Kristi Woods

Encouraging Women to Walk Deeper with God

5 Ways to Grow Your Faith Today

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Looking for ways to grow your faith? If you’re whispering, “Yes,” then you’ve landed in the right place. Read on! Here are 5 ways to help you grow in faith.

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The Importance of Growing in Your Faith

Little by little, day by day, we learn to hear His voice, to trust God, and to soak in His love. But just as a toddler doesn’t enter their bed one night a youngster and rise the next morning an adult, a strong faith doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and intentionality on our part–seed-watering on God’s. According to 1 CO 3:6, it is He who causes the seed to grow. And that’s a good thing. So God, as we venture through this list together, we look to and trust You to become stronger in our faith.


Grow Your Faith Through Salvation


What Does the Bible Say about Good Works and Salvation?

According to Ephesians 2:8-9, good works don’t, well, work when it comes to salvation. No matter how many good acts we offer, it’s only the unmerited favor, that which we know as grace, of Jesus Christ that saves us.

Here are three Bible passages addressing good works or salvation:

  • “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.”
    (Eph. 2:10 WEB)
  • “[T]hat if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes resulting in righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made resulting in salvation.”
    (Rom. 10:9-10 WEB)
  • “[F]or all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
    (Rom. 3:23 WEB)


What Was Jesus’ Role in Salvation?

Without Jesus, there would be no salvation. He stars in that role–thank goodness! Acts 4:12 makes it clear. Salvation is found in no one else.

God sent His only Son because of love. According to John 3:16, all who believe in Jesus will have everlasting life.

Read more of my salvation story here.

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Grow Your Faith Through Prayer


What the Bible Says about Prayer

The Bible tells us to pray, or communicate with God, continually in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. God’s Word also urges prayer in place of entertaining anxious thoughts in Phil. 4:6 and sounds a call for healing in James 5:16.


How Should a Beginner Pray?

Simply talk with God—that’s how a beginner should pray. It’s a conversation with our Father, one that can be silent or spoken, short or long, eloquent or not so much.

The beautiful part about prayer is that our Father hears. According to Matthew 6:8, He knows our needs before we mention them to Him.

And if you’re still uncertain how to pray, use this passage as a guideline.

“…Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” (Matt. 6:9-13 WEB)


Bible Studies


How Do You Do a Bible Study?

A flurry of Bible study methods await us. We can simply read the Bible daily and study the verses we encounter. There are topical studies, the SOAP Method, inductive or word studies, and so many more approaches to understanding the Bible.


Bible Studies for Adults

Here are several Bible Studies I’ve enjoyed over the years or ones that come highly recommended. There’s also a new one on the list–right there at the bottom. 🙂 Created to Believe: A Bible Word Study, a downloadable study, RELEASES September 24, 2019. (Btw, it’s on sale for just $4.99 through Sept. 30. The price goes up to $6.99 come October, so grab your copy soon!)

858387: Experiencing God Workbook: Knowing and Doing the Will of God, Member Book, UpdatedExperiencing God Workbook: Knowing and Doing the Will of God, Member Book, Updated
886556: Uninvited, Study Guide with DVDUninvited, Study Guide with DVD
By Lysa TerKeurst
205876: Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out and LonelyUninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out and Lonely
By Lysa TerKeurst
334124: To Live Is Christ: The Life and Ministry of Paul, Member BookTo Live Is Christ: The Life and Ministry of Paul, Member Book
By Beth Moore
430477: It"s All Under Control: A Journey of Letting Go, Hanging On, and Finding a Peace You Almost Forgot was Possible, SoftcoverIt’s All Under Control: A Journey of Letting Go, Hanging On, and Finding a Peace You Almost Forgot was Possible, Softcover
By Jennifer D. Lee
430519: It"s All Under Control Bible Study: A 6-Week Guided JourneyIt’s All Under Control Bible Study: A 6-Week Guided Journey
By Jennifer D. Lee
424573: Crash the Chatterbox: Hearing God"s Voice Above All OthersCrash the Chatterbox: Hearing God’s Voice Above All Others
By Steven Furtick
426583: Crash the Chatterbox DVDCrash the Chatterbox DVD
By Steven Furtick
542857: Battlefield Of The Mind 2-in-1, Book and Study GuideBattlefield Of The Mind 2-in-1, Book and Study Guide
By Joyce Meyer
365488: The Bait of Satan, 20th Anniversary Edition: Living Free from the Deadly Trap of OffenseThe Bait of Satan, 20th Anniversary Edition: Living Free from the Deadly Trap of Offense
By John Bevere
558109: The Bait of Satan, Interactive Study GuideThe Bait of Satan, Interactive Study Guide
By John Bevere
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Becoming His Princess Bible Study by Wholly Loved Ministries

Created to Believe: A Bible Word Study by Kristi Woods

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Click here to learn more.
Click HERE to purchase.


Reading the Bible Daily


Do I have to Read the Bible Every Day?

The beautiful part about God is that He doesn’t force us into anything–not even reading the Bible every day. In fact, He doesn’t strong-arm us into reading it ever. But why miss the golden opportunity to commune with God and learn from Him through His written Word?


What are the Benefits of Reading the Bible Daily

Ephesians 6:17 calls the Bible a sword. It’s used offensively and defensively–but we must know what’s in the Bible in order to use it effectively. Through Scripture, we’ll know about God, how to handle relationships and disagreements, how important offering forgiveness is, and how to love others. We’ll also find encouragement for life’s rough seas and those times of calm.

As a lamp for our feet and a light for our path (PS 119:105), God’s Word helps us navigate life’s path. And the more we spend time among those beautiful words of His, the more likely we are to walk in His righteous ways. Why not read the Bible daily?


Community with Others


What Does Being Part of a Community Mean?

We weren’t created to live life alone. God offers community for our benefit. Genesis 2:18 introduces us to the first community of people: Adam and Eve. Eve was created as a “helper.” Likewise, being a part of others’ lives helps us just as we help others, too.

In the Old Testament, we find a community with the Israelites. Some of people were judges, priests, artists, kings, and so forth. They lived together and helped one another.

New Testament verses refer to us as part of a body (1 Co. 12:12-27.) Each body part has its specific gifts–for helping take care of others. Also, the five-fold ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers mentioned in Ephesians 4:11-16 lists various members of the spiritual community who were given skills and gifts to help mature God’s people.


What are the Types of Community?

Types of community today within the Christian world include:

  • Church
  • Small Groups
  • Sunday School Classes
  • Discipleship/Mentoring
  • Outreach
  • Missions
  • Family
  • It can also include friends, school, neighborhoods, and so much more.


Grow Closer to God

God helps us grow our faith and grow closer to Him. He causes us to grow–and that’s good. Very good. It all begins with Jesus and salvation.

So go ahead, grab your Bible and read it daily. Dig into Bible studies, and rely on prayer often. And don’t forget to involve yourself in a community of others–or several of them!

If you’d like to be a part of our community here at KristiWoods.net, you’re invited. Simply subscribe by clicking on the graphic below. You’ll receive access to free prayer printables, professions based on Scripture, ministry downloads, and other faith tools. You’ll find tools to help you, ones supporting these 5 Ways to Grow Your Faith Today.

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God Refines Us Through Suffering

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God refines us through suffering…and we often think “big” at the mention. Martyrs. Missionaries. Losing something large for the cause of Christ. But sometimes it’s not in the eye-popping, “wow” things, but rather the littles and every day situations where God refines us in His righteous ways.

You Might Like This

The blog’s still on break until late August (or maybe early September–no concrete decision yet!), but I’m guest posting over at Lyli Dunbar’s place.

(Have you read about Lyli’s super powers yet?)

Here’s a special link to the guest piece at her site. It centers on a stellar opportunity for you and me. On the other end, encouragement waits.

Grab it and run the race well, friend–read the piece then walk away, offering those every day parts for His refining glory.

