Never-ending study

We finished our Esther study last night at church. I can't believe it's been nine weeks since we started. Sixty three days. More than two months. How has the time gone by so quickly?

 

I love the beginning of a study when there's more to be done than you've done already, and always feel a little sad when I reach the halfway point. And then each week I struggle with wanting to race to the end, but holding myself in check because I don't want it to end.

I'm the same way with books I read. Which is why I love a good, thick book. And why I'd love a "never-ending" Bible study. Wouldn't that be great?

I know I've seen the movie "The Never Ending Story"--but to be honest, I don't remember much about it. What I do know is that the title grabbed something in me that yearns for such a thing. A story that never ever ends but just keeps going and twisting and turning and getting better with each turn of the page?

Yes, please!

But here's the thing I'm thinking this morning. 

Just because we've turned the last page in our Esther workbooks does not mean the study is over. There are pages and pages of Scripture to discover, to uncover, to dig into and study. And, if someday, we cover them all, we can start right back at the beginning and find even more treasure hidden in its pages.

So even though I'm going to miss Esther and the gals in my group, I'm a little bit excited too. Because a new chapter is about to begin again. I love studying in a group and with a workbook, but I also love studying on my own--just me and God. 

And that's what I'll be doing between now and January 27 when Bible study starts again at church.

We'll be doing Priscilla Shirer's He Speaks to Me for the first half of the spring semester, and then the women's ministry at church has asked me to teach on Wednesday nights and Thursday mornings for the six weeks after that. I am completely humbled and thrilled all at the same time. 

I'm already jotting notes on my laptop, in my journal, on scrap pieces of paper in my purse. I've started buying books on Amazon to help me study up, and have a list of books I need from the basement in Colorado. I'm waking up in the night with thoughts and ideas I pray God will remind me of in the morning.

So here's what I want to know. What group study are you doing now? And what will you study on your own when it's over?

Comments

[Susan]

I feel that way about vacation at the beach. I love the preparing for it, getting there, unpacking and setting up and the next day. Then I start to dread Wednesday, the half-way mark. After that, it just goes by so dern quickly and I hate it. I keep telling R that NEXT year, we are doing TWO weeks at the beach. Sigh. Some. Day.

[chapmanchick]

I am in the first half of the Esther study, and we are taking 2 weeks for each week in the book. One week we do discussion, the next we watch the video. So, it lasts longer!

[Christi]

I bought Spiritual Mothering after reading about it on your blog and am praying for a group to read it with!

But I'm currently reading "Having a Mary Spirit" with two friends - I found it on clearance and it has a study guide in the back. It's the sequel to her first book.

[dawn]

We are doing Covenant by Kay Arthur--it's really, really good. Hope to do Esther soon--maybe this Spring.

One book I LOVED and have taught from more than once is Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow. It really hits women where we are at...

I'm sure you will do a great job teaching!

[stephanie]

Right now, my church study is finishing up Isaiah (using a Kay Arthur guide). Isaiah has so MUCH to it that I feel like I barely scratched the surface with it and it rushed by way too fast. I believe that our group is going to do either Esther (Beth Moore's) or a Priscilla Shirir next spring. Our leader is still going back and forth.

I'm pondering what to do in the interim. We break from Thanksgiving to early January. Maybe I'll use the time to catch up on Spiritual Mothering. :) Actually, I will probably use some of that time to really delve into the birth of Christ and Advent. That excites me greatly. :)

[Jenn Raley]

Hi. I haven't been by in a while. Saw your Esther comments and came to read them. I'm in a group on Esther, we're ending week 6 and headed for session 7 tomrrow. I think I have that right. I have totally enjoyed the study. Amazing, as always. I've also been looking in on a study w/Mary Baker's group on 9/12 Moms. I had started off 'behind' there and have decided to just jump in current. If you have a minute, stop by and check it out. http://9-12moms.ning.com/group/awalkthroughthewordwithmarybaker

[Kristy]

We just met today for week 6 of our Esther study - it has been so great! We did He Speaks To Me a couple studies ago - it was good. I don't know what study we will do in the spring. We have a meeting in a couple to weeks to talk about that. I heard that John Piper's "Don't Waste Your Life" was a good one - might check that out!

I know what you mean, I love to be in a bible study, but I also love just me and God bible study. To go where He leads. Lovely.

[Sharon]

My bible study group is doing a spiritual warfare study that the leader of the group wrote. Not sure what I'll do during our break.

[Doylene Brents]

I did the Esther study and enjoyed it very much. I enjoyed Beth's Daniel study better than all her past studies I've done. I think I've done them all. I hope you have a great weekend. Doylene