Week 9 Meditation and Prayer

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Photo: Light and Letter Photography

This week is simple but powerful. Over the course of the week read through all the cross references for 1 John 2:1-6 (and write each verse reference near the reference point in this passage on you printed copy). But instead of pounding it out in one sitting, take it a little at a time. Plan to read a few cross references each day. 

The reason we are slowing down with these particular cross references is because these verses so powerfully flush out the Gospel.

As you read take even five minutes and meditate on the verses you read. Write in your journal the words and phrases that are most powerful to you.  

Spend prayer time remembering and acknowledging the ways the Gospel has changed everything for you. 

Approach God with gratitude solely over God's abundant gift of grace and salvation for you. 

Tell God the Gospel story. One of the most popular conversation starters in getting to know people is asking a couple how they met and fell in love. Spend time with the Lord telling the greatest Story of all time in your own words and enjoy worshipping Christ as you recall all that He did to save you. Reveling in remembrance not only leads us to worship, but it also prepares us to readily share the Gospel with others.

Repent of heart attitudes or behavior that fall short of God's glory and thank God for his unending forgiveness. 

Week 6 Insight and Inspiration

 The last thing I want is to go through the motions every week, repeating the study process and not pausing to worship. We are women, we like feeling the feels! Our minds are being used and we're learning more about God and His Word and His way, that SHOULD move us! People studying the Bible should be the most inspired, most passionate, and the most called to action! Far be it from us to be staunch, stiff,  and unmoved.

So bust out your journal and turn on some tunes (I'm adding a playlist of some of my favorite worship jams that you can listen to if you'd like!). We're about to get outside the box a little, but this exercise is for all types. Noncreative and non writers: you're safe and loved here, don't be afraid.

Listen and enjoy

We are going to do a free write. A free write is just what is sounds like. You write and don't stop for the allotted amount of time. If you can't think of what to write, then write "I don't know what to write...la la la...I'm bored." Until it leads to something else in your mind. Just be free.

The theme for this free write is LIGHT. Write everything that comes to your mind about the word LIGHT. Give yourself 3 minutes (or one song) and write down literally anything and everything you think of. Don't stop writing. 

Now, read 1st John 1:1-10 and write down everything that comes to mind random or not. Write down questions, write down words, write down song lyrics. Whatever. Do this for about 3 minutes (or again...one song). 

Now tie that randomness together. You don't have to set your timer this time, just write as much or as little as you want. Pull in what you've been learning in 1st John about darkness and light, about practicing truth and about being a liar, about the word of life and complete joy and fellowship. Write about LIGHT that comes only from God. Write what walking in light means in your everyday. Write how God uses your random thoughts about light to remind you of His righteousness and life eternal. Write what makes the dark alluring when you are wondering from the Light. 

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As I was driving to the DMV for the first of three trips yesterday, I was basking in the early morning light. If it were possible to bottle fierce yet gentle energy, it would look like morning light. It's soft and sweet, but pushing you forward, brightening in each moment. If that isn't creation pointing to a Creator I don't know what is.

Light is undeniable and all encompassing. Everyone has needed it, known it, and experienced it. Everyone. 

And what has the power to inspire us like the sun rises and sun sets? When have you ever been in  view of a tremendous sunset and it has gone unnoticed? Even the manliest of men stop mid-sentence to express their awe at it's vibrancy in the sky. 

Light changes us. Light changes the world. 

Austin and I are slightly obsessed with home renovations right now. And I'll tell you one thing you never see, ever...EVER. You will never see Joanna (you know, my gal pal) taking a window out and replacing it with a wall. Never. You will see her make a window bigger, or better still-- making a window into huge, glass french doors. Light makes things bigger and more beautiful. Light is inviting. Light lifts the eyes. Light expands a space and integrates the outdoors. 

God's glory is mirrored by creation and echoes the Truth, on begrudging drives to the DMV, on decks at dusk, over the Grand Canyon at 5am, even in home renovations: The Light brings Life. 

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

Study Guide Week 6

Week 6! I can't believe it's already been 6 weeks together! This week we are moving along to the next chunk of Scripture to study!  

