The Joy of Summer Studies

Summer is a time of relaxed schedules (usually) and doing a few things differently from the school year. It is also a time when women’s ministries can serve those women who are too busy during the other nine months of the year to participate in the regular Bible Studies at your church.

My dear friend and mentor who has gone to be with Jesus made sure we offered summer Bible studies at our church to serve teachers and others who were left out of our weekday studies. I love how she thought ahead and cared for them. We always chose something short and fairly easy to offer in the summers. I remember several teachers thanking us for thinking of them and making sure we had something to offer them. Women had time to focus on getting to know the Lord through His Word. Oh the joy of summer studies!

At Joyful Walk Ministries, we have several Bible Study books that are perfect for?summer schedules as well as between-semesters. Our books are short and easy, can be done together as a group in about an hour, or worked for just a few minutes each day. They are good for anyone new to the Bible and have extra Bible reading for anyone wanting more.?These are some of our most popular studies, especially for busy women and those who are new to the Bible.

The books we offer are available as free downloads to print, in “Type and save your answers” versions, and in paperback from most online bookstores. Read the descriptions and click on the links below to find out more. Some also have associated podcasts that give you a taste of the studies (available on your favorite podcast channel—search “Satisfied Podcast" by Melanie Newton).

Take advantage of the summer to help the women in your ministry enjoy some time studying God’s Word.

Short and Easy Bible Studies

A Fresh Start: Basic lessons for new Christians (8 lessons). This study answers questions such as what is the gospel, who is Jesus, who is God the Father, who is the Holy Spirit, how do I live my life now, how to find a good church, and what it means to share about Jesus with others around you.?This is one of the most downloaded studies from my website right now.

Painting the Portrait of Jesus: Study the?"I Am" statements of Jesus in John (8 lessons). You get a picture of who Christ is through His own self-description and His promises to us. This is a great introduction to the book of John and also to Jesus as fully human and fully God. Enjoy the references to paint colors as well.?

The God You Can Know: An introduction to the wonderful attributes of your Father God (8 lessons). He is?sovereign, all-powerful, all-knowing, everywhere,?and just. He shares His grace, love, and joy with us as His children. You can trust Him as your Father God.?

Grace Overflowing:?An overview of Paul's letters (13 lessons). This book introduces you to all thirteen letters of Paul in our Bible. Each lesson focuses on only one aspect of God's gifts to us through His grace as presented in the letter. I did this one with an online group last year. They loved it.?

The Walk from Fear to Faith: Learn to trust God with your fears (6 lessons, has?podcasts). This study examines the lives of several Old Testament women—Sarah, Jochebed, Miriam, Rahab, 2 widows, and the Shunamite woman. Each lesson teaches you more about trusting God with an aspect of fear. Being only 6 lessons, it fits nicely between semesters and over the summer.?I am leading this as a between-semesters study this spring.

Satisfied by His Love: A study of women who knew Jesus (6 lessons, has?podcasts). Study Jesus' interaction with several New Testament women—Samaritan woman, Luke 7 immoral woman, 2?sick women, Mary Magdalene, and the sisters Martha and Mary. The focus is on how Jesus satisfies the longings in their heart for a relationship with Him. He does the same for us today. Being only 6 lessons, it fits nicely between semesters and during the summer.

Seek the Treasure: Unearthing the riches of Christ in Ephesians (8 lessons, has podcasts). This study introduces women to the book of Ephesians by helping them dig for all the treasure in it for us as believers without getting bogged down in too much theology. I did this one two years ago with a group of women who?loved its simple, easy-to-remember teaching.?

Pathways to a Joyful Walk: Pathways leading to a rewarding spiritual life (6 lessons, has podcasts). Learn how to live the Christian life with joy from?the Lord. That includes knowing who Christ is, understanding your identity in Christ, choosing to serve Him instead of the world, what is godliness, and persevering through any trial that comes your way. I did this one last summer with a group of women. Being only 6 lessons, it fits nicely between semesters and during the summer.

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Living joyfully,

Melanie Newton