Bring your Bible study to life with holy imagination! Learn how engaging your five senses can help you visualize Scripture—without changing its meaning. This episode shows you how to add sensory depth to your Bible study while staying true to the text. Bible study isn’t just reading—it’s experiencing. Learn to use holy imagination and your five senses to slow down, see the story, and let God’s Word sink deeper into your heart.

HOMEWORK:

1) Read Ruth 1 again using your Holy Imagination and 5 senses, especially related to Namoi’s emotions.

2) Write the word STOP when you take a pause to use your holy imagination.

3) Using your Holy Imagination and 5 senses, write down in your journal what Naomi may have been feeling.

4) Read Psalm 23 using your Holy Imagination and 5 senses. How does reading this way impact your heart and your soul?

Be in touch! Questions? Email: biblestudybestiespodcast@gmail.com

Find out more visit Heather or Kristina!

In two weeks we'll answer your Bible Study questions! Email us at biblestudybestiespodcast@gmail.com

Want to uncover threads that weave the Bible together? In this episode of Bible Study Besties, we explore the powerful study method of marking repeated keywords. Highlighting keywords slows down your reading, helping you notice important details you may have previously missed. These repeated words often point to key themes—truths that appear in a single book and echo across the entire Word of God. These themes reveal God’s unified story from beginning to end. Grab your Bible pens or colored pencils, and join us as we gain confidence to study God's Word.

HOMEWORK:

1) Find where the town Bethlehem is mentioned beginning in Genesis and then throughout the Bible.

2) Trace Moab and Moabites throughout the Bible.

Reference your Study Bible, Bible Hub, Bible Gateway

Once you have completed your own study, read this article from Ligonier Ministries.

Ever notice certain words popping up again and again in Scripture? That’s no accident. In this episode, we explore the power of repeated keywords—how they reveal major themes in a single book and connect to the greater story of the entire Bible. You’ll learn how to spot these key words, why they matter, and how marking them (yes, break out your Bible pens or colored pencils!) can help you see God’s message with greater clarity. Get ready to trace God’s heart through His words, one repeated phrase at a time.

HOMEWORK:

Read Ruth Chapter 1. Using Bible pens, colored pencils, or highlighters and mark any repeated keywords. (Secret tip: If a word is repeated, it is a keyword!) You will want to keep your marking consistent throughout the entire book, so grab an index card if you would like to keep track of the words you are marking. For example, "kindness" can be marked with an orange box, and "Bethlehem" could have a light green line through it.

Mark every reference to God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit. If you have margins in your Bible, note what you learn about God in the margin.

Before we dive deep into the book of Ruth, it’s essential that we step back and review the context—because context is king! In this episode, we walk through the 4 W’s and the H: Who wrote it and who are the main characters, When it was written, Where it takes place, What was happening at the time, Why it written, and How it fits into the bigger story of the Bible. This episode builds on last week’s homework, helping you anchor Ruth in its historical and spiritual setting.

By understanding the overview, we’re reminded that our faith is rooted in something real—tangible history and God’s unfolding plan. And we see that even the smallest stories (like Ruth’s—and ours!) are woven into the grand story of redemption.

HOMEWORK:

• Find Bethlehem and Moab on this map. Take note of the route Elimelech and Naomi took going from Bethlehem to Moab.
• During the week read Deuteronomy 16, Judges 3 and Numbers 25 to give you more background information of the book of Ruth. Take notes in your notebook about what you learn.
• What this video overview of Ruth, as well as this overview of Judges from the Bible Project.

When we study God’s Word, context isn’t optional—it’s essential. As we say in Bible Study, Context is King. In this episode, we explore why placing each book of the Bible in its historical and spiritual context matters deeply. Understanding the original audience, setting, author and purpose protects us from misinterpretation and helps us grasp the true meaning behind the text. Whether you're reading the prophets or the epistles, context will open your eyes to the truth, richness and depth of Scripture. Let’s learn how to study the Bible with clarity, wisdom, and confidence.

HOMEWORK:

WHO: Who are the characters in the story? Who wrote the book?

WHAT: What is happening in the story? Write a short summary.

WHEN: When did this story take place?

WHERE: Where did this story take place? Get out a Bible map and find these places on the map.

WHY: Why is this story happening?

HOW: How is God revealing Himself in this story?

Resources:

Study Bible

Bible Project

Crossway: Christ in All of Scriptures

The Bible Hub

When you open your Bible to study God's Word, where do you begin? In this episode, we’re talking about the essential first step: Reading Big. Before diving into the details of a verse or chapter, you need to read through the entire book of the Bible to grasp the big picture. Understanding the full context transforms your Bible, and are the building blocks of your future studies. Because Bible study isn’t just about gathering details—it’s about knowing God more deeply through His Word.

Homework: Read through the book of Ruth.

Before you open your Bible, pause. In this episode, we explore why prayer is the essential first step in any meaningful Bible study. Whether you're new to Scripture or a seasoned student of God’s Word, inviting the Holy Spirit to guide, teach, and soften your heart can transform how you read and respond to the truth of Scripture.

We’ll talk about how prayer aligns our hearts with God’s, quiets distractions, opens our spiritual eyes, and creates space for deep connection with the Living Word. You'll hear practical tips for praying before Bible study, scriptural examples of those who sought God in prayer before gaining insight, and a sample prayer to help you begin your time in the Word with intention.

If you long to hear God more clearly, understand the Bible more deeply, and grow in intimacy with Him—start here. Before we study, we pray.

Be in touch!

You can find the link to Kristina's study on prayer HERE.

https://heatherjjonsson.com/

In this episode, we dive into the big story of the Bible — a unified narrative of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible tells the sweeping story of God's love. Whether you're new to Scripture or a longtime believer, this episode will help you trace the Bible's central message and understand how Jesus is at the heart of it all.

📝 Homework:
After listening, try writing a short paragraph that summarizes the big story of the Bible. Send us your summary for a chance to win a Starbucks giftcard!

Heather:

https://www.instagram.com/heatherjjonsson/

https://heatherjjonsson.substack.com/

Kristina:

https://www.instagram.com/kristinareneexo/?hl=en

https://www.facebook.com/kristina.r.wise