Here’s What Happened Last Night
I woke to the most beautiful sight! Dirty dishes in my sink, a reminder of a wonderful evening of fellowship! My Tuesday Morning Fall Bible Study group has come to an end. We used Anne Graham Lotz’s Book “I Saw The Lord” with the video series. The videos were excellent! My Bible study leaders were Julie (an amazing mother of 5) and Mem (a Godly mother of 4 from Thailand.) (this group picture is missing 6 of the ladies)
Mem offered to cook a Thai dinner for the entire group if she could use my house – and I said a Big “YES”! So yesterday at 4:30pm Mem and Danielle arrived and got cozy in my kitchen! They whipped up a fantastic Thai meal – Yum-O!
Alexis got in on the action too!
There’s Janelle from “Comfy In The Kitchen!” She brought a fabulous dessert I will post next Wednesday!
Mem not only fed us physically, but then she gathered us in the family room to feed us spiritually. I know that I am deeply blessed to be able to share life with so many young Christian moms. If you do not currently have a Bible study group, I highly recommend you attend one at your local church. If your church does not have one – start one! Go for it! Anne Graham’s materials are a great place to start!
Hebrews 10:25 says “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
If you are in need of some good Godly encouraging friends – extend a hand of hospitality. Invite a few women from your church over, order pizza and enjoy. Do not give up meeting together – some are in the habit of doing this but we need each other to spur us on spiritually.
This group spurs me on. Do you have a group that spurs you on? Tell me about it!
Walk with the King!
I currently meet with two other women in my home. One is my neighbor and another is a young mom from my church. This is my second year leading this group. Last year we did a study on Women of Virtue and tis year we are using the Slightly Bad girls of the Bible study by Liz Curtis Higgs. We are enjoying it very much. I started by sending a personal invitation to each woman in my town. (there are only about 12 or so). It is a very small town in ND.I have recently heard that there is a new family in town and Will also be sending her an invite as well. I pray that in time more women will join us. Untill that time I remember the verse Matthew 18:20
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
Courtney, you are so right about having a small group around to spur us on. We cannot live this life well without others alongside us. As soon as I become isolated, it's very easy to fall prey to spiritual complacency and selfishness.
For the past several years, there has been an ever changing group of girls that meet here to study God's word and principals with me. We started with Girl Talk, then moved on to meatier stuff like The Search for Significance. We do some pretty diverse stuff like, some Liz Higgs, John McArthur, and a Beth Moore video study. The night changes with each book, and we regularly seem to reschedule to accommodate the needs of the members of the group, but as long as we are meeting, we are blessed! Right now we are down to just two of us finishing up Outflow. Even through we are only two, we have really been encouraged to live our lives consistently differently (and are headed downtown to hand out soup and sandwiches in a couple of weeks as a result.) I would actually recommend this last book and video as a great way to head into the holiday season to get us all a little bit more outwardly focused as we bustle around with our holiday preparations.
Thanks for your faithfulness, Girlfriend!
I LOVED this post! Such a good point. Being in community with other Christians is SO important. And especially awesome when you are a mom at home with kiddos all day and little adult interaction!! Our church has a program called Friend2Friend. We meet on Wednesday mornings in a large group for worship and a small message, then we have a fellowship time with snacks and then we meet in small groups for Bible study. I love it! And they have childcare! YES! 🙂 It has really helped me get connected in our church and now I have a wonderful group of friends!
LOVE that verse Courtney! That's been the "theme" verse for our Bible study for years! Thanks for taking the time to blog. You always inspire and uplift me!
Several years ago I led a ladies group in my home similar to your, using the Women of Influence series that John Maxwell's company put together. Not sure I would choose that series again, but I did love the community and inspiration of having those sweet ladies in my home 🙂 I would love to lead a group again! Maybe after the new year…
I so agree that having a group of 'soul sister' women in your life to spur one another on is so essential.
I'm currently the new girl in town/church, so I have not yet met 'my people' but I'm really hoping to connect with them soon. I'm really missing that special heart connection.
So much fun!! I used to be part of a ladies morning out group like this. I loved it. We've since been involved in couple studies, but I miss the "all women" groups. Yours looks like so much fun. 🙂
Okay, a Bible study and fabulous food! Where do you live girl I want to move there…LOL! What a great time of fellowship for you all:-)
Courtney, you are truly blessed to have such sweet fellowship… At this point in my life it's very difficult to find.
Looks like ya'll had fun! I am excited that I am joing a women's bible study group next spring and i am looking so forward to it!
Awesome! So wonderful that you open your house, what a blessing & a joy!
We got together with our small caregroup last night (only 4 couples and one hasn't been able to attend for some time now). We had coffee and,…well, just coffee. Pales by comparison, lol (though our friend did make bread for communion since my dh has been working on Sundays for the past 3 months; Wasn't that so thoughtful of him?)
Looks like you had a wonderful time of fellowship and spiritual encouragement. Makes me wish I was there. Thanks for sharing your evening with us. Lexi looked so precious in the midst, btw.
blessings,
Toni
I know all of you learned so much. That book is so, so good. I read her newest book, The Magnificent Obsession: Embracing the God-Filled Life this summer and it was so good. Would like to do her study on it now.
I am trying to get a home Bible study started. I know there are three of us and am hoping a fourth will join us. I am feeling lead to do Priscilla Shirer's – Discerning the Voice of God.
Don't know if we will get to eat a feast each week, but maybe at least coffee.
http://jagette.blogspot.com/
Wow, what a fun and amazing night! What a blessing that Mem cooked for you!!
Thanks for sharing about your special night.
Blessings,
Joy
looks like you all had a blessed time
Oh Courtney this looks like SO much fun!! I love my ladies bible studies!! We just got done with Beth Moore's Revelation! It was amazing!! Thanks for sharing your night with us, I feel like I was there…. Big hugs xoxo
Hi Courtney!
I have a great bible study group that meets every tuesday morning at the chapel here on base. Any ladies reading this that are military spouses most installations have a PWOC group. It is an acronym for Protestant Woman of the Chapel. The class that I am doing now is Called Real Mom, Real Jesus by Jill Savage and it is great!
Blessings,
Sarah Lownsbery
sarah_lownsbery(at)yahoo(dot)com
We started attending a church this year specifically because they had small groups. I have not had the pleasure of going to the women's small group, but hubby and I really enjoy our couple's group. It gives us an opportunity to become closer to and have accountability with other godly couples.
So glad you have such as awesome time!
Bernice
http://livingthebalancedlife.com/2010/the-fine-art-of-napping/
food and fun!! how amazing!!!!!!!! Love this post. There is nothing like Christian women in fellowship.
I just finished a class at my church called "Introduction to T he Bible" at my church. The class met on Wednesday evenings for 8 weeks. We met in the auditorium for singing, worship, and communion. Then we'd go to our classes for about an hour. I learned SO much about The Bible, the author of each book, a summery of what each book contain, and when each book was written. We were privileged to have a teacher who had a fierce passion for scripture and a real gift for teaching. On the last day of class, we were given recommendations of where to start reading and studying The Bible. I cannot find the words to say how much the class helped me grow in my faith!