The 12th Annual Making Your Home a Haven Bible study is about to begin!!! The Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth Bible Study begins on Monday, November 1st!

All the resources are free for this study
but there is an optional Study Guide
available on Amazon titled:
Slowing Down for Spiritual Growth

This journal is available exclusively on Amazon.

If you’d like to purchase a printable-digital copy
(so you have it right away) at half the price
click the Buy Now button below.

• Each week, I will provide for you a practical challenge of something I do in my home that makes it more of a haven.  I hope you will take the challenges.  They do make a difference!
• Each weekday, we will pause, give thanks, pray and meditate on God’s Word through SOAKing in the daily scripture reading for the day.
• Also, you will find 4 videos, one per week (every Monday), that correspond with the scriptures we are studying.

The Study Guide is optional, as I will provide for you the daily Bible Reading Plan and many free resources each Monday here on the blog. BUT I highly recommend the Study Guide.  It provides space for your daily gratitude list and daily prayer requests, plus a place to keep all of your Bible study reflections/SOAKs and video notes.

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Here’s the Topic Schedule:

Week 1: Slowing Down with Silence and Solitude

Our theme verses for the week will be Psalm 23.

Silence and solitude open the door to communion with God. If we want to grow spiritually we have to love a life of prayer and reading God’s Word. We have to go in deeper with God and commune with him.

Challenge for the Week: Start a daily gratitude list AND go buy an extra-large candle and light a candle everyday in your home.  Each time the glimmer of the candle catches your eye, stop, pray and give thanks.

For God alone my soul waits in silence.
Psalm 62:1

Week 2: Slowing Down to Study God’s Word

Our theme verses for the week will be Psalm 1

There is no short cut for spiritual growth. Connecting with God on a deeper level requires time. We must slow down, be still, listen, pray and commune with the God of the universe.  He is near. 

Challenge for the Week: Keep your candle going and add to it soft music everyday in your home.  Choose worship, classical or another form of peaceful music that helps you focus on the Lord.

His delight is in the law of the Lord
and on his law he meditates day and night.
Psalm 1:2

Week 3: Slowing Down for Supplication and Prayer

Our theme verses for the week will be Psalm 40.

God is already right there with you – you only need to acknowledge his presence. When we slow down to pray, we grow spiritually and as we grow, our intimacy with God goes deeper. 

Challenge for the Week: Keep your candle burning, the music playing and purchase a small bouquet of flowers for yourself.  Let that bouquet be a daily reminder of God’s love  and presence with you.

I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
Psalm 40:1

Week 4: Slowing Down to Celebrate

Our theme verses for the week will be Psalm 95.

It is good for our souls to slow down and celebrate the little things. Perhaps celebrating a day’s hard work looks like hot cocoa and marshmallows and a good book or maybe it’s a bubble bath with soft music going, or maybe it’s throwing a bonfire and inviting your friends and family to make s’mores.

Challenge for the Week: Rest is a need not a want.  Rest is not optional and it is a blessing from the Lord.  So, seek out a place of solitude to rest and pray. Get alone with God outside or in your home.  Be still with God and take a much needed bubble bath, nap or still time with the Lord.

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Psalm 95:1

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Printable Bible Bookmark

Printable Bible Coloring Bookmark

Signature GMG SOAK Bible Study Method

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Blog and Social Media Schedule

Blog 

Mondays –  All of the Free Resources for the week including the printable Verses of the Day, Weekly Challenges AND the video for the week will be posted here. (I will not be posting on Fridays.)

Instagram 

On Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, the verses of the day along with encouragement for your study will be posted on the Women Living Well Instagram.

Share pictures of your candles, flowers, playlists and favorite places to rest on Instagram by using the hashtags: #MakingYourHomeAHaven and #WomenLivingWell.

Facebook 

On Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, I’ll be posting the assigned reading of the day at 7:00amEST and an open discussion takes place there. Check it out! It’s wonderful! Go to Good Morning Girls Facebook Page here.

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GMG LEADERS:

If you are leading a Facebook Group – right click and “copy – save as” this image below to use as your Facebook Header.

LEADERS:  I will be posting the resources for the week every Sunday evening here on the blog – so you can grab all the images and discussion questions you need for the week.

The Good Morning Girls Leaders Manual is available as a digital download for free –> HERE.

Or you can find it out on Amazon in Paperback –> Here.

To access the FREE Leader’s Training Video Series go —–> HERE.

***If you are leading a group and you have room for ladies to join you. Please leave a comment below with your Facebook link or your email address. ***

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GMG INTERNATIONAL

We are once again, being joined by our sister’s in Christ from around the world!!!  To see the pictures, read the biographies and find the links to each one of these special ladies – visit our International page!

Here are some of the Countries joining us!

GMG Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia – Rosilind, Vojka and Mary

Dobro Jutro Djevojke

www.facebook.com/dobrojutrodjevojke

Serbian Facebook Group

English Speaking Facebook Group – GMG In the Word

GMG Kenya – Stellar

SisterWithVision.com

instagram/Good Morning Girls Kenya

GMG Mexico – Mayra

Facebook.com/GoodMorningGirlsMexico

GMG Novi, Sad and Serbia – Mary

https://www.facebook.com/groups/232484867086468/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/goodmorninggirlsintheword – English

GMG Slovenian – Vesna

https://dobrojutrodekleta.weebly.com/

https://www.facebook.com/dobrojutrodekleta.si/

GMG UK – Daisy 

facebook.com/gmgunitedkingdom

walkingwithmysaviourchrist.wordpress.com

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Our souls desperately need a deeper connection with God.

We need to slow down for spiritual growth.

So many times we try to mask our struggles, pain, confusion or emptiness by keeping busy and distracted, eating food, going on vacations, seeking success or elevating certain relationships. While many of these things are blessings from God, they are not good substitutes FOR God.

This Bible Study is going to help you slow down.

It is going to force you to pause every day and enter into the presence of our Almighty God.

God’s pace is much slower than this world’s pace.

We must slow down to catch up with God.

We must create calm moments in our day because it’s in the unhurried moments, that we can clearly see and hear the voice of God.

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Let’s take care of our souls by intentionally creating a physical environment, as well as a spiritual environment, in our homes that brings us closer to God.  As a result, we will experience peace and a sense of calmness inside our souls, no matter what we are facing.

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I encourage you to give yourself permission to not have your to-do list all checked off in order for you to slow down and catch up with God.

David writes in Psalm 42:1, 2:

“As the deer pants for streams of water,so my soul pants for you, my God.² My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.When can I go and meet with God?”

I pray that your time spent in God’s Word will bless your soul and quench your thirst and that you will live well, as you drink from the living well, the living words of God.  (John 4:13-14) .

Are you in?  

If you are – it’s time to prepare for the first challenge by going out and purchasing a large candle.  Share in the comments what your favorite scent is!

There are no sign-ups or enrollments.  Don’t forget to invite your friends!  I’ll see you back here on November 1st as we begin!

I can’t wait to take this journey with you!

Walk with the King,

Courtney

{Special Note to GMG Leaders: If you have room in your group – please leave a link to your group in the comment section – thank you!!!}

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This study begins on Monday, November1st!

The paperback journal is available
exclusively on Amazon.

If you’d like to purchase a printable-digital copy
(so you have it right away) at half the price
click the Buy Now button below.

This post contains an affiliate link.