BECOMING A WOMAN OF THE WORD

We are three weeks into 2026. The year is still fresh and new. Some people are still figuring out what they want their goals for the year to be, others are trudging along making progress day by day, and others are waning in their commitment to stick with it. Whichever category you fall under, making a commitment to becoming a woman of the Word is never out of reach and it's never too late to start.

Why should we read the Bible?

The Bible is the true and inspired Word of God. Through the Bible, God shares Himself on every single page. We can learn about Him, learn His heart, and get to know Him on a personal level. Through the Bible we can also learn what God wants from us and what His plan is for our lives.

The Bible is our personal letter from God to us. It is also our instruction manual for every possible life situation and season we face.

To continue reading, please join me at Woman to Woman Ministries. Click HERE.

ABIDE MINISTRIES BOOKS

Abide Ministries is a ministry to help you learn to abide in Christ, encounter God, hear the voice of God, and experience life as God has for you. Their mission is to "Invite everyone to experience the grand, spectacular, abundant life that comes by hearing God's voice and aligning with His will."

Richard Case, Abide Ministries founder along side his life Linda, has written books to support their mission. Books on forgiveness, marriage, and more. I've been going through his books and so far, have loved each one.

In The Blessing of Unity: God's Best for Our Marriage, Case says, "Division is primarily caused by us living in the flesh -allowing self-centeredness- and not walking in the Spirit. When we, as believers, are living in the flesh, there are three serious consequences to our lives." Then he goes on to share that those consequences are: we put to death the very Spirit that has been given us by the Father, we place ourselves at the enmity against God, and we cannot please Him. Case teaches on discord, disagreements, praying through unity, and more.

In Life in Forgiveness: Embracing Reconciliation with God and Others, he says, "We maintain our unforgiveness, because the other party has not admitted or confessed their wrongdoing to us, so we wait on them to make things right. Since most people do not respond to conflict and wounds by resolving what they have done to us (and often faith to admit what we have done to them), everyone continues operating in unforgiveness." Case teaches on examining our wounds, defining reconciliation, and much more.

Case's books not only teach, but he also shares his own life experiences and, most important, he always points to Scripture. I've enjoyed his books and look forward to reading the rest of them.

To find out more about Abide Ministries and Richard Case's books, click HERE.

WEEKLY BLESSINGS {1.19.26}

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not rely on your own understanding;

in all your ways know him,

and He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 CSB

We are taught to be independent and strong. We are taught to make it on our own. But the truth is, that just gets us into trouble! We aren't meant to be independent; we are meant to depend on God. In fact, Proverbs tells us to not rely on our own but to trust in God. On our own, we will go down some crooked paths that lead to destruction. Sometimes the path may seem straight, but eventually destruction appears. God's path, even when it seems a little bumpy at times, will always be straight.

What is something you are thanking God for today?

Continuing to count God's sweet blessings...

4045. My youngest who celebrates his 23rd birthday today.

4046. God's protection during a difficult time in uncharted waters.

4047. The prayers and support of dear friends.

4048. The warmth of our home, it is so cold!

4049. A beautiful painting of my grandparents home to hang in my home.

It's your turn! Share something you are praising God for. I would love to rejoice with you.

GOD IS WITH US

But the Lord was with Joseph

extended kindness to him. He granted

him favor with the prison warden.

Genesis 39:21 CSB

If you are following along with our 2026 Bible reading plan, this week we are in Genesis and reading about Joseph. Joseph is one of my favorite characters in the Bible. But when I read his story, I think, mercy, he sure went through a lot.

Joseph begins his life being loved and cherished by his parents, he even received his famous coat of many colors. But the extra attention he gets from his parents doesn't earn him any brownie points with his brothers. In fact, once Joseph begins to have dreams -visions from the Lord- his brothers downright hate him. They torture him and end up selling him. Once sold, he finds himself as a slave.

To continue reading, please join me at Woman to Woman Ministries. Click HERE.

CSB WOMEN'S STUDY BIBLE {GIVEAWAY}

The brand new CSB Women's Study Bible is now available and it is beautiful!

I love a good study Bible and The CSB Women's Study Bible is definitely a good study Bible. This is a full color Bible with content created by women, for women. It features helpful study notes, time lines, maps, and so much more. This Bible helps women in all seasons of life and from all walks of life dig deeper into Scripture and become a woman of the Word.

Features:

•More than 8,000 study notes

•96 profiles of important Christians throughout church history

•More than 180 “Closer Look” callouts to provide background and insight on difficult topics

•Over 70 word studies of key words used throughout the Bible

•34 full-length articles expanding on key truths and important topics for women

•37 “Essential Doctrine” callouts

•145+ photographs

•30+ charts

•25+ maps

•Book introductions with book-specific outlines and timelines

I have been loving the CSB Women's Study Bible. If you are looking for a new Bible or want to gift a Bible, I highly recommend this one. It comes in five different cover options that are all beautiful. For more information, click HERE.

Giveaway:
One reader will win a copy of the CSB Women’s Study Bible. To enter to win, leave your name and email address in the comments. One comment will be chosen at random and emailed from jenifer@jenifermetzger.org on Friday, January 16th. Due to shipping, you must me a U.S. residents to qualify.

Disclosure:
Many thanks to Lifeway Christian Resources for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own.