5 Resources to Deepen Your Life with Jesus
Hey, friend.
If you're reading this, I'm guessing you have a deep desire in your heart to know God, to love Him, and to share His love with others. And you want to hear a secret? He desires this as well. It's true. God desires intimacy with us. He wants to be with us just as much as you desire to seek Him.
Are you ready to deepen your life with Jesus? You want to completely live for God, pour out your life as a pleasant aroma to Him, and follow Him through thick and thin. You have come to the right place. At least, this is a great place to start.
The most important thing that we can do is to spend time with God. It is our strength. It is our daily bread to keep going in the days ahead. But sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start. Whether you have been walking with the Lord for a long time or if you are just beginning. Here are a few resources to get you started or to refresh your current prayer life.
“It is not easy to shut out the world, set aside a few minutes by yourself, and spend time in God’s Word and prayer. But it is essential if we are to grow in our relationship with God and be strengthened for the battles ahead. Don’t delay. Begin now to spend time alone with God every day.”
Billy Graham
But it is essential if we are to grow in our relationship with God and be strengthened for the battles ahead. Don’t delay. Begin now to spend time alone with God every day.”
- Billy Graham
Daily Grace Co.
The Daily Grace Co. exists to equip disciples to know and love God and His Word by creating beautiful, theologically rich, and accessible resources so that God may be glorified and the gospel made known.
If you are new to studying the Bible, this would be a wonderful resource for you. Even more, if you have been around for a while, this is still an amazing resource. Throughout the year, they offer discounts on their resources. Hence, you could study a book of the Bible for $5 or less. That small investment reaps incredible results.
Additionally, one thing I really love about this resource is their podcast. They have a podcast that ranges from 20 mins to 40 min episodes. These episodes involve talking about theology, faith, and other similar conversations. Plus, it is with 2 women as hosts. It has been an incredible resource for me on my morning commutes.
She Reads Truth
She Reads Truth is a worldwide community of women who read God’s Word together every day.
She Reads Truth is another resource that can be good for newbies or those who have been Christians for a long time. This is a great resource for women who desire to dig deep into scripture and learn more. You can go in-depth without having a theology degree. They have a study Bible and other bible study resources for you to purchase. They also go through the Bible in one year. You can get this resource on their website and follow along on their podcast. This is a great idea for those who have busier schedules.
The Bible Recap
Speaking of busy women, The Bible Recap is here to help! It’s a short daily podcast (<8 minutes) hosted by Tara-Leigh Cobble. This will be her 10th time reading through the Bible chronologically, and she’ll highlight and summarize that day’s Bible reading in a casual, easy to understand way. The Bible Recap will not only help you read scripture but help you love reading it! Every time I listen to an episode, I feel like I receive a fresh perspective on the daily reading. Her insights are truly refreshing even if you have been studying the Bible for awhile.
This is another way for you go deep into scripture. I love that she works through the Bible chronologically! Similarly, the ability to listen to it for less than 10 minutes is a plus. We all have 10 minutes we can make available to listen to the teachings. Although she begins at a certain time of the year, you can begin at anytime. This is a convenient option for those of us who are busier than others.
Rush Podcast
The Bible Recap helps busy women dig deep into scripture. The Rush Podcast helps women encounter the Holy Spirit within scripture. This is a more charismatic resource and it may not be for everyone. However, I believe it could impact you greatly. It impacted me.
If you are in a season where you don't have time to read scripture, this could be helpful. You might also be in a season where you are uncertain about God and it is difficult to sit with Him or read any amount of scripture. In this case, this is a great fill-in for a season. It basically reads a piece of scripture and reveals a short commentary on it through the perspective of the Holy Spirit. Think of the devotional, Jesus Calling, spoken over you.
Lectio 365
In a previous post, I talked about the practice of Lectio Divina. Lectio 365 is an app that guides you through praying the scripture on a daily basis. It's a little different from the original practice that I discussed. But if you are intrigued by this practice, this could be a great starting point for you. Plus, each reading takes about 10-15 minutes. We all have that amount of time. I find it is a great way to reflect and meditate on scripture. What is great about this resource is you have the option to read it or let it be read to you. Additionally, you don't have to select the passage for the practice. It is selected for you daily.
Of course, these are not the only resources available. There are plenty of tools offered to guide you to walk deeper with Jesus. But, maybe these resources will encourage you to get started.
We will reap most when we draw close to the heart of the Father.
Take some time today to consider how God is working on your heart. Ask Him for guidance on which resource could be useful to you in this current season.