I hope you are as excited for fall as I am. We have an incredible line up for the book club: The Cost of Discipleship, The Gospel Comes With a House Key, and On the Incarnation. It’s the perfect time to grab some friends and start an in-person group!

Before I get into the September Curriculum, here are some things I’ve been reflecting on since reading and finishing Typology:

Back when I was doubting my faith, I wondered whether or not the literary connections in scripture disproved its reliability (aka whether literary intentionality equated to manipulation of the facts to present a cohesive narrative). Typology reminded me that the Bible is not meant to be read as a work of modern history, but a theological and cultural testament of God’s work in the world. It was written literarily so that we can identify His inner workings through the whole of history. The writers weren’t trying to tell an entire history (of which even John mentions would be impossible) but history as God would have it told. For people like me, who want the whole story, that means letting go of understanding everything in order to understand the beauty of what has been curated for God’s people.

The latter half of Typology resonated with me the most. The chapter on Exodus held special significance—the idea that Christ followers should hold an ‘identity’ as exiles is something I’ve heard many times before, but studying that idea typologically framed it in a new light for me. To be an exile is to be marked as different, as ‘not belonging’ to what surrounds you. Hamilton’s deep dive into the connection between Passover/exile with the Lord’s Supper also deepened my understanding of the communion table—when we partake, we are participating in our new identity as the bride of Christ.

The September Curriculum

Click here to register for our discussion on Zoom on September 26th.

I hope it doesn’t sound old, but yet again, this mont’s curriculum centers and revolves around what it means to follow the one who suffered to the point of death on a cross. Everything comes back to Him and what He did. The way we read, the way we watch, the way we see and interact and live. It all hinges on that ragged tree.

We’ll begin with the first half of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s The Cost of Discipleship where he distinguishes between cheap vs. costly grace. From there, we’ll turn to 1 Peter, a letter written to encourage the churches in Asia-minor to remain faithful while feeling like exiles in the world. We will also contemplate Edward Shillito’s haunting poem “Jesus of the Scars,” and Isaac Watts’s “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”. And, finally, we’ll listen to Bach’s St. Matthew Passion that was written to help us experience Christ’s suffering on the cross.

September Book: The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Chapters 1-13)

Writing against what he calls “cheap grace”—grace reduced to forgiveness without repentance, discipleship, or obedience—Dietrich Bonhoeffer argues that grace is costly because it calls us to follow Jesus with our entire person. Drawing from the Sermon on the Mount, he asks us to consider whether or not we take Him at His words or interpret those words through a modern, more casual lens. Part I introduces Bonhoeffer’s famous distinction between cheap grace and costly grace, and invites us to consider whether we have separated believing in Christ from actually following him.

Bonhoeffer can be controversial. Some of you will love this book, and some of you will raise an eyebrow. I hope, regardless, that even if you disagree with Bonhoeffer’s claims, he will help you reflect on whether or not you are willing to lay down your life for the one who gave His life for yours.

We will be taking two months to work through this classic. We read chapters 1-16 in September and 17-32 in October. It is worth slowing down and digesting it intentionally!

• Click here to purchase The Cost of Discipleship (if you don’t have a local bookstore that carries it).

• Click here to watch a documentary about Bonhoeffer’s life and his resistance of the Nazi regime.

Here are three articles from the Gospel Coalition about Bonhoeffer’s work:

• Bonhoeffer as Bible Scholar

• Strange Glory: A Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer

• Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Witness to Jesus Christ

September Scripture: 1 Peter

1 Peter is about exile, holiness, suffering, witness, and hope. There is a palpable longing for Jesus in this letter, and it remains the epistle I open to most regularly for personal comfort. 1 Peter also holds a more ‘controversial’ chapter on female submission, which I will post about on Instagram this month. I think Peter’s intention is often misunderstood because many people read the passage out of context.

Click here for Baker’s commentary on 1 Peter.

Click here to watch the Bible Project overview of 1 Peter.

Click here to listen to Streetlight’s recording of 1 Peter.

September Poem: “Jesus of the Scars” by Edward Shillito

Written in the shadow of the First World War, Edward Shillito’s “Jesus of the Scars” does not shy away from suffering or offer a shallow explanation for it. Instead he points us towards the wounded Christ. The beauty of the poem lies in its refusal to imagine Christ as untouched by human suffering. The God we meet in Jesus is the crucified and risen Lord who bears the scars of ultimate betrayal.

I highly recommend taking yourself out on a solo date to reflect upon the poem and the lyrics of our hymn (maybe even listen to St. Matthew’s Passion while you’re at it). We spend so much of our life online, to unplug and enjoy words without a screen is becoming a form a soul-care.

“Jesus of the Scars” by Edward Shillito

If we have never sought, we seek Thee now;
Thine eyes burn through the dark, our only stars;
We must have sight of thorn-pricks on Thy brow,
We must have Thee, O Jesus of the Scars.

The heavens frighten us; they are too calm;
In all the universe we have no place.
Our wounds are hurting us; where is the balm?
Lord Jesus, by Thy Scars, we claim Thy grace.

If, when the doors are shut, Thou drawest near,
Only reveal those hands, that side of Thine;
We know to-day what wounds are, have no fear,
Show us Thy Scars, we know the countersign.

The other gods were strong; but Thou wast weak;
They rode, but Thou didst stumble to a throne;
But to our wounds only God’s wounds can speak,
And not a god has wounds, but Thou alone.

September Hymn: “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”

Written by Isaac Watts in 1707, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” is one of the great hymns of the Christian tradition. Watts takes the familiar image of the cross and turns it into an invitation to contemplate the cross. The answer is a radical reordering of our desires (a recurring theme this year!). In the presence of Christ’s sacrifice, worldly status and possessions begin to lose their grip, and the worshiper responds with surrender: “Love so amazing, so divine, / Demands my soul, my life, my all.”

Click here to read an analysis of the hymn.

Click here to listen to an analysis of this hymn.

Click here to watch a traditional performance of this hymn.

Click here to listen to the song on the book club Spotify playlist.

September Classical Music: J. S. Bach, St. Matthew Passion (Chorales)

If you want to hear the theology of the cross expressed through music, listen to Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. Written for Good Friday worship in Leipzig in 1727, the work tells the story of Christ’s suffering and death through Scripture, narration, arias, choruses, and congregational chorales. The chorales are especially moving because they bring the voice of the worshiper into the Passion story. These were familiar Lutheran hymns, woven into Bach’s music so that the congregation would recognize and respond to them.

Highly recommend listening to it while you read 1 Peter!

Click here to watch a traditional performance of this chorale.

Click here to listen on the book club Spotify playlist.

Click here to watch someone briefly break down the chorale to better understand it.

Book Club Updates:

I took some time off of social media in July to travel, write, and soak up the last few days of freedom with my daughters before they return to school. I am excited to get back in the swing of things!

I am slowly compiling potential books, poems, pieces of music, art, and hymns for next year’s book club. If you have any suggestions, please submit a comment on this post or message me on Instagram!

While I have enjoyed Fable and our zoom discussions, I would like to move the book club to ONE platform next year.

Substack seems promising, as it provides a chat feature!

If you have suggestions, send those my way too!

Book Club Links:

1. Fable and Discord - Due to the amount of people who want to be a part of the book club, all new book club members are being directed to Fable or Discord. These apps allow for unlimited members to participate and permit the groups to chat about specific chapters / topics. I am very thankful for the book club members who took the initiative to create these chats and help me moderate!

• Click here to join the Book Club on Fable

• Click here to join the Book Club on Discord

2. Curriculum Update - I swapped a couple of the poems in the curriculum because some were hard to find online or weren’t public domain. I will be editing the ebook and uploading the newest version soon!

• Click here for the updated full curriculum:

3. Curriculum Canva PDF: Dena, a creative (and very generous) book club member, made a printable PDF of the poems and hymns for us!

• Click here to download the Canva PDF

4. Amazon Book List: I created a list of all of the books we will be reading this year to make them easy to find. I do get a small (very small) commission if you use my link! However, if you have the time, finances, and accessibility, I would prefer that you shop for these books at your local store.

• Click here for the Amazon book list

5. Local Gatherings: Many of you are trying to connect with people in your area. I have created an editable document so that you can add your name, general location, and email so that you can make connections with each other. I listed the most ‘popular’ countries in the group, but you can add your country / location if it is not listed.

• Click here to access the local connection form

Until October,

Bethany

I read the Bible because I want to know God. I want to see Him, experience Him, and enjoy Him like Eve did in the garden, unencumbered by sin.

Throughout the entirety of scripture, God is using people, words, history, and vocations to point us to Himself and the way back to Eden. Hamilton’s Typology has reawakened this sense of awe and wonder at the miracle of having access to God, who (lucky me), wants to be known.

Typology feels a bit like riding a roller coaster through a cave filled with treasure—it’s jam-packed and glittering with pertinent information. I’ll have to revisit it a few times to digest, process, and store it in my memory. After reading Part I, I want nothing more than to clear my Saturday schedule to read through the entire Bible, front to back, now that I’ve become aware of so many parallels, connections, and cross references. I am so glad we read Genesis in conjunction with Part 1—I copied so many quotes from Typology directly into my journaling Bible! Now I want to do the same with the rest of the text.

CLICK HERE to read my review of Part I of Typology.

I am really glad this is broken up into two months. I definitely need time to process it as I read, and I’m looking forward to Parts II and III.

And so, without further adieu, I present….the August Curriculum:

Typology—Parts II and III

Now that we have covered Persons, Prophets, Kings, and The Righteous Sufferer in Part I of Typology, we will now be diving into the typological patterns of creation, exodus, the Leviticult, marriage, and chiasms. I will have my Bible with me the entire time—I’m excited to see how many new connections are forged between books, narratives, and passages.

Click here to purchase Typology on Amazon.

CLICK HERE to listen to James Hamilton talk about Typology.

August Scripture: Numbers

Alright, I know you may be thinking that of all the riveting and life-giving portions of scripture, why Numbers?

And I get it, I really do. But (hopefully), after reading Typology, you are now seeing how insanely intricate Numbers is, how important it is, how typologically rich it is.

It is also full of tension. The Israelites are wandering in the wilderness with the tabernacle, hoping they will find their way to the promised land. As they journey, as they wait, God has to sustain them, deal with them, discipline them, encourage them.

Much like our journey, right now.

Like the Israelites….we, too, are in the now-and-not-yet of God’s cosmic kingdom, both basking in salvation and deliverance from bondage while waiting for Christ to return and bring us into a land of milk and honey.

Like the Israelites…we, too, must be sustained, dealt with, disciplined, and encouraged by His Spirit within us as we journey toward a place we’ve been promised but have not yet seen with our own eyes.

So, as we dive into more typological patterns and promises in scripture, we can both mine them in Numbers and reap the spiritual benefit of walking through the desert with God’s people.

CLICK HERE to watch an overview of the book of Numbers on You Tube.

CLICK HERE to check out a commentary on the book of Numbers that is accessible and not overly academic (but still very helpful, contextually and linguistically).

August Poem: “The Garden” by Andrew Marvell

There is something stripped from us when we ‘return’ to nature. Our need to compete, to play dress up, to build bigger and better and more impressive lives.

From a certain vantage point, the Israelites were brought ‘into nature’ when they wandered in the wilderness for forty years, and it was there, among the rocks and mountains, that Moses met with God face-to-face.

