Being a
seminary student, I thought I’d draw closer to the Lord. But head knowledge
does not necessarily translate to heart knowledge. So I still look for Bible
studies to share with friends as my schedule permits. The latest one that has
crossed my path is ‘Her Restless Heart: A Woman’s Longing for Love and Acceptance’ by Barbara Cameron.
I was particularly intrigued by this one because it has an Amish theme – and I
have been an admirer of the Amish since I was a young girl.
Here is the
synopsis of this book:
Discover the Bible’s answer to the
longing of
every woman’s heart…
Her Restless Heart, the second study in the Faith and Fiction
series, offers a refreshing new approach to Bible study. Much in the way that
Jesus used parables to teach important truths, this study uses the compelling
story of a young Amish woman caught between two worlds as a vehicle for
studying the Bible’s answer to the universe longing of every woman’s heart: to
be unconditionally loved and accepted.
Through excerpts from the novel
(included inside this book) and video interviews with the author (viewed in the
group session), you will become acquainted with Mary Katherine and her search
for unconditional love and acceptance (reading
the novel is not required). As you relate to the struggles of Mary
Katherine and the other characters in the story, you will explore the depths of
your own heart and search to learn what God’s Word has to say about finding
satisfaction for the heart’s persistent yearning. You will discover that though
we tend to look to people and things to fulfill this longing, we can never know
true love and acceptance – or complete freedom – until we are able to rest in
God’s all-encompassing love and trust His plan for our lives. This six-week
study invites you to allow God to satisfy your restlessness, offering you His
love, acceptance, and peace.
Here is the
biography of the author:
Barbara
Cameron is the author of more than 30 fiction and nonfiction books, three
nationally televised movies (HBO-Cinemax), and the winner of the first Romance
Writers of America Golden Heart Award. When a relative took her to visit the
Amish community in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, she felt led to write about the
spiritual values and simple joys she witnessed there. She lives in Edgewater,
Florida.
In the
Introduction, Barbara explains the purpose of her study:
This
study invites us on a journey in which we will explore the depths of our hearts
and allow God to satisfy our restlessness, offering us His love, acceptance,
and peace. Together we will walk through our doubts and fears and find healing
for our hearts – as well as our relationships. We will discover what it means
to live a life of freedom by living in God’s love, and we will celebrate the God
who is devoted to transforming us and blessing us beyond anything we ever dared
to dream or imagine.
What
makes this study unique is that it uses Christian fiction as a backdrop to
explore biblical themes. Through the characters in Her Restless Heart and their stories, we will learn how resting in
God’s great love for us frees is to experience His joy and peace. The hope is
that this refreshing approach of combining Bible study with narrative
storytelling not only will enrich and enhance your study of God’s Word, but
also will help you to better understand and apply what you’re learning in your
own life as you relate to the characters and their experiences. (p. 5)
This is a
six week Bible study, with each week focusing on a different aspect of a woman’s
heart:
Week 1: The Hungry Heart
Week 2: The Wounded Heart
Week 3: The Insecure Heart
Week 4: The Reluctant Heart
Week 5: The Romantic Heart
Week 6: The Satisfied Heart
In
addition, Barbara has prepared videos – which are posted on YouTube – for each
week, which complement each week’s study.
I will take
a look at Week 3: The Insecure Heart. There are excerpts from the book during
each week’s study. In addition, there are individual studies for five days out
of the week. Each day includes an appropriate Bible verse, a ‘Reflect and
Respond’ section, pertinent questions, a prayer entitled ‘Talk to God,’ plus ‘As
You Go,’ which suggests a passage of Scripture to read and reflect upon. Barbara
explains what this particular week will focus on:
Though
we sing hymns about God’s powerful and complete love for us, and we quote
Scriptures about His unending grace, if we are honest, we must admit that often
our insecurities and fears overwhelm us and keep us from understanding and
claiming just how much we are loved by God. So we try harder, and harder still,
until we are defeated, exhausted, and hopeless. It seems that we can never do
enough or be enough. The good news? God is enough.
This
week we will look into our hearts (and our schedules) to see where we are
misplacing our identities and our hopes in things that cannot satisfy, and we
will learn how God fulfills the greatest desires of our hearts. (p. 74)
The book
ends on a charming note – it features Amish recipes, including Jacob’s Macaroni
and Cheese, Amish Coffee Cake, and Amish Zucchini Bread, as well as Florida
Recipes – Shrimp and Grits (my husband and I both love both!), Fruity Florida
Coleslaw, and Key Lime Pie. I definitely plan on trying some – or all – of
them!
I have not
worked through the study, because I am busy taking summer classes. But I plan
on working through this study with a friend after my classes end at the end of
June. I am grateful to Ms. Cameron for putting together such a wonderful study!
This book
is published by Abingdon Press and is provided by them for review purposes.
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