The kids and I are starting BSF this year, and today was the first day. Not sure what that is? It's Bible Study Fellowship. It's an international, interdenominational, in-depth Bible Study.
International: Everyone who is a part of BSF is studying the very same thing - so someone doing BSF in England or Australia, or some other country...or even someone in California or Maine...we're all studying the same thing.
In-depth: they use a fourfold approach to studying God's Word.
1. Daily questions for personal study
2. Discussion Groups
3. Lectures
4. Printed Notes
so, I'll do my homework to get into God's Word, with just me and my Bible, 6 days of the week. Then, I'll come together with other women and discuss what we learned, then listen to a lecture about how to further apply it, and we are sent home with notes to study even further. They ask for you not to use commentary or other resources until the fourfold approach on a given week has been completed.
This year, the study is on the book of Isaiah. I am totally excited about this! So many times I have tried to read Isaiah and either totally get lost and don't understand a lick of it, or I see tremendous significance, but want to understand it more fully. I'm excited at the possibility of understanding (at least part of) this very important book of the Bible!
I'm even more excited about the fact that my kids are going to be learning right along with me - at their level. I'm excited to see them learn and grow through their time in BSF and also through the devotionals that we do together at home, as their "homework."
But don't think I'm some super-awesome Bible Study queen. I've honestly been pretty inconsistant with getting into my Word since having Balian, really. I've had times of fall-on-my-face desperation with him - I've spoken to Him throughout the day, but I haven't allowed God to speak to ME. And one-way communication is not a relationship. I'm definitely not proud of that fact, and I've been really challenged about it as well. I mean seriously...If I believe that God's Word is real - and I claim to have a relationship with Him - I shouldn't need "motivation" to get into his Word or spend time with him. If I say He's my first priority, then He should be my first thought...and I should be unsettled and have an attitude of anticipation until I spend time alone with Him. So I've been trying to get back into the habit of devotion and finding my Lord in the midst of solitude - which is a lot harder than it seems.
anyway - excited about what's ahead!
