Write this Down! with Dot Bowen

Got a question about today’s episode or something else you’d like to hear us talk about on the show? Let us know! 

In 2 Timothy, Paul took one last opportunity to encourage his disciple before he died. Dot and Cara discuss Paul’s final letter in today’s episode, and Cara explains why it’s her favorite letter in the Bible. They also talk about what it means to be a disciple, and the powerful way Paul demonstrated forgiveness at the end of his life. Pull up a chair and join us! 

Episode Recap

• Start by writing down 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (0:13)
• Timothy was like a son to Paul, and Paul wrote his last letter to him (1:34)
• What does it mean to be a disciple? (3:52)
• Paul encourages us to live our lives in a way that people will see God through us (7:07)
• There’s a difference between living from wounds and from scars (8:22)
• 2 Timothy is even more meaningful in the context of Paul’s journey (15:19)
• Just like Stephen, Paul forgave those who had wronged him (20:39)
• Paul’s last letter to Timothy was a powerful reminder of God’s love (28:40)

Resources:

The Breathe Retreat is a retreat in every sense of the word, intentionally designed to allow you space to breathe in your Heavenly Father's love! Registration for the 2023 Breathe Retreat is now open!

Pick up Dot’s book The Race Marked Out for Us and the Study Guide as well!

Send us an email to let us know what you’re learning - [email protected]

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook

Are you interested in having Dot come and speak to your community? Email us at [email protected].

Watch Write this Down! on YouTube

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook 

Got a question about today’s episode or something else you’d like to hear us talk about on the show? Let us know! 

As Christians, God calls us to both live with an eternal perspective and also to approach our everyday responsibilities as work God has called us to do. In this episode, Dot and Cara talk about that tension in the context of 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Dot explains why Paul’s message to the Thessalonian church is so relevant today, and she and Cara explore what it means to do all of our work as if we’re doing it for the Lord.

Episode Recap
 

• Start by writing down 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (0:13)
   
• We can find encouragement in the promise that Jesus will return (1:53)
   
• The church at Thessalonica took Paul’s words as an excuse to do whatever they wanted  (5:45)
   
• What if we really lived as if Jesus was coming again? (12:40)
   
• Whatever you do, do it well knowing you’re doing it for God (21:55)
   
• Sometimes what we’re meant to do is just draw near to the Lord (34:10)
   

Resources:

• The Breathe Retreat is a retreat in every sense of the word, intentionally designed to allow you space to breathe in your Heavenly Father's love! Registration for the 2023 Breathe Retreat is now open!
   

Send us an email to let us know what you’re learning - [email protected]
 

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook

Are you interested in having Dot come and speak to your community? Email us at [email protected].

Watch Write this Down! on YouTube

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook 

Got a question about today’s episode or something else you’d like to hear us talk about on the show? Let us know! 

In Ephesians and Colossians, we get a clear picture of the love Paul had for the church, and an example of what it means to pray for others. In this episode, Dot and Cara share some of their favorite parts of these two letters, especially focusing on the idea that we’re saved by grace through faith. They also talk about the prayers Paul writes that have helped them throughout their faith journeys, and they discuss what it means to put on the armor of God. Pull up a chair and join us!

Episode Recap

• Start by writing down Ephesians 2:4-6 (0:12)
• Ephesians shows us how we can pray for others (2:02)
• Paul had a special love for the church at Ephesus (6:19)
• Works are not what saves us, we’re saved by grace through faith (8:47)
• God brings what was dead to life (13:45)
• We know Jesus never leaves us or forsakes us, but sometimes we miss Him (19:38)
• What does it mean to put on the armor of God? (29:10)

Resources:

• The Breathe Retreat is a retreat in every sense of the word, intentionally designed to allow you space to breathe in your Heavenly Father's love! Registration for the 2023 Breathe Retreat is now open!
• Philippians 1 episode
• Philippians 2 episode
• Philippians 3 episode
• Philippians 4 episode
• “Victory in Spiritual Warfare” by Tony Evans

Send us an email to let us know what you’re learning - [email protected]

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook

Are you interested in having Dot come and speak to your community? Email us at [email protected].

Watch Write this Down! on YouTube

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook 

Got a question about today’s episode or something else you’d like to hear us talk about on the show? Let us know! 

No matter how much time we spend praying or reading our Bible, it’s not our actions that make us right before God. In this episode, Dot and Cara talk about what it means to be crucified with Christ and find new life in Him. They discuss the difference between living in the Spirit and living in the flesh, and Dot explains why Galatians is one of her favorite books of the Bible. Pour yourself a cup of coffee and join in on the conversation!