Marvell’s ‘The Garden” explores a return to the peaceful and perfect state of nature in Eden. Like the Israelites who are longing for the promised land, Marvell wants to break free from the bondage of vanity, social status, power, and wealth, and exchange those vices for the peaceful transcendence of the garden, where all things live in harmony, where there is no corruption or disease or slavery or sin. For Marvell, after witnessing the lucid behavior of the royal court, he wants nothing more than to do away with it, and for all of us to return to nature, as we are.

This isn’t the first time one of our poets have reflected on a longing to return to nature. We saw this in Wendell Berry’s “The Peace of Wild Things” and last month’s Paradise Lost. In both, there is an association with nature and internal peace and prosperity.

CLICK HERE to read "The Garden"

CLICK HERE to watch Malcom Guite analyze “The Garden”

August Music: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis

Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis was composed in 1910 and is based on Tallis’s sixteenth-century tune from Matthew Parker’s 1567 metrical psalter. A “fantasia” is music composed without a rigid structure, allowing the composer the freedom to ‘do what they want’. The Tallis melody is inspired by Psalm 2 (click here to read), and passes between different groups of strings, creating an almost architectural experience. The sound makes you feel like you are entering sacred space, maybe even a garden. It’s the perfect accompaniment to “The Garden”, and I highly recommend listening to it while you read /annotate the poem.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN ON THE BOOK CLUB PLAYLIST

CLICK HERE to watch a stunning performance of this piece on YouTube

August Hymn: “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah”

“Guide me, O thou great Jehovah,

Pilgrim through this barren land…”

William Williams’s hymn was originally written in Welsh and later translated into English in 1771. It draws heavily on Israel’s exodus and wilderness imagery and depicts a barren journey where the singer must rely completely on the Lord for sustenance, which makes the wilderness not merely an obstacle between the believer and God but the place where the believer discovers dependence.

As we finish Typology and spend time in the wilderness with the Israelites in Numbers, this hymn will direct our steps and set our hearts on the only one who can carry us through a desert, to a new Eden on the other side.

CLICK HERE to listen to this hymn on the book club hymn playlist.

CLICK HERE to watch this hymn performed at Westminster Abbey.

To read an expository article about this hymn, click here.

Book Club Updates:

I took some time off of social media in July to travel, write, and soak up the last few days of freedom with my daughters before they return to school. I am excited to get back in the swing of things!

I am slowly compiling potential books, poems, pieces of music, art, and hymns for next year’s book club. If you have any suggestions, please submit a comment on this post or message me on Instagram!

While I have enjoyed Fable and our zoom discussions, I would like to move the book club to ONE platform next year.

Substack seems promising, as it provides a chat feature!

If you have suggestions, send those my way too!

Book Club Links:

1. Fable and Discord - Due to the amount of people who want to be a part of the book club, all new book club members are being directed to Fable or Discord. These apps allow for unlimited members to participate and permit the groups to chat about specific chapters / topics. I am very thankful for the book club members who took the initiative to create these chats and help me moderate!

• Click here to join the Book Club on Fable

• Click here to join the Book Club on Discord

2. Curriculum Update - I swapped a couple of the poems in the curriculum because some were hard to find online or weren’t public domain. I will be editing the ebook and uploading the newest version soon!

• Click here for the updated full curriculum:

3. Curriculum Canva PDF: Dena, a creative (and very generous) book club member, made a printable PDF of the poems and hymns for us!

• Click here to download the Canva PDF

4. Amazon Book List: I created a list of all of the books we will be reading this year to make them easy to find. I do get a small (very small) commission if you use my link! However, if you have the time, finances, and accessibility, I would prefer that you shop for these books at your local store.

• Click here for the Amazon book list

5. Local Gatherings: Many of you are trying to connect with people in your area. I have created an editable document so that you can add your name, general location, and email so that you can make connections with each other. I listed the most ‘popular’ countries in the group, but you can add your country / location if it is not listed.

• Click here to access the local connection form

Last year brought me to the end of myself.

After four months of disappointing news,

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and a pet dying unexpectedly,

we were ‘homeless’ for ten days because we couldn’t close on our house due to the discovery of toxic mold,

and were sleeping in the guest room of a generous stranger,

when my six year old woke up at five a.m. with the stomach flu,

and didn’t make it to the bathroom on time.

After cleaning the mess from the generous stranger’s luxury bedding, I took her to the bathroom where we hibernated for the rest of that harrowing day. In the darkness, I felt like I was on the edge of a cliff, staring into an abyss. Why was God allowing life (or the enemy?) to pummel us from every side, after all we had given up, after how hard we had worked, after how faithful we had tried to be?

On paper, it made no sense.

What is man, that thou art mindful of him? The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away, may the name of the Lord be praised.

Sitting on that marble tile listening to my daughter heave over and over again, I remembered that no matter how terrible our situation became, no matter how much money or labor was lost, it was small in comparison to the grand scheme, the meta-narrative, the capital P ‘Point’ of life. I closed my eyes as I rubbed my daughter’s trembling back, a wall of strength rising within me.

It is better to live in a wasteland with Christ than to live in luxury while hardened, dry, vapid, and wandering.

I had written those words a couple of years earlier, for someone else. But they came to me in that moment, reminding me of what I really needed to survive.

The point of this book club isn’t to make us smarter, or more ‘educated’, or ‘better Christians’, but to increase our devotion to God’s nature and his presence so that we will be ready to love when it is hard to love, and faithful when life does not make sense. Last year brought me to the end of myself, but the hours and the years of being with God, of studying, of searching for truth, built a foundation that did not crumble under the weight of rejection or disappointment or the anxiety of impending loss.

Thinking deeply (Rom. 12:2, 2 Cor. 10:5, Phil. 4:8 etc) and being with God (James 4:8, 1 Chron. 16:11, Matt. 6:6 etc) added layers, cushion, and buoyant resilience to my feeble heart. In the midst of great stress and great pain, he sustained me, grounded me, and grew me into a stronger, more resilient disciple.

And I want that for you. I want you to dig a vast well of resilient faith that can be drawn upon in your moment of need, so that rather than floundering in despair, you can remember who you are, to whom you belong, and why this fight is worth fighting.

So we move into the latter half of 2026 with our face set on the beauty of the cross, the tapestry of creation, and the hope of what is yet to come, because we can stand firm on the truth that nothing, not the loss of a house or the pain of sickness or the tragedy of death can put us to shame.

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me! Job 19:25-27

The July Curriculum - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR OUR ZOOM DISCUSSION

*Book club updates can be found at the end of the newsletter.*

The July curriculum is for those of us who want to understand the way Scripture functions allegorically, symbolically, and prophetically within the Old and New Testaments.

Typology is one of the most important (and sometimes misunderstood) ways Christians have historically read the Bible. It is a conviction that God intentionally designed earlier events, people, institutions, and patterns in Scripture to foreshadow and prepare for later realities that would culminate in Christ. We will be exploring this by reading James M. Hamilton Jr.’s Typology, the book of Genesis, and John Milton’s Paradise Lost, along with listening to Joseph Hayden’s “The Creation” and St. Francis of Assis’ “All Creatures of Our God and King”.

July Book: Typology–Understanding the Bible’s Promise-Shaped Patterns

The word type comes from the Greek word typos, meaning “pattern,” “model,” or “impression.” A type is a historical person, event, or object that points to a greater future fulfillment (called the antitype).

The type is historical and the connection of the type to the antitype is established by God’s providence. When we read the Bible, we see these patterns appear quite often, and when you can identify them it will reveal deeper layers and connections throughout the meta-narrative of scripture.

Hamilton’s Typology “equips pastors, bible teachers, students, and serious Bible readers to understand and embrace the typological interpretive perspective of the biblical authors. You will learn to read the Bible as it was intended by its original authors while cultivating a deeper love and appreciation for the Scriptures.”

While I briefly studied typology in a seminary class, I haven’t read an entire book on it or studied it in-depth. Thus, I am very excited to ‘flesh out’ my understanding of the connection between the Old and New Testaments.

We will not be reading Typology in its entirety, rather, we will take July and August to move through it.

It’s long, dense, and deserves to be digested at a normal pace.

We will discuss Part One (pages 1-220) on August 1st at 9am PST. If you read 8 pages every day, you will finish it early! Click here to register for the zoom discussion.

July Scripture: Genesis

Genesis may be the book that changes the most when we read it typologically. Instead of seeing it merely as a book of origins (how the world began, where sin came from, why there are different nations), reading it typologically opens your eyes to see it as the seedbed of the entire biblical story. Almost every major biblical theme appears in embryonic form in Genesis and is later developed throughout the rest of Scripture. Via typology, Genesis is no longer only about the fall of humanity but becomes the beginning of God’s plan to restore humanity through a new Adam (Christ).

If you are looking for a study on Genesis, I recommend this one from The Daily Grace Co (use my code SIMPLYBIBLE for a discount), this one by Jen Wilkin on Genesis 1-11, and this one on Genesis 12-50.

July Poem: John Milton’s Paradise Lost, Book XI (11)

If Milton’s Paradise Lost is not on your bucket list of books to read before you die, it’s time to add it.

Paradise Lost is one of the most rewarding pieces of literature you could read. While it isn’t a biblical commentary on Genesis, it is a literary meditation on how Christians have understood Genesis in light of the entirety of scripture. Milton is essentially asking the same question we will ask when we read typologically: How should we read Genesis after Christ?

By the end of Book X, Adam and Eve have eaten the fruit and fallen from grace. Book XI opens with their repentance. God hears their prayers, but still expels them from Eden. Before they do, the archangel Michael takes Adam to a high mountain and shows him a vision of what is to come, making Book XI a bridge between creation and the fall and our future redemption in Christ.

Milton also writes typologically. Characters foreshadow later realities and events echo earlier events. The structure of his poetry even imitates biblical patterns via repeated motifs (look for mountains, gardens, rivers, clothing, sacrifice, wandering, seed, light, pilgrimage (and more!).

Click here to watch a (very helpful) lecture on Paradise Lost

Click here to watch the amazing Dr. Scott Mason discuss Book 11

July Music: Joseph Hayden’s “The Creation”

“The Creation” musically celebrates creation while placing it within the larger Christian story of redemption. Haydn composed The Creation (1796–1798) after hearing the great Handel oratorios during his visits to England. The libretto, prepared by Gottfried van Swieten, draws from three primary sources: Genesis 1–2, the Psalms, and Milton’s Paradise Lost. So Milton had already interpreted Genesis through the lens of the biblical meta-narrative, and Haydn interprets Genesis partly through Milton.

Deep reading is not merely extracting information from a text, it’s learning to inhabit a world. Haydn teaches us how to inhabit the story of creation with reverence and adoration.

If you want to watch a live performance of Hayden’s The Creation, click here.

If you want to watch an analysis of The Creation, click here.

July Hymn: All Creatures of our God and King

“All Creatures of Our God and King” is one of the most remarkable hymns in the Christian tradition because it is the product of three different centuries and three different people: the original 1225 poem by Francis of Assisi, the 1623 German Easter tune Lasst uns erfreuen, and the English paraphrase by William Henry Draper in 1919. Therefore, the hymn we sing today is a collaboration across almost seven hundred years of worship.

Francis composed what he called the “Canticle of the Sun” at the end of his life while suffering from chronic pain and near-blindness. Rather than lamenting his condition, he drew on Psalm 148 and 145 to invite the entire created world to praise God as a family. Through this poem he invites all of creation to worship God as creator.

