Not long ago, I read my first Anne Graham Lotz book, and I believe I picked the perfect one to be my first. Jesus in Me: Experiencing the Holy Spirit as a Constant Companion kept me thinking all the way through and opened my eyes to things I hadn’t thought of. The appendices were even better than the main context, and I have each of them bookmarked for future reference.
One of the things I loved was her method of Bible study. In the appendix, Anne gives an example of what she does and the questions she asks herself to prompt a deeper understanding.
Here’s the thing: I didn’t exactly grow up in church. I was raised by non-church-attending Christian parents, and my mother taught me how to study the Word. Mom’s method is very much like Kay Arthur’s Precept approach, and it’s been my method of learning since I was a kid. I’d grab my Bible, the Strong’s Concordance, with its Hebrew and Greek dictionaries in the back, and a trusted Bible encyclopedia, and go off on my merry way to find God’s truths. Basically, I study the same way now that I did when I was thirteen or so. The biggest difference is that the topics are deeper.
It’s an effective way to study, but I found I like Anne’s way too.
When I’m just reading the Bible, I read a chapter or even five chapters at a time, but Anne showed me a another way, a slower way: A paragraph at a time. A segment at a time. Giving time to mull things over and let the Holy Spirit reveal things to me. It’s a Spirit-led study that I’ve never experienced before and it has added an amazing new depth.
Since Anne’s illustration was from the Gospel of John, I decided to start there too. It took me almost a week to finish the first five verses. And I’m amazed at the direction the Spirit took me with these few familiar verses. And the wonderful discoveries didn’t stop afterward. I’m still learning, still making connections I hadn’t seen before. Still being amazed by the Spirit’s active teaching method.
In his Life Principles to Live By CD collection, Charles Stanley taught that the Spirit talks to us. Anne Lotz reiterates this. We can have actual communication with God. I know it to be true. He has spoken to me several times before, but never like this. It’s exciting!
I’m sure many of you are wondering how someone my age could go through my entire life as a Christian and not already know this. But some of you are in the same boat I was in before—studying and learning, but not getting the fullness of the Scripture quite as well as what I’ve learned to do now.
So I invite you to study the Gospel of John with me. Some lessons are short; some are a bit longer. But all are intended to bless. Just click here for Day 1 . . .
Several years into it, and this blog still refuses to be categorized. It's eclectic and includes everything from writing posts to snippets from my ordinary life. 
Linda W. Yezak 
This is neat, Linda. In 2018 I started copying books of the New Testament long hand. I could only do a few verses at a time, yet it surprised me how many books I copies, and how tremendously much I got out of it by doing as you’re saying–focusing on short passages and even just a few words at a time. It almost felt like a holy endeavor, making sure I didn’t make mistakes in my copying. I stopped about a year ago when I developed the RA and couldn’t hold a pen, but I’m hoping to get back to it as my symptoms are becoming more manageable.
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Praying your symptoms are manageable soon! That kind of study produces amazing results!
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Hi Naomi, I knew an old brother in Christ who was a mentor to me. I asked him once how he knew the Bible so well, he stunned when he told me he wrote all down in notebooks longhand! That was a valuable lesson.
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Thank you, Linda! I look forward to reading your devotionals.
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Thank you!
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Beautifully done. I have study three short passages everyday. One from the Old Testament, one of the Psalms, and one from the New Testament with a short meditation and prayer afterward. It is amazing how God communicates to us through these scriptures. One can never have too many devotions, and I am enjoying your Sunday contributions. ❤
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Thank you! ❤
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I can really relate to your journey Linda. I too am a mature christian and am going through a revolution in my Bible study at present. It has me asking myself why it has taken me so long…but by His Grace I am here now. Thank you for your encouragement sister, may God bless you richly.
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“asking myself why it has taken me so long”—I know exactly what you mean!
I hope you’ve read through the lessons from the Gospel of John, under the Walking Softly tab above. I’ve published only five of them so far, but I’m hoping to get back to it soon.
Thanks for responding to my post!
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