One thing that seems to be on all our hearts is purposing to build close and God-glorifying relationships with each other. God doesn't want us to live isolated, lonely lives; He created us to live in loving unity! And even though that can be really hard to do, it is something that we are committed to working at and growing in because we know that we will reap much joy if we do. One way that we intentionally practiced doing this at the Kick Off was by having some questions on the tables to help jump-start us into conversations beyond the the TERRIBLE TEXAS HEAT that is nearly killing us all. The questions were:
1. What is your favorite bible passage and why?
2. Is there something about you that you would like or need your church sisters to know about you?
3. What is something that you are personally praying about?
4. Is there an area or circumstance where you need love to be shown to you and how would that best be done?5. Have you found a women who is a "hidden treasure" at Redeemer? Someone who has been a specific encouragement or friend to you that you think other women should really get to know?
We are looking forward to starting our Ladies Study this week and plan to go through Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands which is a unique study developed by Paul Tripp. He was formerly part of the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF) staff and this book serves as a distilled version of his seminary lectures on the topic. Think of this study as a counterpart to "How People Change" which, despite its title, really deals with various components or dynamics of change in a persons life. Now, the Instruments study actually helps a person learn basics to engaging their own hearts and others lives in a beneficial way. The basic breakdown of Love, Know, Speak, Do, is fleshed out in great detail to give guidelines and parameters that make the methodology of change in a person's life a little more accessible.
We will be being led by Karen Lindwall Bourg who is the Founder of RHEMA Counseling Associates where she also serves as a Licensed Professional Counselor. Karen's counsel is passionately committed to ministering the Word of God in such a way that all of life is illuminated by its eternal truths. Her counsel rests on the wisdom of God, which lends itself to our study through Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands.
Our hope is that this study will help equip and train us in moving from a desire to help others in need, to actually doing so in a Christ-centered way. Karen's expertise combined with Paul Tripp's material is an excellent combination in learning how to live out the Christian life in relationship with others.
And we can't wait! :-)
