This could be the shortest blog post of my life because I’m in my pajamas, face washed, on the bed, ready to call it a day, and needing to get up way before dawn in the morning. But a tidal wave of grace hit my heart this evening and I want to try to put it into words right now at the tall foamy crest of it. I’ve gotten so many tweets from women starting Bible studies over these last 3 days. It’s, of course, because September is such a great time for getting back to some of our disciplines as summer has come to an end. As I’ve scrolled through the feed, a number of women are giving shout-outs about starting Children of the Day this week. Another sister told me on Twitter earlier today she’d just started Beloved Disciple. Another Stepping Up. Someone brand new to the whole concept asked me where she should start and I told her, among our own offerings, Jesus the One and Only.
A different woman told me yesterday she was starting A Woman’s Heart. The mention of that one always brings me close to tears because it was my maiden voyage into a life of study that by God’s unfathomable kindness and grace I, to date, have never gotten over. I almost couldn’t get up off the floor over that one. I fell so in love with Jesus and into such awe over His Word in that journey that it was nearly painful. Each study means so much to me because it overlays a stretch of my own personal life – miles of ups and downs and hopes and dreams and disappointments and detours and uncertain destinations – upon the life of Jesus, the Holy Son of God, on the pages of His own Word. I hope you could describe something similar when you spend weeks of a Bible study series with Him. Our imperfect, insecure lives converge with the fullness of the holy Christ right there on the page through the work of the Spirit and the result is transformation.
I want to say something to you girls. It has been and will continue to be, God willing, the honor of my ministry life to serve you in Bible study. One woman I heard from today has done all 15. Another one was starting her first one. I was overwhelmed by the grace of it. In February LifeWay and I will celebrate 20 years of Bible studies together. We never had a single thought that there would be a second one. We begged God early on to grant us diversity of reach in the Body of Christ so that we could see women’s Bible studies invade barriers and make heavy investments of heart into unity. He has done it. You are from all sorts of churches and backgrounds and denominations. Many who are coming into Bible studies in these last few years have no religious background at all. First generation Christians.
We have studied hard together and graced each other where we didn’t necessarily see eye to eye. We’ve given each other the grace to be different. We’ve esteemed each other as equally cherished by God, saved by the cross of Jesus Christ, and invited to the dining table where divine words become the feasts of queens.
I just want you to know I am sitting on the bed tonight deeply moved and with tears in my eyes. God has been so merciful. What grace to have gotten to be part of your lives though Bible study journeys. Thank you. I don’t even know how to say those words with the volume and force that my heart feels them right now.
Thank you.
It has never gotten old to me. I have never taken it for granted. And my past is too bad for me to take any credit. I know what a mess this woman was in and I know the miracle He did in me with His Word. He completely bathed and reworked and rebooted my brain until I was a completely different woman. And He keeps doing it because I keep needing considerable help. That drive – believing with all my heart that if He can do it for me, He can do it for anybody – keeps me in it every single day, even when days get hard.
Someone asked me in the last post if “Breaking Camp” meant I was saying any personal goodbyes. Not one single one, Sister. Not that I know of. Not unless somebody kicks me out. Smile. I don’t agree with everyone. But I will dang well serve anyone. I’m so thankful right now in my life not to feel enclosed and cramped in a camp. Just blessed by gracious communities. To see women discipled in God’s Word is the passion of my life. The air in my lungs. My partnership with LifeWay through curriculum and women’s events has been in an environment of truest community just like my church and LPM. I am blessed out of my mind.
So, anyway. That’s all I wanted to say. That I’m just overwhelmed with gratitude tonight. If God should ever decide to sweep me home suddenly, I’d have wanted there to be a place somewhere in public record where I just said these words:
Sisters: Feverishly following Jesus with you has been the greatest adventure of my life. THANK YOU.
