AYA alumni Bible study leader Kate Lalley shares her story and an encouragement to pursue the Lord in all things. This is such a real and encouraging talk, hope you enjoy!

Today Emily and Anna dive into Genesis 10-12. They’re mainly focusing on chapter 11, which is the story of the Tower of Babel. You may have heard about this moment in Genesis before, but we want to talk less about the actual event, and more about what it shows us about the human heart, about God, and about our path forward.

Resources we referenced while studying Genesis 10-12:

Sermon from Bridgetown Church: https://bridgetown.church/teachings-genesis/y5gaknnadxd93pp-xed4b-h8m3s-a3tgd-ctc52-bem5w-j9x67-6glk2-lhdam-mtjkt-aybsc-6yswb-mwmxd-b92cs-gsls2-xyfx9-ayg9t-697cc-zw9kr

Sermon from Redeemer Church: https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/the-tower-of-babel/

BEMA Podcast: https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/6

Bible Project: https://bibleproject.com/podcasts/whats-so-bad-about-babel/

Today we are looking at the story of Noah! It’s the ark, God’s commitment to keeping His beloved creation on the right path, the flood, and God’s covenant with Noah (and all living creatures). This week challenges our Sunday school knowledge of a scary and vengeful God and reveals a side of our creator that is tender, and even chooses to be vulnerable in His love for us.

Great Tim Keller Sermon: https://podcast.gospelinlife.com/e/lord-of-the-storm-1729024218/

Today Emily and Anna dive into Genesis 4 - the story of Cain & Abel. This is the first murder in the Bible (yikes), and the story really demonstrates how sin can take hold of us before we even realize it and take us way off course.

Resources:

Tim Keller Sermon: https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/cain-and-abel/

We’re back in the book of Genesis, this time chapters 2 & 3. These chapters talk about the Adam & Eve, God’s original plan, the serpent, the first sin, and the fall of man resulting in the consequences of pain and death in this world. These are all things you’ve probably heard about before, but we want to invite you to engage with these chapters with fresh eyes today. These words are about much more than just what happened in the garden - they tell the story of who God is, what it means to be made in His image, and what sin really is.

Discussion Questions:

As we begin Genesis, what do you notice about your own posture toward God—are you more inclined to trust Him as the author of your story, or to try to take control yourself? Why do you think that is?

2. What parts of your life feel hardest to release to God’s authorship right now?

3. When you read Scripture, do you tend to look for clear answers, or are you comfortable sitting with mystery? What does that reveal about you?

4. Where do you see both the image of God and the pull toward self-rule at work in your own heart?

5. What might it look like, practically, to “walk in step with God’s likeness in us” this week?

6. What is one thing you’re hoping God reveals to you about Himself—or about yourself—as we study Genesis together?

Here are some resources we used and also some podcasts diving deeper into the science of creation from sources we love if you want to go deeper!

Seamless Bible Study Book: https://www.amazon.com/Seamless-Bible-Study-Video-Access/dp/1087769469

BEMA Podcast: https://www.bemadiscipleship.com/?utm_source=google_cpc&utm_medium=ad_grant&utm_campaign=cbc_ggrant_podcast&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22407240419&gbraid=0AAAAA-2PjkEQO_jfpK2p4IChlaGaLXn3L&gclid=CjwKCAiAssfLBhBDEiwAcLpwfqqQVoXq2hthd6W3eTBVU-B_3sdvdysSSp9Aex_52B0VSlMb1eXAxhoCnygQAvD_BwE

Bible Project Genesis 1-11 overview: https://bibleproject.com/videos/genesis-1-11/

Bible Project Genesis 1 (!!): https://bibleproject.com/videos/torah-genesis-1/

Bible Project sermon on creation: https://bibleproject.com/podcasts/surprising-actual-story-genesis-1-2/

Today, Emily and Anna are beginning a journey through the book of Genesis. This book is rich with meaning and foundational to our faith—it’s where the story truly begins. If you’ve ever listened to a sermon that referenced Abraham or the Old Testament and felt a little lost, this series is for you. We’re going back to the beginning to better understand the larger story of Scripture and how it all fits together, and how it all so beautifully points to Jesus.

Some references that have been helpful to us as we study:

The Bible Project- https://bibleproject.com/guides/book-of-genesis/

Seamless Study - https://a.co/d/h3d6QRw

BEMA Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5FVdA6sW8b9Xsqr9ma5ucO?si=a8ea7180878342b8

Happy New Year! Emily and Anna kick off 2026 with some reflections on last year and prayers for the coming year. Hope you enjoy!

This is the final week of advent and the final podcast episode of 2025! Today Emily and Anna zoom in on the culmination of the advent season - love. Why did God send his son to save us? Because he loved the world. The hope is to spend this week meditating on that love - how undeserved it really was, and how it calls us to a higher standard of loving others.

We’re in the third week of the advent season, and this week we’re focusing on joy! Emily and Anna read through two stories from the Christmas narrative that highlight two different types of joy - joy that waits and joy that seeks - and talk about what it looks like to practice that joy this Christmas season.

Past Joy episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4zhbn0PMi0ilFCqJMAY3OK?si=5c0d20e2aa9e45ee

Other Advent Resources we like:

Bible Project: https://bibleproject.com/advent/

Hannah Brencher: https://hannahbrenchercreative.com/advent

Tim Keller: https://www.christianbook.com/hidden-christmas-special-edition-timothy-keller/9781101949818/pd/949821?en=google&event=SHOP&kw=books-0-20%7C949821&p=1179710&utm_source=google&p=1237749&dv=c&cb_src=google&cb_typ=shopping&cb_cmp=21328467087&cb_adg=163692457195&cb_kyw=&utm_medium=shopping&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21328467087&gbraid=0AAAAAD_dTHYJi7Y4RlDwglK-46cEPkuFU&gclid=Cj0KCQiAosrJBhD0ARIsAHebCNrJ-QpyGWGz-mI_1ittjF6zenobJfIy1U3t9yNd6HU6UOExOiWC4RIaAvEFEALw_wcB

Advent Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5xEhTFfOyny4OUSsvRm2zo?si=7676f7062df94b86

This is the second week of advent and we’re talking all about peace. What does advent peace mean as opposed to worldly peace? How can we walk in our calling to be a people who create peace around us as an extension of our relationship with God? Emily and Anna read through the prophesy in Isaiah 9:5-7 about the Messiah, and then His birth in Luke 2:1-20. Praying peace over your week!

Past Peace episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4ZMRHxvIastXSUG6hCT28O?si=534e074a0138470c

Other Advent Resources we like:

Bible Project: https://bibleproject.com/advent/

Hannah Brencher: https://hannahbrenchercreative.com/advent

Tim Keller: https://www.christianbook.com/hidden-christmas-special-edition-timothy-keller/9781101949818/pd/949821?en=google&event=SHOP&kw=books-0-20%7C949821&p=1179710&utm_source=google&p=1237749&dv=c&cb_src=google&cb_typ=shopping&cb_cmp=21328467087&cb_adg=163692457195&cb_kyw=&utm_medium=shopping&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21328467087&gbraid=0AAAAAD_dTHYJi7Y4RlDwglK-46cEPkuFU&gclid=Cj0KCQiAosrJBhD0ARIsAHebCNrJ-QpyGWGz-mI_1ittjF6zenobJfIy1U3t9yNd6HU6UOExOiWC4RIaAvEFEALw_wcB

Advent Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5xEhTFfOyny4OUSsvRm2zo?si=7676f7062df94b86