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Isaiah - Bible Study for Women with Video Access: Striving Less and Trusting God More
Isaiah served as God’s mouthpiece to the nation of Judah but also to the surrounding nations. His message echoes into our lives today as we read his call to rely on the Lord. Using the genres of poetry, narrative, and prophecy, Isaiah communicated clearly that followers of God could trust in Him.
As you study the chapters Isaiah wrote—from his challenging words to the nation of Israel to his prophecies of the Messiah to come—learn to rest in God's promises and grow in trust. Unpacking Isaiah’s words will reveal that you can trust God more than your own human effort or the counterfeits the world suggests. You won’t be striving harder, but instead trusting more deeply the Faithful One who is so worthy of our utter dependence. In Him you'll find the comfort and peace you need to sustain you.
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As you study the chapters Isaiah wrote—from his challenging words to the nation of Israel to his prophecies of the Messiah to come—learn to rest in God's promises and grow in trust. Unpacking Isaiah’s words will reveal that you can trust God more than your own human effort or the counterfeits the world suggests. You won’t be striving harder, but instead trusting more deeply the Faithful One who is so worthy of our utter dependence. In Him you'll find the comfort and peace you need to sustain you.
Discover more Bible Studies in the
192 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2022
39 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Spoelstra
39 books113 followersMelissa Spoelstra is a popular women’s conference speaker, Bible teacher, and writer who is madly in love with Jesus and passionate about helping women of all ages to seek Christ and know Him more intimately through serious Bible study. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Bible Theology and enjoys teaching God's Word to diverse groups and churches within the body of Christ. She is the author of Joseph: The Journey to Forgiveness, Jeremiah: Daring to Hope in an Unstable World, and the forthcoming Total Family Makeover: 8 Steps to Making Disciples at Home. She lives in Dublin, Ohio, with her pastor husband and four kids.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
July 19, 2023
I absolutely loved this study! I've never done a specific study on Isaiah and I really enjoyed all that I learned through God's word. This book also come with access to Melissa Spoelstra's lesson videos and I enjoyed each one.
I loved this study so much that I'm going to be leading a ladies group this fall with this curriculum. I can't wait!
I loved this study so much that I'm going to be leading a ladies group this fall with this curriculum. I can't wait!
August 27, 2022
I highly recommend this topical overview study of the book of Isaiah! In only 6 weeks, the author highlights all the great nuggets of this prophetic book, touching on all the main themes that Isaiah repeats.
Warning: this study does not go strictly chronologically! That's because the book of Isaiah didn't, either. I'm usually one who likes to go from start to finish, but that just didn't work for Isaiah. I appreciated the author curating the most important, repeated, and relevant themes for us, leaving the reading of the heavier, more judgmental chapters as optional.
But there were still some heavy themes addressed. Isaiah wasn't all unicorns and rainbows. But I loved how she used even the hard messages to remind us why we can trust God.
I also appreciated the organization of the chapters, with each week's theme beginning with a C for easy remembering. I do wish the Big Idea themes for each day's homework were a little more parallel, but otherwise, I appreciate the amount of homework for each day and bringing it all together at the end.
The only things I didn't like were:
1. The Calvinistic approach led to some language that could have been interpreted as, “Because God's got a perfect plan, we should just sit back and watch Him work. We don't have any responsibility because we're not supposed to strive.” I know that wasn't the author's intent. But that's how it came across a few times.
2. I did NOT appreciate the editor's continual use of “Jesus's” for the possessive of Jesus. It's supposed to be Jesus'. It drove me crazy to see it at the end of every single day's prayer.
3. Though many of the accompanying teaching videos imparted some wonderful truths and applicable nuggets, the videos were a bit off-putting for several reasons. The main ones are that it was quite choppy with few transitions in her teaching (maybe trying to fit too much into one session), and except for the introductions to each video, the rest of the time the author was teaching to a big group of which I did feel a part of. She never looked directly at the camera. In fact, except for a few stories, I don't think the videos added much to the study. They were really more of a review of the week we had already studied. I think we could have had just as much discussion in our group without the video as with it.
However, on the whole, I really enjoyed this study of Isaiah. I personally needed this study on striving less. It also helped solidify my faith in why I can trust God so much with everything. I highly recommend this study to anyone wishing to get a deeper but not too depressing look into the major prophets, as well as to anyone who tries to control things in their own efforts. Which is pretty much all of us at some point or another, right?
Favorite quotes (there were so many, it was hard to narrow them down!):
“When I choose not to trust, I often revert to worry, excessive planning, or complaining about the problem to others.” (p. 31)
When the New Testament quotes the Old, such as Matthew's quoting of Isaiah in Matt. 1:21-23, “one scholar described the fullness of meaning in Matthew's words as 'inspired reapplications of the inspired words.'” (p. 35)
“Trusting God's timing sounds good on paper, but it isn't so easy when God's calendar and ours don't seem to line up. Our culture has done everything possible to eliminate waiting... Waiting on God can be challenging when He doesn't respond as fast as Amazon.” (p. 41)
“Hezekiah didn't blame others, negotiate alliances, or seek creature comforts... Hezekiah didn't put on a happy face and pretend everything was fine. His faith in God led him to mourn, ask for prayer, and seek God's Word through the prophet Isaiah. Hezekiah's example reminds us that trusting God doesn't mean an absence of grief.” (p. 44)
“One commentator said it this way: God 'invites us to tell him what we think our needs are because our trust is deepened as we see God providing the very things we asked for. But that does not mean that we demand he work for us. It means we lay our supposed needs at his feet for him to supply as he sees best.'” (p. 49)
“If we really believe prayer changes things, then we won't be so inclined to skip it.” (p. 51)
“God wants us to be mindful of living for Him rather than just going through the motions of Christianity.” (p. 60)
“Jesus may be tender, but He is not weak.” (p. 66)
“Waiting on the Lord isn't just sitting around doing nothing; it means living in a posture of hopeful expectation of His help.” (p. 76)
“Jesus said that if we want to follow Him, then we must deny ourselves and take up our own cross (Matt. 16:24). He isn't asking us to literally die but to choose to die to our own desires, our own sins, so that we can live for Him. If we believe this, our faith can't be a hobby or side-gig. It takes over our entire lives—our words, attitudes, and actions are shaped by God's Word on every subject.” (p. 111)
“Trusting God's commands isn't about white-knuckle obedience and behavior modification, it's about allowing God to transform us from the inside out as we fall more in love with Him.” (p. 116)
“Obeying God isn't easy, but enduring His discipline doesn't seem enjoyable either. We get to pick our 'hard.'” (p. 135)
“Throughout Isaiah we've seen that a relationship with Jesus is more about being in His presence than doing certain things... However, today we will discover that there are some things we can do in our waiting that will bolster our trust in God and temper our tendencies toward excessive planning.” (p. 165)
(I received a copy for free from Proverbs 31. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions are my own, as was the decision to write this review.)
Warning: this study does not go strictly chronologically! That's because the book of Isaiah didn't, either. I'm usually one who likes to go from start to finish, but that just didn't work for Isaiah. I appreciated the author curating the most important, repeated, and relevant themes for us, leaving the reading of the heavier, more judgmental chapters as optional.
But there were still some heavy themes addressed. Isaiah wasn't all unicorns and rainbows. But I loved how she used even the hard messages to remind us why we can trust God.
I also appreciated the organization of the chapters, with each week's theme beginning with a C for easy remembering. I do wish the Big Idea themes for each day's homework were a little more parallel, but otherwise, I appreciate the amount of homework for each day and bringing it all together at the end.
The only things I didn't like were:
1. The Calvinistic approach led to some language that could have been interpreted as, “Because God's got a perfect plan, we should just sit back and watch Him work. We don't have any responsibility because we're not supposed to strive.” I know that wasn't the author's intent. But that's how it came across a few times.
2. I did NOT appreciate the editor's continual use of “Jesus's” for the possessive of Jesus. It's supposed to be Jesus'. It drove me crazy to see it at the end of every single day's prayer.
3. Though many of the accompanying teaching videos imparted some wonderful truths and applicable nuggets, the videos were a bit off-putting for several reasons. The main ones are that it was quite choppy with few transitions in her teaching (maybe trying to fit too much into one session), and except for the introductions to each video, the rest of the time the author was teaching to a big group of which I did feel a part of. She never looked directly at the camera. In fact, except for a few stories, I don't think the videos added much to the study. They were really more of a review of the week we had already studied. I think we could have had just as much discussion in our group without the video as with it.
However, on the whole, I really enjoyed this study of Isaiah. I personally needed this study on striving less. It also helped solidify my faith in why I can trust God so much with everything. I highly recommend this study to anyone wishing to get a deeper but not too depressing look into the major prophets, as well as to anyone who tries to control things in their own efforts. Which is pretty much all of us at some point or another, right?
Favorite quotes (there were so many, it was hard to narrow them down!):
“When I choose not to trust, I often revert to worry, excessive planning, or complaining about the problem to others.” (p. 31)
When the New Testament quotes the Old, such as Matthew's quoting of Isaiah in Matt. 1:21-23, “one scholar described the fullness of meaning in Matthew's words as 'inspired reapplications of the inspired words.'” (p. 35)
“Trusting God's timing sounds good on paper, but it isn't so easy when God's calendar and ours don't seem to line up. Our culture has done everything possible to eliminate waiting... Waiting on God can be challenging when He doesn't respond as fast as Amazon.” (p. 41)
“Hezekiah didn't blame others, negotiate alliances, or seek creature comforts... Hezekiah didn't put on a happy face and pretend everything was fine. His faith in God led him to mourn, ask for prayer, and seek God's Word through the prophet Isaiah. Hezekiah's example reminds us that trusting God doesn't mean an absence of grief.” (p. 44)
“One commentator said it this way: God 'invites us to tell him what we think our needs are because our trust is deepened as we see God providing the very things we asked for. But that does not mean that we demand he work for us. It means we lay our supposed needs at his feet for him to supply as he sees best.'” (p. 49)
“If we really believe prayer changes things, then we won't be so inclined to skip it.” (p. 51)
“God wants us to be mindful of living for Him rather than just going through the motions of Christianity.” (p. 60)
“Jesus may be tender, but He is not weak.” (p. 66)
“Waiting on the Lord isn't just sitting around doing nothing; it means living in a posture of hopeful expectation of His help.” (p. 76)
“Jesus said that if we want to follow Him, then we must deny ourselves and take up our own cross (Matt. 16:24). He isn't asking us to literally die but to choose to die to our own desires, our own sins, so that we can live for Him. If we believe this, our faith can't be a hobby or side-gig. It takes over our entire lives—our words, attitudes, and actions are shaped by God's Word on every subject.” (p. 111)
“Trusting God's commands isn't about white-knuckle obedience and behavior modification, it's about allowing God to transform us from the inside out as we fall more in love with Him.” (p. 116)
“Obeying God isn't easy, but enduring His discipline doesn't seem enjoyable either. We get to pick our 'hard.'” (p. 135)
“Throughout Isaiah we've seen that a relationship with Jesus is more about being in His presence than doing certain things... However, today we will discover that there are some things we can do in our waiting that will bolster our trust in God and temper our tendencies toward excessive planning.” (p. 165)
(I received a copy for free from Proverbs 31. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions are my own, as was the decision to write this review.)
March 24, 2023
Great Bible study
February 25, 2025
A concise study of the themes repeated in the book of Isaiah. I really loved Melissa’s approach of weekly themes with different passages every day. The videos were a great addition because it did not feel like a review of the week’s homework, but it felt like an actual teaching.
My negatives are more about personal preference rather than any theological distinctive. I like to study books of the Bible verse-by-verse with historical and cultural background to be able to truly see the purpose that the author was trying to convey to the audience of that specific time. I understand Isaiah is 66 chapters, but I would have liked more background especially since Isaiah is not written chronologically and has multiple genres (prophecy, poetry, historical narrative). Lastly, the Bible translation used was NLT which is not bad, but it is not my favorite when it comes to studying the Word.
My negatives are more about personal preference rather than any theological distinctive. I like to study books of the Bible verse-by-verse with historical and cultural background to be able to truly see the purpose that the author was trying to convey to the audience of that specific time. I understand Isaiah is 66 chapters, but I would have liked more background especially since Isaiah is not written chronologically and has multiple genres (prophecy, poetry, historical narrative). Lastly, the Bible translation used was NLT which is not bad, but it is not my favorite when it comes to studying the Word.
October 15, 2025
Loved the deep dive into Isaiah + Melissa’s videos! Reading through what’s known as the fifth gospel (but in the old testament pre Jesus) is really eye opening to see prophets / how God spoke to them / deep faith 💟
March 22, 2025
This was a great study of Isaiah. So many relevant and practical truths to live out. I feel I’ve just skimmed the surface and this study deserves a second read.
September 18, 2024
I think the title and subtitle should be swapped. This was not a study of Isaiah, but rather a study of “striving less and trusting God more” using the book of Isaiah. Personally, I wanted a study of the book of Isaiah and if I had known it wasn’t going to be that, and was going to be more of a study of myself using Isaiah, I wouldn’t have bought it.
December 1, 2025
This is the study my Women's group at church used for our fall session- I loved diving deeper into Isaiah, especially leading up to Christmas. Melissa's written lessons and accompanying videos were clear and taught me a lot! (She also avoids too many 'women's Bible study' cliches, like a lot of studies have. No "God's love is like a gift card!" or "God wants to be your boyfriend, like Boaz was to Ruth!")
