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Word Writers
Word Writers: James: Experience the Bible . . . Writing Word by Word
Profound Motivation...
Handwritten on Your Heart The book of James calls you to grow deeper in your faith through words and actions as you look ahead to eternity with God and His people. Get ready to explore this stirring book through the tried-and-tested inductive study method—with an added writing step to help you treasure each word!
In this exciting Bible study (complete with devotions, questions, and pages for writing the Word), you will...
READ—Find out what these verses say.
REFLECT—Discover what these verses mean.
RESPOND—Apply these verses to your everyday life.
WRITE—Rewrite these verses to better remember them.
As you dive into James you will learn practical ways to navigate the trials and temptations of the world and let your faith come alive. * * * The Word Writers series helps you experience Scripture in a deeper way—on your own or with a group—through studying and writing verses word by word.
Handwritten on Your Heart The book of James calls you to grow deeper in your faith through words and actions as you look ahead to eternity with God and His people. Get ready to explore this stirring book through the tried-and-tested inductive study method—with an added writing step to help you treasure each word!
In this exciting Bible study (complete with devotions, questions, and pages for writing the Word), you will...
READ—Find out what these verses say.
REFLECT—Discover what these verses mean.
RESPOND—Apply these verses to your everyday life.
WRITE—Rewrite these verses to better remember them.
As you dive into James you will learn practical ways to navigate the trials and temptations of the world and let your faith come alive. * * * The Word Writers series helps you experience Scripture in a deeper way—on your own or with a group—through studying and writing verses word by word.
176 pages, Paperback
Published February 1, 2017
6 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Denise J. Hughes
10 books40 followersDenise J. Hughes is the author of the Word Writers series and a passionate student of the Bible. A popular conference speaker, she is also an adjunct professor at Azusa Pacific University and the editorial coordinator for (in)courage. She lives with her husband and three kids in the Los Angeles area. Follow her at www.wordwriters.us and on Twitter @DeniseJHughes.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 15, 2017
Over the past few weeks I've been working through Denise J. Hughes' Word Writers: James bible study. In addition to the online discussion group (which began 2/20), I've had the added pleasure of completing this study with a friend. We enjoy diving into God's Word together and the book of James gave us plenty to discuss.
Format:
Of the 176 pages in the study, 122 have content while the final pages are intended for the purpose of writing out the entire book of James. There are 25 lessons broken down into an opening (personal story) from the author, a portion of James, cross references,"Diving Deeper" questions, and a prayer. Apart from the scripture writing portion, you can expect to spend 15-20 minutes on each lesson.
What I liked:
- Hughes pens the most concise and well worded prayers. On day 23 (James 5:12), she writes about making our words count, and I feel that is exactly what Hughes did in these prayers. They are beautiful!
- I accepted the challenge to write out the passage that corresponded with each day's lesson. While I probably will not continue to do so beyond this study, this simple act forced me to linger a little longer in the message. Even those of us with larger script are afforded plenty of room for this exercise.
- It's not all about James. While each lesson progresses through James, Hughes also directs readers to other books which support James' teachings.
I would have liked:
- More probing questions. Each day consisted of two or three objective questions and about the same number of subjective questions. They suited the topic of the day well, but they weren't particularly deep or challenging. For me the book had more of a devotional feel than that of an in-depth study.
- Additional space to answer questions.
Word Writers: James would be a wonderful starting point for new believers. As such, it would be a good study for mentors to complete with their mentees.
With thanks to the author/publisher for providing me with a review copy. All opinions are my own.
Format:
Of the 176 pages in the study, 122 have content while the final pages are intended for the purpose of writing out the entire book of James. There are 25 lessons broken down into an opening (personal story) from the author, a portion of James, cross references,"Diving Deeper" questions, and a prayer. Apart from the scripture writing portion, you can expect to spend 15-20 minutes on each lesson.
What I liked:
- Hughes pens the most concise and well worded prayers. On day 23 (James 5:12), she writes about making our words count, and I feel that is exactly what Hughes did in these prayers. They are beautiful!
- I accepted the challenge to write out the passage that corresponded with each day's lesson. While I probably will not continue to do so beyond this study, this simple act forced me to linger a little longer in the message. Even those of us with larger script are afforded plenty of room for this exercise.
- It's not all about James. While each lesson progresses through James, Hughes also directs readers to other books which support James' teachings.
I would have liked:
- More probing questions. Each day consisted of two or three objective questions and about the same number of subjective questions. They suited the topic of the day well, but they weren't particularly deep or challenging. For me the book had more of a devotional feel than that of an in-depth study.
- Additional space to answer questions.
Word Writers: James would be a wonderful starting point for new believers. As such, it would be a good study for mentors to complete with their mentees.
With thanks to the author/publisher for providing me with a review copy. All opinions are my own.
March 24, 2017
A great aid for both personal devotion time and group study.
If you are looking for something that helps you to read through a book of the Bible in a systematic and clear way, then this book is for you. I love that it includes daily thoughts from the author, Denise. The questions help to encourage you to apply what you read to your own life in the 21st century. I like that there is a prayer written for the reader to make their own prayer. I have enjoyed the addition of the blank pages at the back for space to write the word myself which has been additional way to meditate on the scripture for the day. It also helps that the focus is on just a few verses a day. This means the amount of scripture reading is manageable and allows for time to let the words soak into your heart and mind, rather than rushing through a large chunk of scripture, just so you can say you've read it.
The book is laid out so that 5 daily readings are covered each week. I found this helpful as it meant that if for some reason I missed a day or too, there was still time to keep up.
I found it helpful to use in my own morning devotional time and enjoyed meeting up with a couple of friends (who were also using the book in their own time) to share together what we were learning and encouraging each other to keep in the Word. We are all interested in buying more of these study books for personal and group use.
If you are looking for something that helps you to read through a book of the Bible in a systematic and clear way, then this book is for you. I love that it includes daily thoughts from the author, Denise. The questions help to encourage you to apply what you read to your own life in the 21st century. I like that there is a prayer written for the reader to make their own prayer. I have enjoyed the addition of the blank pages at the back for space to write the word myself which has been additional way to meditate on the scripture for the day. It also helps that the focus is on just a few verses a day. This means the amount of scripture reading is manageable and allows for time to let the words soak into your heart and mind, rather than rushing through a large chunk of scripture, just so you can say you've read it.
The book is laid out so that 5 daily readings are covered each week. I found this helpful as it meant that if for some reason I missed a day or too, there was still time to keep up.
I found it helpful to use in my own morning devotional time and enjoyed meeting up with a couple of friends (who were also using the book in their own time) to share together what we were learning and encouraging each other to keep in the Word. We are all interested in buying more of these study books for personal and group use.
March 24, 2017
I have seen the Word Writers series off and on for a while now but wasn't sure if I would like the setup of the study or if they would be too overwhelming for me. But I wanted something that would help me dive deeper into a single book of the Bible at one time. By choosing James, I was really hoping to gain more insight into the book and learn more about what James says about growing deeper in my faith.
I really enjoyed working through this study and gaining new understanding of the book of James. I like the way it is set-up by day, so you can start whenever (it doesn't have to be a specific date). Also the days are not too intense. And probably my favorite part of the entire study is actually writing out the book of James verse by verse!
I plan to purchase the other books in the Word Writers series and complete them. As the Ladies Bible study leader at my church I have also given consideration to taking my group through one or more of the studies.
Thanks to the James study, I have started writing out the verses for a few of the other Bible studies I am doing at this time.
**Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a copy of this study for free. All opinions are my own.**
I really enjoyed working through this study and gaining new understanding of the book of James. I like the way it is set-up by day, so you can start whenever (it doesn't have to be a specific date). Also the days are not too intense. And probably my favorite part of the entire study is actually writing out the book of James verse by verse!
