More Than a Bible Study

Elizabeth Estrada shares her experience of joining a Catholic Bible study hosted by her parish.

I was fortunate last fall to find a Catholic Bible study in my parish. I saw it advertised in the bulletin on a full page, which of course caught my attention.

Apparently, they have had this study for many years and I never knew it! Talk about God’s timing.

Well, it was a wonderful experience because I have always been drawn to read and study the Bible. I didn’t learn to use the Bible until I was an adult!

So, off and on through the years I have attempted to study it on my own. My sister and I would assign each other books of the Bible and verses and then we would email and chat and share our thoughts.

The Study Begins

Well, this Bible study really changed my life in the sense that it showed me that many of us are hungry for God’s Word. It was also a women’s Bible study so we could apply what we were reading to our lives.

One of the greatest gifts I received was getting to know the women in my small group. We were all different ages, different careers, and different backgrounds.

We met once a week for nine months and shared many intimate parts of our lives. Not only did I learn more about the Bible, but I also was able to get to know these women in a way I wouldn’t have if I had not joined in the fall.

It was interesting that even though we were all different, we had many things in common. We wanted to have a closer relationship to Jesus by reading His word, find other women to share and learn it with, and make it a part of our daily lives consistently.

Read the Bible Daily

Having this opportunity helped me feel more comfortable using the Bible and reading it daily. Right now, because it’s summer, I don’t have an official guide to follow, but I am using the readings, psalms, and a devotional to read a passage that I am drawn to read.

I have a Bible journal where I am writing my thoughts on the Scripture passages I read. Of course, I haven’t been as consistent as I hope to be, but I am not giving up.

If you are like me and want to dive in, please do it. If I can do it, you can too, for sure. If you want to know more about the Bible study my parish uses, it is Walking with Purpose. Their website has many free resources, and they have a podcast. I would love to hear your experience with the Bible and how you implement it in your daily life.

Happy reading!

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Copyright 2026 Elizabeth Estrada 
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