Confession: I Hate Sermons (But Love Bible Study Lessons)

I've never been much of a sermon kinda girl, I'm afraid. I was the child composing stories in her head and using the offering envelopes to scribble fanciful drawings on. And I have no doubt that I actually slept through a fair few sermons... Even as I grew up, it's just never been my best way to engage with God or His Word-- though, thankfully, my attention-span has improved :)

But today I need to tell you about the bible teaching podcasts from oneplace.com that you can listen to for free from Living Proof with Beth Moore because they are blessing me so.

I grew up the daughter of a Bible-studying mama. And I was probably only just a very young teen when she began attending women's group bible studies by a lovely lady called Beth Moore. My parents are both mega-drivers as they run their businesses and we were often on a car trip long into the night. To stay awake, my non-coffee-drinking Mom would munch on crunchy carrots and blare the radio loud. But it wasn't music she was listening to, it was this lady called Beth teaching bible studies with more passion than I had ever heard and in her prolific southern accent. She would be addressing event centres full of thousands of women, and a few brave men, and yet even in the dark of those long car rides, it felt like she was speaking straight to me as again and again God brought up concepts I needed to give some attention to, or scriptures I'd never studied that in depth before. Beth (because we're on a first-name-basis, naturally :P) would give charming anecdotes about her husband Keith and daughters Amanda and Melissa, and their bird dogs, until it honestly felt like they might have been cousins of mine. The Lord has taught me a great deal about vulnerability through seeing Beth live out loud, a great deal about honesty, humility, obedience, and the love of Christ. And do you know, to this day no other bible study teacher/writer can quite hold my attention like Beth does when she teaches. It's kinda like our hearts speak the same language. I don't wanna praise this woman-- she would hate that! I don't think she's the only one who can write a good bible study :) But something about her writing and her speaking and her personality and heart just really gets along with something about my personality and heart. I have supplemented my bible reading with her bible study workbooks for years now and there is nothing like a cup of coffee in the morning with my bible and bible study workbook spread out before me. No matter where I am in the world, in that posture, I am home.

So to steal a Beth phrase, it has just blessed my little heart to find entire series of bible study teachings by Beth on oneplace.com! I've just finished listening to "Measureless Love" and, woah. Another great series of podcasts is "When Godly People do Ungodly Things". You can download them for $2.00 or simply listen to them online for free! Some days when I'm in the studio on my own, I just listen to one lesson after another all day long as my hands busily work on the order on the cutting table before me. Let me tell you, it is a BATTLE to keep our minds fixed on heaven in such a way that we live purposefully here. These little podcast lessons keep my perspective set where it needs to be, like little Sunday sermons all throughout the week (but to me, they have a punch that I don't often find in a Sunday sermon).

So, whether you are familiar with Living Proof Ministries or have no idea who this Beth chica is, check them out and be encouraged! You can look through the years of podcast series here. Or read Beth's blog, where her two daughters, now grown women serving the Lord themselves, often post too. It's just fun :)

And now-- to leave you with one of my favourite of the stories Beth has told me over the years :) 

Friends, let's set our eyes on His face. Let's seek Him in whatever way we can every single day of our lives. Let's be intentional about studying His Word! And about knowing His heart so we can live His heart out for the world...

I have been so touched by every Beth Moore bible study workbook I've gone through, but I think my favourite thus far might be "The Patriarchs". If you've done some of the these particular bible studies, which have been your favourite?