One of the most important things we must take part in to grow in our relationship with the Lord is spending time in prayer and studying His Word!
Many ladies come to our program who have never developed a habit of daily, personal time with the Lord. God has left us His Word by which we can know Him, learn about Him, live for Him, and be changed by Him. It is so vital for believers to develop the discipline of studying the Word of God and applying it to our lives, and we always want to help the ladies in our program learn how to study the Word.
For ladies in Phase 1 of our program, we have daily “devo” times built into our schedule where the ladies can spend personal time with the Lord. Praying, studying God’s Word, and journaling are all great ways we seeks to teach them how to grow in their personal walk with God. Knowing how to not only read the Word but also how to apply it to their own lives and allow it to change their hearts is a blessing, and Phase 1 is a time we can teach them the basics in a structured way.
In Phase 2 and 3, our ladies are held accountable to spend daily time with the Lord on their own. This is often where the rubber meets the road, and where good habits of personal Bible study are developed. By the time a lady graduates our program, she has spent basically every day for the past 12-18 months in personal Bible study and applying God’s Word to her life.
Psalm 119:9, 11 state, “How can a young man [or woman] keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.” (brackets added) By God’s Word, we can have victory over sin and experience true freedom! May each one of us purpose to build a habit of spending daily time in the Word of God.