When William Henry Draper adapted Francis’s poem into the hymn we know today, he created a poetic paraphrase suitable for congregational singing, writing it for a children’s Whitsun (Pentecost) festival at his parish. It was eventually published in the Public School Hymn Book in 1919 and is still sung frequently in churches to this day!

Engaging Your Whole Person

This curriculum is designed to connect your whole imagination to the narrative of Genesis. Through the study of typology, to the reading of the text itself, to Milton’s poetic / fictional rendering, Hayden’s “The Creation”, and Draper’s “All Creatures of Our God and King”, we will spend an entire month immersed in first things, that shadow the last things to come.

Book Club Updates:

I am beginning to make lists for next year’s book club curriculum.

If you have any suggestions, please DM me on instagram!

While I have enjoyed Fable and our zoom discussions, I would like to move the book club to ONE platform next year.

Substack seems promising, as it provides a chat feature!

If you have suggestions, send those my way too!

Book Club Links:

1. Fable and Discord - Due to the amount of people who want to be a part of the book club, all new book club members are being directed to Fable or Discord. These apps allow for unlimited members to participate and permit the groups to chat about specific chapters / topics. I am very thankful for the book club members who took the initiative to create these chats and help me moderate!

• Click here to join the Book Club on Fable

• Click here to join the Book Club on Discord

2. Curriculum Update - I swapped a couple of the poems in the curriculum because some were hard to find online or weren’t public domain. I will be editing the ebook and uploading the newest version soon!

• Click here for the updated full curriculum:

3. Curriculum Canva PDF: Dena, a creative (and very generous) book club member, made a printable PDF of the poems and hymns for us!

• Click here to download the Canva PDF

4. Amazon Book List: I created a list of all of the books we will be reading this year to make them easy to find. I do get a small (very small) commission if you use my link! However, if you have the time, finances, and accessibility, I would prefer that you shop for these books at your local store.

• Click here for the Amazon book list

5. Local Gatherings: Many of you are trying to connect with people in your area. I have created an editable document so that you can add your name, general location, and email so that you can make connections with each other. I listed the most ‘popular’ countries in the group, but you can add your country / location if it is not listed.

• Click here to access the local connection form

Thanks for reading The Simply Bible Book Club! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

School is out, the sun is hot, and I’ve been sleeping in until eight o’ clock.

Summer is here.

For teachers, it feels like freedom. Each day feels ripe with possibility.

I have a stack of challenging books to read in June (more on that later), but I look forward to reading them pool-side, cucumber water in-hand.

The May curriculum wasn’t nearly as brutal as I expected it to be. I haven’t picked up Confessions since college (we won’t mention how long ago that was), and I remember the text feeling so hard to follow. I was overjoyed to discover that my comprehension has infinitely improved since then, as it felt rather like reading someone’s personal journal than dense philosophy. Augustine is so human. He reminded me that the way we relate to God is unchanging—regardless of time or space, our souls open and close in mimetic ways.

Augustine forced me to consider my own confession, my own story of coming to believe intellectually and surrender spiritually to the truth. As someone who did not convert, but grew up in the faith, it struck me how ‘old’ loves still pose a diametrical threat to my relationship with God. Especially Christian things, like ministry and parenting and writing and teaching. How easily they creep into first place.

Augustine explains it well:

The new will, which was beginning to be within me a will to serve you freely and to enjoy you, God, the only sure source of pleasure, was not yet strong enough to conquer my older will, which had the strength of old habit. So my two wills, one old, the other new, one carnal, the other spiritual, were in conflict with one another, and their discord robbed my soul of all concentration. Confessions, Book 8, section 10

May our concentration be robbed until we find true peace in Christ, and Christ alone.

The June Curriculum

“The task of the Christian is not to whine about the moment in which he or she lives but to understand its problems and respond appropriately to them.” Carl R. Trueman, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self

Modernism has the individual in a choke hold. Everything revolves around me—my life, my feelings, my thoughts, my past, my destiny. My culture is telling me to believe this, and live as if it were true.

But it’s not true.

This month, we will consider how our culture influences the way we read the Bible. We will be asking questions like, what is culture? How does it influence me? How do I remove culture from my worldview? Is that even possible?

Click here to register for the June discussion (free) on 6/27

June Book:

Misreading Scripture With Western Eyes by E. Randolph Richards and Brandon J O’Brien (click to buy on Amazon)

Misreading Scripture With Western Eyes will help us see how easily we reduce Christianity to our Western biases by exposing how language and cultural context influence the way we read scripture. Richards and O’Brian expose nine key ways our Western ‘glasses’ can lead to misinterpreting and misapplying scripture. For those of us who want to dig into the fabric of the text and uncover its intended truth claims, this book will act as aid and guide, so we can better understand the biblical authors and establish a communal, global, and kingdom perspective of the gospel.

June Scripture: Galatians (click for the scripture journal)

In Galatians, Paul is confronting not just heresy, but the social imagination of early Jewish converts. The controversy over circumcision is not just a theological dispute, it’s about ethnicity, status, power, and belonging. Paul’s famous declaration, “There is no Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male nor female, for you are all one in Christ” is not hopeful idealism. It is the complete dismantling of identity systems rooted in cultural superiority. Rather than asking the Galatian church to ‘hold onto’ their cultural heritage, Paul asks them to exchange their ‘old’ identities for ‘new’ identities in Christ, and to walk ‘no longer in the flesh’ but to ‘walk with the Spirit’ instead. It’s radical, convicting, and poignant.

June Poem: The Peace of Wild Things, by Wendell Berry (click to read)

Wendell Berry is a gem. His collection of Sabbath Poems is the perfect introduction to poetry for Christians. He writes methodically and without pretense. This short poem will ask us to leave our identities and anxieties at the door so we may learn how to stand before God as created beings in the natural, created world. As we are bombarded with next-day-delivery, escapism via screens, and the pressure to ‘do more’, “The Peace of Wild Things” will remind us of what we were made for: the kind of rest that sinks into our bones because we have accepted the cyclical nature of creation.

June Music: La cathédrale engloutie by Claude Debussey (click to listen)

La cathédrale engloutie (“The Sunken Cathedral”) is based on a Breton legend about a cathedral submerged beneath the sea that occasionally rises in the morning mist, its bells faintly audible before sinking again. Debussy is known as a musical ‘impressionist’, rejecting the forms and norms that came before in favor of musical ‘painting’.

The image of a Cathedral beneath the sea haunts me. Like cultural expressions of church that have been forgotten, so will our cultural expression of church one day be buried. But the global Church will never die. Christ will sustain her until his return.

June Hymn: “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” by Unknown (click to listen)

“Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” is an ancient Greek hymn that was translated into English by Anglican minister Gerard Moultrie in 1864. The hymn originates in the ancient Liturgy of St. James, associated with the Jerusalem church and the apostolic tradition surrounding James, the brother of Jesus. In its original setting, it was sung during the Eucharistic liturgy as the bread and wine were brought forward. It was designed to evoke awe, fear, and reverence. It confronts the modern instinct to explain, analyze, or sentimentalize everything. Instead, it forces us to hear, and therefore feel, the cosmic mystery of Christ.

Click here to listen to a ‘modern’ version of this hymn.

Book Club Links:

1. Fable and Discord - Due to the amount of people who want to be a part of the book club, all new book club members are being directed to Fable or Discord. These apps allow for unlimited members to participate and permit the groups to chat about specific chapters / topics. I am very thankful for the book club members who took the initiative to create these chats and help me moderate!

• Click here to join the Book Club on Fable

• Click here to join the Book Club on Discord

2. Curriculum Update - I swapped a couple of the poems in the curriculum because some were hard to find online or weren’t public domain. I will be editing the ebook and uploading the newest version soon!

• Click here for the updated full curriculum:

3. Curriculum Canva PDF: Dena, a creative (and very generous) book club member, made a printable PDF of the poems and hymns for us!

• Click here to download the Canva PDF

4. Amazon Book List: I created a list of all of the books we will be reading this year to make them easy to find. I do get a small (very small) commission if you use my link! However, if you have the time, finances, and accessibility, I would prefer that you shop for these books at your local store.

• Click here for the Amazon book list

5. Local Gatherings: Many of you are trying to connect with people in your area. I have created an editable document so that you can add your name, general location, and email so that you can make connections with each other. I listed the most ‘popular’ countries in the group, but you can add your country / location if it is not listed.

• Click here to access the local connection form

Her arms hung down, yet He held her to His chest, like He loved her. Underneath the sketch, I wrote: I don’t know why we have to suffer, but this is what God is like.

I drew it for a friend who couldn’t reconcile human suffering with the existence of God. I stuck it in her locker, hoping it would crack the surface of her heart.

It didn’t.

At first, I was hurt. I spent an evening on that sketch, and believed that it would invoke a visceral reaction from my friend. To be loved like that, to be loved at all, is what she longed for.

But her heart was hard. Her mind made up.

It begs the question: how does one begin to long for God? To trust Him? To be saved? How does one go from hardened and calloused, to softened and eventually receiving His grace?

Have I ever considered what made me soft, what made me crack?

The May Curriculum is designed to help us contemplate our journey to to cross while encouraging us to consider 1) how we came to know Christ, and 2) who we have become, after knowing Him.

Through Augustine’s Confessions, Jesus’ parables, T.S. Eliot’s journey from darkness to light, and confessional music, we cross over from the present to the past, aware that His presence, his fingertips, are all over it.

Click here to register for the May discussion on Zoom.

Click here to join us on Fable.

May Book: Confessions, by St. Augustine

Rather than explaining how salvation happens, Augustine’s Confessions shows us how it happens (or, at least, how it happened for him). While once a man trapped in the confines of a hardened heart and arrogant mind, he comes to know Christ slowly, over the course of years, until finally converting at the age of thirty-two or thirty-three. Along with his life-story, the work is littered with theological and philosophical reflection, and it is so ripe with wisdom, we can read it over and over again and never quite mine its depth.

Augustine is a pillar of the faith and a father of the ecumenical church, beloved by both Protestants and Catholics alike. Like Smith (who we read in March), Augustine will challenge us to re-evaluate what we love, and show us how to exchange our natural love of self and world with deep, abiding love for the one who saves and sets us free.

Confessions is probably the ‘hardest’ book on this year’s list, but I have created a three-tiered reading plan that will help you navigate it at your own pace.

Click here to access it on Instagram.

Click here to access it on Substack.

Click here to buy the book on Amazon (but please support your local bookstore if you can!)

May Scripture: The Parables of Jesus

Reading Luke in April was so refreshing, like drinking from a cold spring. As always, it wasn’t enough. I want more of Jesus. This May we will be reading one of His parables each day for thirty days. I have never read his parables side by side - I wonder what impact it will have. It will definitely give me more time to contemplate them.

Jesus’ parables are less like tidy moral lessons and more like invitations into seeing a deeper, sometimes unsettling, reality.

I created a free mini-guide for reading them, along with a list of thirty parables to carry you through the month. You can access it by clicking here.

My dad (who has spent the last twenty years studying the gospels and the ‘synoptic problem’, created a guide for you as well. You can access it by clicking here.

May Poem: T.S. Eliot’s “Ash Wednesday”

What does it mean to be spiritually dead, trapped in a nihilistic wasteland? How does one move from that barren existence to Christ? Like Confessions, “Ash Wednesday” explores the way our spirit moves towards Christ, until we find ourselves in His arms and at His mercy.

