As a Christian studying the Bible is very important. The Bible is God’s divine Word for His people. If we do not know what it says, how can we walk in His ways and follow His commandments? We should never just blindly follow pastors and ministers and what they teach. We are each responsible to know what is right from wrong so that we are not led astray. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV. There are many ways to study the Bible but one thing is important across most Bible study methods and that is taking notes, journaling, writing down your thoughts. The Near Journal is a tool to help you organize your Bible study notes and thoughts.

The Near Journal Includes:

• Thoughts and Reflections Prompts
• Suggested Verses to memorize
• Date
• Passage read
• Write your thoughts and feelings
• Focus on your progress and goals
• Thanks-Blessings-Gratitude
• Prayer requests and answers
• Memory Verse

All of this in a daily 2-page layout. This 90-day Bible study journal would make a great gift for graduates, moms, dads, new believers, anyone who wants to grow closer to God by studying His Word.

Mom Maven’s Thoughts on the Near Journal

I really like the layout of the Near Journal. It covers everything a Bible study notebook should and even adds a spot for spiritual goals you are working towards. I am thinking about ordering a few for graduation gifts, both high school and college graduates can benefit from this journal. My favorite thing about this journal is that it doesn’t tell you what to read or memorize so it can be used with a structured Bible study or your own personal reading.

You can order your own 90-day Near Journal here for $26.99.

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The Faith Dare: 30 Days to Live Your Life to the Fullest 

There are several online Bible study sites available, I have used several of them. What sets Women’s Bible Cafe apart for me is the way they do small groups. Though there are hundreds of women studying the same book at the same time you don’t just feel like a number when you get involved in a small group. For each study there are several small groups available each day of the week. All small groups take place in a closed private group on Facebook so that nothing you are sharing is visible to your Facebook feed. I chose the Wednesday morning 9am ET group and I knew at our first meeting that this was the group God wanted me in. I fit right in with the other ladies in my group and with our awesome leaders, Heather and Sharon.

I am telling you about it now because in 2 weeks the fall study begins… Read the Bible for Life (Workbook). The Read the Bible for Life study looks like it is going to be an awesome study.

This study equips individuals and churches to better understand the Bible by introducing readers to its history, genres, interpretation, and proper application to transform lives through reading and studying God’s Word. God inspired the biblical writers to use a variety of literary types, including stories, poetry, proverbs, parables, and others.

The study begins September 16, 2013 so order your workbook now (there is no Kindle version). Go to the registration page for the fall study to let them know you will be joining in the study.

I pray the Lord blesses you as you study His Word with your sisters in Christ online.

Disclosure: I was not asked to write this post, I am just sharing information that I hope you find helpful. There are affiliate links in this post. If you purchase your book through one of those links I will make a very small amount of money which goes to help maintain this site.

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The 24 spiritual practices highlighted in this Bible are:

• Acceptance
• Bible Study and Meditation
• Celebration
• Community
• Confession
• Contemplation
• Faith
• Fasting
• Forgiveness
• Gratitude
• Hospitality
• Justice
• Mentoring
• Outreach
• Prayer
• Reconciliation:-
• Sabbath and Rest
• Service
• Silence
• Simplicity
• Solitude
• Stewardship
• Submission
• Worship

My original plan was to study these in alphabetical order but with the events of the past few weeks, the accident and Sierra passing away I knew I needed to head straight to the back of the Bible where it lists all of the features available about each discipline. I looked up “Faith” and that is where I have stayed throughout this difficult time. The two pieces that spoke to me the most were Julie Kloster’s “Questioning God” based on Habakkuk 1:2-4. I questioned God a lot from the moment I received word of the accident and even more 5 days later when Sierra went home to be with Jesus. Kloster showed me that when we wrestle with God, we grow closer to Him even when we don’t like how He answers our questions. The other piece was Marshall Shelley’s Q&A on “Unshakeable Faith” based on Jeremiah 29:10-14. He says “At times such faith has to be a conscious choice.” This Scripture tells us that God has good plans for us, plans for good and not for disaster. So why did a 17 year old girl die? I don’t know, I just know that God has His reasons and His plan and Sierra’s time on earth with us was over. It is very hard to accept this loss but I choose to have faith.

Every discipline is explored in four ways
• Everyday Matters. Two-page articles introduce major themes and focus on an essential part of understanding and practicing a discipline.
• Everyday Profiles. Profiles of twenty-five Biblical women highlight a particular discipline.
• Everyday Q & A’s. Short articles delve into a difficult aspect of the spiritual practice and offer practical help on incorporating the discipline into your daily life.
• Everyday Reflections. Selections illustrate ways to personalize and apply God’s Word to your own situation.

More than 300 articles and features by more than 140 of today’s most well-known Christian leaders and writers, including: Kay Warren, Priscilla Shirer, Elisa Morgan, Nancy & John Ortberg, Richard Foster, Liz Curtis Higgs, and Lauren Winner.

Special Features include . . .
• 4-color throughout
• Color-coded icons identify each Spiritual Discipline addressed in contributors’ material
• How to Use This Bible in a Small Group Study
• Index of Spiritual Practices
• Resources for further reading

I have enjoyed using this Bible, so has my puppy she chewed up the dust cover and the back cover LOL! The things i don’t particularly like are the very thin pages. You can see through the pages easily and it makes reading difficult, especially with old eyes like mine. The pages are also too thin to really highlight or write on, which I like to do. I also wish this Bible had a concordance, as I use mine all the time while studying the Bible.

Find out more about this Bible on Hendrickson.com.

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