My ONLY critique is that, in order to condense all 66 chapters of Isaiah into this study, the readings were not chronological and skipped around to accommodate her themes. Not a huge deal overall- I did like the way she framed everything in the end- but my personal preference is also chronological.
My ONLY critique is that, in order to condense all 66 chapters of Isaiah into this study, the readings were not chronological and skipped around to accommodate her themes. Not a huge deal overall- I did like the way she framed everything in the end- but my personal preference is also chronological.
April 22, 2023
I adore the book of Isaiah. There is so much beauty, rich history and meaning in these pages. The commentary and questions in this study were not for me. I think the author is very well meaning, but her interpretations are a stretch. References to “how to become a Christian” and “what is holding you back from becoming a Christian?” With my best possible assumptions, this is confusing. It’s a Christian Bible Study, no one is buying this that does already identify as Christian. Commentary is self-righteous, holier than thou, shame driven. I am a fan of Jen Wilkin, Beth Moore, Kelly Minter. This author just isn’t for me.
August 26, 2025
This Bible study is not verse-by-verse, but theme driven which is okay, but I did not love it. One thing I wish would have been structured better is the daily assigned reading called, “Read Through Isaiah.” You have daily focus verses and then the daily reading assigned which never matched up and then would overlap later in the study. Sometimes this made this study more tedious, and felt like I was just jumping all around. If focus is something you struggle with, just know that about the reading guide.
Also, a ton of mom-life experiences used to open each day and I just started skipping those completely.
Also, a ton of mom-life experiences used to open each day and I just started skipping those completely.
November 26, 2023
This is a nice study guide. I actually read it twice...once while doing a class on Isaiah and the second time, just to read through. It will be a good book to go back to. It's really a study guide, not a book per se. So you do need to devote time to read it....you're going to be reading this book, as well as the Bible, and then you are going to be thinking about your answers to the questions. Many are introspective, all require thought....not snap answers. If you purchase this particular edition, with the video access, there's also that aspect.
December 15, 2023
The study is amazing, and the group I led was surprised by the depth in which the author is able to cover the 66 chapters of Isaiah and ascribe historical and biblical meaning as well as current life application in just 8 weeks. The study gives the reader options to learn at different levels based on time and commitment factors. The addition of video access added a rich layer of discovery. The only downfall is that the chapters cover 27-30 pages, so there is a significant amount of bookwork each week and this study requires commitment on the part of the participant.
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April 11, 2023I liked this study and appreciated the use of personal anecdotes, cross referencing scripture, history and etymology to deepen the understanding of this importance section of the Bible. My only personal disappointment was that it didn't study Isaiah chronologically, as I'd hoped when I started it. However, the basic format was nice enough that I stuck with it anyway-- the author's style paired well, overall, with the type of references I was looking for even if they weren't in order.
April 12, 2025
LOVE the way the author takes a deep dive into Isaiah. She brings to life the context of this book in the Bible and shares ways to connect and apply biblical truths in today's world. The memory verses are a welcomed challenge and some of the prayers are written forever in my Prayer Bible to help me remember. The videos that go along with this study are well done connecting visuals and real world examples to scripture verses. 100 out of 10 recommend this book!
October 12, 2023
This study was very timely for me, and I found it a great look into the passages in Isaiah that deal with trusting God.
A couple of other practical things about the book that I appreciated: answers to the video sessions in the back AND that all the sources are cited in the endnotes of the book.
A couple of other practical things about the book that I appreciated: answers to the video sessions in the back AND that all the sources are cited in the endnotes of the book.
October 25, 2022
Written with NLT version of the Bible which I don't prefer but an excellent study!
March 30, 2023
Loved it!!
April 27, 2023
A good Bible study to do with a group.
June 21, 2023
It took me a bit to get into the study, but then it just drew me in. I will have to look into others by Melissa Spoelstra.
August 30, 2023
Isaiah is tough but Melissa focused on breaking down and for the first time the book made sense.
October 6, 2023
Fantastic study on one of my favorite books of the Bible. Loved doing this with my ladies' Bible study!
October 15, 2024
This was an amazing Bible study I did over the summer with some great people
December 3, 2025
Highly recommend it if you want to learn through Isaiah (thematically) about trusting God and striving less on your own merit.
December 5, 2025
Loved this study! Great layout, and Melissa was so easy to listen to in her videos. she pulled me right in. hands down I will do another Study from Melissa.
March 13, 2024
Excellent study - Will read it again.
October 11, 2023
This was the kind of Bible study that had relatable themes each week that stuck with me and deserved mulling over (and that's the best kind of Bible study!)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews