Our Whirlwind Travels and Week Two of the Reading Group

This last week was a busy one for us. Last Sunday, my husband boarded a plane bound for the jungles of Belize. It was his third year to participate in this particular mission trip. And although I had traveled with him the first year (an experience that led me on a journey through anxiety and ultimately revealed God’s goodness), I opted to remain in the states with the children this time. So while he headed to Central America, the kids, my mom (who had flown down Saturday), and myself headed to Missouri. We spent the week with my family, touring some historical sites and soaking in time with loved ones. On Friday we loaded up the car and drove back home, only to drive my mom to the airport on Saturday so she could fly back home. God bless my sacrificial mom; there’s no way I could have made the drive with all three kids by myself! The hubby returned late Saturday night, and we were thrilled to have him back!

Needless to say, it has been a whirlwind week, and we are loving our time back home! I will be sharing a bit more on our adventures and some thoughts I had while in Missouri later this week, so be sure to check back soon. But for now, it’s time for week two of our F&C reading group!

Today begins week two of our little online reading group. If you’ve already joined, I hope you’re enjoying the book! And if you’ve yet to join but want to be a part, it’s never too late! If you’d like to hop in and start reading with us, the details are all right here. In short, we’re reading Emily Freeman’s Grace for the Good Girl together, as one collective community. Using the e-reading platform BookShout!, we get the opportunity to interact with one another via comments as we journey chapter by chapter. Each Monday, I share the weekly reading assignment, as well as questions for discussion or reflection. Ready to join? We’re so glad to have you along! Just download the book, review the details, and then hop back here. Now let’s dive into week two!

WELCOME TO WEEK 2.

I hope you enjoyed week 1. (If you’re just joining us, you can grab week 1 right here, and then come back here for week 2 at your own pace.) This week we’ll be reading chapters 4, 5 and 6. Remember to leave comments via BookShout! as you go. That way we can all interact and have an ongoing dialogue. You can also leave comments here on the blog. Apply the following questions after you’ve read the chapters as a way to dig a bit deeper into the text and God’s word. You can meditate on these yourself, or use these as a source of discussion for a larger group study.  

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION OR REFLECTION:

How can we begin to let go of flat, “I’m fine” answers in exchange for gracious honesty with one another?

What prevents us from being honest and transparent in the first place? And how does that hinder intimate friendships?

Let’s take it a step further … do you ever go to God with an “I’m fine” attitude? He knows when we sit and when we rise; He perceives our comings and our goings; He knows our every thought. So what happens when we go to God with an “I’m fine” attitude when in fact, we’re not?

Read John 4:1-26. This is the story of a woman who’s hiding behind a mask. She’s not a “good girl,” but she is in hiding. She’s come to the well at a time when the other townspeople aren’t there so she can avoid them, hide from her reputation. But she meets Jesus there. And He mercifully unmasks her (verses 17-18). How does the unmasking before Jesus impact this woman?

How are others’ lives impacted because she is authentic with Christ?

In what areas of your life do you strive to be good based on your own volition? How might that change if you surrendered it completely to the Holy Spirit, instead of relying on your own striving?

Read Luke 10:38-41. How was Martha striving to be good? What did she miss out on as a result of her striving?

Fast forward to John 11:17-23, and we see that Martha gets it. Mary and Martha’s brother has died. What does Martha do in verse 20? What would she have missed out on if she had stayed behind and done the “good” duties?

In Philippians 3:1-11, Paul says he was a Pharisee of the highest degree, a good Jew, a faultless law keeper. Read Paul’s litany of “good” behavior. How might you be like Paul? Are there areas of your life where you strive to be faultless?

How did an encounter with the risen Christ change Paul? How should an encounter with Christ transform our efforts at “good” behavior?

I’m enjoying the opportunity to walk this journey with you, and I so look forward to hearing your thoughts, friends! I’ll be back on Wednesday, but until then, have a blessed week!

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