His Word … Together

Today the women of our church began new Daybreak group studies. After 2 ½ snow days inside and frigid temperatures, most women seemed happy to be "out" in the sunshine. How did I know? Well, one came on a crutch, several drove in from distant suburbs, more than one came from her office, several came in the midst of cancer treatments, and everyone fit it into a full schedule. Each one brought their own cares and concerns, and each one came at a different place in her spiritual journey, filling the rooms with their lives. The variety made the flowered napkins look dull! We have a great menu of groups to choose from. If you're looking for ideas of a book to study, here are our winter picks to inspire you:

~ Anointed, Transformed, Redeemed: A Study of David (This includes Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore, and Kay Arthur considering the seasons of David's life.)

~ Discerning the Voice of God (Priscilla Shirer)

~ Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman (Beth Moore)

~ Finding Hope (An encouraging group for mothers of children with special needs, studying Jesus the One and Only.)

~ Love & Respect (Excellent marriage study by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs)

~ Standing Firm in These Last Days (Precept by Kay Arthur)

Each study is designed to draw women into the source of truth, God's Word, and to draw them into a group of other women who are seeking to know God. I'm co-teaching the study Standing Firm in These Last Days with my friend Linda. We're focusing on I & II Thessalonians. Even though we just introduced the study today, I am so freshly impressed by the practical nature of God's Word to apply to our present day and time. It is so full with answers for our uncertainty and with encouragement for our despair. I look forward to blogging from these epistles. In addition to swapping news over coffee, tasting new recipes, and making new friends, wonderful things happen when we study with other women:

~ We learn from others & others learn from us.

~ We are encouraged by others & others are encouraged by us.

~ We get excited more about God's Word, & others get more excited about God's Word.

~ We are able to see the ways scripture applies to our life today, & others see it, too.

~ We bear one another's burdens & rejoice in God's movement among us.

~ We come to know God more deeply, & others come to know God more deeply.

~ Our lives change, & the lives of others are changed.

I hope you have a group of women or a friend to study and grow with. I grow so much more when I don't try to grow alone. I need the accountability and the "fertilizer" of other people. Studying God's Word with others enhances our learning, our understanding, and our motivation. I hope the pictures today will whet your appetite to find a group to grow in. If there's not a group in your church or a group meeting when you're available, maybe you'll be the catalyst to start a group of women in your neighborhood, church, or office.

Blessings to you for sweet times of growing together!