So grateful to serve you and honored beyond words to serve this generation of women with other Bible teachers and communicators like Priscilla Shirer, Kelly Minter, Lisa Harper, Jennie Allen, Tammie Head, Jen Hatmaker, Christine Caine, Sheila Walsh, Angie Smith, Kay Arthur, Joyce Meyer, Lisa Bevere, Anne Graham Lotz, Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Ann Voskamp, Lysa TerKeurst, and other stellar women I could name and write about all night. Great things are happening in women’s discipleship all over the globe. GREAT THINGS AMONG OUR YOUNG WOMEN. Great things among the seasoned and all those in between. Most of us don’t care whose Bible study you’re in or if it’s even a formal curriculum. We just want to see women with their faces planted into that Book so their feet will be planted on that Rock.
The gorgeous, glorious, breath of God on the sacred page.
Maybe this is a great post for you to tell us if you happen to be in a Bible study of any kind (by anybody! share the wealth!) or just diving into the Scriptures on your own this September of 2014. It would be so much fun to have you share it and somebody undecided might get an idea for her own pursuit of Scripture this Fall. Let us hear from you if you get the chance.
And thanks for listening. It wasn’t short after all. Why couldn’t it just ONCE BE SHORT????
I love you,
Beth
Beth and team,
Thank you for your heart to provide great material to help lead women through God’s Word! I minister in Utah, one of the most unique mission fields in America. The small area I live, Cache Valley, is HUNGRY for truth and I can hardly contain myself as I look and pray over the 80 women who are signed up to study “Children of the Day”! We have studied many times together but ladies are inviting girlfriends and we have doubled the attendees this time around. I cannot wait to see the lives that will be transformed! Praise God! I just had to share my heart as it is overflowing! Thank you and join us in prayer that MANY will come to saving faith. ~Misty
I will be starting “Children Of The Day” on Sept. 10th with a group of ladies from Living Streams church in Phoenix AZ.
I am participating in Believing God this fall. Can’t believe I’ve not ever done this one, but somehow I missed it. It’s been exactly what I’ve needed this week. Thanks, Beth, for all you do. One of these days I hope I get to hug your neck! 🙂
P.S. I’ll never forget my very fist Beth Moore Bible Study: A Woman’s Heart. Awesome!
I am doing Children of the Day with 17 other women. We had our first class last Tuesday night. It was wonderful! This is my second Beth Moore Bible Study. I hope to do them all! Love you, Beth!
We are starting The Amazing Collection, I forget the session number but it starts with Hosea. So far we have done every book from Genesis thru Daniel. Love, love meeting with other women in Bible study. This summer these women and I completed Children of the Day – one was her first Bible study ever, I’ve been with you for 15 years. Love what God does thru you for us. May God bless you more.
we have a group of six regular attendees (started to say women, but we aren’t all that normal). We go to six different churches. God brought us together in 2000. They are my lifeline and support. We have done all of your Bible studies, some twice (Breaking Free, Believing God, and study of the tabernacle). We have been through weddings, births, deaths, children struggling with abuse and even a child entering the prison system. We have so lived life together. My favorite of all was Believing God. It taught me about faith even though I had been a Christian a long time and attended church. I had no idea how faith worked. I remember doing Jesus the One and Only and my thought was the more I know about Jesus, the less I know. I thought I had Him figured out!!! Thank you for sharing your life with us. We feel like we know you. We start Children of the Day next week. We can’t wait. We love you dearly.
We just completed our Summer Bible Study tonight! We had seven ladies meeting in my home. For one of them, this was her first ever Bible study! I was afraid it would be a little too deep, but she said it gave her a bigger thirst to study His word more! We are going to repeat the study, along with the video sessions, this winter when our “Snowbird Sisters” arrive.
I’m not sure yet what we will be studying this fall. We usually do a short 6-7 week study in Oct./Nov. I’m looking forward to reading everyone’s comments for inspiration!
Children of the day with the videos!
I too have done all of your studies and many of them more than once!
Beginning Sept. 14, I will be hosting a Bible Study in my home. We’ll be doing “Living Beyond Yourself: Exploring The Fruit of The Spirit”. It’ll just be 5 of us. Really looking forward to it!
Beth, I am in not me but TWo Bible studies! A group of ladies started Belived Disciple last spring.nwe took a summer break and are starting up week 4. During the summer my husband and I started going to a couples Bible study on Children of the Day. We are starting week 3 this Sunday. Then a friend of mine and I have been doing the Sister Siesta version of Children of the Day. I got a little behind but will be finishing the final week this coming week and have been memorizing the verses. I an richly blessed by the combination of these studies, which although different, reinforce and enhance each other. All of this started when I stepped out after losing my daughters to go to the Hersey, PA Living Proof Live. Keep on praying and keep on doing the work God has given you to do. It is bringing healing to this grieving mother and I am deeply grateful. Looking forward to seeing what God will do.
Am getting ready to lead Children of the Day at our church. So excited to see what God’s going to do in our lives thru this study. Beth, I believe I’ve done all your studies & I just thank God so much for y our faithfulness to obey His calling on your life. God has blessed me so much thru these studies. I’ve fallen deeper in love with Him by studying His Word. We begin the study on 9/11/14 & then gather for LPL on 9/13/14. All us ladies feel like we know you personally thru these studies. We pray for you also. I lost my baby sister last June & then in September we began the James study vi can’t tell you how much that study helped me thru my grief. It was no accident that God gave me that study at that time in my life. God is so faithful to meet our needs. He is the greatest! Thanks again & looking forward so much to what Hod has for me & my sweet ladies. By the way, one lady in our little group is almost 90 -she’s so dear to us. She dozes off sometimes yet doesn’t miss a thing & her sweet spirit just blesses our socks off. Love you, dear Sister!
Just started James – Mercy Triumphs with 15 women in 2 groups. For 9 of them it’s their first Beth Moore study and for 5 it’s just their second. I’m so excited that all my dear friends are willing to go deeper into the Bible and are seeking to grow in their relationship with God. God’s reaching lots of people through your studies. Praise to Him!
I’m starting Children of the Day next Tuesday and CAN’T WAIT!!! My mom and aunt are all doing Children of the Day as well – and we’re all at 3 different churches. 🙂
Cooking Up Faith
http://www.cookingupfaith.org
Our Shady Oaks Baptist ladies started “Children of the Day” last night. About a third of the class is brand new to Bible study! That was our heart’s desire – to reach out! One sweet lady said, “I don’t even know who Beth Moore is, but the class sounded interesting. 🙂 We love you and thank God for your obedience.
We are starting Priscilla Shirer’s “Jonah” on 9-11. I’m looking forward to the simulcast next weekend. Thank you for all your encouraging messages. You are a blessing.
Beth,
Your Bible studies have been used by God to impact my spiritual life over and over again. I have loved them all! From the first one I felt you knew my heart. I love our awesome Lord and got to know Him better with each study. I’ve done most of them and have done Believing God twice (will do it again) and it still is used to impact my life as I spend time with my God. The last one I did was breaking free where I learned I still had some chains that needed to be dealt with. I realized that though I believe God is who He says He is and I believe He can do what He says He can do I still wasn’t believing fully that I am who He says I am! So blessed that we can continue on this wonderful journey. I look forward to the new study!
Carol
This fall I am studying “Children of the Day”. This is my 5th Study. I am also involved in a Community Bible Study where we are studying Luke. We are using “the Gospel Project” for Sunday School. God has given me the time and desire to be saturated in a His Word. Thanks Beth for allowing God to use you. When I was diagnosed with cancer in 2012, I was immediately taken back to the Daniel Study which helped prepare me for my diagnosis. God has led me to your books and studies just when I needed them.
You are precious!
Yes we will be starting Breaking Free September 14th the day after the simulcast. We did that on purpose 😉
I’m looking forward to it. I was 17 my first go around. I’m 25 now. A totally different person… A new creation. I can’t wait!
Much love!!!!
Beth I’ve been doing your studies for about 15 years. My sister and I have seen you at Living a Proof Live three times now. My Wednesday morning Paneras group are just about done with Children of the Day! Another wonderful study! This fall we will be doing Lisa Harper’s study of Hebrews. Thank you for all you do! And thanks for being kind of our Paul! Showing us how to live and truly love God! Keep abiding in Him my sister!
I’m starting my 11th study of yours on Tuesday night. Believing God is the pick for this season in my life!
Starting your study of John on September 16 with our little group of Presbyterian Women. This will be the 3rd one we have done together but will be my 6th. Thank you for continuing to bless us with your knowledge of His Word and especially, your deep and abiding love for Him….
My first study with you was the first edition of BREAKING FREE. That one ruined me for good, and ever since I’ve no longer been satisfied to feed on other folks’ manna. I get my own now!
I’m leading a very special group of ladies called the Bible Study Babes through Priscilla Shirer’s new study called BREATHE. After that, we’ll be taking on the study of James by Beth. Can’t wait! We just finished our first study with Jennie Allen. Chase was wonderful!
We are so thankful to live in a generation of so many gifted women’s Bible study teachers! Glory to God!
His,
Jen
Beth, thank you for listening to Him, almost 20 years ago, and doing your first of many studies. Through you, and other writers (Jennie Allen, Ann Voskamp, Kathy Howard, etc), I have fallen in love with learning His Word.
In fact, at the “advance” age of 52,I’m off to Bible College….
Thank you….
I hope you will never have a short post! There’s so much I could tell you about how your studies and your posts have worked their way into my very being. I’ve done all 15 and each new one becomes my favorite, COTD is an exception! I’m pretty sure it’s my very favorite! It just grabbed me from the first day, and as I read the last day’s lesson, I vowed I would reread and review it through the remainder of the summer. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for COTD. I finally feel that I’m becoming the woman God created me to be, seeing that I have made decisions in my life for all the WRONG reasons, trying to please people! I realized that I was trying to prove someone wrong while I should be focused on what Jesus wants me to do for Him. You’re an amazing teacher…thank you!
Doing the siesta memory verses in 2013 was a direct answer to prayer. I loved every minute and enjoyed the Bible study we did on Gideon that summer! I can’t thank you enough for putting your books for free download at the beginning of this year. The Beloved Disciple has been my favorite so far. Thank you Mrs. Beth and all the LPM team for the love you pour out to the Father. What a wonderful thing it is to see God at work in our lives. His love never fails!
Dear sweet Beth!
God Bless you for bringing us the Word through your amazing Bible Studies. Our women @ 60 have done 10 of your studies and we are starting Children of the Day on 9/23.
We also will be so excited to host your team (Feb 20/21- in Seattle) for your first LPL!
You are loved and so appreciated!! Your tireless work for us is so appreciated!
Love you,
Judy Mullins
Big smile on my face after reading this. Thank you for naming women from all corners of the Christian community. This is a scary week in the news.
I just began week 2 of Children of the Day. Am already loving it! My first bible study ever was A Heart Like His. That study ignited a desire in me to dig deeper, walk closer, and live joyously in the Lord. I remember vividly the awe I had at discovering God in scripture for the ry time in my life. Eventually I facilitated women’s bible studies at my church for a season. I had always felt called by God but it wasn’t until I took that first bible study that I heard God speak to me personally. He moved my heart and changed my life. Since then, I haven’t gone more than a few months without participating in bible study and when I’m not studying I feel something is missing in my life. So Thank You Beth and team for your devotion, obedience and work in bringing our Lord and His word to the life of so many.
Thank you, Beth. You inspire me always and your teaching has encouraged and challenged me daily. I just finished GIDEON by Priscilla Schirer and am facilitating the Study at my church starting next week! I can’t wait to turn around and do it again. It was so perfectly timed in my life that only God could have orchestrated it. He continues to amaze me!!
Thank you for sharing your heart for Jesus and His Word! Bless you!
Penny
Just starting You Are Loved:Embracing the Everlasting Love God has for You by Sally Clarkson and Angela Perritt. Doing it with a small group of women at church, and praying for the discipline to commit to the homework. I prioritize so many other things. And I know I need this.
Just finished Children of the Day! Which was so timely and needed. Thank you so much. I am doing The Best Yes now. God’s Word is life!!
Just finished children of the day which I loved! Now diving in to restless by jennie Allen.
So glad that I checked my email before bed. This made me feel so much better before I went to sleep. U always tend to worry at night. Love your bible studies and starting doing them after seeing my sister with one several years ago. You are so inspiring and such a blessing to me. I hope you never stop doing stop . You are one of his gifts to us.
Beth, so looking forward to being with you in Ft. Wayne, IN next weekend! I always love your studies, but there is just something special about sharing the same room together! Praying…
I’m excited about starting BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) on Monday. It’s on Moses and I’m looking forward to learning more and more.
Excuse my bad typing.
Next week my peeps and I are starting Children of the Day. We have been together 8 years and every year we do one of yours! So excited for this very timely study. Expectantly waiting and watching for the glorious return of our Savior!
My personal favorites are Breaking Free and Believing God! I’ve done them and then turned around and led them.
I have been to seminary but my real spiritual growth and transformation comes from doing Bible Study with these women. Together we spur each other on in good times and bad, through Cancer and Kidney transplants, through separation and death of a loved one.
Studying God’s Word together is just part of life, we are committed to it and each other.
We thank God for our Beth Moore studies because we believe they keep is in the Word!
LPL Memphis was overwhelming from the first note of worship to the very last prayer. Can’t wait to start Children of the Day on Mobday.
You’re such a blessing to the Body if Christ.
I have been doing your Bible studies for a long time, probably from the beginning. I don’t even know how many I have done, but a lot. I snatched the Believing God videos from my church library the other week and pulled out my workbook from 10 years ago. I am just eating up the videos-where was I when I first watched these things? They are AWESOME! You were on fire, sister, I love it! So getting blessed by them at this season of life.
And looking forward to starting Jen Hatmakers “7” to start with my Bible study group here in a few weeks.
Thank you for all your time spent on us-am so thankful for you and your studies!
Beth, first of all, LOVED being with you in Memphis!! What a wonderful time of worship & teaching! I live in Jackson but do not worship in the same family as Travis but I so love hearing him lead worship! Thank you for your studies. Our group has done almost all of them over the years—along with a few of the other fabulous women authors, but we always come back to yours. We just started “Children of the Day” & I am loving it. I’m trying so hard to memorize the scriptures & with God’s help, I know this 66 year old grandma brain can do this! Thank you for the time you spend writing & researching for these studies. They are truly a blessing to countless women. I just bought some books & sent a set of DVD’s that our church had used to South Africa for some women in a church there. Their resources are very limited & I know they will be blessed. Thank you again, Beth. I love you.
We have a dear little group of 3 that just finished Children of the Day. We got a late start because we were finishing To Live is Christ. It was a summer with the apostle Paul! 🙂 In two weeks we are jumping in again with Priscilla Shirer’s Jonah study. We did Gideon last year and are so excited to hear God’s Word taught by Priscilla again. I told the girls I might make them listen to my dearly loved childhood version of Jonah from Adventures In Odessey. Yes, I still have it on cassette tape!
I’m so blessed to read comments from all these ladies who are in The Word! “The Lord announces the word, and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng.” Psalm 68:11 NIV
Praying now for you all and you our dear Beth as you prepare for the Simulcast next weekend! Looking forward to what The Lord has in store.
I’m going through the Dr. David Jeremiah study Bible right now. Wow, excellent study notes and longer explanations of important doctrinal points; or, “spine issues” as you so well named them in one of your Bible studies.
Will be studying with two groups of women, doing Children of the Day, both beginning in September. I will co-lead one which will be connected to our Coffee Break ministry on Wednesday am and will be one of several different studies. I will lead the other on Saturday mornings with about 20 women. This will be my tenth year doing studies written by Beth. Thank you for the opportunity to grow in my walk with God.
Miss Beth,
I just turned 20 years old and this week my mentor and I will be diving into “believing God.”
I can not thank you enough for being transparent through your teaching to show us what messy joy sometimes looks like. Jesus is worth the chasing, and your excitement for Him pushed me to get to know Him better. His word is truth & you are a beautiful advocate for The Kingdom.
Jesus has used you to change my heart.
I love you, & thank you!
Press on Miss Beth!
Our group of ladies are excited to begin “Children of the Day” this next week. We have done all of the studies, some even twice. I have had the blessing of leading a group of about 50-70 ladies from all denominations and ages who love to study the Word. Thank you for your dedication in bringing the Word to us.
Tonight my small group of young moms (14 kids between us with the oldest being 10) wrapped up reading our Bibles cover-to-cover in 90 days. What a life changing experience it is to saturate in His Word! Genesis to Revelation. “In the beginning, God…” to “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”. So eternally grateful for His Word. Next up – starting the Monday after the simulcast – is “Children of the Day”. I simply can’t wait! I hear it’s phenomenal and life-changing!
Oh sweet Mama Beth,
This post brings tears as I think of how much I have learned from you and all you sweet siestas. You have taugght me that God is an adventure and I just love he ride. I have learned how to memorize scrkpture. I have a passion for index cards. Mysweet bible ladies and I studied Ephesians over summer and this past week webbegan your study Children of the Day. I am stepping up and challengin myself to memorize both books.
I pray your weekend is blessed.
My testimony is insane but 7 years ago I did my first bible study at my new church newly divorced 2500 miles from the only home I ever knew …..Breaking Free. Imagine that. I had been a carnal Christian my entire life…..
This rocked my world ..I have done quit a few of your studies…..new life , new meaning! 1 year ago I hosted my first study…..Jesus the one and only. I am a hairdresser and this year was challenged by a beautiful christian vlient to take lost women in my chair and offer them a non judgment zone where they could dig deeper into their relationship with Christ and find the only help that really works for the lost and brokenness. I had 30 women attend….wow! We sincehave done Sacred Secrets, Breaking Free (again) ( just as amazing 2nd time around) Girls with Swords and will be starting Children of the day on Monday. I first saw you live in Abq, nm. 7 years ago, recently I attended leadership and your event in Denver. He can’t be the One until He is your only! I have a son with a congenital heart defect and currently a prodigal daughter. Irony 12 of my study women were mother daughter combos…..they have all taught me so much and my Co leader was a recent returned home (to Christ) prodical…..because of these studies I know the greater the trial the greater the glory.
To Christ be all the Glory. I thank you Beth for keeping on in this world and for sharing your life. For being a gracious vessel of God’s glory….may you be blessed beyond your wildest dreams …..I am tearing up at just the thought of the lives you have touched!
I am about to start the Patriarchs with the ladies at church. This is new for me as I will be helping to lead a group for the first time.
With another friend (and our husbands?) we will be doing Lysa Terkeurst’s “The Best Yes” at the same time.
Summer has been fine and I have dug in on my own to other forms of study but I’m a little tired of going it alone. I want my Body back! Next year maybe I can find some people who will commit with me to going through a summer study together. Is it wishful thinking to hope it might even be my neighbours?
Beth, THANK YOU for your obedience and can’t even imagine the sacrifices. A women’s heart gods dwelling place is my favorite too, big tear drop thinking about it. That study connected so many dots for me. Thank you. This semester I am doing children of the day with 2 different groups, with my church and with a group of women who this will be their first Beth Moore study. Some had not even heard of you. ;). “first generation Christians” I am so excited about BOTH opportunities and know God will be faithful. Praying for you.