I Second That Emotion ~ Session #5 & #6
Happy Friday Book Study Chicks!!!
This book study is really incredible and to be able to go on this journey with each of you is a true gift, so thank you for being a part of this with me.
This week’s study was perfect timing for so many and we had lots of interesting discussions with the two South Florida groups yesterday. It is my prayer that you, our online friends, walk away with just as much from this discussion.
Let’s jump right in and get started, ok?
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“There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” ~ Albert Einstein
Open up your Bible and read John 11:1-44
Book p.37 ~ Hope is an infinity pool that has no boundaries and can’t be contained. It can’t be limited to a word, a phrase, a dissertation, or even a heavily-volumned library. Hope is eternal and, therefore, beyond us to define. Yet sometimes I see hope in a life, and when it’s there you can spot it, even if you can’t touch it or taste it, because hope is palpable.
According to Dictionary.com HOPE is;
1. the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best: to give up hope.
2. a particular instance of this feeling: the hope of winning.
3. grounds for this feeling in a particular instance: There is little or no hope of his recovery.
4. a person or thing in which expectations are centered: The medicine was her last hope.
5. something that is hoped for: Her forgiveness is my constant hope.
What is YOUR definition of HOPE?
p.38 Unless we’ve been in emotionally pressing situations, we have no idea what it requires of individuals to hang in there when things look hopeless.
What is a situation that you have either been in or witnessed from a friend or family member that truly looked as if it was hopeless?
My definition of HOPE is this;
H ~ Hanging
O ~ On while
P ~ Praying
E ~ Expectantly
It’s Your Turn…
~ Talk about a time when you lost your HOPE?
~ What did you do or how did you find your HOPE again?
~ What steps can you take TODAY to become more Hopeful?
“Most of the important things accomplished in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” ~ Dale Carnegie
~ Talk a little bit about the Hellen Keller story from pages 39 & 40
Book P.42 ~ We not only pursue hope as a lifeline, but also hope pursues us. It is the essence of Christ. For, bottom line, Christ is our hope. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13 NIV).
Book p.136 ~ Your response to the question reveals your degree of hope. Hope reminds us that God has been with us in the past and will be with us in the future. Hope sustains us when the chips are down. Hope allows us to rise above the challenges of life so that God, not us, will be revealed to a doubting world.
Share HOPE HEARTS ~> You’re going to cut out a RED HEART and write your FAVORITE Bible verse about HOPE on it and keep it in a place where you can see it every day to remind yourself about the HOPE you have!
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Session #6 ~ Chunky Monkey ~ Never eat more than you can lift. ~ Miss Piggy
Read 1 Samuel 25:2-42
P.137 Our Goal Today ~> To become the kind of woman who isn’t driven by physical desires but rather by the desires to please your loving heavenly Father.
Book P.44 ~ Therapists say eating is one of our earliest nurturing memories, and therefore many of us try to comfort ourselves with food.
Have you ever tasted a food that instantly flooded you with thoughts of someone or something? (Share what it is)
Read (Romans 13:11-14 TM) ~> 11-14But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. We can’t afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don’t loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!
Book P.46 ~ Putting the brakes on an overdeveloped habit, whether that’s eating, crafting, game playing, blogging, or television viewing, and then installing new ways to meet our emotional hunger takes repeated beginnings. It takes confession and forgiveness again and again. These activities aren’t wrong until we choose to make them an obession.
Book P.47 ~ I think one of the keys to improving our existence is to selectively stock our pantries with foods that fill our souls. That way, instead of growing in width, we can grow in wisdom.
Read 1 Samuel 25:10-28 (Abigail)
It’s YOUR turn ~> Take some time to find verses that apply to each of these items from Abigail’s pantry
Dignity – _________________________________________
Discernment – _______________________________________
Intelligence- ________________________________________
Self-Control – ________________________________________
Preparedness – _______________________________________
Fortitude- __________________________________________
Patience – __________________________________________
Humility – __________________________________________
Ask God to show you how to be more like Abigail and less concerned with the things of this world. Remember our Book Study Memory Verse?
Romans 12:2 (NIV) ~ Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Start today by thinking of THREE things you will do to keep your thoughts on Him instead of you!
1) ____________________
2) ____________________
3) ____________________
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Join us at 1pm (EST) on Skype (click here to sign up…it’s FREE) for our online chat group. We’ve got women from all over the world joining us for this study, it’s absolutely incredible to connect with each other and talk about what we’re learning from this study!
We’ll meet back here next Friday (March 20th) to chat about Chapter 7 (Shoe Goo) and Chapter 8 (Mourning Dew). Until then, have a great week!