This poem is longer than our previous poems, but it is beautiful, and takes us on a journey. If the length intimidates you, you will still ‘get a lot’ out of stanza 1!

Click here to read the poem online.

Click here to listen to T.S. Eliot read this poem aloud.

May Music: Miserer Mei, Deus by Allegri

This is one of my favorite choral pieces. It is gorgeous, haunting, sad, yet hopeful, and perfectly compliments Augustine’s Confessions. Allegri was a devout Christian and the majority of his works are ‘worship songs’. Miserer Mei is his most famous.

Click here to watch the piece performed in a beautiful chapel.

It is written in Latin, but here are the English lyrics:

Have mercy upon me, O God,

after thy great goodness:

according to the multitude of

thy mercies

do away mine offences.

Wash me throughly from my wickedness:

and cleanse me from my sin.

For I acknowledge my faults:

and my sin is ever before me.

Against thee only have I sinned, and done this

evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified

in thy saying, and clear when thou art judged.

Behold, I was shapen in wickedness:

and in sin hath my mother conceived me.

But lo, thou requirest truth in the inward parts:

and shalt make me to understand wisdom

secretly.

Thou shalt purge me with hyssop, and I shall be

clean: thou shalt wash me,

and I shall be whiter

than snow.

Thou shalt make me hear of joy and gladness:

that the bones which thou hast broken may

rejoice. Turn thy face from my sins:

and put out all my misdeeds.

Make me a clean heart, O God:

and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence:

and take not thy holy Spirit from me.

O give me the comfort of thy help again:

and stablish me with thy free Spirit.

Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked:

and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God,

thou that art the God of my health:

and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness.

Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord:

and my mouth shall shew thy praise.

For thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I

give it thee:

but thou delightest not in burnt-offerings.

The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit:

a broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise.

O be favourable and gracious unto Sion:

build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness,

with the burnt-offerings and oblations:

then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine altar.

May Hymn: “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”

Isaac Watts wrote this hymn in 1708 for The Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament and is a transliteration of Psalm 90. At its core, it contrasts God’s infinite nature with our finite, limited experience as humans.

Check out Paul David Trips’ analysis of Psalm 90.

Click here to listen to “O God Our Help in Ages Past” on the Simply Bible Book Club playlist on Spotify..

A broken and contrite heart, O God, shalt thou not despise.

I wish you a Word-filled month.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Bethany

He has carried us through winter.

Spring is upon us. With spring comes new birth, fresh rain, colorful flowers.

Spring reminds me of my childhood, of baseball, of fairy tales, of college. As the snow becomes more like sludge in the North, and easy warmth turns to blistering heat in the South, we, together with the sky, are changing.

March proved nothing short of wild and beautiful. I finished my book proposal, completed the heaviest history unit of the year with my 10th graders, spent spring break at California theme parks with my husband and two daughters, and spent a lot of my time in the car checking in on people. So many people in my life are grieving right now, and they need more than a meal and a prayer.

In his spiritual compilations, Kierkegaard wrote: “It takes moral courage to grieve; it requires religious courage to rejoice.” As someone who’s felt the soul-sucking, knee-bending pain of loss, I am carrying their grief somewhere between my gut and my chest (I’m sure a therapist would have something to say about that). It’s the kind of love that feels more like pain than like joy.

The help I can give feels inconsequential, like a bandaid over a bullet wound.

So, we check in, and bring meals when we can, and pray.

The April Curriculum

The April curriculum is designed to re-enchant our imagination. In light of You Are What You Love, we are going to spend this month redirecting our love towards Christ. This feast of literature and music has been curated to help us truly meditate on him, his message, and his Cross. He is our sole point of focus this month. With Easter approaching, it feels more than fitting.

April Book: The Return of the Prodigal Son, by Henri Nouwen

Henri Nouwen was a priest, professor, and writer throughout the mid-late 20th century. He wrote about loneliness, identity, longing, and intimacy with God. The Return of the Prodigal Son stems from Rembrandt’s famous painting that depicts the Father embracing his estranged son upon his return.

I love this painting.

I love it so much that there is a massive print of it in my dining room.

The son is begging on his knees, but the Father is embracing him, welcoming him home. The face of the elder brother peers through the shadows, his face cold, hard, bitter, defiant. This book is a reflection on each of their perspectives, and the tension between performance and grace. It is contemplative, subtly powerful, and I cannot wait to read it with you.

April Scripture: The Gospel of Luke

The Gospel was written by Luke, a physician and companion of Paul the Apostle. Though not an eyewitness himself, Luke explains at the beginning (Luke 1:1–4) that he investigated accounts from those who were eyewitnesses. Luke highlights that Jesus came not just for Israel, but for everyone, including outsiders, sinners, women, the poor, and Gentiles. He focuses on the ‘least of these’ more than any other gospel. Luke also gives us a robust account of Jesus birth and his early years, which has an overall tone of rejoicing and proclamation.

Here is my commentary recommendation for non-academic readers

Here is my commentary recommendation for academic readers

April Poem: George Herber, “Love III”

“Love III” is a conversation between the soul and God, who is personified as Love. Like the prodigal son, the speaker is haunted by his unworthiness before the communion table. I truly resonate with his feeling of unworthiness, and then eventual acceptance of God’s gentle reassurance of His grace.

Click here to watch a wonderful lecture on George Herbert’s contribution to poetry and the Christian imagination.

April Hymn: “Just As I Am” by Charlotte Elliot

Charlotte Elliott (1789–1871) was an English poet and hymn writer who lived much of her life with chronic illness and physical weakness. “Just As I Am” is a personal reflection on God’s love and acceptance of her despite her physical limitations. “Just as I am, though tossed about,

With many a conflict, many a doubt…Thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve…” it is both a song of praise and song of lament. While she laments her inability to produce perfect faith or a perfect response, she is thankful for God’s willingness to welcome and pardon despite her weakness.

Click here to watch a documentary about Charlotte Elliot

April Music: “Spiegel im Spiegel” by Avo Part

“Spiegel im Spiegel” (1978) by Arvo Pärt is one of the most famous works of late 20th-century minimalist music. It is gorgeous. The title is German for “mirror in the mirror”, referring to an infinite reflection, like two mirrors facing each other. It is written for a piano and solo instrument (often a violin), and it has a slow, spacious quality to it. Each phrase gets longer and longer, then returns “home” to the same note. Pärt called this style “tintinnabuli” (from the Latin for “little bells”), where two voices interact: one melodic, one harmonic.

This piece of music pairs very well with reading, as it is calm and beautiful. I highly recommend putting it on while you enjoy The Return of the Prodigal Son or Luke!

You can watch a performance of “Spiegel im Spiegal” here!

BOOK CLUB UPDATES

1. Book Club Meeting: Click here to register for our April book club meeting on zoom!

2. Fable and Discord - Due to the amount of people who want to be a part of the book club, all new book club members are being directed to Fable or Discord. These apps allow for unlimited members to participate and permit the groups to chat about specific chapters / topics. I am very thankful for the book club members who took the initiative to create these chats and help me moderate!

• Click here to join the Book Club on Fable

• Click here to join the Book Club on Discord

3. Curriculum Update - I swapped a couple of the poems in the curriculum because some were hard to find online or weren’t public domain. I will be editing the ebook and uploading the newest version soon!

• Click here for the updated full curriculum:

4. Curriculum Canva PDF: Dena, a creative (and very generous) book club member, made a printable PDF of the poems and hymns for us!

• Click here to download the Canva PDF

5. Amazon Book List: I created a list of all of the books we will be reading this year to make them easy to find. I do get a small (very small) commission if you use my link! However, if you have the time, finances, and accessibility, I would prefer that you shop for these books at your local store.

• Click here for the Amazon book list

6. Local Gatherings: Many of you are trying to connect with people in your area. I have created an editable document so that you can add your name, general location, and email so that you can make connections with each other. I listed the most ‘popular’ countries in the group, but you can add your country / location if it is not listed.

• Click here to access the local connection form

My prayer for April is this: that God fills us with courage to love, forgive, and open our arms to the prodigals who need a home.

I hope to see you on the 25th!

With love,

Beth

Reading C.S. Lewis this month has felt like meeting an old friend for coffee. The last time I read Lewis, I hadn’t had children, hadn’t lived outside of California, hadn’t studied Leviticus or been seriously hurt by church people. I’ve changed. Lewis’s words are the same, but I can feel, relate to, understand him on a deeper level than I was previously capable of. I can also see just how much he has influenced me, how I’ve made choices and adopted a worldview filtered through a ‘Lewisian lens’. Re-reading Mere Christianity reminded me of how I came to resist denominational debates, why I am publicly apolitical, why I can listen to almost anyone vent their views without upset or offense, why I believe our imagination to be just as important as our intellect. I owe it to Lewis.

Well, Christ, through Lewis.

I wasn’t able to engage with book club members this month as much as I wished. Life became very, very busy. I have a family, a job, a church, a body to care for, a book proposal to write, an inner life to maintain. The temptation, for me, is to neglect my personal responsibilities for my passion projects. I would throw my entire self into them if I could. But that would hurt a lot of people, including myself.

March will be slower, I will be more available to engage in the chats and discussions more frequently. I am very excited to read You Are What You Love with you all. It is, in my opinion, the perfect follow-up to Lewis. Smith is practical, writes beautifully, and will leave you feeling encouraged and challenged, all at the same time.

The March Curriculum

While we typically zoom in on our habits and lifestyle choices in the new year, I would argue that spring is an equally (if not better) profitable time to look inward and ask: is this the life I’ve been called to live? As followers of Jesus, as people who want to make our lives count, to soak up all the beauty and learn from the pain, and make the world a more hopeful, joy-filled place, we can find ourselves caught up in the parts of life that make it feel full or empty, chaotic or lonely, productive or destructive. Who are we as we move through the little choices of daily life?

Rather than scrambling towards some distant goal initiated by the world and driven by pride (as Lewis recounts in his chapter ‘The Great Sin’), the March Curriculum is inviting us to re-evaluate our core dreams, or deepest desires, the posture of our hearts and the fabric of our minds. It is asking us to evaluate who we truly are before God, and as Lewis suggests, to hand everything over to Christ by trying, again and again, in a less worried way.

The March Book: You Are What You Love, by James K.A. Smith

Every once in a while an author comes along who peels a layer of the world back, revealing an aspect of reality you sensed but couldn’t previously articulate. For me, that’s Smith. Having grown up in a doctrine-heavy school where Christian behavior was mimicked but rarely integrated, I appreciate Smith’s take on biblical discipleship. The title of this book is a literal quote from Augustine (who we will be reading in May), and suggests that our loves are what really shape us. Rather than strictly learning, or strictly doing, he suggests that we train our hearts to desire what is good (God) via habit.

Popular belief would have us accept that love is a feeling that spontaneously rises through our bodies and out of our chests, that we are unable to control it or choose it or pursue it.

God, of course, has His own way of ordering things. While love can surely grow organically as we follow a natural impulse / desire, He calls His people to choose Him via repentance. As we throw ourselves at His feet, He can reorder our heart, our mind, our will.

March Scripture: Isaiah

As we read You Are What You Love and consider the many ways we make mini idols of our loves, Isaiah will immerse us in the (idolatrous) loves of the Israelites. Isaiah prophesies God’s plea for his people to rend their hearts and genuinely repent for loving the wrong things.

