New Bible study for the new year
Sophie - January 3, 2011
I have a really annoying tendency to commit to roughly 471 things at one time. And somehow I convince myself that I can do a really great job at all 471 of those things if I just manage my time. If I just plan. If I just make a point to stick to a schedule every single day.
Last fall was a classic case in point. In addition to my normal work as a wife and mama, and in addition to the work I do outside the home, and in addition to writing for two blogs and writing the occasional article for Home Life, I decided that I was going to jump back into choir at our church. And I also decided that I was going to take a theology class at our church. Because, you know, I have so much free time.
Now here's the thing: I loved singing in the choir. And I loved that theology class. LOVED IT. But what I found was that there were real-life needs in my real-life family, and if I didn't phase out some of the overcommitment, I was going to find myself telling those family members that I wouldn't be able to help them during their time of need because I absolutely HAD TO BE in my theology class. Not to mention choir practice.
You can appreciate the irony.
In the end the family needs prevailed, as well they should have. I know there will be another time when I'll be able to sit in theology class and soak in all that great teaching, when I'll be able to stand in the choir and sing my heart out. But right now, the first things have to be the first things. Even if I were some sort of time management genius - which, oh have mercy, I AM NOT - there's just not room in our family's life for me to be involved with a whole lot of extras.
And this year, I'm embracing that. I think our lives will be saner and our family's time together will be healthier if mama here isn't quite so scattered.
Because of all the stuff I just mentioned, I'm making a temporary change in how I do Bible study, too; I'm going to do a study all by myself. Now don't get me wrong - I am a huge believer in group Bible study. WE NEED EACH OTHER. But to try to cut down on the craziness just a little bit, I'm going to take a little hiatus from my Bible study group and study on my own for a few months. I'm super-excited about it, actually. And you can rest assured that Melanie and my friend Emma Kate will be getting regular updates on what I'm learning. I've never been very good at keeping that sort of stuff to myself.
Last week I ran by our local LifeWay store and bought a member book for the updated version of Beth Moore's David: Seeking A Heart Like His. Since I don't have the DVDs, I'm just going to buy the individual video downloads when I finish each week's homework. It's super-convenient, and I'm so grateful to still have access to the video teaching even though I'm not part of a big group right now.
So that's what's in store for me here at the beginning of 2011. What about you? Are you doing a study with a big group? Or are you studying on your own?
Melanie
Melanie
Sophie
Sophie
Paige
Paige
Kris
Kris
Comments (5)
Sophie, I’ve been going solo this last fall and will do so this spring. I was just too new in my new city for getting plugged in. And also started Homeschooling my oldest.
Anyway, I did a study in the book of Joshua. And my mom lives a little over an hour away. She has a lot of video studies and I hadn’t done Anointed Transformed Redeemed.
so….that’s what I’m doing this spring. And I’ll dig around the Word myself too. Loving Philippians right now!
love, rachel
Posted on January 3, 2011 4:24 PM
I too am very busy. I work outside the home full time, I’m the president of my son’s school’s PTO (last year, thank you Jesus) and I just need to slow down.
Something keeps going through my head these last few months that I believe I read on your blog a couple years ago: “Now is not the season”. I go to our group study occasionally, but I have been doing Jesus, the One and Only-a 90 day study by Beth Moore.
Posted on January 3, 2011 5:36 PM
Our group study doesn’t restart until mid-February. Winter travel in Central Illinois doesn’t work well with the older women in my study group, so we just wait for the worst to pass. I am prepping the new study Made to Crave by Lysa Terkheurst. So far it is great! Our group did the first David study some years ago, but I would love to do it again with the revised teaching. Maybe I’ll just have to download them for myself.
Posted on January 4, 2011 11:01 AM
I did that in the fall , My son just started kindergarten and I didn’t feel like we could be out another night of the week so I did my own. It was a little tough but very sweet alone time with the Lord! Go Girl - I know he will reward your choice!
Posted on January 5, 2011 5:34 AM
Oh, how I hear you! I too had to become a choir/praise team dropout last year. And as much as I miss it and hope to get back someday, that freeing up one night a week and sitting in church with my entire focus being on worship and not cue sheet as well, has been so amazingly freeing!
I lead our ladies Bible study at our church so it’s a big group for me and we are doing Beth’s A Woman’s Heart-I can’t tell you my level of excitement !!!
Happy studying-we did David last spring-oh so rich and deep-you’ll love it!
Posted on January 5, 2011 4:46 PM