Read 1 John 1:5-10 in your bible, then on your double spaced copy (which you can find all ready to print in our Facebook group!) do the following: 

1. Draw a box around repeated words.
2. Draw a circle around transition words and draw an arrow connecting them to their concluding thoughts. 
3. Highlight or underline words you don't know and define them in the margin.
4. Answer the following questions: 
   • Are there repeated words? (Let me answer that one with a big fat YES for ya!) Make a list of the words and ideas that are repeated.  Why do you think there is so much repetition in this section? What greater purpose could all this repetition serve?
   • What are the major themes emphasized in this chunk of Scripture?
   • What questions do you have? What is confusing or unclear? (without consulting any of the study notes or commentary first) Write our your questions. 

Use a study bible and commentary to help address your questions. Then as much as you can, paraphrase this passage into your own words. It doesn't have to be perfectly detailed paraphrase, just write down your translation of what this passage says. 

Study Guide Week 5

This section is what my daughter would call easy peezy. I think as women, (for the most part, shout out to our one male reader besides my husband--you know who you are) the applicational parts of bible study are the most fun. This is the part when we get to connect the dots from what we are learning in our study to our real life. So that being said--have fun with this! If you haven't yet, join the Facebook group, this is the part of studying that builds community!

1 John 1: 1-4

1. What was the hardest part of this passage for you? (hardest to understand, most frustrating, or even most convicting)
    
2. Was there any part of this passage that was already familiar to you? Did you learn anything new about an "old" verse?
    
3. What does this passage teach you about God? (anything goes, there is no right answer!)
    
4. How does what you learned about God/Jesus/Holy Spirit change the way you see yourself or your life?
    
5. What is your response? (Is this a call to worship? Does this show you a place that you should be serving? Does this change the way you approach a relationship? Again, anything goes!)

Week 4 Insight

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As we go through chunks of Scripture, I'll be posting the study guide on Friday mornings as usual. I will also be adding in a midweek insight occasionally. These posts will be elaborating on the study guide and sharing my insights and application of the text. 

1 John 1:1-4 is the kind of passage that I typically coast over so I can get to the parts that are  more plain-speak. This is a safe place to admit that right? But ever since I started going deeper with my studying, passages which I don't understand right away are now exciting to me. It's like someone literally drew arrows and made a huge sign that says "Buried Treasure."  I've come to love these passages because I KNOW I will learn something since I start off with such little understanding of it. 

Have you ever vouched for someone? Maybe you've been listed as a reference for a friend's new job or you've had to defend a loved one or maybe you are trying to set up a friend on a blind date. That same urgency of "I KNOW them" that comes from your gut....that's what John is bringing to us here. He is coming from this place that's way beyond "Yea I know who he is" this is John talking with a sense of urgency, conviction--this "No...like I really KNOW him" place.

This first passage in 1st John is all about the answering the question "Who is Jesus?" and then only and only then answering the question of what that means for us. This passage, 1 John 1:1-4, speaks to three aspects of his identity (out of like...a bajillion) 1. He is physically real (v1-3), 2. He is relationally present (v3-4), and 3. Jesus is the light that leads to eternal life (v 2 & 5 I know it's not really fair that I just jumped ahead a little). These three qualities are elaborated upon with three major themes: Seen, Proclaim, and Fellowship. 

Seen.

