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A Modern Girl's Guide to Bible Study: A Refreshingly Unique Look at God's Word

Written specifically for today's busy women, this book offers user-friendly advice on how to get the most from personal Bible study time.

Transform the academic nature of Bible study into a fresh, simple format that will radically change the way you interact with Scripture forever.

This great leader's resource can be used with the Modern Girl's Bible Study series or as a tool for discipleship ministry.

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

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About the author

Jen Hatmaker

42 books3,505 followers
JEN HATMAKER is the New York Times bestselling author of For the Love and Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire, along with twelve other books. She hosts the award-winning For the Love podcast, is the delighted curator of the Jen Hatmaker Book Club, and leader of a tightly knit online community where she reaches millions of people each week. Jen is a co-founder of Legacy Collective, a giving organization that grants millions of dollars toward sustainable projects around the world. She is a mom to five kids and lives happily just outside Austin, Texas.

To learn more about Jen, visit www.jenhatmaker.com.

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5 stars
449 (42%)
4 stars
378 (35%)
3 stars
175 (16%)
2 stars
37 (3%)
1 star
19 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
Profile Image for Darlene.
370 reviews162 followers
February 24, 2022
This wasn't quite what I thought it was going to be, but that is on me. I should have read the blurb. It's not a Bible study, but a guide on one specific way to study the Bible. The author has some good ideas, but I'm not a journaler, so it may be wasted on me.
Profile Image for Christy Ryan.
209 reviews17 followers
June 29, 2015
I can not say enough good about this book! I'm so thankful a precious friend gave it to me. It has changed my life...because it taught me in a brand new way what my time reading my Bible should look like. I just led my small group girls through it and every one of us got so much out of it. Girls that were brand new Christians and girls that had been Christians their whole lives...each one of us walked away with a fresh love for God's word!
Profile Image for Eyehavenofilter.
962 reviews101 followers
March 15, 2013
If you feel like the KJ Bible or The NIV Bible is just to overwhelming or you don't even know what I'm talking about.... This little book may be just your style. Jen Hatmaker wants to spread the word in a fun and stress free way, joyfully , sweetly and simply, with a lot of laughs!
Jen helps bible readers boil down the confusion, word by word, slowly, phrase by phrase by phrase. She advises, analyzing why a word was used in a particular place.
Using a"study Bible " which explains things as you go along, and either writing in the margins or keeping a journal as you read.some Bibles are easier to read than others, it often takes a few verses to figure out which one is for you. Keep a dictionary handy, along with a thesaurus, and a good ancient history book and map of ancient Israel, and the surrounding area.
There are lists of helpful books as well as hints on how you personally can identify with some of the people you are reading about. How to form an alliance with The Lord and with what he has planned for you. Hop to it....and jump in, with both feet and an open heart.
Profile Image for Tracie Marshall.
138 reviews
March 16, 2015
I like her simple approach to studying The Bible. I only gave it 4 stars because she said "Girl" too many times. It's a minor detail that only bugs me. For example, "You ready to read The Bible, girl?" "Girl, you have to set aside at least 30 minutes to study." "Make sure to research the background history. Am I right, girl?"
Profile Image for Kalyn.
Author 3 books67 followers
August 14, 2012
I have never read a book before that had me so excited to dig into God's Word! I could not WAIT to open my Bible and start journaling about what God was teaching me. Jen shares so many great resources and questions to prompt deeper study, and I love that I don't have to have a devotional to do it.
Profile Image for Chrystal Reese.
17 reviews1 follower
September 6, 2015
If you want to study the Bible more but don't know where to start, ladies, this is the book for you. While some of the anecdotes maybe ought to be changed, this book really ought to be rewritten for a unisex audience, it's a great study. I did not read this as part of a group but I am considering starting one and doing it again.
Profile Image for Sherra.
21 reviews13 followers
August 17, 2009
Great book if you are not involved in an organized bible study, or are looking to start one and need some help.
Profile Image for Sophia.
6 reviews
January 23, 2015
Revolutionized my quiet times. Do the study in the back along with the reading
Profile Image for Cathie.
1,356 reviews
October 2, 2026
This is an old one, from 2006 that I picked up used. I was interested to see what some of the author's early work was like because I thought her memoir, Awake, was excellent. I mainly liked Awake because I was fascinated by the Evangelical ecosystem she lived in and how it affected her life - totally different from my Catholic upbringing!

