My Favorite Bible Studies + Devotionals

Every month, I share my reads for the month in a book review post. I share the hits and misses, my favorites, and my “stay aways.” I share them so I can give you knockout books to snag the next time you’re in need of a good read. I treat you like my best girlfriends and dish on everything that I know and love.

So while I read about 40 books a year and share all my favorites, I’m skipping a major part of my reading that I do each and every morning. No skipped days. No sleeping in. Every morning, I wake before my family and do a Bible Study. A massive part of who I am is a Christian. I love and worship Jesus. I talk to Him every day. I read His Word every day. And I learn from Him how to be a better person and share His love. It’s about high time that I start to share with you how I find time for Him and how I still find time to read His word during the absolute busiest season of my life. And one big part of that is what I’m learning and the amazing Bible Studies that have guided my time.

Morning Routine

I wake up early and I love it. There I said it. I know I’ll have people scratching their heads asking “Why?” but it’s a change I made years ago to carve out time for myself and it’s been the best lifestyle choice I ever made.

4:15am: My alarm goes off and I immediately change into workout clothes

4:30am: Make coffee and head down to my basement to workout with my favorite ladies from FusionFitness.com. I’ve been a member of this KC gym for almost a decade now (WHAT?!). When the pandemic hit, they moved their amazing studio classes that “shock your body” to an online format to keep their clients healthy during one of the more stressful times of our lives. Since, they’ve reopened fully, but they’ve kept their online classes for a much more discount price. I’ve been able to stay disciplined enough to still wake up and push myself through their classes on my own time. As long as I can keep pushing myself to do it for me, I may just keep this going until my babies are all a little bigger and can do without me for a bit.

5:30am: Pour my coffee, keep the water handy, and spend the next 45 minutes working my way through a Bible Study, devotional, and gratitude journal to put me in my right mindset for the upcoming day.

6:15am: Shower, get dressed, put on makeup and brush out my hair because life is about to get crazy! Ready, set, go!

Favorite Bible Studies

Years ago, Shay from mixandmatchmama.com shared a Beth Moore Bible Study on Instagram and I’ve been hooked ever since. Can you tell I’m a fan? Six of my very favorite Studies are hers. I’ve learned more about God from Beth Moore than I had ever known before. That firecracker from Texas with her big hair, done-up face, and witty humor has introduced me to the Patriarchs, David, Daniel, Paul, Peter, and Jesus in a way that I will forever be indebted to her for. She has a way of taking Scripture to not only teach you how to be better, but she teaches it to learn about God. Who He is, what He is trying to communicate, and how we can learn from Him using verses, personal stories, historical facts, and witty banter.

I would recommend my Bible Studies from Beth Moore to anyone looking for an engaging study that brings you closer to Him. Each one has something new to offer, and each one above has opened my eyes to a new truth. They’re all written for women, but A Woman’s Heart was the first one I did, and I think it was the most relatable study I’ve done to date. It was a broader study that took pieces of Scripture throughout the entire Bible. If you’re looking for one to start, start with A Woman’s Heart.

The Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer was one of the most recent studies I’ve done and it was one that was made for this time of my life. Currently, I feel like every decision is scrutinized, every motive questioned, every belief I have seems to be argued. The judgement is at an all-time high in society right now and when I was feeling it the most, God put this Bible Study in my eye line. It takes passages from Scripture to formulate an action plan for putting on your own armor of God and developing a personalized strategy to secure victory against the enemy. Page after page, I felt like this study was made for me. I left each morning with a layer of added protection against judgements, criticisms, negativity, envy, and hypocrisies. I loved every morning of this because of how much we need to feel God in this time.

And finally, this New Year’s, I made a resolution to read the entire Bible. Cover to cover. Every passage, every verse. I’m going to read it all for the first time. Some of you may have already accomplished this once, twice, or fifteen times. Others may want to do it for the first time just like I do. Wherever you are in your journey to reading the Bible, I found the Bible Recap by Tara-Leigh Cobble and have been thrilled with how much I learned starting on Day 1. It’s a chronological reading, meaning it will skip between books in the Bible to make it more comprehensible and the time will flow a little more smoothly in your mind. And the readings have averaged about 10-15 minutes a day. That’s it. You can read the entire Bible by just reading under 15 minutes a day.

Along with the reading guide, I purchased the study guide that asks 4-5 additional questions for each of your reading sessions. I wanted to dive deeper into understanding who wrote the books, when they occurred, and any additional information that I can. If I’m going to read, I’m going to READ.

If you purchase this Bible study, there is also a journal that accompanies the series, that I didn’t get this time around, and a podcast by the same name that can help bring you closer to God through understanding.

It’s not too late to start. Pick up the books and go. You can do it!

Devotionals and Gratitude Journal

Want to add a little bit more to your quiet time with God? Or want to start small with a small act to be closer to Him? Devotionals and gratitude journals are 5-10 minutes that start your day off just as strong.

I’ve had 2 devotionals that I’ve actually read multiple times now because they just never lose their shine. They are constantly helping me to pull myself out of my world and put God more in the center of it. They are relatable to moms, to the busyness of life, and the constant push and pull of expectations. I have purchased these for bridal showers, birthday gifts, and recommend them over and over again to my best girlfriends.

A gratitude journal is such a simple act of taking your life and realizing the true blessings that are before you. Writing down just 3 pieces of gratitude each day can drastically change your mindset of wanting more and new, to a thankful heart that appreciates all that God has provided you already. We may not have all that someone on Instagram has, but you have so much that you are blessed with. Instead of starting a day comparing yourself, look inwards and be thankful for what YOU have, what YOU’VE accomplished with God, and how YOU are living a life of happiness. Choose gratitude every single day.

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