Enjoy & Be Refined

Enjoy as you read how God refines us through suffering. (Don’t gulp too hard. You might be surprised!)

And during this break, don’t forget to peruse the Free Christian Resources page as well as the Subscriber Library for faith-building printables, fiction and nonfiction book lists, and graphics to keep you encouraged or to share with a college student heading off for the first time

Happy July, and glory to God!

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Stephen’s Powerful Witness

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Guest Post by Misty Phillip

A special welcome to guest writer Misty Phillip as she helps us encounter and be encouraged by Stephen’s powerful witness.

After being filled with the Holy Spirit, Christians were called to be witnesses of the gospel message and spread the good news throughout the world. 
The word “witnesses” in Greek is μάρτυρες, martyrs, which is where we get the word martyr. I don’t know about you, but I don’t associate the word “witness” with the potential for death. However, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, a martyr is “a person who is killed because of religious or other beliefs.”


Enter Stephen, the first ultimate witness for Jesus Christ. We read his story in Acts 6 and 7. He is referred to as a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit and chosen as a man devoted to prayer and the ministry of the word. 
Our modern-day church came into being by a few sold-out believers who were obedient and faithful to God. 


We never know what God will accomplish through us and our obedience to Him.


I love what verse 7 says: “And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.” 


Stephen was preaching to the diaspora Jews. These were Jews who were living outside of Palestine. The scripture tells us Stephen was full of the Spirit and spoke with wisdom. The word of God continued to increase and the disciples multiplied.


Stephen recounts a brief history of the Old Testament to the Sanhedrin in Acts 7:1-53. The Sanhedrin was the religious council of the day, made up of the High Priests and Elders. They were considered to be the supreme religious leaders. Stephen concluded his speech by turning the accusation of his accusers in Acts 7:51-53. 


Stephen continued to share his vision of the exalted Christ and, in doing so, enraged the high priests. 


Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit and, at that moment, saw the glory of God and Christ seated at his right hand. Stephen remained faithful to Jesus Christ until the very end. He cried out to God as he was being stoned. Right before he died, he prayed, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” 
Stephen died praying for the very men who killed him. His final prayers were “Lord Jesus, receive my Spirit,” and “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Stephen was an incredible example of a faithful witness! 


Here are three powerful lessons we can learn from the life and death of Stephen.

  1. Being a witness for Jesus means there is a potential for martyrdom. 
  2. With the power of the Holy Spirit, we can remain faithful throughout our lives. 
  3. We need to pray for those who mean us harm.

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Join me for a further in-depth study on the life of Stephen and many other men and women of both the Old and Testament who exemplified faith in The Struggle is Real: But so is God Bible Study.


Now is the time to know what God says about you and how you can live a victorious life. Discover faith and integrity are the character qualities that are yours as an overcomer. Each in-depth study has thought-provoking questions to journal, so you will be able to see your personal growth.
The Struggle Is Real, But So Is God is a 6-week journey through the Bible that will:

  • Equip you with empowering wisdom.
  • Help you grow spiritually by claiming God’s promises as your own.
  • Teach you how to declare scripture over yourself to strengthen your inner being.
  • Show you how to conquer challenges by activating God’s Word in your life. 


Author Misty Phillip has lived through many difficult seasons of life where all she could do was look to God and His Word for hope. She found biblical solutions and scriptural promises that helped her overcome, and she can’t wait to share with you what she has learned.

For another faith-building read, try this: Is God Prompting You to Step out in Faith Right Now?

The Latest

So what DOES the Bible say about women? It’s a conversation many of us mull around or discuss with friends. Or, perhaps we simply question in silence. Here’s a piece I wrote for Crosswalk. What are your thoughts?

About Misty

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Misty Phillip is passionate about helping women overcome challenges in life by seeking Jesus, studying the Word and growing in grace. She is the author of The Struggle is Real: But so is God Bible Study, founder and host of the By His Grace Podcast, sought after speaker and blogger at MistyPhillip.com and co-author of Dear Wife and contributor to A Wife Like Me.