✨ Happy New Year! ✨

I am so glad you’ve joined us as we step into a brand-new year together!

As we kick off this year, our first blog is all about nurturing our spiritual health. And because caring for the body is part of caring for the whole person, we’re also sharing a fun and nourishing recipe from At the Table with Ruth—a delicious way to fuel yourself well as we step into all that God has for us this year.

Here’s to fresh beginnings, deeper faith, and a year filled with grace. ✨
Let’s dive in!

Laura

Devotional

Off to a Healthy Start

Happy New Year!

How time flies! It’s hard to believe we are already turning our calendars to 2026. Does anyone else wonder where in the world 2025 went?

January 1 naturally invites reflection—on what we want to leave behind and what we hope to pursue in the coming year. Many of our resolutions center around health: healthier bodies through wiser food choices and movement, healthier minds through rest, and healthier relationships through humility and respect.

But let me offer you this: each of these healthy pursuits is only truly possible when we tend to the health of our spirit. And genuine spiritual wholeness is found in Christ and in the truth we discover as we study the Word of God.

People often ask how I study the Bible. I love this question because studying God’s Word is one of my greatest joys—and I’d love to share a few tools and rhythms that have helped me. I pray they bless you, too!

My Favorite Bible Study Tools

• A Bible I can write in.
  I usually read the NLT, but I also love the NIV and other translations.
• A spiral-bound notebook for journaling what God shows me.
• A Zebra pen.
  The ink doesn’t bleed, and the fine tip is perfect for circling and underlining those thin Bible pages.

My Study Pattern

Pray

Begin by asking the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart. Invite Him into your study time.

Read

If you’re new to the Bible, start in the Gospel of John and enjoy the account of Jesus. If you want an Old Testament story, I’m especially fond of Ruth!

Research

Don’t let this step intimidate you. Studying the passage in its original context brings clarity and depth.

• Underline words or phrases that stand out.
• Ask questions: Who is speaking? Who is the audience? Where is this taking place? What happened before and after? Are words or ideas repeated? Are numbers or items present in the story that catch your attention?
  I love using BibleHub.com for commentaries and access to Strong’s Concordance, where you can explore Hebrew or Greek meanings. Write down what God reveals as you dig deeper.

Review

Reflect on what the passage teaches you about God—His character, His nature, His actions.
Then consider what it reveals about you. Maybe you’ll discover fresh evidence of God’s deep love for you, or perhaps you’ll recognize an area where your heart needs to realign with His.

Respond

Put into practice what you’ve learned. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to live out the truth you’ve just read.

Studying God’s Word is truly a game changer. The Bible is the inspired Word of God!  It’s the greatest book ever written—the best-selling book of all time—and the only book that speaks to you and transforms you from the inside out.

Make 2026 the year you intentionally engage in Scripture. Open His Word, lean in, and watch what He will do!

Pearled Barley Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ C chicken broth
• 1 C Pearled barley
• 4 C Baby spinach, roughly chopped
• ½ C Pomegranate Seeds
• ½ squeeze lemon
• ½ Cucumber, diced
• 6 oz Cherry tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
• 3 TBsp Extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 Fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• Sprig Parsley, finely chopped
• ½ C Feta cheese crumbles
• Balsamic Vinegar, to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Bring chicken broth to a boil, then add the pearled barley. Strain, toss with olive oil, and allow to cool in the fridge.

2. Chop spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs.

3. Add spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, pomegranate seeds, herbs, lemon juice, and feta to the now chilled pearled barley.

4. Toss with EVOO and balsamic vinegar, adjust salt and pepper to taste.