in law to do this one. this is the second time I did this except the first ime was ten years ago and I never went past the first three lessons. but this time was God giving me help at a time when I was crying give me freedom please I am so tired of hurting. I don’t have the shoulders you think I do… YOU DO… take this.. and your revised breaking free is a do it first before any others’ study I think. It will open the doors to so much of who God is in people hearts and should they would KNOW Him before it’s over and THEN they will understand the rest of the studies.
I am still crying and thank you for the tears. Thank you God for healing. Everyday. Every way. now for the last lessons. then ….. do it again……
Dear Ms. Beth,
I saved this in my email inbox because I was “prompted” to take a look this year at your Siesta Summer Scripture/Bible Study. And I’m so glad I did! I have been waiting, eagerly, for you to finish up the Thess. study and am so excited! I will be planning on joining regardless if anyone joins me or not, BUT I would love to have others “come” with me! I love your desire to reach out to those who have never done something like this before; I love it more now because that is my desire! I have lived on the same street for 7 1/2 years and only know the names of a few neighbors. I have committed this to God in prayer, asking Him to open doors, be it theirs or mine. I want very much to come along side those who know little to nothing about Christ or His Word because years ago someone did that or me. Now, that said, I AM AWKWARD! I try too hard to make people feel welcome and comfortable all the while thinking, “they must think this girl is a bit crazy” as my smile gets huge and my eyes get wide and my hands start flying everywhere. In other words, I’m not cool:) I have friends who are so good at staying calm and making people feel comfortable and welcome in a “less dramatic” way; I long to be that! So, I have prayed that Jesus would give me His people skills:) I am praying that He will help me do what He did daily in His earthly ministry – just walk right up to someone and say with His actions, “Hey, there you are!” instead of fumbling around trying to present Himself, saying in effect, “Hey, here I am!” I share this so that maybe you could send up a prayer for your sister.
Today I sit here in my house in Colorado Springs, the April rain coming down in spurts, birds singing outside my window…it’s a beautiful day! I am so looking forward to gathering together with my Church Family this morning to hear His Word and sing praises to His Name; I long to lead others into the presence of a Savior Who loves them more than they could have ever imagined! I remember the night I found out about Him; my life has never been the same! Oh that I could lead others to know His love for them.
Okay, enough rambling:) Hope your weekend has been wonderful!
Hi Beth!Greetings from California~
I am sooooooo excited to start the Summer Study & I count it an extra blessing that it will be from “your” heart~ I have enjoyed others & now looking forward to this bible study with ya’ll..since I will be headed back to TX when you come to Stockton, CA in June, I am just thrilled I can do the study while seeing family too.
Hello from Georgia and Passion City Church! I am so excited “Children of the Day” will be offered this summer! For years I was a part of a Tuesday morning Bible study and after going back to work I have missed the discipline of your Bible studies. I hope to share this with my daughters ages 18 and 16 this summer. Your studies have always blessed me and I am soo eager to get started!! I can hardly wait!! Thank you for answering the call to lead women’s bible studies! God bless you! 🙂
GAME! YIPPEE Y’ALL!
I am so excited to start this Bible study!
Blessings to you and the whole LPM staff.
Count me in! I will be doing this awesome new study from you as we go on our “solo” RV trip to Alaska, leaving the end of May…just my husband of 43 years (anniversary this week) and our darling little lap dog. We are doing this totally by faith, going it alone, since we have purchased a tow-car for our “Big Boy” motorhome. We did this RV adventure with friends of ours the summer of 2009 and on that trip we did it with the Jennifer Rothschild study of “Me, Myself and Lies…” truly a life-changing study! This year our breakaway trip will be with you Beth and “Children of the Day”….I’m excited for this opportunity to stay in faith and not allow the circumstances of our “solo trip” to dictate our feelings. I can just imagine how much Keith would love to do something like this with you…and here we are at 66 years old, venturing into the unknown on the Alcan, North to Alaska, “Children of the Day”…Oh what adventures we will have, oh what things we will do!
Love you so~ In HIM
Looking forward to this study
Count me in! So looking forward to joining you sisters in the Word this summer!
Can’t wait, perfect timing!
I’M IN!!! I’m so excited you’re doing this!!! 1&2 Thessalonians 2 of my fave epistles!! Can’t wait!! xoxo – P
Please pray with me for God to show me what I need to do. I have facilitated a summer Bible study for the last several years. We met on Tuesday mornings in the home of a woman who has MS and doesn’t get out much. Last year we met on Wed. nights at the church so working women could participate. We had difficulty with attendance and commitment to the study, and when it ended I was very discouraged. Did I listen to the Lord? Was I even supposed to lead a study?? I (selfishly) decided that I would not lead one this summer, but do one on my own. I thought I knew which study God wanted me to do… and then I heard about the SSBS. Now I am praying that the Lord would show me what He would have me do. Do I go with my original plan and do it solo this year? Do I facilitate a study for women at my church again? If so, which one??
Thanks for letting me vent. I covet your prayers and welcome your wisdom.
M.J.
A very good time to be stopping here at the blog. I’mso happy to see this news!
I’m in! I live in Castle Rock, CO…at this point I’ll be doing the study solo. Sooooooo looking forward to this!
Would love to join
Dearest Beth,
I distinctly remember you saying you wanted this Bible study to be as strong in week five and eight as it was in week one.
YOU HAVE SUCCEEDED!! Or rather the Holy Spirit through you has nailed it!!!!!
I just got my copy today and had a big day planned of getting some projects done and alas, I sat down with the Children Of the Day study and I was glued to every page and could not quit til I got at least a glimpse of every page.
I can not wait til we start. I have done many Bible studies but noone quite resonates with me like your writing does and I am not even a southern gal and have little in common with you except loving Jesus and studying the Word which actually is an infectious trait I got from watching and hearing you and having the outpouring of the Spirit fresh again on my life!!
Thank you so much and through this study I have gotten a small peek at your trials this past while and I will hold you and your family up in my prayers more fervently. Bless you Dear! I can not wait to meet you some day(That Great Day?) in person!!
Love always and forever!
Betty M
I am totally in!
I usually facilitate a summer Bible study on whatever you put out there for us – however I think I’m going solo on this one. Really time to do some introspection, and not worry about leading. I hope you don’t mind. Thanks for this opportunity!
I’m in and very excited to see what God will do in me and through me with this study!!! Thanks Beth for your passion for Jesus, His Word, and His Gospel. I daily pray for a hunger and thirst for his Word that will create a blazing fire for Him in my life.
God is so cool! I just yesterday asked my pastor if I could facilitate this at my church, starting on, you guessed it, Tuesday June 3rd! Had no idea that y’all would be doing it on the web too! Our group will be meeting Tuesday nights.! I will encourage all the ladies to register here as well 🙂
🙂 Love it!
I am sooooo excited to do this Bible Study!!! Thank you Beth for the opportunity to do this study with you! One quick question: I will be out of town until June 5th. I will not be able to get online and sign up until June 6th. Is that okay? I really, really want to do this study with you and the rest of the Siesta community! Thanks again!
Heather Jackson
You bet! There is no time restraint! Jump on in on the 6th!
Yeah! Count me in.
Awesome! I am going to try to get a group together! Question- if you post the videos (the one where Beth gives instruction for that day as well as the COTD video for that lesson) on Tuesday, will it still be available if we don’t meet with our group until later in the week?
Great! Glad to have you! Yes, both Beth’s video greeting and the link to the video teachings will stay on the Blog post. No matter when your group meets, you will still have access to them on the blog post!
Hi, I am very interested in this study. I received an email from Lifeway about Children of the Day. They are offering different packages. Since I am by myself I would order the Member Book for $15.95. However, I noticed there are other packages including the video download for $4.95 each or a bundle deal for $44.95. Now I need to know if you are starting this study on June 3rd, are you doing a video we can see on your website? Or do we need to buy this video package? I’m sort of confused and would like clarification. Is this a live study or a recorded one? Tell me what I should be doing.
Thanks so much and God bless you.
Great questions! The only thing you will need to purchase in order to do this study with us this summer through the LPM Blog is the workbook, or what Lifeway refers to as the Member Book. Everything else is optional! Beginning June 3rd, Beth will post her video greeting on the LPM Blog (not our website) which will include discussion questions for your group, or for yourself if you’re going solo. Beth will also post a link to the COTD teaching videos. These teaching sessions are completely optional, but the link she will post will take you directly to Lifeway’s website where you can download these pre-recorded teaching sessions for $4.95 each. I hope that helps you, Sister. Please feel free to contact us at 1-888-700-1999 if you have further questions. We are always so happy to help you!
Thank you for replying. That helps me a lot. I did happen to look at the outline of the different levels of participation. Level Four says: watch DVDs, complete homework, write out 1 & 2 Thessalonians, and memorize 1 & 2 Thessalonians
The words that made my mouth drop open were “memorize 1 and 2 Thessalonians.” I never memorized an entire book of the Bible before or any chapters of any book for that matter. I am also amazed and awed by Beth’s dedication. Okay…I’m in..I’ll do Level Four!
