Thursday, April 16, 2015

ReAwakening! tips on the study methods

"So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning.  If you do, you will continue to live in fellowship with the Son and with the Father."  1 John 2:24

Starting something new is always a challenge.  Even if you're excited about this new thing, it can be a little scary, maybe a bit awkward, and certainly takes time.  There is a learning curve and maybe some frustration.

As I was reading the other day, I was feeling some of this uncertainty and thought, "If I am, then maybe so are some of you!"   I wanted to reassure you in your efforts.  If you are reading the word of God a least a few times a week and it is soaking into your heart and life, then you're doing great!

Let me emphasize, there is no right or wrong in this.  This study and these methods are tools to encourage you to read, with understanding, and grow in your personal relationship with Christ.

I am very excited about these 2 ways of reading and studying God's word!  But, I also discovered that there is a bit more effort involved.  First, I grab my materials: my Bible & my journal, a fuzzy blue pen & a pack of Twistables, my coloring chart & my SOAK bookmark.  Then I read the chapter.  I usually read it first without underling, unless something is really obvious or jumps out at me.  I re-read it with my colored pencils in hand, and then I turn to my journal and use the SOAK method.  It may sound like this takes a long time, but it's really only about 20 minutes from start to finish.  Some days it's less, but other days it is wonderfully longer.

The one thing I was having trouble with was the underlining.   What should I underline? was my first question.  I went back to Courtney's GMG website and looked at her Bible.  Wow!  She underlined & highlighted everything!  And that's when it clicked.  This kind of underlining/highlighting is not about what I want to remember or what I think is important.  This is to color code my Bible.  The more I use the chart, the easier it will become to recognize what each color means.  But even after only a few days, I can see in the passages 'wisdom, teaching, prophecy, love, Jesus, faith, fellowship' based on the colors I have used.   I also carry these colors into my journal & personal notes.  It makes my journal pretty and helps me to see at a glance what I have thought about.  I'm not much of an artist, but if you like to express yourself in that way, go for it!  The journal is for you!  Write, draw, doodle whatever is in your heart as you ponder the passage.

The other  question that came up last Friday concerning underlining/highlighting was: 'what color did you use for a particular verse?'  There is no definitive answer.  In some cases it is obvious what color to use, but in others it is your interpretation.  How do you want to view a particular verse?  One person might see 'doctrine'(yellow) when someone else might say it's 'teaching' (blue).  And someone else might use several colors for one passage.  It's your book, use the color chart in such a way that it is helpful to you.  Don't forget that you have your journal, too.  Maybe you underline in one color, but in your journal you observe that it can fall into several colors.

Finally, let me address the idea that writing in the Bible is taboo.  I knew a woman (a grandmother herself at the time) who was taught by her grandmother that the Bible (the actual book) was sacred.  She could not write in it, fold or mark the pages in any way, and nothing was to ever be put on top of the Bible.  Even in Bible study she would always have her Bible on top of her stack on her lap.  She laughed about how deep rooted it had become.  She knew it was the word of God that was sacred, not the book, per se, but she still could not bring herself to mark her Bible.  Instead she took notes, wrote in a journal and whatever book or workbook we were using.  That's what worked for her.  So, if you just CAN'T write in your Bible, that's okay!  The point is to spend time thinking about & writing about the lessons of the Bible.  My friend Karen had the same struggle, so a few years ago she bought herself a Student Study Bible, because she said it looked more like a text book, which allowed her to write, note, underline, & highlight.  I think that's a great idea!  I have several Bibles, but I find I only write in my Study Bible, too.

There is no 'have to', right or wrong way, or anything to this!  These are methods that some people find helpful in digging into the Word of God.  But, if you have another method use it, share it!  The point is to get in there on a regular basis, learn it, not just gloss over it, and LIVE it!

I'd love to hear how you are doing with the study, these tools, or your own methods.  If you're reading this in your e-mail, click here  to add your comment to the blog.

Your Partner in Ministry,

Shelly
warrior

"Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body."  Proverbs 16:24








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