“I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats…bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me…wash yourselves, make yourselves clean, remove the evil of your deeds before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause. Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord.” Isaiah 1: 11, 13, 16-17

For the book of Isaiah, I have two commentary recommendations for you:

1. Exalting Jesus in Isaiah. I will never tire of this series. So approachable, so true to its promise to read the text through the meta-narrative of scripture, so faithful to Christ Himself. Also, affordable!

2. The Prophecy of Isaiah: an Introduction Commentary. From the blurb: Along the historical timeline on which the Isaianic prophecies are strung, Motyer finds three central and recurring themes: the messianic hope, the motif of the city and the theology of the Holy One of Israel. Moreover, he argues, the Isaianic literature is organized around three messianic portraits: the King (Isaiah 1-37), the Servant (Isaiah 38-55) and the Anointed Conqueror (Isaiah 56-66).

March Poem: “The World is Too Much With Us” by William Wordsworth

Wordsworth wrote “The World is Too Much With Us” to shed light on the industrial revolution’s impact on humanity. Wordsworth was not a believer, but believed in some kind of Divine Power, hoping that it was good, trusting that it could be found in Nature. While this poem isn’t theological in the biblical sense, it does expose the potential danger of sin nature, our gullible susceptibility to the promise of power and money and strength and beauty, promised via industry.

“Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;—

Little we see in Nature that is ours;

We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!”

As we consider Smith’s argument that we are what we love, it suits to reflect on how industry, materialism, propaganda, and consumerism have affected what we love and why we love it. Fashion, home decor, cars, art, media, entertainment…how are they affecting the way you see, the way you dream, the way you act, the things you buy?

Click here to download Dana’s gorgeous (free) printables of our book club poems and hymns.

March Hymn: “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”

I sang this hymn as a child, and it still holds a very tender place in my heart. Written by Robert Robinson in 1758, it is more devotional than our previous hymns, primarily concerned with the heart and the heart’s desire to desire God, while feeling the tug of the world, of exhaustion, of weakness of will. While singing this hymn, we plead that God would bind our heart to Him over all of the other things we love, desire, seek after.

Click here to watch a beautiful version of “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”

March Classical Piece: Henry Purcell, “Here My Prayer O Lord”

Purcell composed music in the late seventeenth century, at the height of the Enlightenment. “Hear My Prayer O Lord” was written in 1682 for the Chapel Royal in London as a liturgical meditation on Psalm 102. It is an eight-part choral, known for its haunting, ‘weeping’ beauty. Some wonder whether or not the work is ‘finished’, as it ends on a strange dissonant note, devoid of an ‘Amen’ or any sense of finitude.

I highly recommend reading the Psalm as you listen to it. Like the Psalm it is a desperate cry for God to intervene, to bring glory to His name. The psalmist appeals to God via humility, by recognizing how small he is in comparison to the One who ‘endures through all generations’. There is a desperation to it, a plea for God to notice despite his lowly status.

To watch this piece be performed, click here.

To listen to it on the book club playlist, click here.

Book Club Updates

This month’s discussion will take place on March 28th, 9 am PST. Please join a group chat on Fable, Discord, or Instagram to register.

• Fable and Discord - Due to the amount of people who want to be a part of the book club, all new book club members are being directed to Fable or Discord. These apps allow for unlimited members to participate and permit the groups to chat about specific chapters / topics. I am very thankful for the book club members who took the initiative to create these chats and help me moderate!

  • Click here to join the Book Club on Fable

  • Click here to join the Book Club on Discord

• Curriculum Update - I swapped a couple of the poems in the curriculum because some were hard to find online or weren’t public domain. I will be editing the ebook and uploading the newest version soon!

  • Click here for the updated full curriculum:

• Curriculum Update - I swapped a couple of the poems in the curriculum because some were hard to find online or weren’t public domain. I will be editing the ebook and uploading the newest version soon!

  • Click here for the updated full curriculum:

• Curriculum Canva PDF: Dena, a creative (and very generous) book club member, made a printable PDF of the poems and hymns for us!

  • Click here to download the Canva PDF

• Amazon Book List: I created a list of all of the books we will be reading this year to make them easy to find. I do get a small (very small) commission if you use my link! However, if you have the time, finances, and accessibility, I would prefer that you shop for these books at your local store.

  • Click here for the Amazon book list

• Local Gatherings: Many of you are trying to connect with people in your area. I have created an editable document so that you can add your name, general location, and email so that you can make connections with each other. I listed the most ‘popular’ countries in the group, but you can add your country / location if it is not listed.

  • Click here to access the local connection form

I am so excited to read with you in March. God is moving, He is working, He is changing us and deepening us and challenging us and nothing brings me more joy than reading in community with people who want nothing more than to learn, grow, and ask questions.

Love,

Bethany

January has been a heavy month for many of us. Even in the midst of unforeseen and often painful circumstances, amidst death, storms, below freezing temperatures, socio-political turbulence, and our failed attempts at having ‘the best year ever’, God is with us. My prayer is that, like Paul, we will collectively embrace a Phil. 4:11-13 perspective: for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

He will carry us through the rest of winter.

Despite the heaviness of January, I have found so much joy by connecting with those of you who are participating in the Book Club. God is connecting us across time and space as we read, study, and listen together. I am continually giving thanks for all of the friendships that are being made.

No More Boring Bible Study seemed to be a practical and motivational start to our year together!

In case you missed it, I was able to sit down with Faith Womack and discuss her book. To listen, click here to watch the video on You Tube, click here to listen to the interview on Spotify and here to listen to it on Apple Podcasts). Faith’s passion for the Lord is truly infectious.

For those of you who want to connect with Book Club members locally, please use this connect form to find people in your state / city / country.

The February Curriculum

The February curriculum is perfectly suited to this season. We are turning our attention to what we believe, why we believe it, and what it actually costs to live as if it’s true. Not tidy answers or sentimental faith, but faith that has been tested by doubt, suffering, obedience, and love.

February Book: Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis.

Lewis is one of my favorite Christians to have ever put pen to paper. His experience as an academic, as a convert from atheism, as a ‘reluctant convert’, places him in a unique position to help us think carefully about what we believe and why we believe it. Lewis originally delivered Mere Christianity as a set of BBC ‘talks’ during WWII, speaking to a nation living with fear, grief, and uncertainty. He was addressing a people trying to live faithfully when England was under siege.

In many ways, we’re reading this book in a similar moment- one marked by anxiety, division, and competing moral visions. Lewis helps us peel back the layers of our belief and begs us to confront our salvation head-on. Do I really believe that Christ rose from the dead? Has it changed my life as a result?

If you can find the book at a local store, please use that mode of purchase. If you don’t have access to a local store, click here to purchase on Amazon.

February Scripture: The Gospel of John

The Gospel of John isn’t just another account of Jesus’ life. It is a pastoral and theological invitation to see, believe, and abide in the one who poured out His life that we may be set free. Christians have returned to it for centuries because it shapes not only what we believe about Jesus, but how we live in response to him.

John is (in my opinion) the most explicitly theological of the four Gospels. From its opening line “In the beginning was the Word”, John is making a bold claim: Jesus is not merely a teacher, prophet, or moral example, He is God made flesh.

Like Lewis, John is going to present the gospel to us and then ask: who do you say Jesus is?

Like last month, I recommend using this scripture journal if you want adequate room to journal / take notes as you study. It is also light enough to slip into your laptop bag.

Some other resources for the book of John:

This movie (The Life of Jesus) is a verbatim reading of the Gospel of John. It will literally read the entire book to you, while visually telling the story with the actors dialoguing from the text.

I have two commentary recommendations for you:

1. Exalting Jesus in John. I love this commentary series! I use them often. They are easy to read and are very pastoral in tone. They put Christ at the center of everything, which is an essential for me.

2. Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: John. If you are looking for something more robust / academic, this is the one. Klink is a wonderful scholar and will bring astounding insight to the text.

February Poem: George Herbert’s The Collar

Much like a davidic psalm of lament, The Collar stages a dramatic inner argument between a frustrated servant and the God he serves, letting us witness his rebellion before we hear the resolution. Like Lewis, who wrestled with God before (finally) submitting to his call, Herbert shows us what it feels like to wrestle in despair via prayer. Why do our efforts to live faithfully appear fruitless? Where is God in the mess of life?

Click here to watch a short documentary on George Herbert.

Click here to watch a Harvard poetry professor analyze ‘The Collar’.

Click here to watch a longer lecture on Herbert’s work.

Click here to read an academic essay on Herbert’s work.

February Music: St. John’s Passion, BWV 245

Bach’s St. John Passion is a musical meditation on the suffering and death of Christ as told in John’s Gospel. A ‘Passion’ is a large-scale work for choir, soloists, orchestra, and an Evangelist (tenor narrator) that sets the biblical account of Jesus’ arrest, trial, crucifixion, and burial. First performed in 1724 in Leipzig, it stands alongside the St Matthew Passion as one of the great monuments of Western sacred music. It is gripping, unsettling, dissonant, and sad, yet oddly hopeful in beauty and tone.

It also happens to be my favorite piece of choral music…

You can find St. John Passion here (on the Simply Bible Book Club Spotify playlist).

You can watch the passion here. If you have a car that has an excellent sound system /screen, I highly recommend watching it with the windows rolled up.

Click here to watch a helpful video about St. John Passion, its history, and nuances.

February Hymn: Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

This hymn echoes 1 Timothy 1:17 and 1 Timothy 6:16, emphasizing God’s eternity, wisdom, and holiness. At its heart, this hymn is a song of praise to the transcendent God who is beyond human sight and comprehension, yet active and present. The lyrics were written by Walter Chalmers Smith and it set to the tune of St. Denio, a traditional Welsh melody.

Click here to listen to a modern-ish version on the Hymn on the hymn playlist.

Click here to watch a traditional version of the hymn on You Tube.

February Benediction:

And as you read, listen, and reflect this month, may beauty inspire you, truth sharpen you, and God’s Spirit hold you fast. Go in peace, to love God with your mind and all your soul, and love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Grace and Peace,

Bethany

First of all, I am positively blown away by the response to The Simply Bible Book Club. Who would have guessed that over 1,000 of you were hungry for an online space to think, read, and grow together online!

Thank you for your patience as I try to scale this - I was not prepared for the response. Despite the chaos of managing hundreds of DM’s / comments, I am beyond excited and grateful to have the opportunity to lead you through this year’s texts.

Each week I will be sharing insight into the curriculum via Instagram posts, live streams, The Simply Bible Podcast, and this newsletter. At the end of each month we will gather webinar-style via zoom to discuss the curriculum. My goal for this online gathering is to connect you with like-minded Christians who are also seeking to expand their knowledge and love for Christ and his creation.

The January Curriculum:

• Book: This January, we will be reading No More Boring Bible Study by Faith Womack. Studying the Bible and spending time in prayer are the most important habits we can incorporate into our life, and this book is going to motivate, inspire, and teach us how to do that! This book is the perfect introduction to hermeneutics (biblical interpretation) and will lay a foundation for the rest of the year. If you read 10 pages every day, you will finish the book in 24 days.

• Scripture: this month we will be reading Philippians, one of Paul’s most popular epistles. I love Philippians for so many reasons! It will bolster our faith and fill us with hope as we move into the new year. A book club member recommended this scripture journal as a study aid. If you are interested in picking up a commentary to supplement your study, I recommend this one. It is easy to read and will provide adequate context. I would, however, encourage you to read and annotate the epistle a few times before consulting a commentary.

• Poem: George Herbert’s “The World”. George Herbert (1593–1633) was a metaphysical poet and Anglican priest. His poems often dramatize the inner life of faith (desire, repentance, obedience) using tight form and vivid imagery. “The World” appears in The Temple (1633), a collection meant to reflect the soul’s movement toward God. Herbert isn’t calling for withdrawal from the world but for right relationship to it. The poem gently asks the reader:

  • What governs your life: love or sin?

  • Are you inhabiting the world, or being influenced by it?

• Hymn: Speak, O Lord. “Speak, O Lord” is a modern hymn that is deeply rooted in historic Christian theology and scripture. The hymn itself is a prayer, which makes it the perfect song to listen to before studying the Bible or reading.

• Classical Work: Cantata BWV 147: “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”. Written by Bach in 1723, this work is one of the most beloved pieces in Western music but is often misunderstood when detached from its theological and liturgical roots. It was written for the Feast of the Visitation (Luke 1:39–56), when Mary visits Elizabeth and proclaims the Magnificat. At its heart, it is not sentimental background music, but a confession of rightly ordered desire.

  • Here is a video that explains the musical nuances of the work.

Some Book Club updates:

1. Our first zoom meeting / webinar will be held on January 31st and 9am PST. More details to come.

2. Fable and Discord - Due to the amount of people who want to be a part of the book club, all new book club members are being directed to Fable or Discord. These apps allow for unlimited members to participate and permit the groups to chat about specific chapters / topics. I am very thankful for the book club members who took the initiative to create these chats and help me moderate!

   • Click here to join the Book Club on Fable

   • Click here to join the Book Club on Discord

3. Curriculum Update - I swapped a couple of the poems in the curriculum because some were hard to find online or weren’t public domain. I will be editing the ebook and uploading the newest version soon!

   • Click here for the updated full curriculum:

4. Curriculum Canva PDF: Dena, a creative (and very generous) book club member, made a printable PDF of the poems and hymns for us!

   • Click here to download the Canva PDF

5. Amazon Book List: I created a list of all of the books we will be reading this year to make them easy to find. I do get a small (very small) commission if you use my link! However, if you have the time, finances, and accessibility, I would prefer that you shop for these books at your local store.

   • Click here for the Amazon book list

6. Local Gatherings: Many of you are trying to connect with people in your area. I have created an editable document so that you can add your name, general location, and email so that you can make connections with each other. I listed the most ‘popular’ countries in the group, but you can add your country / location if it is not listed.

   • Click here to access the local connection form

Reading in Community

“Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Prov. 11:14

Reading It is an art because it requires more than just passive consumption.

It is a way of thinking, of seeing, of believing, of critiquing, of understanding.

When we encounter January’s texts, do so with passion, yes, but also with intention. Slow down. Annotate. Ask questions. Resist the urge to believe everything that is said. Consult scripture and your group chat and your best friend and your pastor.

We all bring assumptions, experiences, and limitations to a text. For most of human history, reading was oral (texts were read aloud) and shared (heard and discussed together). From synagogue readings of Scripture, to medieval monasteries, to early Christian gatherings where letters were read aloud, reading was a communal act. Silent, solitary reading is a relatively modern development. When we read together, we increase our capacity to see the text as it is meant to be read. Alone, we are limited to our personalized experiences. Together, we can build bridges of understanding.

So let our January texts sink below the surface of shallow belief. Let them influence the way you think and the way you speak and the choices that you make.

Praise God for this privilege of reading together.

Until next time,

Beth

Since returning to work (teaching high schoolers how to read, write, and think), I’ve grown a distaste for social media. Witnessing its influence on my students awoke me to the very urgent notion that their souls were at stake, and they were being discipled by Mr. Beast. So, naturally I felt compelled to ghost social media (and everything associated with it) to live a quiet life offline. I saw this as an ‘act of resistance’, a way to formalize my opposition to The Algorithm and The Man and The Ego.

Ironically, this decision never settled well in my spirit. I couldn’t shake the sense that there was something left to be done.

But what?

A couple of months ago I started receiving messages in my inbox asking if I would host a book club. I initially shrugged it off due to my seemingly limited capacity and the intellectual weight I was already carrying at work.

But God.

Slowly, over the course of a couple of months, I began to day dream about having a book club of my own. To curate a precious list of books that compliment and build upon each other, to explore those books with people who, like me, want to make the most out of this short life, to possibly (maybe?) even include some music and some poetry to make it come to life…

Then I asked you what you thought.

And the response was overwhelming.

I think we are all craving something.

The digital worlds we inhabit are filling us with something, but that something isn’t very satisfying. Our churches are doing their best to disciple us, but we aren’t learning or being challenged in the way we would like.

We’re craving more.

More awareness, more knowledge, more depth, more community, more discernment, more experiences.

And we don’t want to do it alone.

There is nothing more isolating than finishing a book that changed your life and having no one to share it with. Reading in a community helps us articulate what is stirring beneath the surface. Together, we can name our questions, test our assumptions, and discern what is true, good, and worth holding onto.

So, I’m starting a book club.

And you’re invited.

Here’s the deal:

I am inviting you into a slower, fuller vision of formation that engages not only what you know, but how you see, what you love, and who you are becoming. My hope is that, by the end of 2026, you will not simply have read more books, but will find yourself thinking more clearly, loving more deeply, and following Christ more faithfully.

Feasting at the Table of Great Books

Think of this book club as a feast: a long table, set with generous portions of your favorite food, where Scripture, theology, poetry, and music are placed before you like a massive, overflowing buffet. At a buffet, you are not expected to consume everything at once, or even at all. Some dishes will nourish you deeply. Others you may only taste. Some you may return to again and again. Some, you may throw in the trash.

Not every book will feel like your favorite, or feel ‘enjoyable’, but I can promise that every item on this list will force you to slow down and think, contemplate, and evaluate who you are in relation to God.

How the book club will function:

1. A monthly substack newsletter that will contain all of the necessary book club information (curriculum, zoom links, etc)

2. An open group chat on Instagram where people can discuss and share as they engage the monthly content (DM me or comment on my book club posts to be added to the chat)

3. A monthly zoom call

4. A monthly podcast episode where I either interview the author or give an overview / breakdown of the curriculum myself.

The Book Club curriculum will include:

• one book of the Bible (or portions of scripture)

• one theological text, alternating between ‘old’ and ‘new’ titles

• one work of poetry to annotate and meditate upon

• one classical piece of music that will expand both our intellect and our soul in connection with the material we are digesting.

The Curriculum:

The list below is specifically curated to build upon itself.

January:

January sets the tone for the entire year, which is why we will be reading a book about how to read the Bible. If there is anything I hope to bring to the Christian community, it is a deep-felt love for God’s Word. I love Faith’s book because it sets a really firm foundation on why we study while simultaneously breaking down the how we study.

Book: No More Boring Bible Study by Faith Womack

Scripture: Philippians

Poem: “The Word” by George Herbert

Hymn: “Speak, O Lord” (Getty)

Classical Music:

J.S. Bach – Cantata BWV 147: “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”

February:

Book: Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Scripture: the Gospel of John

Poem: “The Collar” by George Herbert

Hymn: “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”

Classical Music: J.S. Bach – St. John Passion (selected chorales)

Monthly Focus: Intellectual engagement, wrestling with belief

March:

Book: You Are What You Love by James K.A. Smith

Scripture: Isaiah

Poem: “The World Is Too Much with Us” by William Wordsworth

Hymn: “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”

Classical Music: Henry Purcell – “Hear My Prayer, O Lord”

April:

Book: The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen

Scripture: Luke

Poem: “Love (III)” by George Herbert

Hymn: “Just As I Am”

Classical Music: Arvo Pärt – Spiegel im Spiegel

May:

Book: Confessions by Augustine

Scripture: Parables of Jesus

Poem: Excerpt from “Ash Wednesday” by T.S. Eliot

Hymn: “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”

Classical Music: Allegri – Miserere mei, Deus

June:

Book: Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes by E. Randolph Richards & Brandon J. O’Brien

Scripture: Galatians

Poem: “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry

Hymn: “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence”

Classical Music: Claude Debussy – La cathédrale engloutie

July:

Book: Typology (Part I)

Scripture: Genesis

Poem: “The Garden” –by Andrew Marvell

Hymn: “All Creatures of Our God and King”

Classical Music: Joseph Haydn – The Creation (Selections)

August:

Book: Typology (Part II)

Scripture: Numbers

Poem: “The Wilderness” by Wendell Berry

Hymn: “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah”

Classical Music: Ralph Vaughan Williams – Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis

September:

Book: The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Part I)

Scripture: 1 Peter

Poem: “Jesus of the Scars” by Edward Shillito

Hymn: “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”

Classical Music: J.S. Bach – St. Matthew Passion (chorales)

October:

Book: The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Part II)

Scripture: 2 Timothy

Poem: “Vocation” – Wendell Berry

Hymn: “Be Thou My Vision”

Classical Music: Gustav Mahler – Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection” (final movement)

November:

Book: The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield

Scripture: James

Poem: “Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front” by Wendell Berry

Hymn: “The Church’s One Foundation”

Classical Music: Johann Pachelbel – Canon in D

December:

Book: On the Incarnation by Athanasius

Scripture: Advent readings

Poem: “That Was the Real World” by C.S. Lewis

Hymn: “Of the Father’s Love Begotten”

Classical Music: J.S. Bach – Christmas Oratorio

so come.

come to the table and feast with us.

we are waiting with open arms!

love,

beth

The heat, however, doesn’t prevent us from surrounding ourselves with The Fall Aesthetic. It’s like as soon as August passes we are smelling, dreaming, posting differently. Our mood boards change, our long-form media preferences shift to things we watched ten years ago, our outfits transform from light and airy colors to rust, camel, burgundy, and black. We exchange fresh hydrangeas for dried leaves and shriveled branches. We light spicy candles and crank our A/C so we can wear clothes that cover our wrists.

The aesthetic shift is not totally superficial. There is something about seasonal change that triggers our longing for intimacy and comfort. As Summer invites us to step outside of our home or workplace and pursue adventure, rest, and pleasure, Fall invites us inward. Darker evenings give us permission to climb in bed at earlier hours, the yellow and orange leaves ask us to savor what is left of summer and prepare for a cold, dark winter.

Seasonal shifts draw me in like a moth to a very bright, very warm flame. The birth of a new season feels like a mini-New-Year, ripe with possibility. I love reinventing the wheel, whether it be through daily routines, moving furniture around, or changing the food I eat. What better time to incorporate new habits and embrace new challenges?

The Fall Curriculum

One of my favorite ways to celebrate the beginning of a new season and add a deeper layer of intentionality is by curating a special reading list that cohesively explores a central theme or ‘feeling’ that I am interested in exploring. Over the past few years, I’ve done this by either diving into a particular book of the Bible, reading novels that unpack a certain theme, or exploring a theological topic. If you have never done this before, I highly recommend it. Your plan can be simple (one book), or a multilayered curriculum (mixing books, movies, articles, documentaries, and assigning yourself conjunctive tasks to assess your grasp on the subject matter). You may feel drawn to the life of Christ, to ecclesial integrity, to womanhood, church history, prayer, beauty, eschatology…the possibilities are endless.