This was obviously helpful for other women according to the good reviews, so see if it helps you.

I read about half and DNF'd - I thought the tone was a little "cutesy" and dated, plus I will never journal like that, and I have 14 books on hold at the library that I'd rather read.
288 reviews2 followers
February 27, 2019
This little book sounded rather flippant at the start, but then I totally got absorbed in the author's experience & wisdom regarding Bible study to the point of becoming inspired & motivated to add some organization & depth to my own study. A whole new glimpse of how inclusive & rewarding scripture study can be when done with focus & dedication. So glad to have read this & now starting on a second time through.
Profile Image for Heather.
40 reviews
June 25, 2019
This is one of Jen Hatmakers first studies, and it shows a little. Do not try it as an audiobook it had some great layouts for break up by day that didn'twork in an audio format. It had parts to make me laugh, concepts that were great but harder to follow in audio which effects how much I'm growing in my faith with it
Profile Image for Ann Schreiber.
Author 7 books41 followers
July 5, 2026
So, I decided to give this a read after reading Hatmaker's Awake. I wanted to hear/see Hatmaker's perspective on bible study. Though it was odd to read this after Awake, since so much has changed in her life, it was a good read. That said, this is truly a guide to Bible study. So, reading this with your Bible and a journal in hand is probably the best path forward.
Profile Image for Maggie.
1,144 reviews
January 31, 2017
While this book did have some great strategies on reading the Bible independently, it could have been a pamphlet as opposed to a book. Jenn's antidotes are funny and relatable they just seem to be taking up enough room to justify selling it as a book.
Profile Image for Alicia Vander Tuig .
221 reviews
May 27, 2017
A bit jumpy in going through all the different bible study methods/tools BUT when she leads you to do it on your own, studying the Bible takes on more depth and discussion than the average hold-you-by-the-hand Bible study.
Profile Image for Danielle Sturgeon.
530 reviews3 followers
November 11, 2019
I followed the 6-week study guide from the back, which I definitely recommend. Doing that puts into practice the different strategies offered, and helped me find my own style. It was empowering without letting me off the hook, and was very practical.
Profile Image for Mackenzie Albrecht.
372 reviews1 follower
December 31, 2021
This book had some good, simple strategies for independent Bible study, but it didn’t really need to be a book. It could have been a couple-page PDF document. The author’s personal anecdotes were funny.
Profile Image for Carrie Campbell-jones.
248 reviews3 followers
June 11, 2025
Good Advice About Bible Study. This book was in my Audiobook library so I listened to it. I felt the author provided practical guidance to approaching Bible study -whether as a group or individual- and in a humorous way. I bookmarked several areas to review again and would recommend.
Profile Image for Catherine.
39 reviews2 followers
May 17, 2017
I found this a very approachable way to start reading your bible weekly. Lots of helpful information but wrapped in humor and accessible prose.
Profile Image for Zoe Kirkby.
30 reviews1 follower
October 25, 2017
An interesting read even for someone who is not that religious like me.
Profile Image for Barb.
17 reviews1 follower
October 14, 2018
I appreciate the humor and transparency in the writing. Great laughs, and a quick weekend read.
Profile Image for Dyan.
785 reviews3 followers
February 1, 2019
I loved this Bible Study. I have never kept a journal as I read through the Bible, but doing the practices she lead us to do helped me understand why it is important.
Profile Image for Amber Spencer.
797 reviews1 follower
May 19, 2020
I liked this look at thinking about scripture study in a different way.
25 reviews3 followers
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August 4, 2020
The book that changed my approach to bible study. Cannot recommend highly enough.
Profile Image for Lauren Pride.
23 reviews
July 7, 2026
I loved this perspective on how to focus on studying the Bible better.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
6 reviews5 followers
January 1, 2017
The women's Bible Study at our church read this book in our initial study, and it was amazing! Hatmaker gives you practical tips to digging into the word and studying the Bible on your own, without a book to guide you. Whether or not you agree with her stances as of late, she clearly has a heart for God and helping others develop their relationship with the Almighty as well. I definitely recommend this book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews