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God promised Joshua and the Israelites an inheritance in the land of Canaan. But in order to receive that inheritance, they had to leave Egypt behind and walk with Him into the land of promise. Sometimes they followed Him obediently and without question. Other times they chose their own way. Each decision impacted their journey.
I have greatly enjoyed walking with Mindy Ferguson during this eleven week in-depth Bible study. The book of Joshua has always been a favorite of mine and this bible study made the book come alive even more. What I love about God’s word, is even if you have read a book of the bible before, when you come back to study it God continues to reveal more and more of Himself. If you are looking for a summer bible study for a group or for individual study Walking with God: From Slavery to Freedom; Living the Promised Life is one I highly recommend.
I also wanted to you introduce Mindy to you so you can see for yourself the sweet spirit she is.
Hi Mindy thank you for joining me here. Can you briefly tell us about yourself?
I’ve been married to my best friend, Mark, for twenty-three years. We share the same goofy sense of humor and after all these years, he still has a knack for making me laugh until I look like I’m crying. We have two fun-loving kids – a son in college and a daughter in high school.
My passion in ministry is encouraging women to apply and abide in God’s Word. I also find great joy in helping women discover purpose through serving God within the body of Christ. I treasure the opportunities God provides for me to encourage and equip women through my writing, teaching and speaking. In addition to my work with Fruitful Word Ministries, I also have the privilege of serving as the Women’s Ministry Director for my home church, Fairfield Baptist, in Cypress, Texas. Each day is an adventure with Christ and I’m thoroughly enjoying the journey.
Walking With God is a eleven week bible study covering the book of Joshua. What drew you to that particular book of the bible?
I was going through a time of great uncertainty in my own life and the book of Joshua is filled with compelling stories that reveal the faithfulness of God. After the Lord brought His people out of Egypt, the Israelites struggled with doubt, fear, and discouragement – the same issues we all wrestle with from time to time as we live out our faith in society today. By walking closely with God, the Israelites were able to ultimately overcome every obstacle and take possession of their Promised Land. The book of Joshua reminds us that when we walk closely with God, He is faithful to keep His promises and accomplish His purposes in and through our lives.
You talk about discovering your spiritual identity. Can you please explain what you mean?
As believers in Christ, we are members of the priesthood of believers. 1 Peter 2:9 says, But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God… (NIV). In Old Testament times, the high priest wore an inscription on his turban that read, “Holy to the Lord.” It signified that the high priest and, through him the entire nation, was holy and set apart for God’s service. As members of the royal priesthood of believers in Christ, Jesus is our high priest. He is holy and, through Him, we too are considered “Holy to the Lord”. Our offerings are pleasing to Him and we are holy and acceptable in His sight. Our old identities have passed away and we are made new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Christians are “Holy to the Lord.” That’s our spiritual identity in the eyes of our God.
What is the one thing that surprised you while studying Joshua? (Something you did not know before you began your study)
I was surprised by the numerous events that happened in the book of Joshua that foreshadowed the coming of Jesus as Savior of the world. In fact, Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, which means, “The Lord Saves”. Walking with God is a study of the Old Testament book of Joshua, but readers will be surprised by how much time they spend in the New Testament during the study. Joshua’s journey to the Promised Land prepared God’s people to one day recognize and accept Jesus as the Messiah and Savior – not only for Israel, but for the people of all nations (Genesis 12:3).
Is there anything in the works you would love to share with our readers?
I’m working on publishing a Bible study titled, The Women in Jesus Life which will be available sometime this summer. I originally wrote the study several years ago when I was teaching a class for working women. It’s encouraging material that emphasizes application. The lessons are very manageable for busy working women. The ministry also plans to offer segments of the study as Facebook applications through our Facebook fan page. We offered a free test study this past spring and plan to release a series of low cost applications later this year.
Thank you so much for stopping by. Before you leave is there a bible verse the Lord has laid on your heart lately?
Last week as I was preparing to teach my women’s Sunday school class, God reminded me of the importance of staying focused in ministry. In Acts 6 we are told that as the number of disciples in the early church increased, there were widows being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. The twelve apostles gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables” (Acts 6:2).
Instead of taking their focus off the work Jesus had commissioned them to do, the apostles delegated the work of distributing food to seven wise, spirit-filled men who could handle the responsibility. The apostles then said, “We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the Word” (Acts 6:4).
God used these passages to remind me to delegate in my role as Women’s Ministry Director and to be purposeful in my writing and speaking ministry. There have been a number of projects that I’ve considered working on in recent months, but God reminded me that I need to stay focused and remember that He has commissioned me to encourage and equip women through the study of His Word. Although a couple of the projects I considered were worthwhile and exciting, I need to stay focused on ministering to women through the Word.
I am always touched when God chooses to speak to me so specifically through His Word!
Amen Mindy! I think delegation and focus is something many women struggle with. Thank you for your wonderful ministry and for this bible study on the book of Joshua. Walking with God: From Slavery to Freedom; Living the Promised Life is a bible study I think will bless many women!
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Thank you so much for the wonderful interview with Mindy. Joshua has always been my favorite book of the Old Testament (besides the Psalms). I love how Joshua obeyed God – no questions asks
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I know what I will be doing this Summer