New Year - New Goals of Learning the Bible!

It’s been awhile since I’ve just sat and wrote a blog post and while this will be less than great, I wanted to share a few thoughts I had coming into this new year.

Over the past, I think almost 10 years, I’ve worked as a graphic designer (among three other titles, ha!) for a church. It’s been the greatest job and I have enjoyed my time working for a church, but it hasn’t been easy. One of the greatest things about working for a church is the fact that I got to experience pure miracles, see countless healings and prayers answered, be in the presence of like minded believers, and for me, got to work “one-on-one” with God (I use quotes, because God will work with anyone, anywhere, you just have to call on Him). BUT, as I stepped back to be a stay at home mom I lost my footing with what I was supposed to do, or the mission I felt like I once had. I no longer had weekly devotion time with others, weekly worship times (outside of Sunday), or deep dives into the Word. I realized that my faith and the “one-on-one” working time I had with God was purely location based and not spirit based. YIKES. That’s not to say I didn’t have time at home where I was reading God’s word, but I no longer felt like I was digging in and taking on the responsibility I have as a follower of Jesus to study His word and not take my understanding from a man once a week, but truly sit and learn for myself how to understand it better. Going to church weekly is very important to me, but I (we) should not be relying on a once a week “encounter” with Jesus. And that’s what I started to do. I went from knowing, or what I thought was knowing, what God wanted me to do, my mission, and His presence, to feeling a little lost and foggy. I’ve spent the last three years digging myself out of that mindset and taking back on my priorities to learning God’s word.

Over the course of the last three years since I’ve moved out of direct church ministry and into my own motherhood ministry (because as I’ve learned, we do not need to work for a church to do the work of God) I’ve been trying to figure out ways I can learn more about who God is and teach my children about Him. I’ve done this by doing, I would call them, deeper dive studies at my church building (where we go through scripture literally almost word for word), but also doing studies at home. I’ve done Daily Grace studies (both women and family ones with the littles), She Reads Truth studies, and maybe those are the only two places, ha! BUT, I already feel like I’ve learned more than I have in years previous where I was listening, but not diving into it on my own.

Which leads me to this year, 2024! Number one, my husband and I are reading through the Bible by doing a new one year Bible plan. I actually tried to read through the Bible in 30 days in 2021. Got to 1 Kings. Well, and whatever other New Testament books were on that list, but for sure didn’t make it 30 days. Now, I’m setting my sights a little more realistically for my personality, ha! Number two, I want to learn scripture and more specifically, be able to memorize it and pull verses out when I need them, but don’t have access to a Bible. I also want my kids to be able to do the same. One of my personal worries (which I need to give to God) is that we live in a world where we cannot trust anything it says. There’s so much information out today, which can be a good thing when used wisely, but there is so much bad information out there. I want to be the voice to my children and teach them where their hope, security, life, voice, comes from. Which is Jesus. I was in the bathroom on January 1, 2024 when I heard, “learn scripture and your kids, too”. So that’s what I’m doing! That, to me, is the only way I feel like I can have a sound mind about what I go through and see, and so can my children.

Of course, I can’t just learn scripture by reading it one way. I have to be extra with it so I created coloring sheets, writing sheets for kiddos, S.O.A.P. devotional outlines, plus more so that I can feel equipped to teach and learn. More than that, I don’t want to just know a verse (I know verses). I want to be able to have context of the verse. Where is it coming from, who is it coming from, what came before it. I think it’s important not to just memorize the words, but to understand why it was written. I’m hoping that these resources can help me and maybe help you, if you’re reading.

All in all, I’ve come to the realization more and more that I need to take it upon myself to know the true Word of God and not take my understanding from someone else. I hope this year I can learn more, grow deeper, and depend more on God’s Word and less on myself. If you want to follow along feel free to come back to this page and download the monthly verses or follow me on Instagram to see the next months!

Brooke

DEVOTIONAL ASSETS

MONTHLY MEMORY VERSE

JANUARY
Matthew 6:33
But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

This is the verse we’re learning in January! I think I might do two a month, but haven’t gotten word on that verse yet. I chose this to start off the year because, well I feel like it’s obvious. We must first seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness before anything else in our life. Before our goals and desires, we have to find Him. If we don’t, we end up feeling lost and confused, not sure where to put our priorities and needs. There are a few downloadable assets below. The first two are for the kids and the additional ones are for the adults. Within the devotional assets are a few different pages that I’ve personally used in the past when studying scripture. There are a few new sheets I’ve added, like the word study (which I find very interesting to watch and see what words repeat in a passage because that’s your key to really look at take it in!). The other is a prayer list for the year. Instead of writing goals I’m going to write prayers. How amazing would it be to see what we prayed for at the beginning of the year and then at the end of the year to see which have been fulfilled. Not saying every prayer will be answered in one year, some take years to fully be seen and completed, but just to know what you’re praying for and seeking God out on is nice.

FEBRUARY
John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

MARCH
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

APRIL
John 15:5
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.