John walks through the physical, tangible, "realness" of Jesus first. He says that they have heard, seen with their eyes, looked upon and touched with their hands-- that's three out of the five senses (and it would be weird to include smell and taste, am I right?). This is kind of the most elementary aspect of Jesus' identity, and yet for me the most convicting. As a person who has grown up in and around church and had a personal relationship with Christ for a while....reading this made me realize how much I keep Jesus in a fairytale box. I know with my head that he was and is still very real and very alive. But I sometimes catch myself living like Jesus is a historical figure or a folklore hero. This passage smacks me in the face cause it says "Dude, get a grip on reality he is as real as you are right now." God became incarnate in Jesus. This means that Jesus is the bodily, tangible, flesh who is also completely and fully God. If you have heard or read the verse "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14), then you have heard about this idea before. Incarnation means that "The Word" (Jesus) took on flesh, but being fully God was made manifest so that we could have eternal life (v2 &3). Gary M. Burge in his commentary on The Letters of John (1st, 2nd, and 3rd John) explains that "Thus in verse 1 John writes that this word was 'from the beginning'....This does not refer necessarily to the beginning of Jesus' life on earth (although some have argued this). It instead sets out the marvelous tension of Christian thought: He who existed from limitless eternity has entered time and space and taken up residence here on earth" (Burge, 53).  John repeats this testimony of their tangible experience with Christ several times. There is no getting past it... Jesus is alive. Jesus is real. Jesus is God incarnate. Jesus is eternal.

Proclaim.

We won't stop. We won't stop because we've seen it. We're changed by it. We won't stop because He is the light of man. We'll testify that He is the way and the truth and the life. We'll spend our life on it because this is the way to eternal life. So we'll testify to it and we'll proclaim it. --This is the way I want to carry John's torch. This steady focus on sharing Christ is the example I want to follow. It doesn't matter whether John is speaking to churches full of believers or a crowd or one lost person. His resolve is the same. He proclaims the truth of God's word and the testimony of Jesus Christ to all people. I love the way that John R. W. Stott puts it, that the Gospel of Jesus Christ "was proclaimed, not monopolized" (Stott, 61) by the apostles. 

Fellowship.

Three things here. 1. "So that you too may have fellowship with us": you and me and our people, horizontally sharing community 2. "our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ": my community is vertical with God, which is the binding pillar in my horizontal community with other believers 3. "that our joy may be complete": our joy together. I've said all this so that you would know and believe and join me side by side as we bind ourselves to the God who is above all in vertical community that we would have complete joy together in this community through Christ Jesus. This wasn't the apostles saying "Hey do this so you can make us happy." This is John saying, believe this so that my joy and your joy will be the same joy which is complete and overflowing.  

And so I'll just end by saying to you, let's do this thing. Let's live it out. Let's breathe it in while we change diapers and breathe it out while we drive to work. Let's be fueled by furthering the kingdom in conversations while we grab our mail. Let's proclaim it with everything we are even when--especially when it makes us feel out of place. Let's live well and deeply and show the world (even when the "world" is a world of toddlers  at our feet insisting on a 4 o'clock snack time) that the grace of Jesus is the light and the way. 

Burge, Gary M. "Letters of John." The NIV Application Commentary: Fro Biblical Text ... to Contemporary Life. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996. 53. Print.

Stott, John R. W. "The Authoritative Proclamation." Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Comapny, 1976. 61. Print.

Study Guide Week 4

Now we get into the nitty gritty. We are going to start taking chunks of Scripture and running with them. While yes, we will be continuing on our path of knowledge, this is where God really uses that knowledge in my life to highlight some JEWELS of wisdom and truth that maybe I've been glossing over. I'm so in love with this part of the process because God has and is using this to draw me closer to him and equips me to go out and live it.

This part reminds me of dates 3-10 when you are falling in love...that time where you are learning ALL THE THINGS and go home and then regurgitate all that fun knowledge and insight all over the first friend to talk to you. That's how this is. It shouldn't just be an accumulation of facts that sit on the floor. This should get you going. This part of the process ignites our relationship with God and shapes our relationships with others. 

Week 4 Chunk of Scripture: 1 John 1:1-4. 

1. Read through this chunk.
2. On your printed and double spaced copy, circle transition words (that, therefore, which, because, etc). Draw arrows to connect transition words to the portions they are referring to. 
3. Underline repeated words or phrases.
4. Identify words that you don't know and define them. (Consider any word that you couldn't easily and accurately define in your own words as a word you don't know. Example: "manifest" was this type of word for me.)
5. If there are lists, instructions, or explanations number them in the succession they are given. 
6. Every place where a cross reference is given (make sure you are using a study bible or study bible app!) list all the references of verses provided in normal pen ink. 
7. Now you've written out each verse "address" near the verse it is corresponds with. Take your time. Read through each cross reference in your bible, one grouping of verses at a time.  
8. As you read through each grouping of cross references take a highlighter (I used light purple) and write the theme of each grouping in one word or short phrase over each grouping you made. This way you don't just have a list of Scripture references, you have the meaning they are pointing toward with them. 

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Yes, those are food and coffee stains. We do what we can. 

Now as you read through this passage again, when you come to a cross reference glance at the theme you wrote in highlighter, and let that direct your comprehension of this text. Is there anything you didn't expect? How would you paraphrase this chunk? Write down any new insights (and share them in the comments or in the new Facebook group!) you have gleaned by reading through cross references and noting repetitions and syntax of the passage. 

Study Guide Week 3: Excavating for Context

Remember how I said we would be putting our minds to work soon? It's time to bust out that study bible gals. Like I've mentioned before I love using the ESV Study Bible, but there are many other study bibles which are also wonderful! 

Now that we have read through 1 John in it's entirety and have a better understanding for how it fits into the Big Story, we are going to back up and collect some information. This week we will come to know and love this piece of scripture by appreciating it's context.

This week read through the (entire if possible) Introduction to 1 John in your study bible and take notes with the following questions from Jen Wilkin's book: Women of the Word. 

Wilkin calls the questions we are going through this week "archaeological questions" because we are using exegesis to dig into the text to understand it's historical and cultural context. Wilkin says "Exegesis asks us to be archaeologists as far as we are able, and to call in the help of more able archaeologists [study and commentary resources] where we need it. It gives us the perspective we need to properly interpret Scripture." (Wilkin, 63) Answering these questions helps us to understand the original audience and the author. That old adage "you can't know where someone's going until you know where they've been"...that's kinda like this. We have to go deeper and answer these questions in order to have context for the meaning involved. Only then can we uncover deeper study and deeper applications to our lives. 

Five Basic Archaeological Questions 

1. Who wrote it? (expand beyond the name, list some facts about the person)
2. When was it written?
3. To whom was it written?
4. In what style was it written? (Historical narrative, prophecy, parables/storytelling, Law, poetry, wisdom literature)
5. Why was it written? (Consider major themes and repeated ideas in the context of our archaeological findings above to help you answer this.)

Use 1 John paired with the introduction to 1 John (in your study bible) and commentary in your study bible to help you answer these questions. Remember, patience is your friend. If you can't figure something out, give yourself grace and use this community! Post your questions in the comments section for this post, or if you were surprised by new information you found share it here!

Study Guide Week 2: Big Story

By this time you've read through all of 1 John, isn't that fun? This week we are going to start digging deeper! 

For some of us, this week may stretch and alter our view of the bible tremendously.  Our souls were made by him and for him, even the earth will rejoice at his name. Studying the Bible with the right purpose invites my soul to worship the way I was created to worship (Wilkin, 47). 

So let's begin.

The Bible is a book about God.

The bible is a book about God...duh. But no really...think on that, pray on that, has that been your mindset? Or has your mindset been "The bible is a book by God for me"? Really think about the difference in those two outlooks. 

We read our kids the Jesus Storybook Bible and reading it to our kids was probably one of the first times that I was confronted with the me-centered mindset I held. The beginning of the Jesus Storybook Bible starts this way....

"You see, the best thing about this Story is- it's true. There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves his children and comes to rescue them. It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers his name" (Lloyd-Jones, 17).

The bible is not about us.

At first, this shift in mindset might feel scary because we like thinking that the purpose of the Bible was so God could write us a love letter, a road map to life. It makes us feel warm and fuzzy to think that everything in the bible is for us or about us. From our flawed thinking and point of view it would seem selfish and conceited for God to write a book about himself for his own glory. But it only seems that way because we aren't worthy of such glory, so to put ourselves in his shoes doesn't work. God in his power, sovereignty, holiness, and love does have the right to call glory to himself. God is the only one deserving of worship now and forever. And it is because the Bible is centered on the one true and holy God of all creation that we can lean on and live by the Bible’s teaching.

The Bible is one Big Story. It tells ONE story using many stories (this is called metanarrative) from many authors. The Big Story of the Bible follows this storyline: creation, fall, redemption, restoration. The themes of this Big Story are demonstrated in the stories we read all throughout the bible in order to point us to God, to who he is and what he has done for us through Jesus for his own glory. 

I love this quote from Women of the Word. Wilkin writes, "We ask [the Bible] to tell us about ourselves, and all the while it is telling us about “I AM." We think that if it would just tell us who we are and what we should do, then our insecurities, fears, and doubts would vanish. But our insecurities, fears, and doubts can never be banished by the knowledge of who we are. They can only be banished by the knowledge of "I AM." (Wilkin, 26). 

We will use some study questions from Women of the Word (Wilkin, 111) to help us gain perspective of how 1st John plays into the metanarrative of the Bible. This week work through these questions WITHOUT a study bible first. For those of us who are perfectionists and always want to have the right answer, this is going to be hard. But this is about surrendering your perfection and humbly seeking to gain knowledge. Try to stretch yourself and answer these questions on your own. We want to shape and train our minds, not just memorize the knowledge of other theologians. Train your mind and your heart will follow (Wilkin, 31). Once you have worked through these questions on your own, then bust out a study bible and use the introduction notes as well as other commentary to help you check your answers. Don't make this exercise about right or wrong, but about humbly filling in gaps you didn't know you had. Pray that God would change any “me-centered" attitude you may have. 

1. Where does this book fit into the Big Story of the Bible? 
2. What part does it play in telling the story of creation-fall-redemption-restoration? 
3. How does this point to the rule and reign of God? 
4. Look for major themes.

Introducing Ashes & Oaks

Welcome to Ashes & Oaks! Words cannot adequately express how excited I am to begin this journey. Ashes & Oaks has been a dream, passion, and hope in my heart for so long and I think it’s finally time to dive in. I hope you join me, but even if this space is only for the edification of my own heart then it will be worthwhile. 

The name Ashes & Oaks comes from this passage in Isaiah 61:

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,

because the LORD has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor;

he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,

and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all who mourn;

to grant to those who mourn in Zion—

to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

that they may be called oaks of righteousness,

the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.”

We all have our own ashes, but we are all invited to be made oaks of righteousness. And that’s what this is about. 

We’ll be walking shoulder to shoulder becoming a planting by the Lord, “He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.” (Matthew 15:13)

For so long my heart has been for women (starting with myself), that we would use our minds, that we would be smart, that we would walk in knowledge and truth. Love comes much easier, we’ve got emotions to spare. But so often we depend on someone else to explain scripture to us. And don’t get me wrong I LOVE sermons, podcasts and devotionals. But my heart is aching to know the Bible for myself, and to keep knowing it. I want to unlock all the treasure that was given for me. I want to navigate it. I want to love it from a place of understanding. I want to familiarize myself with God’s word so that it’s up close, up in front of my face at every turn.

I want to dive into his promises, his instruction, his poetry.

And I want you to dive with me. 

Let’s jump together. 

But here’s the thing. This won’t be like most bible studies or devotionals. I’m not going to write homework assignments. I’m going to facilitate where we are going and what tools we will use week by week to study a particular book, and the pace at which that happens is in your hands. 

Women. Are. Busy.

It doesn’t matter if you are young or old, married or single, if you are a working mom or a stay at home mom….we are all busy. So I’ll guide you through the process, but you just do what you can do. Studying the bible slowly is better than not studying it at all. I think we often get so discouraged because we can’t keep up with the pace of a bible study and we throw in the towel. If you have time for ONE verse, then commit yourself to taking it a little at a time each day. If you have time for one chapter a day, then great—that’s your study load. Let me say this again: studying the bible a little at a time is better than not studying it at all. 

I really hope you join me. I am praying that we can encourage each other and spur each other on. I’m hoping that God will develop some heart friendships. But I know that God’s word will produce fruit. 

If you are interested (just interested, you aren’t signing your life away so don’t freak out) please leave a comment on this post.

I love you sisters, I can't wait to study with you!

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
2 Peter 3:18