O Happy Day, Dear Summer Siesta Bible Study Group! Hopefully you’ll grab ten or so minutes to watch the video greeting. If you have Internet access at your group gathering and can watch it together, that’s even better. I always want to put your discussion instructions in print, however, so that you don’t have to take dictation from my fast talking. REMEMBER, PLEASE DON’T RESPOND TO THIS POST UNTIL AFTER YOUR GATHERING. ALL COMMENTS ARE MEANT TO FOLLOW YOUR TUESDAY MEETINGS AS OUR (YOUR AND MY) WAY OF DISCUSSION AND INTERACTION. Thanks so much for your cooperation because this approach is a must to make the most of our Bible study blog experience. It needs organization to work effectively on such a wide scale. OK, young ladies, here goes!
1. Based on Week One, discuss what a functional god is and how an idol has functioned for you. In other words, what made it work?
The remaining three are based on Week Two:
2. Turn to p.39 of your workbook. Kelly had us read 1 Peter 2:9-12 and reminded us that we were meant to be peculiar people. Reread her words.
Now, in class today do an acrostic of the word “peculiar” based on various ways Christ has set us apart. In other words, come up with one word that begins with a “p,” then another that begins with an “e,” “c,” and so on.
3. Turn to p. 41. Recall our reading out of Genesis 21:1-6. Listen to verse 6. I especially love the New English Translation: “God has made me laugh.” Share something today with the group that God has done for you that brought you such joy or such a turnaround that it was laughable.
4. Lastly, turn to p. 49 for what I thought was one of the most powerful moments of the entire second week. Kelly said “Fear protects our idols”! How? Discuss that!
I hope that’s some good stuff for your Tuesday discussions. I am so glad we are studying together! You are one of my favorite classes EVER! Let me know (briefly so we can read them all!) how it goes! I love you so, so much. No kidding. You’ve become an important part of my life and this ministry. The whole LPM staff has gotten on board in serving you now. Study on, Siestas!
God’s girls meet last night for a time of deep sole searching as well as some fun.
Here is the acrostic for peculiar we worked out.
Passion-for our God,families,and each other.
Excellence-is our aim, perfection belongs to Him.
Compassion-because there but the grace of God go I.
Untied-from the bondage and snares of the past.
Loved-like nothing else on Earth.
Impotent-in our selves.
Agape-His love for others like a fountain.
Resilience-We may get down, but we don’t stay down.
These are the things that make us abnormal.
Mama Beth,
Thank you for facilitating our spiritual needs and our shopping needs! I think your top is mighty cute (and the leggings too!). Only you could pull that off, with a broken zipper and inside-out leggings. Thanks for being real.
We had a great Bible Study last night. Grandma, Mom, and I decided to make a simple summer meal (hot dogs, watermelon, and chips) so that we could spend more time delving into God’s Word and sharing all that we had learned during the first two weeks. Grandma couldn’t resist though, and made the Butterfinger cake. It was to die for! So delicious!!! And we started realizing that food is a major idol in our society.
Our acronym for who we are in Christ is:
P- pure and filled with peace
E- ethical in a world that is not
C- Chosen in Christ and created in his image
U- Undeserving of His mercy and grace
L- loved with an agape love
I- Inseparable from His love or the Body of Christ
A- able to do all things through Christ
R- Redeemed by His blood!
We are learning so much and love this study! Thanks a jillion!!!
We had such a great study last night here in Leander, TX. I had one girl comment that before the study she didn’t want to come (long day at work, tired), but afterward she was really glad that she did! Praise God for giving us to each other to strengthen and encourage.
I’m not going to post all of our answers, but I am going to post the acrostic for PECULIAR. We are interested to see how many groups came up with the same words!
P-eace or Promise
E-ternal Life
C-ross (to bear)
U-nity
L-ove
I-dentity
A-nointed
R-edemption
We also have two questions for you, Beth. On p.44, Kelly asks a question about “God purposely bringing pain into our lives.” Our group had a long discussion over that question, not because of the topic, but the wording of the question. Is she insinuating that God purposefully brings pain into our lives or that He simply allows it to happen? Our group was split as to how that happens. On one hand, if God actually gave us the pain, as in closing Hannah’s womb, then it puts a vindictive/OT judge spin on God. And on the other hand, it could be, as in Job, that God is allowing us to be tested and evil just comes from an evil world that we live in. (But Kelly didn’t word the question in that way) I guess we were just perplexed by her wording of the question.
I hope you can find a question in there somewhere. It’s kind of hard to say what you need to say in such a small forum.
Question #2: If possible, can you post the recipes for the meetings on Friday? Some of us need time to shop for the ingredients and Saturdays are our shopping days!
Thanks, Beth you are the best!
Alissa ([email protected])
Beth – on a totally unrelated topic, you’ve gotten 2 recent shout outs on Prodigal Jon’s Stuff Christians Like blog. most recently, you’re compared to Wonder Woman. http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/
Beth, my siestas and I are praising Him for leading you to suggest this study. It has been powerful for all of us. Last night we were missing two of our five members, but that didn’t affect the discussion.
We were also particuarly struck by Kelly’s point that fear is not the idol but the thing that protects the idol. One of the siestas always thought that she was afraid of fear until she did that lesson.
This study has been really forcing us to dig deep and find those things that we idolize while saying we worship the Lord.
He is an amazing God!
Our group (5 of the 6) met at my home in Dublin, VA last night. We had a great time of fellowship and discussion.
We enjoyed the pizza (cooked by my husband) and loved the pound cake.
1. We talked about our functional gods…family, worry, pride, circumstances, rebellious attitude, food…to mention a few.
2. We did our acrostic
Protected
Eternity
Chosen
Ulitmate Sacrifice
Loved
Immortal
Annointed
Redeemed
3. Our laughs: Our kids, grandkids, husband’s new job
4. We talked about our fears.
One of our group shared her fear was what if her worst fear happened. Would she turn to her old ways or would she cling to God. As part of our earlier discussion of our gods she had brought up John 14:14 where it says “You may ask me for anything in my name and I will do it”. And she didn’t understand why a certain circumstance was not changing as it was totally not a situation God would want. When we talked about our fears…I reminded her of the verse saying that He will supply you with the stregnth and the trust to cling to Him even if your worst fear happens. Those are the “anythings” he’s talking about in the verse. He may or may not remove the circumstance, but He will supply us with the love, trust, perseverence to get through when we ask Him and seek Him.
We loved Melissa’s post and I have challenged our group to spend 15 minutes a day just reading in their Bibles.
And I had to laugh when in passing you mentioned you had to read another version to not anticipate what the words would be. Siesta if you only had an inkling of how you inspire us!! Love you!
Pam
http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/
Beth — you DON’T have to publish this comment – but you have been favorabley compared to Wonder Woman as a superhero — Just though you might get a giggle out o it (after all Linda Hamiltion had GREAT hair)
Solo in Memphis, loving this study!
P Placed for Purpose
E Established for Evangelism
C Chosen & Called to Change
U Useful
L Leaning on His Leading
I Identified
A Accepted Ambassador
R Reserved for that which brings Honor & Glory to Him!!! Hallelujah!!
I got tickled…I’m sure I looked like Kelly on her first cooking outing. I had flour from shoulders to hips making the pizza dough. We had a great study and discussion in Birmingham AL, becoming very vulnerable and accountable to each other very fast. God’s Word is good and we are learning to hear what it speaks to us, even if it’s not so fun to hear. Breaking down idols means first accepting what things, good and bad, you’ve put before Him. Thank you for being our facilitator! Blessings to all!
Hey Siestas…
Today over at the Lifeway Forums… “our journey continues” to quote Kim safina. This morning some of the siestas who did not make our meeting last night are checking in.
I had added the reflection on p. 39 for those willing to share, but we did not even get to it. Still, EmmaB2002 jumped right on it and reminded me this morning of how meaningful it was. And glory, God worked more of it out today as I wrote about mine I discovered the following just pouring out of my heart and soul … “Behold I make all things new…” Revelation 21:5
I know this is long, but I hope you will bear with me to the end… The moment was such a moment of revelation and brokenness I just had to confess it. Tears come fresh as I consider the goodness of our God in the middle of all this mess! I don’t mind confessing this – its true and it needs to be said –
As Renee said two weeks ago, though I sit at this table alone today typing my heart out – I am not alone and I know there is someone out there today who will be edified by these words…
I posted this at the forums this morning:
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Mine was related to my desire for approval and acceptance… In the past I have gone and spent money I don’t have on a new wardrobe – literally 3 or 4 outfits at one time complete with shoes, jewelry and what-not accessories, hair style/color, etc. just to get the “right” look [whatever that is]…
It is insane. I realized at the end of my first marriage I had a bad habit of shopping to make myself “feel better.” Then my demon of choice was the craft store. We had the most well decorated home in three counties, I’d dress it to the nines. And, this because I was angry at my abusive husband so I would spend every last dime in the bank account to feel like I had control over something and to get even! FOOLISH BEHAVIOR.
I carried that behavior into this marriage to some extent. The only thing, I was better at covering my tracks. I’ll never forget the realization that I was “pulling my house down with my own hands” to paraphrase Proverbs 14:1.
I found a way to “undo” the compulsive nature of that problem, but not my emotional response that triggered it. So, this is an area where I need prayer – these are deep strongholds ladies – years – decades old. There are also some generational sin issues attached. And, there is that nagging fear that at some point the “jig will be up” and someone will discover my “nasty little secret.” [So, I confess it to you all, and to God before men… I’m not kidding myself – there is much work to be done here… even if the light is shining and I am ready to clean house!]
The second thing is the desire I have to fix it myself. Whether it is a relationship, finances, a stronghold, someone else’s pain – I want to be the rescuer – and that just ain’t (pardon my grammar) how it’s done. Can you say CONTROL FREAK!?
Laying down control is the single hardest thing I find I have to do to overcome the idols in my life. I can’t play at life like one plays out the moves on a chess board. I will end up in check-mate with the enemy… and a grand chess player I ain’t.
ALL OF THIS DRIVEN BY FEAR OF REJECTION, FEAR OF EXPOSURE, but most especially FEAR THAT I AM THE ONE THAT GOD CANNOT MEND…
If I were to deal in truth with these areas I beleive several key things would happen:
1.) I could be myself and stop hiding what I fear people will despise and be real for a change.
2.) Giving things over to God would alleviate the fear in my life. It would shift the control to God and away from the footholds I have given the enemy who stands accusing me before my Father in the throne room.
3.) What I once did to “protect” and “control” would be turned to time spent devoted to God – to pleasing Him by allowing Him to be elevated fully in my life – thus His honor and glory would be revealed as He is truly first in every area of my life.
This little post just saps the energy right out of you. I must find the will to surrender all of this – it must start today…
I surrender it Lord, You can take this miserable life I’ve made for myself and do with it as You will. I cannot live this way any longer. I don’t want to take one more step in any direction Lord if You do not go with me… I long for YOU THE MOST! You are my heart’s one desire, sanctify me Lord, wash away the crusty, nasty filth I have immersed myself in for years and show me who You created me to be. I long to be full of YOU so that nothing of me remains. Show Your glory in this place Lord, Show us the way Home.
In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.
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You know in a personal face-to-face setting I might not of gotten this all off of my chest, but here in the safety of this online community I feel like God is doing something totally new. I have a face-to-face friend I will share all of this with as soon as she catches up (She got her book yesterday!)… But until next time – I remain humbled by His mercy and matchless grace. MB
oh sweet Mama Beth,
You had me laughing so hard my sides hurt and I had tears I couldn’t see. My dog thinks I am definitely not of this world. How do you keep such a straight face when you do these loving things…
Well I was doing solo and then I prayed for a partner…and well God didn’t just bless me with one..but 3 so we have a group of 4 via email. We are so excited! We have our homework done but we didn’t get to your discussion …bowing head..here…cause we are trying to think of a name for our group…but we promise we are going to be discussing it. I know for me…I functional idol is getting past being what others want me to be…like super mom…and being the woman God wants me to be. Can any of you siestas relate.
I just love you mama Beth..thank you for the laugh and for this study.
Blessings and love,
Tammy
Hey from Colorado!
Our group met last night & we are all loving this study! We spent a lot of time discussing the role fear plays in our idols – something I had never thought much about. Great study – Kelly keeps us laughing all week long (that is, when we are not feeling totally convicted!). Thanks for organizing this, Beth. It’s been amazing!
Our group met last night in Pocahontas, AR (we are swapping between two small towns of Walnut Ridge and Pocahontas–about 15 miles apart). Three of the four of us were able to attend and enjoy the pizza, cheese bread, Greek cous cous salad, and cheesecake…..mmmmmmmm.
We identified our idols as success, control, worry, and happiness.
We were terrible at the acrostic and decided to take it on as homework.
We talked about our laughable moments of joy or turnaround. One of the girls’ husband has overcome some significant religious and family issues to bring their family to a deeper faith. One of us recalled a time that I just had to share with you.
About 4 years ago, the three of us bonded over your LPL meeting in Little Rock, AR. This was the event where “In Christ Alone” was the “theme” song. That song greatly impacted all of us and became a favorite. Little did I know, in just two months I would be facing the most difficult time in my life–the stillbirth of my daughter at 8 months pregnant. I don’t know what I would have done without these ladies and my renewed faith in God. I played “In Christ Alone” at her funeral.
Almost 2 years to the day, we decided to attend another ladies conference together…… unfortunately I can’t remember the name, but it was Patricia Shirer, Angela Thomas, and Kelly Minter leading worship. We had another faith deepening experience and commented, after Patricia’s much needed lesson on discerning the voice of God, that we felt like things had come full circle– like God was telling me in particular that it was time to heal that hurt. We also commented that it would be even more of a “moment” if we sang “In Christ Alone”. We low and behold, guess what the next song was…….. it was unbelieveable and all we could do was laugh and cry……
We are lovin’ this study!
Stephanie
Hello all,
Beth, I just have to say this study is awesome! Even though I am going solo, I have gotten so much out of the homework. It has been really good.
A couple of things that really hit me from the questions you asked.
The first is how much fear binds me to the idols I have in my life. A big idol in my life is the opinions of others. I do almost everything, thinking of what other might think of me, or to get attention… the fear that holds me to that is that I am afraid to be alone, and of who I am when I am alone. I know that God will set me free. When we were asked to look up all those bible verses, one of the ones that hit me was Ps. 118:6 (I added vs. 5 to it as well and memorized it)
“In my anguish I cried to the Lord and He answered me by setting me free. The Lord is with me. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Even though I am afraid, God is with me, and I need not fear… he answered me by setting me free… and i have realized now its a process, not a one time thing. Its like peeling an onion. One layer of bondage gets stripped away, and brings more things to light… as we are being conformed to the image of Christ.
the other was the acrostic for the word “peculiar.” I was on a long road trip yesterday to go to a memorial service to support a dear relative of mine. As I was driving, I just kind of meditated on the word peculiar, and what some of the things were that God has used to set us apart. As I did, the words just started coming to me…
Purchased
Empowered
Called (or Cleansed)
Unashamed
Loved lavishly
Indwelt (by the Holy Spirit)
Accepted
Redeemed
Again, thank you for doing this study, Beth and for including us all in it! God is using it!
God bless,
Heather from WI
Our group has already posted our comment for this session, but I just had to share with you all how God showed His sense of humor to me during this last 2 weeks of bible study:
Part of the last two weeks our family was in Tennessee on vacation. My husband’s 17 yr old is shooting a movie there, and we went to watch him for a couple days. Knowing we’d be sitting around for 8-10 hours, having to be very quiet, I took my Bible and bible study book with me. This is the time, reading and highlighting in my book like crazy, that I began to realize my idols(functional gods) are my feelings and thoughts… these are what tend to drive and dictate my actions. Awesome revelation from God through answering Kelly’s questions! At some point during this time, I look up and realize, I’m sitting under a giant oak tree in a director’s chair, looking out over hundreds of God’s beautiful rolling hills, listening to some of the men from Rascall Flatts lying on a blanket behind me playing their guitars and singing. In front of me, Miley Cyrus and her dad are practicing a song that they’re working on together. How ironic is this, that while I’m getting revelation knowledge from Him about my own idols in my head, I’m being unofficially serenaded by people that are considered idols in society! Is God just not hysterical?? The irony made me almost laugh out loud. His timing is incredible 🙂
love you all so much,
lavonda
marietta, ga
Dear Beth and Siestas,
My neighbor and I are doing the study. She’s part of a church that doesn’t encourage Bible study, so this is very new to her. We are even doing most of the days together (her request), so we are a week behind.
But, praise God, she’s loving it! She even wants to meet more often that I’m able. We will probably go well into the fall, but she’s in the Word for the first time! She asked yesterday, “We’re not on a schedule are we?” I wanted to say Yes, we need to finish this summer. And then I thought, It’s OK if we go longer than all of you. This is more important!
Thanks for the encouragement, Beth, and the hilarious ending to your video.
Love, Karen in OC
Hello from Plain City, Ohio
I sent out flyers and 2 people I’ve never before came…the group not has a familiar face in it except my sis, who has never taken a Bible study before. There’s a mormon neighbor, a neighbor I found out I’m related to by marriage, and a quiet aquintance from my son’s preschool class, total of 6. STRETCHED FOR HIM!
I introduced the study as a salad in the main course…..WRONG…it’s the meat and potatoes, girl!
We really enjoy the music by Kelly Minter esp- No Finer Day.
We’re all going deep, not a dry eye last night. Keepin it real but in kingdom perspective. What an experience this has been. Praying for protection from the enemy during this time too.
In Him,
Tracey
My 9 yr. old daughter and I enjoyed the video and the pound cake(yum)…I had to share a “God made me laugh story” that occured this morning…Our neighborhood’s trash pick up has changed times to early in the morning…I forgot to put out the trash this morning and was awaken from a deep sleep to hear the sound of the trash truck…I jumped out of bed with my nightshirt on..grabbed a pair of shorts and shot out of the house…grabbed the big trash can and started running like crazy down my driveway to catch the truck…I couldn’t take having all that stinky trash for another week…as I get to the end of the drive the truck passes me by and then it backs up…of course the driver is laughing…but then he jumps out of the truck and takes my trash can himself and empties it and give it back to me…it is at that point that I realize I have not brushed my hair, no makeup…and I realize that my shorts are not visible under my nightshirt so it appears that I only have on my nightgown…LOL..I thank him and then head back in the house…later I realized if I was as worried about my stinky idols and my stinky sin, I would run to Jesus and HE would so take care of it…afterall HE already has….He is waiting right there to empty me of all those idols and fill me full of HIMSELF…I just had to laugh at how God has such a way of showing us things in our lives….I am loving the study “No other Idols” and am in week 7 of “Breaking Free”…so I think that the trash truck was specially designed for me this morning…
Love ya bunches…
Hi – solo in NJ, happily. Hubby is on sabbatical (first time in 13 years) and I am more deeply soul-tired than I can ever remember being. Not from pain, just carrying burdens with others and not enough of carrying my own? So it’s an interesting summer. I’m pushing through the study even tho it is hitting home DEEPLY. Melanie, I resonated with just about everything you typed – “approval lost, food adding to the issue…” also the post that spoke of fear of repeat assault being a god that drives much of my issue with food.
Shellie, my heart weeps for you. I prayed this morning that God would show you His inordinate amount of unending love for you! (Zephaniah 3:17 is hard to accept at face value but so true!) Sometimes I think it’s easy to hide in our own strength if we are “attractive” and that adds another layer of placing “things” over God. I am not through the second week, so am not answering the questions appropriately, but am SO thankful for the online “Group” to hear your hearts and quietly watch what God is doing amongst us! I have learned through you all this morning. Thanks for being vulnerable! Jeni
PS for the “ME” lady? paste this link – it’s Brian Regan on youtube. This 4 minute clip has held me pretty accountable to myself lately – you will LAUGH your head off! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ogZo9YreQ4
I saw that Wonder Woman comparison too! A friend at work had shown me that blog a few weeks ago and that most recent post was great. Too funny! Glad another Siesta saw it too!
This is my first comment, as I’m flying solo and got a late start! (I’m all caught up though.)
Last September, I became aware of my own personal god… shopping for new clothes. I was out of control and it was causing all kinds of issues. I layed it before the Lord and I gave myself a year (gasp, yep you read that right) of not shopping for any new fashion so the Lord could work in my heart and teach me where my joy should come from and WHO my God should be! Although it has felt like it would kill me to not get my hands on a new designer bag at times, I have been desperately giving my idols to Him. I attended the Living Proof Live conf in Seattle this past Jan. and going forward to that alter was life changing. I was wondering how I was going to wrap up my “year” of shop-fasting, and really have my inner self truly changed to the point that I can stroll through Macy’s and not just go crazy, and I found this study. God is so good! I’m so thankful for you Beth, and all you have taught me this past year! I am loving this study!!
Checking in from Houston…..our group of 3 met last night and laughed ourselves silly at you, Beth! You are a hoot!
Anyway…..back on track here….we had great food, great discussion….and awesome time of prayer. We want all our idols down AND destroyed!
Here is our acrostic:
Peace
Everlasting love
Contentment
Undivided heart
Love
Identity
Authority
Reign
We talked about how Christ has given us ALL those things…just most of the time we don’t act like we have them! We want to Act like the women He has made us to be!
Trudging ahead joyfully!
Judy in Houston
Our group here in Jax, FL had a great evening. We enjoyed sicilian pizza, salad with fresh toppings and the very tasty pound cake with berries and cream! (coffee too of course)
As we moved into the living room, we shared what we learned from our 2 weeks of study. It was interesting to find that almost all of us uncovered one of the same functional gods – approval of others/image. We are excited to MAKE ROOM for the one and only.
I wanted to keep it brief-but feel led to share 1 special story. My Mom and sister are doing this study with me. My 6 yr old niece noticed the workbook on the table and said “No Other Gods….did you know there is only 1 true God? I know b/c I asked Him into my heart last week at camp!!!” That is how we found out—so THANK YOU–the impacts are far reaching. 🙂
I just wanted to share my acrostic. I love doing this type of thing…thanks Beth for including it in our discussion!
Pressing into and passing on the love of our
Everlasting Father.
Christ has given us the ability to love the
Unlovable.
Living water flows to all who believe
In the One True God. Together at the
Altar, we worship and praise our
Reedemer, the Savior of the world.
Ann and I (Allison) did the questions and here are our thoughts on the questions we discussed.
Question 1:
Allison’s:
Functioning god in my life is being in control. Fear of not feeling wanted, fear of being forgotten, fear of not feeling good because if I feel bad emotionally or physically I’m forgotten, so implement with substance to escape from past pains and losses.
Ann’s: My functional god at this point in my life is getting out of my house and trying to figure out how to meet people and make friends. I am new to Houston, and it’s hard to know where to begin. ie: rejection/trying too hard
Question 2:
Allison’s:
The acrostic for “peculiar”.
powerful, effective, christlike, unique, loving, interesting, absurd, righteous
or
precious, eccentric, courageous, unlikely, loyal, intent, alive, reigning
Ann’s:
P: Prayer (constant) E: Examine (my life) C: Christ-like (strive for) U: Understanding L: Learn I: Imperfect A: Assurance R: Redeemer
Question 3:
Allison’s: It was hearing the verse on this past Tuesday where I heard the verse Jude 1:24-25 on KHCB radio station here in Houston and also heard a song of that verse. That was a cool kick and it being Tuesday really made even more exciting.
Ann’s Joyful moments: Searching for over an hour for the No Other Gods book online and deciding that God didn’t want me to do this study only to call Lifeway and be told they had one copy left they would hold for me!!
Question 4:
Allison’s: Fear is a definite in my life because if I don’t have all my comfort things around me, and something out of the ordinary that throws a kink in my world I’m in a panic. I don’t like feeling I have not control, because then I feel I am stupid and an idiot.
Ann’s Thoughts: I’m not very fearful: the loss of spouse or children.
Are meeting this week was amazing! God is working for sure! Theses girls who have never opened up befor or have fallin away spriyualy are so hungry for the word and are realy opening up! He is so good! Love you Beth! O! I love it when you post videos! It makes it all the more personal! Love you!
My dear friend, Carol, and I met last evening in my home. I took the easy way out by serving store bought pizza, breadsticks and salad. It still fit into my category of homemade–anything heated in my oven.
The discussion part of our evening seemed to begin as soon as Carol walked through the door, it went on all through supper and then finally ended about 10pm. Wow!
The last discussion question was the mind blower for us. What a realization for both of us that most of the fear we battle is fear that is there to protect our idols. And most of our idols are things that keep us comfortable. Instead of battling the fear why not just tear down the idol?
Let freedom ring,
Connie and Carol
Jena, LA
Bend, OR group is in the second week of meeting Wed am early so no dinner for us : )
But Beth the first tape was posted at GodTube also and we watched from there but second week wasn’t and our old eyes wanted it to be bigger so can you make the box bigger ( and I don’t know how ) or can you post again on GodTube? By the way we are meeting everyweek ( we need it : )
Tears are pouring as I read all of your comments. I want to say on behalf of LifeWay that we are SO THRILLED to have you all deep in this convicting message. I worked on the study and led a “test group” of sorts, and boy, it was quite a time. I will be praying for you all during this summer. I am crying in joy for the woman who didn’t have a miscarriage, for the woman who was saved, for the woman who had someone stop by her house from a prayer. GOD WORKS. I hope He will work powerfully in your life this summer.
To whoever asked, yes, Kelly is well aware of all the women doing this study. Check out livingroomseries.com.
Great discussions!!! The questions were very thought provoking. #4 was especially eye-opening. We all had recognized that in the study and then for it to be chosen for more open discussion, we knew it was a God thing. Fear is an amazing emotion!! Some of us had not really identified our idols as stemming from some fear…..
We had some good laughable God moments. That’s what we get when we don’t trust God and of course He come through perfectly as only He can.
Here is our P E C U L I A R acrostic
P = Prayer
E = Encouragement
C = Christ Life
U = Understanding
L = Love
I = Imitators of Christ
A = Authority
R = Righteous
I have read some of the others,
AWESOME!!!!
I pray I can become a “peculiar” person, even more than I am.
Praise God for His everlasting LOVE, GRACE, and MERCY, and of course all the rest of the Blessings.
Bible Bunnies in MI
2 out of the 4 met last night…pool side, although it was a fluke that we didn’t have a swim meet, hence the fact we missed 2 of our Siestas…but we will catch them up!
I have to speak for me personally, Last weekend I went to visit family…my only professing Christian family…their language was awful…would probably make a truck driver blush! I have been so frustrated, they simply say..”you will, too, when your kids get older!” I certainly hope not! When I got home all I wanted was my bible and some good ‘ol worship music…and I opened it to Day 2, Week 2….we are to be stangers/aliens/peculiar….I’ll take it…all I want is to glorify Jesus. It was just SO frustrating.
In our time, I am meeting with a fairly new friend, little by little I am learning that she is fairly new in Christ and I am having a BLAST listening and encouraging her!
Thank you, Beth, for doing this!
Love,
Heather in CA
Beth (and staff!)
First of all…this bible study is AWESOME! Oh my gosh I am LOVING it. Great idea.
As of last night’s gathering, well, I didn’t quite make it to my group because a meeting I had ran a LITTLE too long! So, instead I took myself, my bible,and study book to Barnes and Noble and enjoyed some MUCH needed time with just me and the Lord! I am pretty sure this was more beneficial than meeting with the group last night. I just needed that quiet/silent time with him. My mom even called and wondered where I was!
So, even though I sat myself at a table by the bathroom and smelled a wonderful scent any time someone opened the door (note to self: choose different table next time), the Lord still showed up. Wierd smells and all!
Love you all much!
Lindsee
P.S. I am still working on my acrostic to Peculiar! 🙂
God made me laugh from
cooking challenged siesta – I tried to make the sicilian pizza, but it did not turn out.
My son said “Mom,don’t trust a book with a Bible study and recipes…better the recipe to go wrong and not the Bible study.” Yes I laughed after beating myself up for failing at cooking.
2 of us out of our group of 4 met and shared the butterfinger cake
and discussed the questions. Sweet fellowship and openness
We had a great class last night with a total of 16 women attending. I made three pizzas and the pound cake and everyone seemed to enjoy them. (Truthfully I made the pound cake twice because the first one cooked over, I know, I know you warned me. But the second one was great)Obviously with this many people we had several answers to all of the questions but the one “functional god” that most of us had was consuming ourselves with trying to be good enough (wife, mother, Christian) that we don’t “make room” for God. One lady specifically talked about on question 4 how the fear of staying afloat financially protected, what she felt was her functional god, her job. All the women felt the need to trust God more and stop depending on self. Below is our acrostic of peculiar:
Personality, purchased, pardoned
Eternal life, everlasting, excited
Chosen, changed, Christ-like
Universal, unwavering, united, unique
Language, life-style, love, loved
Image, individual, identity
Amazing, armed, attached
Redeemed, reborn, revived, ready
We’re having a great time and learning so much. Thank you so much for facilitating for us.
Cassandra
Mars Hill, NC
OK my answers are first and then my buddy, Kathleen’s are next…we are doing this study together via email!
A functional god is something that has worked for me in place of where God desires to working.
God has made me laugh – my friendship with Kathleen. I have prayed and prayed and prayed to go through a Bible Study and life with someone who is enough like me that they will get me and not try to change me before I understand where God wants me to be – Kathleen is that for me – God surprised me and it makes me laugh the way that it happened – He is so good. I often times ask her – are you SURE we were not twins separated at birth. This Bible Study has allowed to me to get to know her even better – she lives in Texas and I live in Oklahoma – but God is the common thread that makes it seem like I have known her as my next door neighbor my whole life!
Fear is protecting my idol of comfort. I did not realize how much of an idol I have made out of comfort. I thought I was captivated by fear – but I am held captive by my insatiable desires to be comfortable – even if I KNOW where I am finding my comfort is not the best God has for me…I hold onto the comfort of the familiar.
#1 For me the control issue is easy to function as an idol because we really do have so little control over things in our world. So it’s easy for me to live in fear because bad things happen to people all the time. #3 I would have to say when I was so scared that something was going to happen to me when Donald was born and then the day I came home from the hospital I remember all of a sudden realizing that “hey, nothing happened to me!†and kind of laughing with relief. #4 How does fear protect our idols? I think it clouds the real issue or idol and prevents us from focusing on the deeper problem and removing it. The fear keeps us paralyzed from taking any action.
We are both still working on our words for PECULIAR!
Thanks!
Sunshine and Kathleen 🙂
My Sweet Sisters,
First time poster, long time reader. Going solo here for NOGs. Refreshing at times, frustrating at others b/c I’m dying to talk to someone about what God is doing in my life (hence this long post)! He just never ceases to amaze me when He so tenderly works ahead of me so that I can be amazed in the moment when He’s already there.
Anyway, my idol: financial security. Not what I would have thought when I started this book. Now, by no means, are we wealthy (we are church planters, in fact). We have just made some wise decisions by staying out of debt, saving, etc. We are planning a move in our near future to do some amazing ministry (will have to tell you about that later) and with the way the market is, I have been watching the sizable equity that we built into our house dwindle week by week. I SO want to freak out about having to start all over, but…
Day four totally spoke to me w/ a tenderness that is only from our God. This house I live in and all of the amazing things in our lives here are gifts from God. I canNOT turn them into gods. Me relying on equity and wise financial decisions cannot be my safety net when I think God is not coming through when I expect Him too. Not to mention the fact that I haven’t even given Him a whole lot of time to work. Silly me.
Thank you, Kelly, for your wisdom. He has given me these things, He goes before me, He knows ours needs. I will trust Him. There is no promise of tomorrow. There is just hope and excitement for the journey. May it be said of me when this life is done, “She followed no matter the cost” instead of “She made some wise financial decisions and had a really nice house to show for it.”
Our God is so good to us, siestas. He is just overwhelmed with joy watching each of us tear down the idols we’ve built. Keep at it, sisters! I can’t tell you the joy I get from reading this blog (Hi Auntie Beth – as my small group calls you-, Amanda, and Melissa!) Love you so much!
Donna Gregory, I was so psyched to read your post. I’m an external validation girl, too! I’m a totally novice christian, but I’ll try praying for you.
We had a great time last night, even though we were missing three of our girls. We had homemade spaghetti sauce (with 4 different meats in it) served over mini-penne pasta, with salad, french bread and the famous Butterfinger Cake for dessert. The food and fellowship was wonderful. As for the discussion questions, well, we got started on them. However, discussion lead to examining our fears and idols, and we spent our group time discussing those areas of struggle for each of us. It was insightful and encouraging to see how God is teaching us through this study and through each other. We’re gonna try to get more that 2 questions done next time!
I’m still processing and praising from the Deeper Still Event! When people ask if it was all that I’d hoped it to be, I tell them it exceeded anything I’d dared to dream. My life will never be the same!
We have three accrostics:
Pressing into and passing on the love of our
Everlasting Father.
Christ has given us the ability to love the
Unlovable.
Living water flows to all who believe
In the One True God. Together at the
Altar, we worship and praise our
Reedemer, the Savior of the world.
And:
Precious
Extragantly
Crowned
Unrivaled
Love
Immeasurabley
Adorned (in)
Righteousness
AND
Pressing
Ever
Closer
Under
Liberty
In (our)
Almighty
Reedemer
We have dropped from 8 to 6 on-line Study buddies. But we are connecting via e-mail and growing so much. Realizing what has become a god to us is amazing. FEAR, REJECTION, ISOLATION.
God has come to set us free!
Beth, would you answer these questions for us also? You and your group?
THANKS!
WE LOVE YOU!!!
Dear Beth,
My mom and I just got back from Panera Bread where we had lunch and did our bible study discussion. We had a lot of fun and good food!
Here is our acronym for PECULIAR:
Protects us
Eternal life
Chosen us
Unique
Loves us
In us
Always there
Redeems us
Thank you for the great tips on summer sales!! I like your outfit -really cute!! 🙂
Taylor and my mom, Sue
First I have to say I love this study! Then I have to say, I think I am spending too much time on this blog. My 18 month old(who last week fed you cookies through the screen)saw your picture on the video last night and ran to my lap pointing “Besh Besh, mo Besh” Translation for those who do not speak toddler…Beth, Beth, more Beth. I was laughing so hard. Now everytime she sees my lap top she calls it Beth.
Back to the study… we are loving every minute of it. Here is our acryptic (sp?)
Paid for us
Enjoys us
Changes us
Uses us
Loves us
Inhabits us
Accepts us
Renews us
Maggie, Jeannie, Christy, and Cathie Sand Springs, OK
Checking in from “The Siesta Forum”
Okay, where to begin? First I need to tell you that we are a group of “solos meeting together”. There are 208 members, but we’ve had 647 different people visit the site. If you are going solo and want to join us,please go to: forums.delphiforums.com/siestas.
We talk throughout the week, but each Tuesday evening the chatroom is open from 8-10 EST to discuss the lesson. Last night was a blast! There were so many women in and out of there it would make you crazy, but what fun to see how God is working. We are all so different, yet similar.
Idols that were recognized ran the gamut from food, comfort, control, acceptance, need for love and approval…on and on. We realized that even though we thought they were working for us they really are working against us.
There were so many great acrostics that I wouldn’t even be able to begin to share. But this was interesting. Almost every one of them had Redeemed for the letter R. Now, we need to live like we believe we’re redeemed.
We really didn’t discuss the question about something God has done that made us laugh. But I think I can speak for all the women last night, what He did in that chatroom brought joy! Women who don’t even know what a chatroom is, who haven’t typed in years, all ages and all brought together! God gave us laughter.
Lastly, almost every one of us recognizes the fear we have. Fear of giving up our idols. Anxiety issues. But fear isn’t the idol. The idol is what we’re afraid we won’t get if we let go of it. What a lie satan is feeding us. God has so much more in store for each of us…all 200 and some of us, if we’ll open our hands and release that idol to HIM.
Oh and we ended the night taking prayer requests from each other. (the night was supposed to end at 10 and didn’t end until 11, that’s what happens when you get that many women in “one place”)
Thanks for doing this, Beth. This is a blast!
With love from all the siestas at the siesta forum.
From Tupelo, MS group:
We had all 7 ladies present last night. We enjoyed the homemade pizza, and I served a spinach and nectarine salad as well as the 5 flavor pound cake. I confess, I used my old stand-by pound cake recipe and added the 5 flavors. I just could not in good conscience put the 2 sticks of butter AND the 1/2 cup of Crisco AND the enormous amout of sugar called for in the recipe!
We had wonderful fellowship around my dining room table. All of us think this study is great but so convicting. Some of us are having to face up to some things that apparently had become idols. It’s tough! What a joy to share in this study with siestas all around the world. I love having a “common meal”, but would like the recipes earlier. I like to plan ahead.
We all love you and the Lord very much! Kay Martin
I am going solo, but am emailing with another siesta. Yesterday I sat on my back patio with my suncreen and my bargain capri pants on drinking my coffee and digging in to this week’s questions. I was all set…except for 1 thing. Bug spray. This morning, I have a nice ring of red welts on my leg where my capri pants ended and my bare leg began!!!
I have discovered that I have more idols than I would like to admit, but the biggest ones are anger, resentment, jealousy, and holding grudges. (Quite a list, huh.)
Why do these idols function in my life? Because they keep me from having to take responsibility for myself–I can believe that it’s not my fault—it’s someone else’s.
How does fear protect my idols? I think I fear having to really look at who I am, because doing so would be too painful. It’s much easier to blame or be angry or resent someone else.
To the anonymous siesta who is going solo because you can’t bear to share with others the deepest places of your heart: You could have been describing me. I have felt for many years that God could never forgive me for all my years of sin, and furthermore, people in my life would be appalled to know the depth of my sin. But I am beginning to realize that it is Satan’s lie to keep me captive. God is big enough to forgive all my sins and not only that, he hasn’t given up on me. He knows who I really am, yet he is patiently waiting for me still. Woot!
Wow! This got really long and I must go–I have some serious bug bite scratching to do!
Kim W.
We had two of our four meet at Lisa’s house for pizza (although it was a lower-fat version to comply with First Place). One member had out-of-state company, the other was volunteering at a Christian camp.
Cathy and Lisa spent over three hours (!) discussing Beth’s questions, and we even stayed on topic that whole time!
We are doing our P E C U L I A R homework separately, and then getting together at church on Sunday to see if any of us came up with the same answers. Can’t wait to see!
When setting the table for the NOGGERS (No other God girls) yesterday evening, I set out cards for each of us with PECULIAR stamped on them so that we would have a chance to look at the word while eating dinner and think about our acrostic assignment. I had a bunch of letters that I am using to teach my 4 year old the alphabet and set them out on the table as well, (okay, the dinner was a little delayed as my creativity took over) and as I was spelling out PECULIAR, some things stood out to me: I was placing the letters so that everyone around the table could read a few words from where they were sitting and my brain went into word jumble mode, reading words backward, sideways, etc. The words to the left of the capital letters are those things that have been or need to be left in the past and that we no longer need with Christ in our life. The words to the right of the capital letters are those things that Christ does in our life, if we let Him in and let go of the past.
cinaPeace
yvnEverlasting
dlihChrist’s
ssenilgUnleasing
sgnoLove
slodIs
lavorppAwesome
tergeRoom(as in Make Room p.24)
In case anyone needs help reading backward: Panic when left behind leads to Peace; Envy-leave it behind and enjoy Everlasting Love; C, L and A go together; Child Longs Approval…leave it behind and enjoy Christ’s Love (which Is) Awesome; Idols….we already know what we need to do with those…dump them! and the Ugliness which we reveal and Regret we feel when we indulge in all of the things (idols) we wish we wouldn’t can be left behind, Unleashing Christ’s Love. Yes, I know, totally random thoughts, but at the end of our evening, after having looked at the word printed out on the card throughout our discussion, the last four letters of the word PECULIAR stood out clear to me, describing satan’s hope for our lives which is to live in the past and believe his lies, the lies that the LIAR can try to make us believe, if we give him a foothold. Just say “NO!”
This study is awesome and our friendships are growing as we share, confess and cry together. Thank you for the opportunity to share Christ with lots of Siestas around the country!!
Patty in Fairfax, VA
Beth you are great! Loved your tips! Study is more than I had hoped for and I am learning so much. I love my siestas!
Becky
Beth is Wonder Woman and in two weeks I want to see you in your cape and tights…LOL!
I’m in Portland, OR (Jabber Jaws — contact me, please!) and Vickie from Boise, Idaho connected with me via the last time I left a comment on your blog. She’s keeping me accountable. We’re using Yahoo Messenger to chat.
Well,I think I had a lot of fun with my Thesaurus for ‘E’… so I just had to share!
People belonging to God
Extraterrestrial (alien) and emigrant (stranger)
Chosen people
Urged to abstain from sinful desires
Live such good lives to glorify God
Into his wonderful light
A holy nation
Received mercy
………..thanks so much for hosting this Bible Study… Summer is so difficult with the routine change.. but having this accountability is a gift from God!
Greetings from us in Everett WA. Linette,Karen,Robin,Billyjo, Anita, Kaydee, Jeanne & Cheryl. All eight of us met togather last night and had a wonderful time of eating, fellowshipping & sharing about what God is doing in our lives. Linette offered to cook for us and she made lassangna instead of the pizza but we did have the Pound cake and it was heavenly! Your video was hilarious. We gathered around my computor and enjoyed a good laugh. And yes Beth I just bought one of those cheap shirts with a bad zipper so I can relate! Of course the shirt is too adorable to get rid of so I guess I will be showering in it! God is so awesome. Each of us participated in your Breaking Free Study a few months ago and now we are knee deep in discovering more idols! Its amazing to see how He keeps bringing opportunities into our lives as we strive to live free in Him. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Blessings to you and your family Beth. We appreciate you so much.