Weekly Challenges & Resources for Rest & Release

Join Good Morning Girls as we read through the Bible cover to cover one chapter a day. Here are the resources you need to study Rest and Release. #Biblestudy #RestandRelease #WomensBibleStudy #GoodMorningGirls

For those who have joined me, each fall, for the Making Your Home a Haven Series– that series is being replaced this year, with a study titled: Rest and Release.  This study is “Making Your Home a Haven 2.0″.   It’s going to be even BETTER than past years because we are mixing the familiar challenges WITH a study of God’s Word.  This is going to be SO good!

Do you struggle to find rest for your soul, on the hamster wheel of life?

Do you feel like your load – your portion in life – is a bit too heavy and wonder what God is doing or why you must struggle and wrestle so much?

Do you wish you could just release it all?

Me too.

Below is the list of challenges so you can prepare.  Each week, I will provide for you a practical challenge of something I do in my home that helps me rest and live blessed.  I hope you will take the challenges. They do make a difference!

Weekly Challenges:

Week 1: Stop

Go buy an extra large candle and light your candle everyday in your home. Each time the glimmer of the candle catches your eye, stop and say a prayer for peace.

I will be starting my candle in the morning but you can start yours at dinnertime or whenever is convenient for you. I will be placing mine in the kitchen – the main hub of my home.

Week 2: Receive God’s Love

Go pick a bouquet of flowers from your garden or a nearby field or buy yourself a small bouquet. Each time you see the flowers, be reminded of God’s love for you.

I will be purchasing a small bouquet from my grocery store and placing it in a vase, in my kitchen.

Week 3: Release

Determine to sing to the Lord this week.

I have a playlist I have created titled “worship music” on my iPhone. I’ll be listening to it on the treadmill, in the car and in my kitchen on my blue tooth speaker and I may or may not be belting out songs to Jesus in the shower. 😉

Week 4: Rest

Determine to sleep extra long one night this week or to take a nap or a bubble bath. This is not pampering. This is meeting your God given need for rest.

Since I have overachiever tendencies, I am going to try to do all three this week. 🙂

Resources

The Study Guide is optional as I will provide for you the daily Bible Reading Plan and many free resources each week here on the blog. BUT I highly recommend the Study Guide as it is not just a journal.  It provides for you a daily devotional that is not found here on the blog plus, a place to keep all of your reflections, prayers and video notes in one place.

Order your Bible Study Journal NOW
to get it in time for the start of our study!

This journal is available exclusively on Amazon
in both Paperback and Kindle.

Inside the journal you will find:

*The Weekly Challenges
*Daily Devotionals
*An explanation of how to use the signature S.O.A.K. method of the GMG’s
*The GMG Coloring Chart
* The Verse of the Day each day
*A Reflection Question for each day
* Blank space for SOAKing in your scripture reading for the day
*Space to take notes on the videos

Printable Bible Bookmark

Printable Bible Coloring Bookmark

Bible Coloring Chart Bookmark 2

Signature GMG SOAK Bible Study Method

SOAK graphic

Video explaining the Bible Coloring and SOAK Methods of Study

Here are the highlighters, pens and pencils I mentioned in the video:

Highlighters – Acid Free – Bible Hi-Glider
Fine Line Non-bleeding Pens – Micron Archival Ink and Multi-Colored Gel Pens
Colored Pencils – Crayola Twistables and Crayola Colored Pencils
I use the ESV Inductive Study Bible as my personal study Bible.

Printable SOAK Pages

This is for those who are not purchasing the Bible Study Guide.  This is not the same as the Study Guide on Amazon – these pages have been created for low-cost printing on a home printer and do not include the Introduction, Daily Devotionals, Weekly Challenges, Verses of the Day or Reflection questions.

Blog and Social Media Schedule

Blog 

Mondays –  All of the Free Resources for the week including the Daily Reflections Questions, printable Verses of the Day and Weekly Challenges will be posted.

Wednesdays – they’ll be a devotional here on the blog.

Fridays – they’ll be a Friday wrap-up video here on the blog.

Instagram 

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

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

Facebook 

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

Jesus said in John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

Are you in?  

If you are – it’s time to prepare for the first challenge by going out and purchasing a large candle.  

What’s the scent of your candle? I just finished a Yankee Candle that is Salted Caramel and now I’m burning Pumpkin Donut – mmmmmm.

I’ll be using the hashtag
#RestAndRelease
on Instagram
.

I invite you to use it too so we can all connect there!

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

There are no sign-ups or enrollments.

See you back here on October 1st as we begin!

Don’t forget to invite your friends!

Walk with the King,

Courtney

This journal is available exclusively on Amazon
in both Paperback and Kindle.

This post contains an affiliate link.

67 Comments

    1. Cynthia!

      Thank you so much for opening up your group! 🙂 Please let me know when it is full and I will remove your link from this comment section.

      Lots of Love,
      Courtney

    2. I would like to join the “Rest and Release Bible study!! I just purchased the book last week and started reading week 1 this week. I have enjoyed reading and have really learned a lot!! SOAK has helped me in so many ways.

    1. I’m late getting started but am looking for a group. Is yours still open? I guess could be for more sharing and accountability?

  1. I need help! October 1 is a Sunday but I thought you normally began studies on a Monday. So this one is starting on a Sunday? Just trying to clear this up for my group! Thanks!

    1. Hi Kayla,

      I will post the opening post to this study on Sunday (October 1st) like I did this week but we will begin our study in the study guide for week 1 – Day 1 on Monday.

      I will clarify that in the next post. Thanks for mentioning how that is confusing!

      Lots of Love,
      Courtney 🙂

  2. Hey Courtney? Could you share your worship music playlist? Or maybe make one on Spotify?

    I’ve got my Candle! Picked up a Yankee Candle in Autumn Wreath my FAVORITE scent!!

    1. Good Morning Kelly,

      On Week 3, when the challenge is about singing and worship – I plan to share some of my playlists with you all. 🙂 So that is coming soon – yay!

      And your candle scent sounds wonderful!! I love Yankee Candles!

      So glad you are joining us again!
      Lots of Love,
      Courtney 🙂

  3. I have my journal and am ready to go. I have never worked through a study along with your group. (Usually I watch after to work through topics). I am excited to work through this study ALONG SIDE other women!

    Thanks for all you do and are. Thanks for writing the lessons and teaching.

  4. This is a random question,but it’s one I’ve had for years! Do you keep your candle lit all day, or do you burn it for a few hours and blow it out? The first year I burned it all day, but I went through 2 candles a week, lol! I almost feel bad for blowing it out after a few hours.

  5. I am so excited to be doing this study again with you. This will be my 3rd year doing the October/fall challenge. Looking forward to it.

  6. Courtney, Just received the book in the mail and it is wonderful!! You truly have been blessed with the gift to teach and encourage and I am so thankful to be learning alongside of you once again!!

  7. I’m super excited for this! I just ordered it and I can’t wait to start.
    Loving this, thank you Courtney! Looking forward to taking this journey with you.
    Continual prayers for you and your family.

    1. Deborah, there are several links to Facebook groups or email groups, if you prefer, within this comment section. Just click on one and request to join.

  8. Courtney,
    I’ve done several of your studies and my sister (originally from Ohio, now living in Virginia) would like to do the October study. I just entered her email at the top of the page to “subscribe” – is that all that is needed? Thanks!

    1. Hi Jackie!

      Yes – if you entered your email in the subscribe section, you should have received an email confirmation and you are good to go!

      So glad you are joining us again!
      Lots of Love,
      Courtney 🙂

  9. So glad you are doing this. I’ve been missing your posts. God is good, all the time. He’s even in the need for Restful places.
    All is in His grace,

  10. Anyone in Alaska, doing a group? I am looking for a group. Ordered the book, should be here Tuesday, hopefully. Thank you.

  11. Hi, my name is Pam and I would in Newport,South Wales in the UK. I have would love to join this study. Is it ok for me to join. I haven’t done a study online before.
    Can you do it with the online resources only?
    Thank you Pam

  12. Hi Courtney! Glad to see you’re back and posting some encouragement. Our group definitely needs some Rest and Release, so I’m thankful for God’s timing in orchestrating this through you right now!

    My candle is Black Cherry, and I am focused on praying for peace.

    Since there are members in my group who are going through some difficulties, we are not opening up to new members and we are graciously giving our group some Rest and Release time to heal. Please include us in your prayers.

    Thanks, Jodie

  13. Just thought I would say, I think you can omit the welcome page and colouring chart page from the short e-version of the studies. These can be linked separately. I have printed the colouring chart out and stuck it to the inside of my Bible, so I don’t need to print it out again. That also applies to the welcome page with the SOAP explanation – again I have it printed out already – and so now I am familiar with it.

  14. Hi Courtney,
    this is my first time doing a study and I am looking forward to this one. Where do I find the blog for this study. I don’t really do social media except for instagram which i have not really been in much and am considering deleting.
    thanks God bless

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