Say hello to Bethany Boone, a member of your 2023 Alumni Service Team! Here are some quick facts about Bethany.
- Age: 21
- Home state: Arizona
- Favorite thing about home state: How all of Arizona is technically a desert state, but so varied in the different parts—from the high snowy mountains full of majestic Ponderosa Pine trees to the rolling hills and plains full of saguaro cacti.
- Siblings: Bethany is the second oldest of 5, with 1 older sister, 1 younger sister, and 2 younger brothers
- Random fact: Has lived and traveled overseas
- What Bethany loves: Jesus, worshiping, Scripture, singing, spending quality time with people, listening to music, writing, reading impactful stories, playing the guitar, piano and mandolin, teaching, baking, playing music with others, crocheting, songwriting, playing ultimate frisbee, tennis and baseball, and laughing till she cries.
- Three words Bethany’s friends use to describe her: kind, mature, and joyful
Welcome, Bethany! That’s quite a diverse list of things you enjoy, from outdoor games, to music, to Scripture. I’m sure your love for Jesus explains why you’re here, serving with the National Bible Bee, and I’d like to hear more about your journey with that. How many years did you participate in the National Bible Bee before becoming an alumna?
- Jesus is absolutely the reason I’m here! I participated in the National Bible Bee for 11 years, from 2010-2020, and was blessed to qualify for Nationals every year from 2014-2020.
What a privilege to get to participate for over a decade! How were you introduced to the NBB and why did you start participating?
- My Mom read about the National Bible Bee in a WORLD Magazine, and my older sister excitedly participated in 2009, the very first year. I happily quizzed her on the multitudinous Bible trivia cards, and despite the overwhelming amount of material to study and the overwhelming amount that she never had a chance to study at all, her excitement didn’t wane, but rubbed off on me, and we both participated the next year, in 2010. By God’s grace, I don’t remember my excitement for participating in the NBB ever really waning either, and I’m so grateful for the joy that studying His Word always brings, even when persevering can be hard.
How sweet that your sister’s excitement about God’s Word encouraged you to participate as well, even though she could have easily felt overwhelmed and discouraged. Given that you participated for so long, it’s clear that you also have a love for Scripture. What is one of your favorite Bible passages, and why?
- This is always such a difficult (though wonderful!) question, since there are so many, but I always come back to a specific one…Psalm 25:4-5 has been my life’s verse for many years: “Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” That is the prayer I want to pray every single day of my life, because without the Lord teaching me HIS ways and leading me in HIS truth, I have no strength on my own to glorify Him. He is indeed the God of my salvation, and I pray that I may wait patiently for Him—His timing, His plans, His leading—all my life.
Yes, that’s such a beautiful Psalm! It is only through His strength that we are able to glorify Him, and follow His leading in our lives. If you had to summarize your National Bible Bee journey into one word, what would it be and why?
- I think one word I would use would be Foundational. Studying Scripture through the many NBB studies over the years has provided a foundation and has been instrumental in shaping the way I approach in depth study of the Bible. On a practical side, it’s helped me in learning the how through the many tools and methods we can use, and on a spiritual side, having the privilege of participating when I was young helped me to realize and hold onto the why of studying Scripture. Even as a family NBB has affected the way we study God’s Word in our family Bible times together.
It’s wonderful that NBB has impacted both you individually and your family, and that you are able to encourage each other in studying by doing it together. Among the practical tools you’ve gained to prepare you for a lifetime of studying and memorizing God’s Word, what is your favorite way to memorize and review Scripture?
- If you read the section of things I love, it won’t come as much of a surprise that my favorite way to memorize and review Scripture is through song! I greatly enjoy setting verses to music and learning the music that others have written for Bible passages, and I recently had an amazing opportunity to work with my family and a couple dear friends to write and record the entire first 6 chapters of the book of John in word for word music form. The Lord has commanded us to praise Him with music and song, and I encourage you to remember, this command should never be drudgery—it is such a privilege to be able to worship individually and as the body of Christ!
Wow, that’s such a great way to memorize and review! I’m sure it not only helps you remember Scripture well, but also makes the memorizing process very enjoyable (especially for the people around you who get to hear you memorize). On that subject, what would you say to encourage others to study and memorize God’s Word?
- Our life here on earth is all about priorities. We have only so many hours in a day, only so many days in a week, only so many weeks in a month, only so many months in a year, and only so many years in our life—and we never know when the Lord may call us home. We can choose to prioritize many different things—people, work, knowledge, competence, etc. So my question for you reading this right now would be, what are you prioritizing? Studying, memorizing, and meditating on Scripture should be at the top of all of our lists. But please hear this: studying and memorizing God’s Word is NOT about knowledge. It’s not about understanding everything about the Bible. Jesus tells us clearly in John 17:3 what it IS about: “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” If we prioritize getting to know our Creator, His priorities should become ours. His priority of seeking and saving the lost should become our primary focus, even in the different ways He will use each of us to do that. So my main encouragement is simply this: Seek to study, memorize, and meditate on God’s living and active Word for the purpose of getting to know Him better—what beautiful fruit the Church of Christ will bear and reap for the sake of the Gospel when we all do this in unity!
Amen! That is the heart of the National Bible Bee’s mission “to know God’s Word and make Him known,” and it’s so beautiful to see the fruit of that in individual lives. Thank you for sharing that encouragement with us, and for making Him known, in part through your service on the Alumni Service Team!
- It was a pleasure—thank you, Janese!
Interview by NBB Alumna: Janese Hurst
