MOPS Meeting summary from March 21st, 2013
Speaker: Carol from Bible Study Fellowship International (LaCrosse)
Carol works with BSF out of LaCrosse and is the teacher for the weekly bible studies. She came and spoke to us on different bibles, devotionals, talked about the importance of giving your kids the gift of your holiness, pray for your children, and how a good strong marriage is a huge gift you can give your children. She brought many different bibles and devotionals for us to look at and she gave a brief description of what they were, who they would be good for, etc. She recommended starting journals for each of your children; write down things, daily/weekly/yearly about them and your walk with them with Christ, start when they are young, so by the time middle/high school comes along there is quite a bit in there. This is a good tool to use, when they are struggling with or having a hard time grasping your love for them or have low self-esteem. Maybe your words will get to them, all the things you wrote for them as a child.
The website is BSFinternational.org. She hosts weekly bible studies in Onalaska on Wednesdays 9am-10:50 (school year only). Onalaska United Methodist Church. (the location of the studies change each year) ALL are Welcome, all ages are welcome. They have free childcare. There are infant bible studies up to adult bible studies. All groups cover the same stories on the same days. They are finishing up one story now and will begin the life of Joseph on April 10th. Please check out the website or talk with Sarah Mesmer for more information. Sarah attends these weekly and I believe Bobbie Evans does as well.
How to start reading the bible?
Good places to start are John, Mark, Psalms.
How to read the bible?
Keep your eyes fixed on your hope, we are foreigners in this world, just passing through J God is preparing a greater place for us.
Read to KNOW God. Read each passage and ask how does this help me KNOW God? What is God telling me about Himself? Why did He want us to know this?
Studies show kids in America now days do not know the bible stories, READ them to you children start young, as infants even. Picture books, reading the word to them, sing the word, bible songs in the car. Children are like SPONGES and they can handle more than we think they can in regards to God’s word.
The bible is ONE story Jesus/God’s plan/redemption is talked about from beginning to end (Genesis to Revelations)
Get a journal, write things down as you read.
Start with Psalms for your prayers, pray the word back to God, share your emotions with him.
Our goal is to increase our love for God.
Recommendations on Study Bibles
Carol recommended if you have a study bible or you choose a study bible to let God teach you. Read the bible passage and let it “marinate” for a day, try to draw your own sense of what it means, the Holy Spirit will guide you to it, then the next day read the commentary and see how it compares to what you thought. Don’t be anxious to let other peoples thoughts/commentary take over when you should be absorbing what those words mean to YOU.
Devotional/Book/Workbook Recommendations from Carol
Experiencing God (Blackaby)
First Steps for the New Christian-workbook, looks at the foundations of the faith. (Carol mentioned she wished it had a different title and that the book was very good!)
The Attributes of God (Tozer)
Raising your Children for Christ (Murray)
Jesus Calling (Sarah Young)
Into the Word-workbook (Lotz)
Hinds Feet on High Places (Hurnard) for kids/girls 10-12 years old.
Stream in the Dessert (Cowman)
Bible Recommendations from Carol
Parallel Bible (Zondervan): This bible has the NIV on one side of the page and The Message (contemporary) on the other. This is a good beginner bible. Teens and newbies enjoy this version.
NIV (1984): a common favorite, good beginner bible. NIVr is a revised edition and a lot of very modern changes were made to this bible, use caution when choosing this one.
The Daily Walk Bible (Bruce Wilkinson): Weekly devotions and prayers are included.
Bibles for Women
Bibles for Moms
Thompson Chain Reference Bible (while reading a passage it will list another scripture in the bible that relates to that topic and that one might have another one listed, so you can chain your way through a specific topic in the bible, such as purity)
Bibles with a concordance in the back is great. You can look up a certain word in that (death, anger, joy) and it will list many passages where this is talked about in the bible.
Comparative Bible: is a bible with different translations in one.
King James Version
Devotional/Books/Videos recommended from Sparta MOPS moms
52 Things Kids Need from a Mom by Angela Thomas
The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie OMartain
Hurry Less Worry Less for Moms by Judy Christie
The Busy Mom’s Devotional By Lisa Bergen
Manna for Moms by Megan Breedlove
Dinner Table Devotions by Nancy Guthrie
Blessings Every Day by Elena Kucharik (for kids)
So that’s in the Bible? (B&H Publishing)
Parenting with Scripture (Durbin)
What’s in the Bible? Video Series by Phil Vischer
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