When you think about the Book of Numbers, you probably aren’t thinking that it’s something you’d ever want to walk through with your teen girls. Understandable! It’s intimidating even for adults, but can we let you in on a little secret? Not only is Numbers a book that you can and should study, it is packed full of gospel truth that can transform the way you and your girls encounter God and walk out your faith.
With Us In the Wilderness by Lauren Chandler is a 7-session in-depth Bible study on the Book of Numbers and God’s people. Help your teen girls discover that even when the the people of God rebelled—and this book tells of many rebellions—God’s love and promises remained. It’s in that love and those promises the children of Israel found their identity and where we must find ours today.
This study was originally released for women this past February, but we are extremely grateful to Lauren for adapting it for teen girls! You can find the Bible Study books and access to the videos at Lifeway.com/wilderness. Oh, and moms! Here is a available to download as well to figure out how you can easily walk with your teen girl through this study.
Since Lauren is a new author for us, we wanted you to get to know her and see all the reasons we love her! Check out some of the questions we asked her.
Tell us a little bit about yourself! What’s your family like? What do you like to do to have fun?
I am a wife, mom, worship leader, author, Bible study writer, and songwriter. My husband Matt is the pastor of a church in Flower Mound, Texas. We have been married for almost 22 years! Our kids are 18, 15, and (almost) 12. One of our favorite family vacations is a dude ranch in Colorado with friends. We love to be together outdoors, usually eating something delicious.
What’s your heart behind writing a Bible study on the Book of Numbers?
Honestly, the Lord drew my attention to the Book as I was reading through the Bible a couple of years ago. I hadn’t really thought much about the Book until then. It just seemed like a bunch of hard-to-pronounce names and numbers! But as I started digging into it, I noticed so much gold in it. There were numerous stories about God and His people that were intriguing, encouraging, and down-right strange! I wanted to understand more. And, as I sought to understand, I happened to write about my discovery at the same time! I wanted to share all that I was encountering about the Lord and how He loves and leads His children through the wilderness—especially when His people are hard-headed (because I can identify a little bit with that!).
Why do you think teen girls can benefit from this Bible study?
The teenage years can feel a bit like the wilderness—a time of transition from childhood to adulthood. It can be an exciting but also overwhelming and confusing time. It mirrors a lot of what God’s people experienced in the wilderness. More fundamentally, understanding who God is and who we are through the Scriptures is foundational to our faith. My prayer is that this study would help girls realize they can understand who God is and who they are even through the book of Numbers!
You have teen girls of your own! What is something you’d tell them before starting the study?
Be curious! Plan time to sit down and do the work, but don’t give up if you miss some of it. The aim is not answering questions or filling blanks, but meeting with God through the study of His Word!
Do you have any encouragement to leaders or moms that will do this study alongside their girls?
Pray for your girls! Pray for hunger, curiosity, an eager mind, and a soft heart. Encourage her to keep going. Reiterate that the purpose of this study is not to answer questions or fill in blanks, but to meet with the Living God through the study of His Word!