I believe I shared awhile back, that since my women's Bible study ended for the summer, that my discussion group was going to go ahead and meet and go through a book. Last Friday was our first "meeting", but this was the first week of discussion.We are going through this book.
I kind of just "stumbled" across this book. We were all to look for books that we might be interested in. I saw this at christianbook.com. I'm a little embarrassed to say that I kind of got her mixed up with Stasi Eldredge. When I realized I messed up, was when I was trying to pick up every one's book at the Christian book store. I really prayed and hoped that it wouldn't be a book that we all hated and that we wouldn't struggle to get through it.
We were to read the first two chapters. I loved it! and so did all the other "girls"! When I speak of the "girls" I am speaking of the six other ladies I meet with. My co-leader of the discussion group is close to 50. She has two grown children and has been divorced for 15 years. We have a great-grandmother in our group who is in her 70's, she still works as a real-estate broker and she ballroom dances several nights a week. There is also a grandmother who is just turning 60 who moved here from Alaska. We then have two mommies who just moved to the area in the past year and they knew no one. One of these mommies is in her mid-40's and she has two grown children and a 4 year old...yep, she was blessed with a very unexpected surprise! The other mommy is in her 20's, and right now she only has a 3 year old. The last, but certainly not the least, is a mother of five, who also homeschools her children. She is in her early to mid-30's. That gives you an idea of the group I meet with. We are all so different, but yet we have Christ in common.
I've decided that I'm going to share what I'm learning in this book with you!
Chapter 1 "My "Burning Bush" Experience
In this first chapter, Shannon shares about a tragic experience that happened to her, but yet turned her life around. As a junior in high school, she hit a lady with her car and killed her. This lady's husband and family forgave her, showed grace on her, and passed on his wife's "legacy of being a godly woman on to [her]" (pg 5), and continues to be in her life. She "gradually went from feeling "to blame" to feeling "chosen," chosen to carry the mantle of being a godly woman who loves Jesus beyond measure." She goes on to share "I wanted to be completely His, not just with my lips, but with my life. However, like most Christians, I've had to learn to love like that. It wasn't something that came naturally or even supernaturally overnight. It's been a long process that continues to this day, a process I'd like to walk you through in the coming chapters of this book." (pg 7) That's what we're in for!
In this first chapter, I really related to what she said. I've thought back to the different things I've gone through, the lessons I've learned and the decisions I've made. I don't know how organized this will be but I'm just going to share what really stuck out to me.
These are lessons the story of Moses can teach us.
"First, He doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called. It was okay that I didn't feel capable, as long as I knew He was capable of giving me what I needed to be obedient. Second, our fears do not change God's plans, but understanding God's plans can change our fears. My insecurities gradually disappeared, as I understood my ordained part in God's bigger plan. Third, accomplishing great things for God doesn't require great talent, only great faith in Him. As I have trusted God to equip me, to show me His plans, and to replace my fears with faith, I've discovered there's no greater, more euphoric feeling than knowing that the God of the universe is working in you, through you, even in spite of you when necessary." (pg 8-9) The bold is my emphasis.
Have you learned any of those lessons? I have all three of them, yes, sometimes I have to be reminded, but I've put them into practice. I've had that "euphoric feeling".
The car accident was Shannon's "burning bush" experience with God, and God revealed to her His desires for her life in the years that followed. When I think of a "burning bush" experience in my own life, I actually think of two different things. The period of time in my life when I was dealing with my health (thyroid and all that followed), and the things we went through at our past church, but as she said, "He used that season to show me a side of Himself that I needed to see in order to more fully understand His immeasurable love..." (pg 9)
"...I've come to realize I'll never be satisfied with the kind of Christianity that far too many people settle for. I don't want to be an "I'll do the minimum to get into heaven" kind of Christian. I don't want to be a half-baked, half-hearted follower who submits to the Lord only when it's easy or when there's something in it for me." (pg 9) Those are my feelings, how can I say it any better then her? What kind of Christian are you? Have you had your own unique glimpse of God's character? Or a time when God's presence or calling was undeniable?
To close out this chapter and of what really spoke to me, is this quote, "...He [God] wants you to allow Him to prove Himself as the magnificent lover, protector, and provider He truly is. Allow yourself to be courted by the Creator, so you can grasp these truths and come to understand His rock-solid, unchangeable, unwavering love for each and every one of us." (pg 10)
NOTE- the blue is quotes from the book. The bold is my emphasis.