Before I share the list I have curated for myself for this fall, I wanted to offer some ideas to show the many ways a curriculum / reading list can be curated. It can be any topic, any subject, any area that suits your fancy. If you want to explore a central theme, it can be invigorating and fun to read not just scripture within that field, but also explore the theme via fiction, philosophy, film, essays, podcasts, etc.

Curated Lists Based on a Theme:

Theme #1: Loneliness and the Presence of God

• Overarching question: How does God (or the perceived absence of God) affect the way we live and feel?

  • Bible Study: Lamentations, Psalms, 1 John

  • Nonfiction: Introduction to the Spiritual Life, Uninvited

  • Novels: Frankenstein, White Nights

  • Podcast: “God With Us: Through His Presence”

  • Movies*: The Martian, Jane Eyre, The Bridges of Madison County (trigger warning: adultery)

Theme #2: Romance

• Overarching question: What is true about romantic love?

  • Bible Study: Song of Solomon, Hosea, John

  • Nonfiction: Theology of the Body, The Four Loves, The Emotionally Healthy Woman

  • Novels: Jane Eyre, Far from the Madding Crowd, Edenbrooke

  • Movies: Pride and Prejudice, Before Sunrise, Cinderella Man, Ever After

Theme #3: Spiritual Transformation

• Overarching question: How does God change and transform us? What happens when we reject His influence?

  • Bible Study: Galatians, Romans, 2 Corinthians, 2 Peter

  • Nonfiction: Celebration of Discipline, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, How People Grow, The Gospel Comes With A House Key

  • Podcasts: Come and Die

  • Novels: Crime and Punishment, Pride and Prejudice

  • Movies: The Mission, Star Wars, Silence, A River Runs Through It

Theme #4: Cozy Autumn

• Overarching question: What is God’s design for human flourishing?

  • Bible Study: Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, Philippians

  • Nonfiction: Sabbath as Resistance, The Liturgy of the Ordinary, Room for Good Things to Run Wild, On the Good Life

  • Podcasts: How to Embrace a Theology of Flourishing

  • Novels: Redeeming Love, Anna Karenina, A Man Called Ove

  • Movies: You’ve Got Mail, Remember the Titans, The Horse Whisperer, Little Women, Luther

My Fall Theme and Curriculum:

This was a summer of doing, of accomplishing, of moving the needle forward on urgent, important tasks. For me, this fall will be centered around writing, cuddling on the couch with my family, investing in female friendships, and sitting outside to read. I am going to savor every minute.

My focus this fall is on connection. Connection with God, with my husband, my kids, my friends, and my church community. In the busy-ness of my day to day life, I can become so task driven that I miss out on the beauty of friendship, love, and community. I also (like Martha) prioritize tasks and achievement over intimacy. I avoid feeling ‘vulnerable’ via performing. So this fall I will be fighting against that, in an effort to build a life of depth, not only spiritually and intellectually, but also relationally.

• Overarching question: How do humans bond with God? How do we bond with each other? What does it mean to truly “be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another” (Ephesians 4:32)?

• Bible Study: 1 John, Luke

• Nonfiction: The Four Loves, Life Together, Interior Castle

• Fiction: Middlemarch

• Essay: Mission in Weakness and Vulnerability

I am really looking forward too this new season of growing more closely to the Lord and the people in my life. God is so good.

Happy Reading! <3 Bethany

In case you missed it:

Ten Game-Changing Bible Study Tips

It’s Time to Wake Up

It is also mind-numbingly addictive. It exploits our bodies and tests our free will. It opens doors to things that many of us are not strong enough to withstand. It is a factory for pride, envy, lust, gossip, greed.

Life away from social media has felt safer, softer, less chaotic and climactic. There is less pressure to be someone I’m not or to strive for someone I could become. Life away from social media feels like a retreat from the world.

As I’ve been planning my fall curriculum, I’ve asked myself (and the Lord): am I still called to this digital space?

To be honest, I’m not sure. The past year has broken me down in ways I was not expecting, and I am still healing from the worst of it. For months I’ve been living on leftovers, depleted of all creative energy, spending my free time reading books and writing with a real pen on real paper instead of with my thumbs on a virtual keyboard.

It’s been the best medicine.

But there lies within me this desire to share, and exchange, and discuss- I am not a lone wolf, I miss the conversations we’ve had.

When I read something interesting, I want to tell you about it and see what you think. I want to hear whether or not you agree, whether or not I’ve missed something important. I want to hear about you, too, and what God is doing in your life. You have something I don’t have access to in the dry, arid corner of the desert I inhabit. You live, breathe, speak, experience things I will never see, smell, or hear. For us to see each other, to share what we’ve learned, to debate over our disagreements, I would have to catch a flight, or sit in a car for a very, very long time before it could become a reality.

Part of that is good, and necessary. God did not design us to be connected to people around the globe on a daily basis. He created us for slow, quiet, non-stimulating experiences in a field, in a home, chopping wood, carrying water, using our hands to keep each other alive.

The fact that we don’t have to live that way anymore is…miraculous. Technology has not only erased the pains of using a mowboard plow to ready soil for seed, it has erased the pain of cooking, of writing, of thinking, of conversing. It’s replaced these things with an incessant need to scroll, to escape, to live our dreams vicariously through the lens of someone else’s life, to see what everyone is up to, and know what we, in turn, should be up to. It’s made us nosy, diving into subjects of scandal and gossip we would otherwise be deaf to and has incurred this deep-felt desire to be constantly, repeatedly entertained, until we are so numb that nothing can be absorbed beneath the basal layer of our skin.

But social media, and digital platforms as a whole, are not all bad. They have given us the opportunity to forge friendships, build businesses, learn new skills, and find resources our local communities sorely lack. Like the silk road, or the Darlington Railway, it’s grown our economies and allowed us to do things and see things we would otherwise never see or do. It has provided us the mind-blowing opportunity to not only tell the world about Christ, but show them how He has changed us, and give them hope that He can change their life, too.

Digital spaces can never be what the local church can be. They can never supplant or replace the feeling or depth of face-to-face interaction with someone we do life with. They can’t hold us accountable, or ask more of us than what we are willing to give.

But digital spaces can be meaningful and beautiful. Like a knife, or a curling iron, they can be used productively and ethically, or used to perform the worst kind of evil.

The question remains:

What is our purpose here?

What are the risks, and are we (via grace) strong enough to avoid them?

So let’s make the most of the opportunity to exchange ideas, experiences, encouragement, exhortations. Let’s become friends, you and I.

Let’s build something beautiful, and meaningful, together.

_________________________________________________________________________

What I’ve Been Reading:

1 Samuel - Where Israel demands a king (50% complete).

“When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel…his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel…and said, “...your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations” (8:1-5).

I’ve read this book a few times before and have always held the Israelites in contempt for their desire for a king. How could they do such a thing, when God had promised to be their king? What a betrayal!

This time, I saw it through the lens of the Israeli leaders. Watching Samuel’s sons corrupt the role of Judge, taking bribes, ‘perverting justice’...so near like a king, without the centralized authority to tax and form a united army, opened my eyes to the injustice they perceived. God promised to be their king, yet, the judges He appointed were failing the assignment. It also struck me that from a political standpoint, from a defense standpoint, it made sense for the elders to want a king. A king would intimidate the surrounding nations, forcing them to take seriously the nation of Israel. A king could unite the twelve tribes under one banner (as we see later during David’s rule) and make Israel not only defensible, but wealthy and great.

It prompted me to contemplate the ways in which I rely on outside systems, people, etc. to protect me. I, too, have placed my trust in things other than God. How humbling to realize that I am no better or different from the Israeli elders. I, too, place my trust in things that I can see with my eyes and understand with my mind.

“Yet in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day” (8:18).

Which reminds me of Romans 1:

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity…because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie…” (1:24-25).

It begs me to contemplate the things I am begging God for.

Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy (click here to add it to your amazon wish list)

“How marvelous Christ’s expression is!” said Anna… “One can see that He is pitying Pilate.”

Tragic. True. A ‘slice of life’, as Matthew Arnold said. This novel is more honest and real than anything I’ve ever read (at least that is what I believe at this moment in time). I feel as if a mirror has been held up in front of my soul, exposing things I was too scared to admit, even to God. Tolstoy sees into the core of our nature, into our motives, our sin, our desire for connection and intimacy and love. I thought this novel would be a sympathetic tale of a woman scorned, shackled, misunderstood - but it was instead about our soul - hungry for love, and searching for truth. It was originally marketed to me as feminist realism, but I found it to be diametrically opposed to modern feminism. It is too raw and honest to belong to any category. It is a work not only of fiction, but psychology, philosophy, and theology.

It is truly a work of art. A work that punches you in the gut while simultaneously filling you with the greatest hope that mundane life, selfless acts, and quiet devotion make life worth living.

I would not, however, urge you to read it just yet. I needed time to work up to this monstrosity of a novel. Tolstoy does not do the work for us. It is long, and requires patience and imagination.

At times, it felt like work, but the payoff was indefinitely worth it.

The Crucible, Arthur Miller (click here to add it to your amazon wish list)

The crucible is like a fever dream that wakes you up at three a.m. in a panic with sweat dripping down your neck. It explores one of the most deplorable expressions of Christianity in history: puritan radicalism in 1693. This play exposes how easy it is to slip into religious leadership with ulterior motives, how supernatural paranoia can lead people to exchange their faith in God with fear of Satan, and how theocracy, though well-intended, is a recipe for totalitarian barbarism. It is brilliant, and heart-breaking, and important. It took me all of 2.5 hours to read. Basically a movie. (Oh, and there is a movie version that is wonderfully produced, but I recommend reading the play first, because there are so many lines worth underlining).

Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley (click here to add it to your amazon wish list)

I seminar Frankenstein every fall with my tenth-graders, so this was a re-read for me. Despite my previous knowledge of the text, like all great pieces of writing, I ‘got more out of it’ the third time around. It is a testament of achievement, grief, rejection, greed, victimhood, loneliness, and obsession. While Anna Karenina exposes humanities core needs and sins with quiet realism, Frankenstein declares them loudly:

• “Shall I not then hate those who abhor me?”

• “Was man indeed, at once so powerful, so virtuous and magnificent, yet so vicious and base?”

• “Oh! What a strange nature is knowledge! It clings to the mind, when it has once seized it, like a lichen to a rock.”

• “Beware, I am fearless, and therefore powerful.”

• “Are you mad, my friend? Or wither does your senseless curiosity lead you?”

It demands that we look within our own soul to explore questions like: to what extent are we responsible for our actions? How do we, as individuals, treat outcasts? What are the potential dangers of human progress?

_______________________________________________________________________

Digital Content I’ve Been Consuming:

Substack Article: Make Christianity Beautiful Again (click to read)

Some of you know how obsessed I am with art, and how much I love old cathedrals because they make me feel like I’ve been ushered to heaven and am seeing a glimpse of what is to come. I have a huge Rembrandt print in my dining room, and I am filled with joy every time I sit down to eat because it reignites this longing to be embraced by God (in a literal sense). I want to curate a gallery wall of Rembrant’s biblical works, they feel like a window into scripture.

As an evangelical mega-church member (don’t come at me), I have often wondered why the average American lay-person has abandoned art altogether in favor of mass-produced digital prints and modern photography. There is nothing wrong with those things (I myself purchase prints at Target every now and then), but (in my opinion) they lack soul. Wealthy mega churches often reflect the trendy aesthetic of the day, rejecting anything ‘old’ ‘outdated’ ‘ornate’, afraid they may seem ‘uncool’. They may be beautiful in a modern sense, but probably lack any connectivity to the art of our family from the past. This isn’t ‘bad’, but I do feel like something is lost, or missing. Why not fill our homes, our sidewalks, our churches with depictions that help us return to Christ throughout our day? This article will inspire you to re-think your approach to art, and perhaps inspire you to either create or curate Christian art to spread the gospel.

The Dawn of a Post-Literate Society (click to watch on youtube)

As we become more enmeshed and comfortable with digital consumerism, people are becoming less and less literate. What are the dangers of a non-literate world? What happens to a society when no one reads, or contemplates, or thinks, but rely on others to read and contemplate for them?

Fascinating conversation, highly recommend.

The Abiding Truths of Russian Literature (click to listen)

After finishing Anna Karenina, I listened to this podcast with Gary Saul Morson, a professor of Slavic literature at Northwestern.

But beware.

He may convince you to read the 800-page monstrosity.

So what have you been consuming? Would love to hear below.

Engaging scripture can feel challenging or even boring at times. This episode covers five ways to engage scripture to ensure that even on your off days, you are filling your mind with God's word and being encouraged, renewed, and transformed by Christ. 

Shownotes:  

BIBLE BOOTCAMP Guide: https://www.bethanylauren.org/bible-bootcamp   

Bible Bootcamp 2025 Group Chat: https://links.geneva.com/invite/b53c6d64-adfd-4425-85e5-129224c4f7c2 

Simply Bible Free Resources: 

Bible Study Checklist: https://www.bethanylauren.org/shop/bible-study-checklist-free-pdf-digital-download 

Bible study tutorials:  https://youtu.be/lhaAQHg2L4E 

Biblical & theological studies: http://biblicaltraining.org

Subscribe to The Simply Bible newsletter for resource recommendations and monthly encouragement: https://www.bethanylauren.org/contact 

Got a prayer request? Send it here: https://www.bethanylauren.org/prayer-request-form 

RESOURCE RECOMMENDATIONS (affiliate links):

My #1 Bible Study resource is Logos Bible Software: www.logos.com/simplybible 

Book Recommendations: https://amzn.to/3rmNm4N 

Christian Planner: Use code BETHANY to get 15% off any order! https://www.christianplanner.com/Bethany 

The Bible Study Handbook: ​ https://amzn.to/441Org7 

CONNECT: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simply_bible/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@simply_bible?_t=8fqmqSRllNb&_r=1 

Shownotes:  

BIBLE BOOTCAMP Guide: https://www.bethanylauren.org/bible-bootcamp   

Bible Bootcamp 2025 Group Chat: https://links.geneva.com/invite/b53c6d64-adfd-4425-85e5-129224c4f7c2 

Simply Bible Free Resources: 

Bible Study Checklist: https://www.bethanylauren.org/shop/bible-study-checklist-free-pdf-digital-download 

Bible study tutorials:  https://youtu.be/lhaAQHg2L4E 

Biblical & theological studies: http://biblicaltraining.org

Subscribe to The Simply Bible newsletter for resource recommendations and monthly encouragement: https://www.bethanylauren.org/contact 

Got a prayer request? Send it here: https://www.bethanylauren.org/prayer-request-form 

RESOURCE RECOMMENDATIONS (affiliate links):

My #1 Bible Study resource is Logos Bible Software: www.logos.com/simplybible 

Book Recommendations: https://amzn.to/3rmNm4N 

Christian Planner: Use code BETHANY to get 15% off any order! https://www.christianplanner.com/Bethany 

The Bible Study Handbook: ​ https://amzn.to/441Org7 

CONNECT: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simply_bible/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@simply_bible?_t=8fqmqSRllNb&_r=1 

BIBLE BOOTCAMP Guide: https://www.bethanylauren.org/bible-bootcamp   

Bible Bootcamp 2025 Group Chat: https://links.geneva.com/invite/b53c6d64-adfd-4425-85e5-129224c4f7c2 

Simply Bible Free Resources: 

Bible Study Checklist: https://www.bethanylauren.org/shop/bible-study-checklist-free-pdf-digital-download 

Bible study tutorials:  https://youtu.be/lhaAQHg2L4E 

Biblical & theological studies: http://biblicaltraining.org

Subscribe to The Simply Bible newsletter for resource recommendations and monthly encouragement: https://www.bethanylauren.org/contact 

Got a prayer request? Send it here: https://www.bethanylauren.org/prayer-request-form 

RESOURCE RECOMMENDATIONS (affiliate links):

My #1 Bible Study resource is Logos Bible Software: www.logos.com/simplybible 

Book Recommendations: https://amzn.to/3rmNm4N 

Christian Planner: Use code BETHANY to get 15% off any order! https://www.christianplanner.com/Bethany 

The Bible Study Handbook: ​ https://amzn.to/441Org7 

CONNECT: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simply_bible/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@simply_bible?_t=8fqmqSRllNb&_r=1 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bethanylaurenwrites/

Plus, join us in January for Bible Bootcamp, a 30-day challenge to deepen your relationship with God. Let’s thrive together!  

BIBLE BOOTCAMP:

https://www.bethanylauren.org/bible-bootcamp   

Bible Bootcamp 2025 Group Chat: https://links.geneva.com/invite/b53c6d64-adfd-4425-85e5-129224c4f7c2 

Simply Bible Free Resources: 

Bible Study Checklist: https://www.bethanylauren.org/shop/bible-study-checklist-free-pdf-digital-download 

Bible study tutorials:  https://youtu.be/lhaAQHg2L4E 

Biblical & theological studies: http://biblicaltraining.org

Subscribe to The Simply Bible newsletter for resource recommendations and monthly encouragement: https://www.bethanylauren.org/contact 

Got a prayer request? Send it here: https://www.bethanylauren.org/prayer-request-form 

RESOURCE RECOMMENDATIONS (affiliate links):

My #1 Bible Study resource is Logos Bible Software: www.logos.com/simplybible 

Book Recommendations: https://amzn.to/3rmNm4N 

Christian Planner: Use code BETHANY to get 15% off any order! https://www.christianplanner.com/Bethany 

The Bible Study Handbook: ​ https://amzn.to/441Org7 

CONNECT: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simply_bible/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@simply_bible?_t=8fqmqSRllNb&_r=1 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bethanylaurenwrites/

Resources Mentioned (please use my affiliate link to support the show!): 

Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop: https://amzn.to/3Qz4kq7 

Providence, by John Piper: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1433568349/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_M8C5BWJVQF2CS9BRY4CP?linkCode=ml2&tag=bethanythomps-20 

International OCD Foundation https://iocdf.org/programs/conferences/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw57exBhAsEiwAaIxaZnLdcOkoN6YmRlcjZJuHbgGPq7Rva360sfaOWexrtVL7qaOXbraEYhoCKngQAvD_BwE

Simply Bible Free Resources: 

Bible Study Checklist: https://www.bethanylauren.org/shop/bible-study-checklist-free-pdf-digital-download 

Bible study tutorials:  https://youtu.be/lhaAQHg2L4E 

Biblical & theological studies: http://biblicaltraining.org

30 DAY BIBLE BOOTCAMP CHALLENGE:

https://www.bethanylauren.org/bible-bootcamp   

Subscribe to The Simply Bible newsletter for resource recommendations and monthly encouragement: https://www.bethanylauren.org/contact 

Got a prayer request? Send it here: https://www.bethanylauren.org/prayer-request-form 

RESOURCE RECOMMENDATIONS (affiliate links):

My #1 Bible Study resource is Logos Bible Software: www.logos.com/simplybible 

Book Recommendations: https://amzn.to/3rmNm4N 

Christian Planner: Use code BETHANY to get 15% off any order! https://www.christianplanner.com/Bethany 

The Bible Study Handbook: ​ https://amzn.to/441Org7 

Let's connect: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simply_bible/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@simply_bible?_t=8fqmqSRllNb&_r=1 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bethanylaurenwrites/

At Home Seminary: www.bethanylauren.org 

Free Resources: 

Bible Study Checklist: https://www.bethanylauren.org/shop/bible-study-checklist-free-pdf-digital-download 

Bible study tutorials:  https://youtu.be/lhaAQHg2L4E 

Biblical & theological studies: http://biblicaltraining.org

30 DAY BIBLE BOOTCAMP CHALLENGE:

https://www.bethanylauren.org/bible-bootcamp   

Subscribe to The Simply Bible newsletter for resource recommendations and monthly encouragement: https://www.bethanylauren.org/contact 

Got a prayer request? Send it here: https://www.bethanylauren.org/prayer-request-form 

RESOURCE RECOMMENDATIONS:

My #1 Bible Study resource is Logos Bible Software (affilate link): www.logos.com/simplybible 

Book Recommendations: https://amzn.to/3rmNm4N 

Christian Planner: Use code BETHANY to get 15% off any order! https://www.christianplanner.com/Bethany 

The Bible Study Handbook: ​ https://amzn.to/441Org7 

CONNECT: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simply_bible/

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@simply_bible?_t=8fqmqSRllNb&_r=1 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bethanylaurenwrites/

Connect with Kristin: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelovesbible/?hl=en

Abiding Free Podcast: https://www.abidingfree.com/podcast

Habbakkuk Bible Study: https://a.co/d/9KjXgk9 

Connect with Bethany: 

Website: www.bethanylauren.org 

Email: bethanylaurenwrites@gmail.com 

Beth's Bible Study Tutorials: https://youtu.be/lhaAQHg2L4E 

Simply Bible Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/simply_bible/ 

Simply Bible Resources: 

Bible Bootcamp 30-Day Challenge: https://www.bethanylauren.org/bible-bootcamp 

At Home Seminary: www.bethanylaurenwrites.org 

Today's Resource Recommendation: 

FREE

You Tube Channels: 

Overview Bible: https://youtube.com/@OverviewBible

The Bible Project: https://youtube.com/@bibleproject 

Sermons: 

Tim Keller: https://podcast.gospelinlife.com/ (also search Tim Keller on any podcast platform and it will pop up)

Podcasts: 

The Naked Bible Podcast: https://nakedbiblepodcast.com/ ( search the name on any podcast platform and it will pop up)

Help Me Teach the Bible: https://www.nancyguthrie.com/help-me-teach-the-bible-podcast (search the name on any podcast platform and it will pop up)

The Bible Project: https://bibleproject.com/podcasts/the-bible-project-podcast/ 

Bible Dictionaries: 

https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/

Commentaries: 

Blue Letter Bible: https://www.blueletterbible.org/commentaries/ 

Enduring Word: https://enduringword.com/ 

Biblical & Theological Training:

 http://biblicaltraining.org

Books: 

The Bible Made Easy: https://amzn.to/45pTvwl 

How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth: https://amzn.to/434p25x

The Bible Study Handbook: https://amzn.to/3q8hxvN 

How to Understand and Apply the New Testament: https://amzn.to/3MUBE9q 

How to Understand and Apply the Old Testament: https://amzn.to/3q7MxMo 

Theological Interpretation of the Old Testament: https://amzn.to/3q9uUvK 

Commentaries: 

The Baker Exegetical Commentary Series: James (to search for other books in the series, type in “Baker Exegetical Commentary (insert name of book)” and it will pop up: https://amzn.to/3IEErkJ 

The Zondervan Exegetical Commentary Series: https://amzn.to/41Yl25f 

Software / Subscriptions: 

Logos Bible Software: https://www.logos.com/compare/packages/Standard