My Need for God & His Word

Some of my favorite memories are of my mom sitting at the kitchen table studying the Bible. Using different versions of the Bible, and a variety of other resources, she spent hours studying God’s Word. I’ve carried that image throughout life to encourage my own study, but at some point I let the image go. I stopped studying the Bible carefully and seriously and started to only skim through a few verses each day.

I still loved God, but my focus shifted as I no longer prioritized my time with Him. It came to a point where reading through a few verses became something I marked off my to-do list. As a result, my walk with Christ suffered. I started to walk in my old ways, which meant more fear than faith.

I blog regularly, and shortly before attending The Trails, I started writing a series of word studies. Although I was studying the Bible for my blog posts, I wasn’t studying His Word daily, and I felt it. Though I felt fine, I wasn’t experiencing any spiritual growth.

Then, the pandemic helped me see how fragile my trust in Christ had become. My old companion fear dominated my life as stress and uncertainty filled my days. I was shocked, and honestly embarrassed, at how easily I allowed fear to take over my thoughts. It was during this time I realized I needed to study God’s Word more.

A Church That Loves the Word

A few months after the world opened again, we visited The Trails. With each visit, I was reminded of the importance of diving deep into the Word. I gained a deeper understanding of God’s word as I learned the historical context, meaning, and application of the verses we studied. I also gained a deeper love for the gospel as I was reminded of Christ’s work and God’s plan for us from Genesis to Revelation.

Last Spring, I attended my first Bible Study at The Trails. I loved studying Scripture with my sisters in Christ. As we wrestled through Ecclesiastes, it required us to dig deep. And as we dug, we learned more about what God says. And as we dug, we learned more about life. And as we dug, we learned how to treasure God and pursue Him through His Word, together.

The preaching and teaching at The Trails has helped me rely on the Lord as I fight fear, and by His grace, I’m learning to live in His secure care, rather than my fears. I’ve been reminded that when we draw near to Him through His Word, He is drawing near to us. And as we remain in His Word, we grow in Him. We can stand in faith by standing on His promises. We can fight spiritual battles with His Word, the Sword of the Spirit.

My passion is to help others learn to love God’s Word. His Word brings truth, beauty, and salvation to a world that is dark and in desperate need of redemption. His Word brings peace during uncertain and tumultuous times. His Word does this because it is His Word. Because our God is a beautiful, glorious, and powerful redeemer, we must expect Him to shape us through His Word. The Trails helped me love the Word again by showing me its value and its purpose while treating it rightly with reverence and honor. My prayer is that we may keep doing the same as we lead others to Him.