I plan to purchase the other books in the Word Writers series and complete them. As the Ladies Bible study leader at my church I have also given consideration to taking my group through one or more of the studies.
Thanks to the James study, I have started writing out the verses for a few of the other Bible studies I am doing at this time.
**Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a copy of this study for free. All opinions are my own.**
March 23, 2017
Word Writers: James by Denise Hughes is one of the easiest "write Scripture" workbooks & Bible studies that I've found. Each day is paced well enough to not get overwhelmed with a lot of reading AND having to write the Scripture.
Each day is totally contemplative with a few questions asked from what is read.
I really like all of the extra space that is given to write out Scripture in the back of the book.
The size of the book is just the right size to fit into a small totebag, or even in your study Bible carrying case if you use one.
I recommend Word Writers to anyone that is just starting to study the Bible, and to someone that wants to change up how they study the Bible.
Each day is totally contemplative with a few questions asked from what is read.
I really like all of the extra space that is given to write out Scripture in the back of the book.
The size of the book is just the right size to fit into a small totebag, or even in your study Bible carrying case if you use one.
I recommend Word Writers to anyone that is just starting to study the Bible, and to someone that wants to change up how they study the Bible.
March 16, 2017
James was the first of the WordWriters series that I’ve done, but it definitely won’t be the last!
I loved this refreshing format! It’s light enough in style to be my daily study, yet unlike devotionals, it still gets me directly into the Bible as I write a bit of verses each time. Short, personal stories lead into the daily verses to tie it in practical ways. The format also includes some related verses, not just a daily selection from James, as well as the couple quick reflection questions and prayer. (All this can usually be done in about 15-20 min.) I enjoyed it so much that I looked forward to each day's material!
Very manageable! Great for creating a new habit or inspiring a fresh perspective! Designed for 25 days, you can choose to complete one every day, but I loved using it for only on weekdays because it easily fit with a work schedule (leaving weekends for my deeper study time).
I enjoyed that it has a special section at the end with ample space for handwriting all of James in the same workbook, so it is kept with the study and even has the same color theme on the those pages. The ribbon is a nice touch for marking your place in the daily readings!
[To be clear, this is not an intensive study if you are looking for a deep guide to the Bible. This is inductive and can certainly be a starting point for you to spend more personal time reading, memorizing, or praying based on these sections, but overall it's more of a devotional style reading, plus writing the verses.]
I loved this refreshing format! It’s light enough in style to be my daily study, yet unlike devotionals, it still gets me directly into the Bible as I write a bit of verses each time. Short, personal stories lead into the daily verses to tie it in practical ways. The format also includes some related verses, not just a daily selection from James, as well as the couple quick reflection questions and prayer. (All this can usually be done in about 15-20 min.) I enjoyed it so much that I looked forward to each day's material!
Very manageable! Great for creating a new habit or inspiring a fresh perspective! Designed for 25 days, you can choose to complete one every day, but I loved using it for only on weekdays because it easily fit with a work schedule (leaving weekends for my deeper study time).
I enjoyed that it has a special section at the end with ample space for handwriting all of James in the same workbook, so it is kept with the study and even has the same color theme on the those pages. The ribbon is a nice touch for marking your place in the daily readings!
[To be clear, this is not an intensive study if you are looking for a deep guide to the Bible. This is inductive and can certainly be a starting point for you to spend more personal time reading, memorizing, or praying based on these sections, but overall it's more of a devotional style reading, plus writing the verses.]
February 27, 2019
Great compliment to your bible study. I was doing my own inductive verse by verse study and loved Denise’s commentary as well as her cross-references. This would be great for a newbie to Bible study or someone that needs a jumpstart and encouragement to go through an entire book of the Bible. I’m looking forward to doing her other studies soon.
May 16, 2017
This is my 3rd Word Writers Bible Study and I can definitely say Denise has a love for God's Word. This book is definitely worth every penny you shall spend to purchase. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 star review is because of small details that will probably not bother other purchasers in the grand scheme of things. Things such as the book has font colors in some areas which are hard to read, at least for me. Yet, I can't stress enough that I would recommend this book to people looking for a bible study which will have them in the Word.
