Book Review: Busy Mom's Guide to Bible Study

As I mentioned before, I have been reading the book The Busy Mom's Guide to Bible Study by Lisa Whelchel recommended by Ashley at Putting God First Place and I really liked it, so I thought I'd tell you about it!

The book is based on the fact that most busy moms (every mom!) don't have the time to sit down and really dig deep into scripture for hours at a time. Usually, we have more like 15 minutes at a time! With this in mind, the author herself found that she wasn't getting much out of her reading and she wanted to find some creative ways of finding some of the treasure buried in scripture.

I myself have been having similar problems lately. It seems that I often read a passage, but then forget it soon afterwards or only find surface value in it. God's Word goes so much deeper than the surface, but I found myself frustrated that I couldn't get there, especially because I don't have much time. (By the way, go read this blog post on Mommy devotional time for a great laugh and inspiration!) I also would rather read the bible and find treasure for myself, not read someone else's thoughts and treasure hunt. We need to study to show OURSELVES approved, not someone else. (Not that books are a bad thing, but I don't want them to be a crutch!)

Enter this wonderful book! The author goes through 20 bible study tools, some familar to me and some new, and explains each one and how to use it. The book is set up for you to go through in 3 months. The first month, she introduces one tool per day, gives a scripture and demonstrates how she would use the tool. There's a place to record your own thoughts (I didn't in the book, because mine was from the library). In month two, she gives you a passage, suggests 3 different tools to choose from, a sentence or two on how to do them and then gives you space to record your thoughts from the one you choose. In month three, you are essentially on your own because she just gives you a passage, recommends three tools and gives you room to record your thoughts.

This book is fantastic for anyone, really, who wants to dig deeper into God's word. It still requires your own effort, you still need to spend some time doing it, but it's wonderful to have someone give you fresh ideas and encouragement. I have already gleaned some treasure and felt myself grow stronger in my faith, so I highly recommend this book to anyone!