How to Choose the Right Bible Study Books for Women
As a Christian woman, I know how important it is to set aside some quiet time each day to spend with the Lord. I like to call it my spiritual nourishment, like drinking living water in a desert. Without it, I feel spiritually “dry”, but somehow or other I always find a way to put it off. That’s why one of my favorite Bible study books for women is one by Cynthia Heald, called “Becoming a Woman of Simplicity”. It is in the pages of this book that I learned the value of setting aside my “to do” list long enough to listen to God’s voice. I recommend Becoming a Woman of Simplicity to all of my overscheduled friends, but I make them promise they will set aside the time to read it. Just like regular exercise and other good habits that we develop over time, it is very important to find the time for studying God’s word. I like to think of my time with the Lord as the place where the world stops and my most important relationship begins.
If you’ve been struggling with finding the right Bible study method, you are not alone. Most of the women I know go back and forth between a few favorite methods. Before you shop for Bible study books for women, consider which of these methods works best for you.
- Character study books: Using the Navigators’ Life Change series of Bible study books, women can choose specific books of the Bible and immerse themselves in a character study of the author and the characters. These books are a great way to dig deeper into the lives of the people in the Bible, while learning more about how each book relates to one another.
- Theme study books: Some people might simply purchase a Strong’s Concordance and use this to study specific themes of the Bible, but women’s Bible study groups often prefer to use a topical book that speaks to their lives. Bearing Fruit in God’s Family is an excellent example of this, as it draws examples from Scripture about how we can approach discipleship to achieve long-term and life-changing results.
- Inductive Bible study: This method allows one to learn ways to approach the Bible with the goal of arriving at a Biblical truth confidently. Whether done with a book study or with a concordance, this type of Bible study involves the use of questions and analysis of each text within its Biblical context, and learning how the lesson draws parallels with God’s promises in other areas of Scripture.
Whether you use Bible study books for women or a more generic method of study, you are certain to uncover very personal truths in the course of your personal Bible study. NavPress.com has an entire section of their website devoted to Bible study books for women, along with insightful descriptions of each book.
