Kristi Woods

Encouraging Women to Walk Deeper with God

Summer Reading Roundup: 10 Tools That Will Help Boost Your Faith

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If we squint real hard, we’ll see the end of summer approaching. Crazy fast, right?!

 

How about a summer reading roundup of 10 tools that will help boost your faith?

 

These are all tools I’ve grown to love and thought you might find two or a few helpful as well.

Some of these tools sit online, others wait on bookstore shelves. All prove useful for one-on-one time with our Father, offering a boost to our faith if we’ll grab ’em.

Happy summer, friend. Enjoy!

  1. Faith Tool: YouVersion


    This one lands as my all-time favorite app for boosting faith.

    All time.

    YouVersion, a digital mission of Life.Church, is the place to go if you like reading the Bible on a digital device. This app contains multiple versions of the Bible, and it’s easy to click back and forth. Favorite versions that help me round out understanding better include the AMP, MSG, and NLT versions.

    Look for devotionals and reading plans here as well.

  2. Faith Tool: BlueLetterBible.org


    This one’s a website AND an app. (Aren’t we fortunate? A 2-for-1 deal!) What I love best about Blue Letter Bible are the tools they offer to dig further into a verse. They offer dictionaries, concordances, commentaries, and more to better understand passages and word meaning.

  3. Faith Tool: Spirit-Led Heart

    Spirit-Led Heart by Suzanne Eller
    Make certain to add this read by Proverbs 31‘s Suzanne Eller to your summer list–if you haven’t already. Want to know more? Check out my review of it here. 

  4. Faith Tool: The Complete Guide to the Bible

     This is one of my favorite tools for better understanding people, places, and times of the Bible. It offers insight and is written in an easy-to-read format. Oh, and the pictures are super nice, too!

  5. Faith Tool: The Bible

     
    A slew of Bible versions await us. It makes a gal’s heart sing! Each has their helpful points, words leading us into further understanding. Here are two I find helpful to use in addition to regular reading in the NIV: The Amplified Bible & The Message.

    The Amplified Bible dives further into the meaning of words and verses, often helping a reader better understand God’s Word. Why not include it in our daily Bible study?

    The Message sets the words of the Bible into everyday terms. It paints pictures, helps the words dance to life. I grab it when a passage simply doesn’t set clear, or I am curious how the Message offers it.

  6. Faith Tool: Pinterest

    Anyone else grow a little giddy with Pinterest? I love this stop on the Internet! If you’re looking for online pieces to read, scripture graphics, parenting advice, faith-filled encouragement, or…purple monkeys (yes, they really have results for purple monkeys!), you’ll find suggestions on Pinterest. Here are a few faith-filled boards championing faith:

    ~ Heart Encouragement Community
    ~ Christian Women Offering Hope
    ~ Fuel Your Faith
    ~ By His Grace
    ~ Encouragement for Every Day
    ~ ::Hope Found::
    ~ KristiWoods.net (various boards on a variety of faith topics)

  7. Faith Tool: Facebook Live (Online Bible Studies)

    From 2 minutes to 10+, here is a listing of several online Bible studies landing on Facebook:

    ~ Betsy at Faith Spilling Over
    ~ Abby McDonald
    ~ Lyli Dunbar
    ~ Kristi Woods (Look for a new study coming this fall!)

  8. Faith Tool: Facebook Live (Church Services)

    Sometimes we relocate, don’t have a church, find ourself nursing an injury, or the day’s schedule somehow prevents church attendance. Why not consider online versions for temporary situations? Check out these churches for FB live and video replay services:

    Current Church (Oklahoma)
    Church at Hampton Roads  (Virginia)
    Inspire Church (Hawaii)
    LifeChurch (Oklahoma)
    Elevation Church (North Carolina)

  9. Faith Tool: Instagram

    Instagram is another app useful for Christian growth. Be aware, it contains content from all walks of life, Christian and not so much, but spiritual gold often glitters in its pages. Lisa at True and Faithful has a current prayer focus called #praytheword. Check out her feed to follow along.

  10. Faith Tool: BibleStudyTools.com

    Here’s another site useful for digging into God’s Word. This site, BibleStudyTools.com is owned by the same company as Crosswalk.com and iBelieve.com, two online sites where I often contribute pieces like this one on Elijah and this one called 10 Beautiful Implications of Believing You are “Fearfully and Wonderfully” Made.

     

    Check out this link for 10 Tools that will Help Boost Your Faith Click To Tweet

Ever Found Forgiveness Impossible to Offer? Run Here

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Have you ever found forgiveness impossible to offer?

 

I thought I did a few years back. And boy, what a wrestling match!

When unforgiveness cloaks us, it’ll turn a bright, sunny face into a gray hue of anger and sorrow. Bitterness and resentment wash us with their ugly darkness. The bad scene grows darker by the day as long as we’re held hostage by our own refusal of offering.

 

No one  jumps for joy amid a struggle with forgiveness – especially the one choosing to withhold it. It’s bad news.

 

Does a situation come to your mind when forgiveness seemed (or seems) impossible to offer?

 

There’s one thing I learned amid my struggle and eventual victory.

 

Regardless how difficult our situation, forgiveness proves possible – always – with Jesus Christ.

 

Regardless how difficult our situation, forgiveness proves possible - always - with Jesus Christ. #forgiveness Click To Tweet

 

What I thought impossible due to the deceitful threats of darkness, became a glorious, powerful victory with God. (Keep reading – there’s more about it at the end.)

 

Life changed – and all for the better.

 

What seems impossible due to the deceitful threats of darkness, become a glorious, powerful victory with God. #Christian #faith #forgive Click To Tweet

 

 

I found a time of worship with God that remains near and dear.

I found a Father more than willing to set the strength of His hands in mine – once I offered open, empty palms.

And I found freedom with forgiveness.

 

 

Find freedom. Offer forgiveness. #freedom #forgiveness Click To Tweet

 

When we’re struggling in the heat of the battle, refusing to offer forgiveness, RUN to the Father.

 

  • Sit in worship and in prayer.
  • Determine to forgive.
  • And let “thy will” be done.

 

Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

Luke 22:42 KJV

 

“My will” ushers us to gloomy pastures, causes us to burn with anger, hurt, and resentment. “My will” by refusing to offer forgiveness – and gosh, it’s a crazy, hard battle – lands us in the land of darkness and deceit. As I tell my kids, it’s no bueno.

So do the hard thing. Determine to forgive. Be free.

Take on the yoke of Jesus Christ. You’ll be glad you did.

 

 

 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Matt. 11:30 WEB

 

When I battled to forgive, I prayed and worshiped for nearly four hours. The resentment morphed me into a hardened woman. Something had to be done – my hubby assured.

I determined to worship until “something” changed.

Running to the Lord proved the best decision possible. Something did change – me.

Offering ourselves – our hearts and our hands – to the One Above, makes forgiveness possible, even when deception assures otherwise.

 

Offering ourselves - our hearts and our hands - to the One Above, makes forgiveness possible, even when deception assures otherwise. #forgive #Jesus Click To Tweet

 

The battle is fierce, but why not try? Take your troubles and run to our faithful Father. Victory resides in Him.

 

Connection ~

Let’s connect on Instagram. You’ll find a variety of posts, encouragement, and conversations there.

Here’s a Powerful Book That will Deepen Our Faith

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Spirit-Led Heart by Suzanne EllerA powerful new book of faith hit bookstore shelves this month. It’s one that’ll certainly deepen faith of readers or at least cause them to pause in the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit.

 

The Spirit-Led Heart: Living a Life of Love and Faith without Borders by Suzanne Eller shines boldly on bookstore shelves now, awaiting readers like you and me.

 

If you’ve read book reviews of mine in the past (7 pages’ worth await here, including Suzanne Eller’s Come With Me), then you realize “picky” describes my choices. I choose books with readers like you and me in mind. We’re special – God’s girls. Just “any book” won’t do. The choices reviewed and recommended on KristiWoods.net teach, they have depth and strong writing, and most of all, these solid reads draw us deeper to the heart of God.

 

This one made the cut – by a long stretch.

 

If we’re whispering honesty here, the start of The Spirit-Led Heart caused me to wonder if Suzie – a writing mentor, friend, and sister in Christ – had pushed this publication out the door too soon. Zeal and zip seemed absent initially. (Sorry, Suzie! But, those were the thoughts tossing around inside my head.)

 

But that soon changed. And boy, am I glad I kept reading.

 

A few pages in, the Spirit-Led Heart grabbed my hand, and we dove straight into the deep waters of faith. The Holy Spirit and I walked through all 10 chapters, each one spiritual meat on its own, a gourmet feast when combined. Here are a few of the words and sections I marked in my copy of The Spirit-Led Heart:

 

  • Chapter 5 contains several powerful prayers, ripe and ready for our lips and hearts. (I want to soak them all in and keep them embeded in the heart forever. They’re good!)

  “Give me boldness to rest in my identity…May I live as if I’m yours.” (page 96)

 

  • Chapter 6 reminds readers they are worth fighting for. That chapter also goes on to offer this: “There’s no promise of an easy life, but there is promise of a full and abundant life.” (I like the idea and promise of full and abundant.)

 

  • Chapter 7, titled We Will Know What to Do, had one sentence that shined brightly to me: “When God speaks through the Counselor, it isn’t a rebuke, but a call to growth.”

 

The Spirit-Led Heart

 

A reader can’t help but grow through the powerful words on these pages. It’s a conversation centered on the Holy Spirit. Consider it a discussion occurring between friends, one encouraging spiritual growth without blasting the Holy Spirit all over us like a water hose’s spray to the face.

Suzie includes helpful study questions for each chapter at the back of the book. Use it for:

  • Home, small group, women’s group, or church studies
  • Homeschooling high schoolers
  • Self-study

Take a peek at sample pages on Amazon, journey down to the local book store (mine is called Another Chapter Book Store – isn’t that cute?), and read the back cover. Research this nonfiction read, then consider making one of its copies your own.

Have you read or reviewed The Spirit-Led Heart? Go ahead, jot your thoughts in the comments below. We love chatting about books.

Looking for other books?

Check out this Pinterest Page dedicated to books, books, and more books! (Do you love books as much as I do?!)

 

The publisher supplied a copy of this book to me, free of charge, in exchange for my honest opinion. Sure did.  Sure is. 🙂 

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