The Faith Matters Study Group materials are printed copies of our Faith Matters eBooks – perfect for groups that want to explore their faith in a group setting. When ordering these, please carefully choose which study you want in the checkout options. If you want to order multiple studies, you can click the + sign in the cart and it will duplicate the order line and you can then choose a different study for each line. Leader guides are separately available.
About Faith Matters
Created by bestselling author Brook Noel, each Faith Matters Study is broken down by topic into bite-size doses of daily devotion, providing questions and reflection space to apply God’s Word to your life.
A Path of Purpose
Welch poet David Whyte wrote: “I don’t want to have written on my tombstone, when finally people struggle through the weeds, pull back the moss, and read the inscription there: ‘He made his car payments.'” While humor is found in Whyte’s quote, great truth is also revealed. My guess is he struggled with the questions that loom over so many of us:
- What is it all for?
- Why am I here?
- What am I supposed to be doing with my life?
In this Faith Matters Study we explore similar struggles faced throughout the Bible, and the wisdom God’s Word can shed on purpose. 18 pages
Living by Example: Guidance for Living God’s Word
Okay… so we might all agree that the Bible makes a great guide for living and that God’s word and the examples of Jesus are timeless principles that offer a ray of light to all who strive to follow these footsteps. Yet how do we bring these words alive in our own life? How do we go from reading God’s Word to LIVING God’s word? What can we learn from the teaching of Jesus that can guide us day-in and day-out as we face conflict, stress, difficult choices, or confused emotions? In this Faith Matters Study, we will read through timeless wisdom of the Bible and work to live by example, by incorporating this wisdom into our own life. Includes reflections and challenges for practicing these nuggets of wisdom in your daily life. 28 pages
Letting Go of Harmful Emotions
An exploration on releasing worry, anxiety, fear, and sadness “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life …” (Matthew 6:25 NKJV) This study offers a guided exploration through releasing worry, anxiety, fear, and sadness by turning them over to God and finding strength in our faith. Verses and stories drawn from the Bible share knowledge and comfort on how to “Let go and Let God.” This study includes 25 daily doses of study and a guided activity for building your own inspirational bookmarks. 14 pages
Reconnecting with God
Any relationship can be challenging to maintain in today’s busy life. Ask a woman how many close friends she has and most women can easily count them on one hand. Why? A close relationship requires a resource in tight supply for many–time. Combine that lack of time with life’s challenges and upsets ,and sometimes relationships are shaken or shattered. This study explores what happens when our relationship with God is shaken. How do we reconnect? What does the Bible say? This study is divided into 14 daily doses of devotion. 10 pages
Character Counts
Character is the real “you”– it is who you are when everyone is looking, and maybe more importantly, who you are when no one is looking. In this Faith Matters Study we look at fifteen important character traits found in the Bible and see how our character does (or doesn’t) embody these traits. This realistic character self-portrait provides a spring board for healthy changes. 27 pages
Practicing the Proverbs
This study explores 15 Proverbs and includes a call to action to put the Scripture into practice in your own life. There are two implementation ideas for each Proverb for a total of 30 ideas to implement over the course of the month. The study is designed as a printable journal to record your experience of practicing the Proverbs. 23 pages
Words to Remember
“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds…” Deuteronomy 11:19 Dallas Willard, professor of Philosophy at the University of Southern California, wrote, “If I had to choose between all the disciplines of the spiritual life, I would choose Bible memorization, because it is a fundamental way of filling our minds with what it needs.” In this Faith Matters study we will learn the basic of memory verses, share favorite verses, learn memorization techniques and tips, and create memory verse cards. Includes a printable page of 8 business-card sized-memory verses. 13 pages
Explorations
God created the Bible in its entirety–selective reading is like reading just one chapter of a book or seeing one scene of a movie–you will likely gain some knowledge, but lose the context. When we take the time to truly delve into the Bible and begin looking at the context, the times, the people and the places we can find captivating events and people, many facing experiences we can relate to today.
In this Faith Matters Study, we work through how to deepen our knowledge of Scripture by applying techniques, tools, prayer, and resources to work through a book in the Bible. Note: This Faith Matters Study teaches a series of steps that can be applied to help you explore the book of your choosing. 11 pages
Love Is…
One of Brook’s favorite Bible passages comes from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13: 4 through 8. “(4) Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. (5) It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (6) Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (7) It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (8) Love never fails.” In this Faith Matters Study we explore what love is and how to live each day with love – love of God, love of life, love of self, love of others. 31 pages
Exploring the Psalms
This study is comprised of daily readings from the Book of Psalms along with reflection questions and information about the Psalm authors. We will explore how we can learn from the Psalms to enhance our own prayer lives and deepen our relationship with God. 21 pages
The Power of Prayer
In this Faith Matters Study, we explore the Power of Prayer and how to enrich our prayer life day-to-day. In addition to reflection – questions on God’s Word, we explore practical instructions for keeping a prayer journal and using prayer time to enrich our connection with God. 17 pages
Straight to the Point
While James is only a short five chapters, this Book offers 54 direct commands, without mincing words on living the Christian life. The simple and straightforward approach of this Jerusalem church leader and brother of Christ covers a wide range of conflicts, topics, and wisdom with clear guidance and a challenge to put our faith into action. The writing and topics explored touch on the core of today’s challenges–facing difficulty, doubt, adversity–and are as relevant now as in 50.A.D. In this study, Brook guides participants through the five chapters of this Book in depth — applying “James wisdom” to our lives while also exploring the self-reflection prompts throughout.40 pages
Managing Your Moods
It is no secret that women tend to experience a wide variety of emotions. Within a single day we can go from upbeat to discouraged, and then some. Inviting God’s Presence and God’s Word to guide us can enable us to increase positive, growth-providing emotions and decrease those that are harmful or limiting to both ourselves and those around us. This Faith Matters Study will guide you through self-reflection, insight from scripture, and finding God’s Wisdom for managing your moods and emotions. 28 pages
Applying the Parables I & II
“He began to teach them many things in parables.” (Mark 4:2)
Stories have always provided a way to relate to and share with one another. Jesus used simple word-pictures, called parables, to help people understand who God is to offer guidelines for living God’s word. According to Don Schwager, “This was Jesus’ most common way of teaching. His stories appealed to the young and old, poor and rich, and to the learned and unlearned as well. Over a third of the Gospels by Matthew, Mark, and Luke contain parables told by Jesus. Jesus loved to use illustrations to reach the heart of his listeners through their imagination. These word-pictures challenged the mind to discover anew what God is like and moved the heart to make a response to God’s love and truth. Like a skillful artist, Jesus painted evocative pictures with short and simple words. A good picture can speak more loudly and clearly than many words. Jesus used the ordinary everyday to point to another order of reality — hidden, yet visible to those who had ‘eyes to see’ and ‘ears to hear’. His parables are like buried treasure waiting to be discovered” (Matt. 13:44)
In the two Faith Matters Parable Studies, we work through eight Parables of Jesus (four in each study) to explore their meanings and gain understanding for the messages these treasures hold for us today.
Parable Study I, 13 pages
Parable Study II, 10 pages
Renew Your Mind
In the Book of Romans we are instructed, “…do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” What does it mean to “renew your mind?” The answer can be found in the full verse: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)
This verse was a springboard for Brook to ask some tough questions:
- How often does my attitude and thinking align with God’s Word?
- Am I a willing participant in directing my thoughts and attitude toward the Will of God?
- Do I let autopilot take over in my life?
- Is my mind constantly renewed and fed with God’s Word or is it holding onto unhealthy messages?
As she sought to answer each question, Brook realized that the best place to feed and renew her mind was with God’s Word. In the end, she compiled 21 verses to create a “Renew Your Mind Month.” This Faith Matters Study acts as a compass to help participants to renew and invigorate their mind. 28 pages
$6.95 sku:5669251
