Do you desire a deeper relationship with God?
Do you struggle to meaningfully engage with Scripture on a regular basis?
Do you wish that you could hear God’s voice more clearly and share your faith with others (especially the little ones in your life)?
Studies show that reading and studying the Bible are the activities that have the greatest influence on spiritual growth and maturity. And yet, less than 20% of churchgoers read the Bible daily.
With all our other commitments – work, raising children, shuttling children around to extracurriculars, preparing food, cleaning the house, and maybe squeaking in some time for friends and hobbies – it’s no wonder that so many of us struggle to include daily Bible study into our lives.
But if God’s Word is truth, and if we desire to encounter God in our daily lives, then spending time with God in Scripture should be a priority.
Spending time in God’s Word will help us to:
- refine our characters,
- show us who God is,
- discover his promises’ for our lives,
- hear his voice.
One of my favourite stories in the Bible occurs in Matthew 14:22-33, where Jesus approaches the disciples, who are out fishing on a boat.
Peter says, “Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” Jesus replies.
And of course, if you know the story well, you know that Peter steps out of the boat, and walks a few trembling steps towards Jesus before he gets distracted by the storm and begins to sink.
Here, I hope to provide you with stories and resources to help strengthen your own faith, to deepen your relationship with God, and to nurture faith in the next generation.
What you’ll find at Out Upon The Waters:
- encouragement in your faith to grow deeper in your relationship with Christ
- practical Bible study methods and tutorials to help you engage with Scripture
- creative prayer practices to help you listen for God’s voice, to make prayer a habit, and to discover prayer forms that resonant with your soul
- fun crafts, activities, and practices to share with the kids in your life so that you can “raise up children in the way they should go” (Proverbs 22:6)
Bible reading and study doesn’t have to be a chore. My goal here is to help you find the practices – both study and prayer – that fit with your life, that speak to your soul, and that you find nourishing and fruitful. My second goal is to help you share your own growing passion, confidence, and peace with the little ones in your life.
If you want to raise Christian kids who grow into their faith and claim it as their own, then raising Bible readers and pray-ers is crucial.
About Me
My name is Rebecca and I am a mother of three boys, a chaplain at a girls’ school, and a PhD graduate.
After spending nearly 7 years (including maternity leave and sick leave!) on a PhD, I have ‘opted out’ of the world of academia in order to raise a family, hang out with small kids and teenagers, and talk about Jesus.
I spend my time raising my own kids to be followers of Christ, and teaching other people’s kids about Jesus, religion, and spirituality.
I worked for a while in youth and family ministry, where I got to make cool Jesus stuff happen: Messy Church, Bible study, building a youth group, volunteering (a.k.a. being the light of Christ). Currently I am working as a school chaplain where I get to shepherd hundreds of girls in their faith and encourage them in their own relationship with God.
This involves lots and lots of thinking about God, sitting at Jesus’ feet (that’s the hardest part!), and trying to live out the Gospel.
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. – 1 Peter 3:15