Hello friends! Once again I thank you for your patience! Internet issues have got me off track with posting!
Alright, here are our week three discussion questions for “Dance, Stand, Run”:
Chapter 6: Don’t Try to Learn Me
*This chapter gave a few ideas that have helped her when it comes to learning from God’s Word. They are:
- Simply show up
- Pray for God to meet you there
- Carry God’s Word with you into your day
- Consistency is key
- Come because it’s a gift
- Read God’s Word first, excellent resources second
Do you have any ideas to add to this list?
*Jess shared some of the motivations she has had in her lifetime when it came to God’s Word. Have you gone through various phases when it comes to approaching God’s Word?
*Do you find that you approach God’s Word for wisdom, to get to know God better, or in more of a self-help way?
Chapter 7: Shoulds, Coulds, and High-Pitched Squeals
*What has your relationship with “should” and “could” been in your life? How has this chapter changed your perception on these two ideas?
*How does having hope in Jesus tie into our ability to be able to speak life?
*Are there any “curses” you have carried with you that someone spoke over you? How can you begin to let those go?
Chapter 8: You Are Already a Runner
*What are some personal limitations you feel when you think about running on mission for God? Do you feel equipped by God to run on mission?
*“So women of God, here is your primary calling: Go and make disciples” (pg. 216). Jess discusses how we tend to make this statement more complicated than it really is. Do you tend to get caught up in the “how,” or the secondary aspects, of your calling?
*Does defeat or discouragement hinder your faith story? How does knowing God called you a runner help encourage you?
Scripture of the Week
Philippians 4:13
Jeremiah 29:13
Matthew 28:18-20
Prayer of the Week
Father God, please give us a hunger for Your Word. We want to hide it in our hearts so that we might not sin against You. We know we can connect with You and get to know You better when we read Your Word. Help us to press on when it comes to distractions and wrong motivations. Help us to let go of the “should” in our lives and focus on the “get to.” We know You have called us to run on mission for You. It’s not all about us and we don’t need to make it too complicated. May the love of Jesus compel us to run for You and serve Your people well. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
For Next Week
*Read Chapters 9 & 10. See you next Friday for the final discussion questions!
About three to six months before I first started being a part of this book club, God was really starting to wrestle things out of me. He was showing me – and helping me begin to appreciate – who He really was and who I really was. I remember writing in my journal, “Knowing is half the battle. But what’s the other half?!” True story: the first book we read was called, “Keep Showing Up” and literally the phrase: “Knowing is half the battle; showing up is the other half.” appeared in one of the chapters!?!? For. Real. God. Was. Talking. 🤗
Lately, it’s been very difficult for me to show up. God must have a sense of humor, and of course knew I needed this reminder, as “Half the battle is showing up.” appeared again in this book for this week’s reading. (Page 173) 😆
I haven’t wanted to show up for a lot of things. It’s not just quiet time with God; it’s parenting, marriage, serving, getting dressed and ready for the day. Before I continue, there’s nothing wrong with yoga pants or not wearing makeup. But when you feel the weight of even simple tasks, you should pay attention and see what’s off. Reflecting on why these things seem hard is important because there’s always an answer, real and raw…and it may be surprising.
Sometimes it feels like life is chipping away at you, with an ice pick. 🙃 When I’ve had my fill of life’s craziness and feel overwhelmed, I usually start shutting down. I am not seeking anything but sanity at those points. “I wonder if for some of us, it’s not that we’re seeking knowledge for the wrong reasons but more that we’re not seeking it for the wrong reasons.” (Page 170) This sentence hit me hard. My answer has been, “I would rather not.” It’s as simple as that. I know it’s not right, but the “I can’t even!” and “Ain’t got time for that!” mentality takes over and puts me in a whole new realm.
However, the longer I stay away from God and don’t engage with what/who He’s given me and what He’s tasked me with, the more difficult life becomes because then it’s not only everything/everyone else that needs to be “fixed,” but also now I need to be changed (attitude adjustment, anyone?! 🤪) – even more so than before. That’s why seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness is so important! Like Jess says, we get caught up in the “shoulds” and “coulds.” And for what? What’s the gain? Where’s the benefit?
I feel like God is telling me, “You have one job: focus on Me.” He’s made it ridiculously easy and yet we know it’s not that simple because of this fallen world and our sin – our pride, our selfishness. But He doesn’t give up on us. We may give up on others, ourselves, but He sticks around whether we give Him the time of day or not. He calls us out of ourselves and calls us up into what He has for us. The issue is us listening to His call and taking the plunge.
Running on mission for God sounds exhausting when you’ve been running in your own strength. No wonder we get worn out! It also sounds exhausting when you have your own idea about how something is going to look and it doesn’t happen (not from a lack of effort either…but there’s the “your own strength” again).
My husband and I have had to take a good, hard look at how we’ve been parenting and come to terms with a lot of facts, about our sons and about ourselves. It’s been so easy to get – and stay – discouraged and defeated. But this is not what God has called us to. We need His help, with the boys, with everything. All. The. Time. And we need to see this as a good thing. Yes; it’s going to be hard – will continue to be hard – and we need to face that. We have to believe though, like Simeon, that “revelation and restoration is on the way, even if it hurts getting there.” (Page 182) I am not comparing the trust that my husband and I have in knowing that eventually our boys will “see the light,” change, and recognize and appreciate the fruits of our parenting labor to Simeon trusting that Jesus was going to enter this world. 😉 What I am saying is that most of the time things don’t come easily and sticking with it is worth it, but requires perseverance and endurance.
Years ago, a friend’s pastor’s wife prayed over me, saying I would be “the mother of many.” This was way before God would bring my husband and my stepsons into my life. I tucked that piece of information away, thinking it was nice but not holding too tightly to the alleged prophecy. We have to be careful when we have words spoken over us. We need to test them against what God says and see if they’re accurate by seeing if they’re fulfilled. In this instance, it was fulfilled. And honestly, at first I couldn’t believe it. Once it settled in, though, I had the “I get to” mentality. As is the case with parenting, however (and I don’t care how great you think you’re going to do it, actually doing it, or thinking it’s going, it will happen!), “I get to” soon became “I have to.” I lost focus of the blessing. I forgot that “I get to work hard…and I’m blessed that God has called me to them.” (Page 212)
We’re going to stumble; we’re going to get tired and want to give up. We can’t – shouldn’t – do it, any of it, in our strength. “Jesus has promised to be your strength when you ultimately come up weak.” (Page 218) Seeking Him, leaning into Him, is crucial. He’s made us holy through Christ. He has given us grace for our eternal lives, but also, I believe, for our day-to-day living here and now. So we can breathe a sigh of relief, and dance freely; stand confidently; and run fiercely, knowing He’s right there alongside us.
Yes to all of this. I have been on this train and know I should get off but somehow can’t seem to stand up and walk off. I think it’s going to stop on it’s own and let me off but it’s not. I have to choose to show up. Oh man that is a revelation, friend! It is exactly what I have felt like and instead of focusing on God to get me through it, I’ve been angry with Him. I don’t know… it’s been a strange thing to realize how self-centered I am and how much I feel entitled. I definitely continue to need the humility talks! I guess I keep thinking that circumstances will change and have to realize it’s just me that needs to change. I have to focus on God, keep showing up, be obedient to Him, and keep going. The train’s not stopping and I have to hop off.