Oh and I noticed that there is digit missing from the phone number you gave me. You listed only 3 instead of 4 for the last digits.
Oops! 1-888-700-1999. 🙂
How long will the COTD videos be available on your blog if my group chooses to meet every other week and watch the videos?
Hi Siesta! The link that will be posted will take you directly to Lifeway’s website where you can download these optional COTD teaching videos for $4.95 each. There is no deadline on these videos, so they should be available indefinitely.
Yay God!!! Terribly excited with holy anticipation!! Thank you for spurring us on through SS2014BS.
Austin, TX
I’m in. All the way in the middle east, Doha, Qatar.
Wonderful!! So excited to have you Sister!
Can you tell us, in a reminder blog before study begins, if we want to download videos each week, what the cost of each download will be? Just want to be prepared! Thanks!!!
Go ahead a mark your calendar for Bible study, but we will be sure to give you a heads up post before we begin Bible study. Lifeway offers each teaching session videos as a download for $4.95 each. (*optional) So glad you’ll be joining us!
Yey! so excited 🙂
Just got the study in the mail yesterday
Just spent weekend in Hershey at LPL event!!!!!What an amazing weekend, many lives were touched and changed!!!!d 38 new sisters in Christ!!!!!! Praise God for His amazing work! So looking forward to this study for the summer, will be doing it with a small group and later with our Ladies Bible Study groups! All set to star,picked my book up at the conference :)Thank you everyone who had a part in this weekend, I know there were many women in our group who God has touched their lives and sparked a flame to see more attend next year 🙂
Going to be a great summer study
Yes!! I definitely want to do this study with you this summer. I will get my book ASAP. Also, Beth, I am very excited about seeing you in Biloxi next month!! I am coming with some friends who have never been to an LPL, so that will be wonderful.
Yea!
SUPER excited about this!! One of my study groups is doing this study in the Fall (and I see that many ladies doing this study here are in that same spot!), so this gives me a chance to get started on it before we all do it together at my church. With two young kiddos, it helps to get to do things twice – just to be sure I can actually fill things out! Ha ha! =-)
I am solo, I need to do something as a am a wreck sending my first born to college this summer!! I am hoping the neighbors and their teenager daughter will join us! Please Pray!
Beth, I enjoy your Bible studies so much. My husband even came to our group of ladies study this past winter on Daniel. After one visit , he was hooked. He came to all of them, I am excited about seeing you in Biloxi. This will be my first time for one of your conferences. I want to do your study this summer.
I am so excited about seeing Beth with you in Biloxi! Let’s do the summer study together!
Love,
Fran
Just ordered my book!! Very, very excited about this study. Thank-you so much!! 🙂
Can’t wait to join this study! LOVE Beth’s teachings!
I have gathered a group of friends here in Carmel, Indiana, to work through COTD on the Siesta Schedule. Looking forward to marking this summer with these friends by spending quality and quantity time in God’s Word!
So excited for this Bible study. I’ve been doing quite a few on my on and with other online communities, but no study gets me in the Word like a Beth Moore study. I love the challenge of digging in God’s Word and equally the security of having someone knowledgeable to guide the study.
I’m looking forward to doing the summer study! I will be doing the study solo!
Woo hoo! A friend and I are planning to do this study together! Can’t wait to get started!
I have decided to do this summer study.
I have asked if some friends would like to join me, but in all reality, we will all be working solo, as no one has time to meet. Kids, work, marriages, church responsibilities, education. Yep.
Solo and cannot wait. :o)
So excited to embark on this journey with God, my journal, bible and Beth:))
308 White Street Apt B
Morganton, North Carolina 28655
So want to be a part of this study…have materials ready!
I’m in! Can’t wait…ordered my book today!
I just received the workbook today! I am so ready to embark on this study. Thank you Beth for your heart, worship, and leadership. See you in June!
A group of us did the Gideon study last summer. One of the girls emailed and asked if we were going to do the Siesta study again. I am now forming a plan and getting a group of ladies together for this newest study! Excited to see what God has in store!
I am going to host a group of ladies in my home this summer and we want to start the first week of June as well. I would love to choose this study. I will need instructions on how to choose the link and be able to watch it on a Wednesday night. Our church does not support Summer activities so we are hoping to gather in my home and have our study. We were going to choose the Abundant living, but when I saw this email I wanted to react