March 24, 2017
Bible study is a hands-on affair. It requires a careful reading of the text -- and then, multiple re-readings in order to arrive at a clear understanding of the author's (and the Author's) intent. In the Word Writers series, Denise Hughes argues that the additional step of writing (copying by hand) the words of Scripture as you study them will also enhance the learning process. She calls it "saturation," and I agree wholeheartedly. There's something about forming the letters, adding the commas, noting the repetition of words and phrases that slows me down and aids comprehension. I even find that it helps with memorization and retention!
With an engaging introduction, enlightening commentary, questions that encourage a deep dig, and a suggested prayer that applies the truth, each day of this 25-part study of the book of James drew me into a greater appreciation for the highly practical teaching James offers.
This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for my review.
With an engaging introduction, enlightening commentary, questions that encourage a deep dig, and a suggested prayer that applies the truth, each day of this 25-part study of the book of James drew me into a greater appreciation for the highly practical teaching James offers.
This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for my review.
March 25, 2017
This was the best Bible study I've read in years. Denise made it personable so I felt James was directly speaking to me. This book has opened my eyes to what and who I am in Christ, what my actions and attitudes toward others does to my character.
April 4, 2017
I recently discovered a fun, unique new Bible Study series called “Word Writers: Experience the Bible...Writing Word by Word”. As with most books of this kind, devotions, reflection questions, and quotes from Scripture are included in a daily reading, but with “Word Writers” there is one more - rather unusual - step... As the series name implies, in each “Word Writers” volume you actually write out the book of the Bible being studied, a few verses each day, from beginning to end! Written by Denise J. Hughes, this series is published by Harvest House. Although several individual studies in the series have now been released, the first one I chose to complete focused on the book of James...
As the introduction to “Word Writers: James” explains, “A traditional Inductive Bible Study uses three key approaches to God’s Word: observation, interpretation, and application. Word Writers adds a crucial fourth dimension to the Bible study experience: saturation - the opportunity to write the Word. Because when we write it, we remember it.” I would have to agree. Writing out the book of James, verse by verse, really caused me to slow down and take note of each sentence, and even each word. Of course, the material to accompany each day’s writing in “Word Writers: James” (including questions, personal anecdotes from the author, and corresponding Scripture verses) also helped me to understand and reflect on the passage, but actually taking a pen and writing the verses was the clincher to remembering what those verses said!
Overall I definitely recommend “Word Writers: James” to women looking for a fresh new approach to studying and remembering the Bible. Although not all of the daily readings within the book were relevant to me, the direction and motivation to write out an entire book of the Bible more than made up for it. I look forward to checking out another “Word Writers” volume soon... I just need to choose between Philippians and Ephesians!
This book was provided courtesy of Harvest House Publishers, in exchange for my honest review.
As the introduction to “Word Writers: James” explains, “A traditional Inductive Bible Study uses three key approaches to God’s Word: observation, interpretation, and application. Word Writers adds a crucial fourth dimension to the Bible study experience: saturation - the opportunity to write the Word. Because when we write it, we remember it.” I would have to agree. Writing out the book of James, verse by verse, really caused me to slow down and take note of each sentence, and even each word. Of course, the material to accompany each day’s writing in “Word Writers: James” (including questions, personal anecdotes from the author, and corresponding Scripture verses) also helped me to understand and reflect on the passage, but actually taking a pen and writing the verses was the clincher to remembering what those verses said!
Overall I definitely recommend “Word Writers: James” to women looking for a fresh new approach to studying and remembering the Bible. Although not all of the daily readings within the book were relevant to me, the direction and motivation to write out an entire book of the Bible more than made up for it. I look forward to checking out another “Word Writers” volume soon... I just need to choose between Philippians and Ephesians!
This book was provided courtesy of Harvest House Publishers, in exchange for my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews