When I was 23 years old, my now husband bought me my first Bible. Before you “awe” at the thought, let me paint the context for you to make sure you comprehend that the “awe” isn’t because of us, but God.
My husband grew up in a solid Christian family; he was homeschooled before it was cool, attended private Christian school, and also went to public school (he is a VERY well-rounded man), before being sent away to a Christian military school.
You see, my husband had a rebel heart even though he knew Jesus. His story is not mine to tell, but it’s full of heartache, redemption, and (most important) how God is always walking with us.
What I can tell you is that his rebel heart turned into a heart of stone that was completely hardened toward God.
When we met, my own rebellious heart was out of control; I just turned 21, lost my dad, graduated from beauty school, and was ready to turn the party dial wayyy up. I had a plan to live fast and die hard (not literally die, but also was ignorant enough to not care if I did).
In hindsight, I can picture God as He is weaving my story, chuckling at the thought of me thinking I knew it all, knowing one day I would humbly tell others how we actually know nothing compared to this incomprehensible God we love.
Proverbs tells us a lot about foolishness. That’s probably why I love them; I relate to them. I was a fool.
Insert hand in mouth.
If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth.Proverbs 30:32 ESV
After a couple years of dating, my now husband’s grandpa invited us to attend a Christmas service with him, at the church my husband grew up in.
Now, let me just simply say, I did not grow up without the knowledge, belief, and trust that there was, indeed, a God.
I did believe in God.
In fact, I loved going to church; the majestic stained glass, incredible art and attention to detail. I just also thought God was something that just wanted me to follow rules and be a mindless drone.
Imagine my shock and awe when we walked into Bethel Community Church and I thought I could literally feel my heart crack from the warmth and welcome we experienced.
It literally changed me.
I asked my husband if we could go back again.
And we did.
Week by week.
Both of us.
Together.
The Beginning of a Beautiful Journey
So, one day, we decided to visit a Christian Family Bookstore to possibly purchase a bible.
Honestly, the thought terrified me. The book was huge and intimidating. And that was coming from an avid and accelerated reader who could never find a book long enough to satisfy that specifically alluring hunger for more.
But, when we walked in, Crowder was playing on the radio – one of the very few bands and songs I knew of at the time.
That might not seem like a big deal, but my husband and I shared a great love, respect, and proud-ness of music, and I had a (what seemed) crazy thought; God must be interested in me because that wasn’t coincidence.
What I am confident of now is that the Holy Spirit was with us that day, guiding me and my anxious heart, in His hands. .
From where I’m writing now, in this specific season, my confidence is rooted in all I learned from highlighting, immersing myself, studying, and reading out of this amazing book – the Bible.
Those Words more than satisfied – they filled me in ways and places I did not even know existed. It sounds absurd, I’m sure.
But, I assure you, when you meet the Holy Spirit, when you finally have the veil lifted and experience the Gospel – it changes everything.
That tattered pink Bible is still tucked away in a drawer at my parents house. After all, this was only twelve years ago.
Why the background?
Because I want you to know that when I share these resources with you, these are resources I have actually used and found incredible truth, strength, and joy through – in so many different seasons of my relationship with Christ.
There are no affiliate links, no sponsors, just honest and practical resources for wherever you are in your own walk with Jesus.
I went from never opening a bible before to being a Biblical Studies major at a Bible school. Nothing is impossible or too late with God.
Maybe you are like me and never opened a Bible before, or maybe you have been studying the Bible for a long time and want to see it with a fresh set of eyes or a newly ignited desire to get to know God more.
Wherever you are in your faith, I promise these tools will be foundational to getting the most out of this amazing book.
Here we go, in no particular order:
First 5 App
COST: This is a FREE app you can download in the IOS or Android App store, but you can contribute donations if you’d like (not required).
PERFECT FOR: The First 5 App is perfect for the busy woman.
WHY I LOVE IT: Efficient five minute teachings that are power packed with truth & wisdom and feel like you’re sharing your morning coffee with your bestie. Created by Lysa Terkeurst of Proverbs 31 ministries, this app was designed to help women “put God first by giving Him the first 5 minutes of our day”.
This app does not skimp on sound theology, so you can trust that what you’re reading is biblical and not opinion based. It contains numerous Bible study plans, downloadable wallpapers for your phone ( which you know I LOVE 😉 ), access to the Bible through the app, and ability to create groups to study with friends! As Lysa says, “We must exchange whispers with God before shouts with the world.”
The Bible project
COST: This is a FREE website. You can also access FREE videos on YouTube. The Bible Project also accepts donations.
PERFECT FOR: The Bible project is perfect for the visual learner, or any type four heart 😉 .
WHY I LOVE IT: If you want to get the most bang out of the Bible in a short amount of time, this website is for you! Videos cover a wide range of biblical topics like, biblical themes, books of the Bible, characteristics of God & more. The Bible is really brought to life through incredible truth and graphic videos! I highly recommend checking The Old Testament and New Testament videos if you are new to studying the Bible (even if you’re a seasoned believer, it is a great refresher) to get an incredible overview of the content. Reader beware, you will undoubtedly want to know more, so don’t be surprised if you want to watch every single video.
How to Read the Bible Book by Book & How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth
COST: You can find these books on Amazon or available on Kindle HERE & HERE. Price varies for whichever type you purchase. Trust me, these are worth it.
PERFECT FOR: These books are perfect for the woman who wants to really get the most out of her Bible study!
WHY I LOVE IT: This is actually a two-for! I couldn’t have gotten through Bible college without these! Fee and Stuart basically do all the exegesis for you and lay out (in very layman verbiage) everything you need to know about the context, historical content, author, and more. How to Read the Bible Book by Book literally breaks down every book of the Bible and breaks down every book by verses, ensuring you are completely understanding what is happening and what God is intending to portray through His Word.
How to read the Bible for All its Worth gives you an in-depth depiction into each book of the Bible. It acts as “a guide to understanding the Bible in its literary dimensions with techniques for interpreting scripture while being faithful to the literary genres.” These are incredible assets to have as you are journeying through the Bible. Make sure to have a highlighter handy 😉
Community Bible Study
COST: $35/Adults $10/Child
PERFECT FOR: Perfect for the woman who wants community while she dives into the deep theological truths of scripture.
WHY I LOVE IT: The mission of CBS is to make disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ through caring, in-depth Bible study, available to all. CBS brings biblical truth and intimate community together so that we can navigate God’s Word together. Community Bible Study has classes all around the globe, making it easy to connect with believers near you. Denominations do not matter here, the soul (see what I did there) purpose of this organization is to help you meet with Jesus right where you are.
Our local CBS also has an incredible Children’s program. My kids love going to class and learning stories, songs, and cultivating friendships that will last a lifetime. Check your local CBS to see if they have a men’s study group and get the whole family involved. The family that prays together – stays together. OK, that is not technically true but it sure sounds lovely. If you’re local to Chicago, I recommend checking out Community Bible Study Park Ridge Here!! Not local? Go to communitybiblestudy.org and click “Find a Class.”
The Daily Grace Co.
COST: Varies. I am a BIG fan of their $5 and $10 sales!!
PERFECT FOR: The Daily Grace Co. is perfect for the woman who loves all the pretty things.
WHY I LOVE IT: Be warned sister, everything is so aesthetically gorgeous that you might want to purchase all.the.things. This is such an amazing one stop shop for Bible & scripture related loot! You can find simple Bible studies on specific topics or books of the Bible, scripture memorization, men’s studies, MUGS (my favorite things – have you seen my Pinterest board 🤣😬), highlighters, and tons of resources for kids (and more)!
I’m currently working through Dwell in Grace, a scripture memorizing book (working on Romans 12)! I am honestly shocked at how well and how easily I have been able to memorize these verses! The cover is beautiful and I have it set on my nightstand so every morning I try to memorize the next verse as I work though the book!! Cannot recommend this site enough!
the Bible Recap
COST: FREE – But you can buy additional resources HERE
PERFECT FOR: Every single believer AND non-believer.
WHY I LOVE IT: Tara Leigh Cobble has a serious gift for teaching the Bible – and she recaps everything in like 7 minutes, making this super convenient and practical for anyone. Listen on your fave podcast streamer on the way home, while you cook dinner, or get a quick workout in.
Don’t be fooled by the limited time commitment. Tara Leigh packs a POWERFUL punch. Those seven minutes will be some of the best of your day. I also love that she lists TONS of great additional resources in her show notes.
Don’t have a Bible? You can follow this plan – which also will get you to read the entire Bible in a year – on the Bible App. Join me HERE!
I hope that you find great joy and incredible education within these resources!
And make sure to comment below and let me know if you try any, have tried any, or have some resources you trust and love!
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xoxo,
Love this! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the encouragement, sister!
Love these resources! The Daily Grace Co. is one of my favorite places to buy Bible studies. Love their stuff! Thank you for putting this amazing list together 🙂
Thank you Lori!! You can’t beat their sales either!! Crazy good prices for super high quality material!!
Great list Nicole! May I add the Bible Recap with Tara Leigh Cobble. What I love about the Bible Recap is I can choose to listen to God’s word or read it and then Tara Leigh Cobble will recap what I just listened to. This plan has helped me to stay consistent in God’s word.
Absolutely! Oh, we LOVE the Bible Recap!! I love listening while I’m folding laundry or I’ll stick headphones in while I rock the littlest! She has some incredible resources too that she shares!! Thanks for adding it Deanna!!