Episode Recap

• Start by writing down Galatians 2:20-21 (0:12)
• Why Galatians is near and dear to Dot’s heart (2:12)
• Galatians shows us what it really means to live and follow Jesus (6:45)
• As followers of Jesus we should live by the Spirit, not the flesh (10:48)
• Galatians addresses the question of who needs to follow Jewish law (22:14)
• Going to church or reading the Bible does not make us right with God (28:46)

Resources:

• The Breathe Retreat is a retreat in every sense of the word, intentionally designed to allow you space to breathe in your Heavenly Father's love! Registration for the 2023 Breathe Retreat is open now!
• “The Race Marked Out for Us” by Dot Bowen

Send us an email to let us know what you’re learning - [email protected]

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook

Are you interested in having Dot come and speak to your community? Email us at [email protected].

Watch Write this Down! on YouTube

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook 

Got a question about today’s episode or something else you’d like to hear us talk about on the show? Let us know! 

Our salvation is less about being free to do whatever we want and more about having the freedom from sin that once kept us in bondage. In this episode, Dot and Cara explore some of the key themes Paul covers in 1 and 2 Corinthians, including the idea of freedom. They explain how 1 Corinthians was written to call out problems in the church, and 2 Corinthians is a more gentle reminder of God’s heart for the Corinthians. Grab your Bible and a notebook and join us for this episode!


Episode Recap
 

• Start by writing down 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (0:13)
   
• A mid-year check in on our Bible reading challenge (1:28)
   
• In 2 Corinthians, Paul is responding to problems in the church he founded (6:36)
   
• It’s not that we’re free to do what we want, it’s that we’re free to not do it (11:08)
   
• 1 Corinthians is more of a rebuke. In 2 Corinthians, Paul shows us the heart of God (16:48)
   
• Sometimes God gives us moments where it’s especially clear how real He is (18:57)
   
• We all need reminders that we’re living for a purpose (24:33)
   

Resources:

The Breathe Retreat is a retreat in every sense of the word, intentionally designed to allow you space to breathe in your Heavenly Father's love! Registration for the 2023 Breathe Retreat is open now!

Send us an email to let us know what you’re learning - [email protected]

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook

Are you interested in having Dot come and speak to your community? Email us at [email protected].

Watch Write this Down! on YouTube

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook 

Got a question about today’s episode or something else you’d like to hear us talk about on the show? Let us know! 

Romans is full of reminders about our identity in Christ and the hope and victory we can find in Him.In this episode, Dot and Cara share a few of their favorite passages from the book of Romans. They talk about how Romans 4 encourages them to hold onto hope, reflect on Paul’s message in Romans 8, and discuss the importance of consistently spending quality time with the Lord. Pour yourself a cup of coffee and listen along.

Episode Recap
 

• Start by writing down Romans 8:14-16 (0:14)
   
• Romans 4 reminds us to hold onto hope (1:36)
   
• Even when it seemed like everything was against him, Abraham trusted God (8:00)
   
• Did Abraham know that God would spare Isaac? (12:14)
   
• Sometimes God allows circumstances so that He can show us who He is (17:53)
   
• God has adopted us into his family, and He cares for us (24:31)
   
• When we don’t spend quality time with the Lord, we’ll feel the difference (27:45)
   
• Romans reminds us that we have victory through Jesus (34:06)
   

Resources:

The Breathe Retreat is a retreat in every sense of the word, intentionally designed to allow you space to breathe in your Heavenly Father's love! Registration for the 2023 Breathe Retreat opens October, 11 2022. Learn more here.
 

Send us an email to let us know what you’re learning - [email protected]
 

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook

Are you interested in having Dot come and speak to your community? Email us at [email protected].

Watch Write this Down! on YouTube

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook 

Got a question about today’s episode or something else you’d like to hear us talk about on the show? Let us know! 

When we choose to follow Jesus, our old self dies and we are reborn. In this episode, Dot and Cara talk about this idea and some of the other wisdom they’ve found in the book of Romans. They also explain how trying to find freedom will ultimately leave you even more enslaved than you were before and remind listeners that we don’t need to earn God’s grace or forgiveness. This episode is packed with important insight, so pull up a chair and join us!

Episode Recap

• Start by writing down Romans 3:10-12 (0:13)
• You can see Paul’s approach evolving throughout his letters (2:16)
• Romans teaches us that there’s nothing we can do to earn God’s grace (12:38)
• Because of Jesus’ death, we are justified before God (16:12)
• Sanctification is the ongoing process of becoming more like Jesus (17:14)
• Many Christians seek freedom instead of holiness, but we’re never truly free (18:41)
• When we choose to follow Christ, our old self is crucified with Him (25:11)
• In the kingdom of God, death brings life (30:16)

Resources:

The Breathe Retreat is a retreat in every sense of the word, intentionally designed to allow you space to breathe in your Heavenly Father's love! Registration for the 2023 Breathe Retreat opens October, 11 2022. Learn more here.

Send us an email to let us know what you’re learning - [email protected]

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook

Are you interested in having Dot come and speak to your community? Email us at [email protected].

Watch Write this Down! on YouTube

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook 

Got a question about today’s episode or something else you’d like to hear us talk about on the show? Let us know! 

Many Christians tend to either ignore the Holy Spirit because they don’t understand Him, or magnify Him to a level of importance that’s greater than the rest of the Trinity. In this episode, Dot and Cara share their perspective on the questions of who the Holy Spirit is, why Jesus sent Him, and how His presence impacts our daily lives. They also explain why they find comfort in the story of Stephen, which shows us that Jesus sees us and is moved by our suffering.

Episode Recap
 

• Start by writing down Acts 1:7-11 (0:13)
   
• People tend to either avoid the Holy Spirit altogether or magnify it (1:40)
   
• The Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to never leave or forsake us (4:45)
   
• The Holy Spirit opens our eyes to spiritual truths, based on what we can handle (8:13)
   
• Stephen’s story shows us that Jesus is moved when we’re suffering (13:07)
   
• Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Stephen asked God to forgive His persecutors (19:03)
   
• God doesn’t expect us to be faithful out of our own strength (24:17)
   
• When God calls us to something, He also equips us to do it (30:28)
   

Resources:
The Breathe Retreat is a retreat in every sense of the word, intentionally designed to allow you space to breathe in your Heavenly Father's love! Registration for the 2023 Breathe Retreat opens early October 2022. Learn more here.

Send us an email to let us know what you’re learning - [email protected]

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook

Are you interested in having Dot come and speak to your community? Email us at [email protected].

Watch Write this Down! on YouTube

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook 

Got a question about today’s episode or something else you’d like to hear us talk about on the show? Let us know! 

Each and every person has a deep desire to be loved. And whether we realize it or not, God already loves us more than we can imagine. In this episode, Dot and Cara talk about what it means when John calls himself “the beloved.” They also discuss the themes we can find in each of the Gospels, depending on the writer’s perspective and the nature of his relationship with Jesus. Pull up a chair and join us!

Episode Recap

• Start by writing down John 20:29-31 (0:13)
• Each Gospel shares a different perspective based on how the writer saw Jesus (1:32)
• When we have a mountaintop experience, we tend to want to stay there (6:01)
• The themes of John’s gospel are belief and love (14:25)
• John felt beloved because he was most able to receive the love Jesus has for all of us (18:32)
• All of us want to be loved, and God’s love is there for us to accept (26:47)

Resources:

The Breathe Retreat is a retreat in every sense of the word, intentionally designed to allow you space to breathe in your Heavenly Father's love! Registration for the 2023 Breathe Retreat opens early October 2022. Learn more here.

Send us an email to let us know what you’re learning - [email protected]

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook

Are you interested in having Dot come and speak to your community? Email us at [email protected].

Watch Write this Down! on YouTube

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook 

Got a question about today’s episode or something else you’d like to hear us talk about on the show? Let us know! 

Just because we think God is silent, it doesn’t mean He’s not working to carry out His plans. In this episode, Cara and Dot talk about the silent years, when God stopped speaking through the prophets for 400 years leading up to the birth of Jesus. They explain how God’s plan is always at work in the background, and they talk about some of the different ways that Christians today can experience God’s voice even when He doesn’t directly answer our prayers. Pour yourself a cup of coffee and listen in to the conversation!

Episode Recap

• Start by writing down Matthew 5: 17-18 (0:13)
• After the prophets, God went silent for 400 years (1:39)
• It’s hard to have faith when we feel like God is silent (6:32)
• Reading through the Bible reminds us that God is moving behind the scenes (11:32)
• Through Jesus, God did what He said He would do (16:14)
• God is leading us even when we don’t understand the story that’s unfolding (20:43)
• Trust that God is preparing a way when you’re in your own “silent years” (28:22)

Resources:

The Breathe Retreat is a retreat in every sense of the word, intentionally designed to allow you space to breathe in your Heavenly Father's love! Registration for the 2023 Breathe Retreat opens early October 2022. Learn more here.

Send us an email to let us know what you’re learning - [email protected]

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook

Are you interested in having Dot come and speak to your community? Email us at [email protected].

Watch Write this Down! on YouTube

Find Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook