About Deborah Walker
I've been writing directed inductive Bible study material since December 2016. From January - December 2017, I wrote a daily directed SOAP study that followed my church's, (Crossover Church) reading plan.
My experiences through the years have shown that churches primarily teach the Bible. The question heavy on my heart: are they also discipling for daily personal studying and providing practical methods? As a Sunday School teacher, I found the students lacking interest beyond reading to "check the box". The Bible didn't seem relative to their daily lives.
My style is more of discipleship; side by side and studying the Bible together. The Bible studies I write include a leaders discussion guide for small group or discipleship ministries and even family devotions. It's not a speed course through a book or principle. It is intended for a more thorough understanding which helps one to walk daily with God in excitement journeying through life.
Like a building that needs a strong foundation, our faith needs to be strong and solid. Without a proper understanding of the Bible, we can be led astray by the enemy (Satan), confused, led astray from the whole truth of God, and even have difficulty defending our faith. (Matthew 13:19)
My Journey
I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior at a youth camp when I was 9 years old. I grew up in a non-believing military home and struggled with how to understand the Bible. I'd memorize scripture (head knowledge) yet wrestled with the heart knowledge, what did it mean personally? I lacked understanding the Bible in a practical daily living. There was little direction in how to do a daily time in the Bible without just reading. I wanted to know more than just follow the rules.
Frequent moves left me often times feeling lost in knowing God. I didn't have childhood friendships. My father was abusive. My parents later divorced. Who is God? Can I trust God? Why did God allow that to happen in my life? Can I know God personally? Who could I ask or share my questions?
I attended Bible College, which increased my head knowledge and yet I still struggled with a full heart understanding. I felt disconnected and yearned for a true relationship with God. It was assumed everyone understood how to have a daily quiet time in the Bible beyond just reading. I had a religion, but not a true intimate relationship with God. I felt a distance between God and myself. (God up there, me down here.) Ashamed to ask for help, I felt guilty for my lack of personal connection with God.
I married my husband who was serving in the US Navy, and continued serving over 20 years. We moved every 2 years, which made it difficult building relationships with others to help mentor and disciple me. He would often be on deployments, leaving me with the children where I often felt like a single mother. My lack of friendships, a community, a church family, and distance from family paid its toll on our family. This came into full light when we were raising our children, especially as teens, and needed help to disciple them in their own faith.
I have served in church ministry since my teens from music, to teaching, to serving as a Women's Ministry Director. In all these roles, I still struggled with a meaningful daily time in God's Word. I wanted more than to just read...I was hungry. I was hungry to understand and know God. The LORD God Almighty desires a relationship with each one of us. How? (John 17:3)
I began having some health issues which caused me to retire at an early age. I wasn't emotionally or spiritually prepared. My identity had been in my work, church service, and my family duties -- now gone. I felt lost and abandoned, even by God. It was when I finally cried out in submission asking Him to teach me, to show me who He is, not someone else, but Him by His Holy Spirit. He told me to call Him Father, and to trust Him. God showed me I hadn't sought Him with all my heart because of my fears, pride, self-protection and confusion which had clouded my vision. I hadn't had an earthly role model to know how to fully trust anyone and God wanted to teach me to trust Him fully in all things. (Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 8:28) God began showing me, day by day as I asked Him to speak through His word, (the Holy Bible) in my daily quiet time. My questions were finally being answered through His Word.
I taught Sunday School and found many students struggling with the same challenges I had in my journey. I began writing for my students to help them through their questions to know God. I welcomed all questions and together they learned the answers in God's Word.
Jeremiah 29:13-14 became my motivating verse to dig deeper and develop a practical method of studying the Bible. I began asking God questions in my daily time about what He wanted to say to me. He answered through His Word, His love letter.
One day a student asked me to write a daily Bible study they could do on their own. God directed me to focus on Timothy. So, my first study on 1st & 2nd Timothy was written. Each verse is read and studied. Questions for understanding in a practical way for daily living. For leaders, a discussion guide is included to spur additional discussions. This is when Matthew 13:19 became my motivation for writing. I didn't want any other families to feel the pain of their child being snatched up in the ways of the world. My children have a faith journey of their own and I thank God for the opportunity to pray for them.
I am thankful to God for the students hunger in asking me to write a daily Bible study they could understand.
To Him be all Glory and Honor.