Hey, my Dear Siestas! It’s time for our second gathering of SSBS3! As promised, below are your written instructions in case you have trouble with the video greeting. REMEMBER, your comments to this post are meant to come AFTER your small group gathering or your solo experience to tell us how your time went. We hope all of you participating will check back in with a comment at some point over the next several days. (One leader checks in per group and each solo participant checks in.) This is part of the accountability process and will immensely help you stay with it through the very last page. As always, please put your city at the beginning of your comment. Thanks so much for joining in!
Summer Siesta Bible Study – Week 2 from LPV on Vimeo.
Your discussions in this gathering will revolve around different points in your homework. Two from Week One. Two from Week Two:
1. Look back at the middle of page 12 where Kelly had us look up Deuteronomy 23 and Judges 3 to get some background on the Moabites. Read Deuteronomy 23:3-5 together if you’re not watching this as a small group. In your small group, I want you to talk about a few things that have happened in your lives that Satan would love to use to curse you. You can think of it conceptually more than literally if that helps. At the end of class today, I want you to claim that fifth verse together in prayer and believe God to turn those curses into blessings!
2. Turn to the middle of Week One, to the bottom of p.21 and the top of p.22. I loved Kelly’s discussion about her friend “weeping forward.” What do you think that means? Several of you share a season in your life when you feel like you wept forward and several others might consider sharing a season in your life when you wept backward. Most of us have done both at some point in our lives.
The next two are from Week Two:
3. OK, Day Two has a portion that is vintage Kelly Minter and one reason why I love her writing so much. Look at the second paragraph on p.42 where she tells about her sister, Megan. If you were writing a novel that was secretly about yourself right now and right in this season and you had to name it in the form of a question, what would it be?
4. Turn to p.45 and review the part of your homework concerning Psalm 126. Please read the psalm together then discuss your answers to the “Personal Response” question: Practically speaking, how can you sow in your weeping? Don’t miss how much this section has to do with your second discussion question today.
In closing, one of you read the Elizabeth Barrett Browning quote at the end. Let it lead you into prayer and don’t forget to claim those blessings from our first discussion question today!
For all of you participating in the fellowship meal, consider the recipes on pages 62-63 and either do them or some Italian equivalent.
I am so happy to study with you! Stay in the Word and I’ll see you in two more weeks!
Solo, Pinellas Park, FL
1.I see Satan using the area of body image to curse me. I will determine to eat in a healthy manner and exercise and do so for a few weeks. Eventually, I will fall off the wagon and I can hear Satan mocking me saying, “Told you you couldn’t do it. You never will. You might as well give up.” I know I need to turn that into a blessing by realizing that amy improvement I make today in a healthy lifestyle is a kick in the pants to Satan and a victory for me, giving God all the glory. God is for me and wants me to be healthy so I can serve Him longer.
2.After 6 years, this past year has begun my weeping forward process. I made a desperate, stupid move 6 years ago that eventually ended up costing me a 25 year in Christian education. God has used this past year to help me truly heal and see what He has in store for me. My life is not over. I am closer to Him now than I have ever been in the past. I learned that even though I was in the field of “ministry” it was actually my job. Preparing to teach Bible daily was not to substitue for my personal time with the Lord.
3.Will you reveal clearly to me all that I mean to You?
4.Through my failures and poor decisions, God has given me many opportunities to sow during the weeping. I have had the honor to share some very personal things that helped former students who are now adults with their own families to see my humanity and God’s mercy and grace.
Solo in Saskatchewan
1.Blessings – God has shown His faithfulness in the past and redeemed great griefs.
What satan might want to turn into curses? Emptynest;the recent move to this small town.
2.Weeping forward is to keep keepin’ on; the opposite of stopping all together or falling backward.
I wept forward during the short # of years we dealt with a lot of death – our 3 babies and both our dads.
I find myself struggling not to weep backward right now. & this surprises me …the grief I am currently experiencing is a different kind but…
3. “O LORD, What Do You Have For Me Here?”
4. Keep keepin’ on toward God.
Praise first; feel it later (my paraphrase of Beth’s words on T.Cottrell’s ‘Jesus Saves’ album)
Session 2 Arriving
I loved the part about how Ruth isn’t afraid to work hard and she even asks to do menial labor. Ruth isn’t a work alcoholic either, because Boaz’s foreman talks about how Ruth takes a little rest Ruth 2:6-7. Go Ruth, Go…..!!! I can look to her example and do my best at whatever I do as working for the Lord and not for men. Colossians 3:23. Especially since I do not have a job for the next school year, and I need to find joy in the work that Lord gives me.
Thank you for this. I too don’t have a teaching job and feel myself getting very discouraged. Working for the Lord is something I need to focus on.
Clanton, Alabama; our group had 7 last night
We had some very precious discussion last night! I am absolutely loving our group! We are all friends, but I feel God growing us into close, spiritually bonded sisters. We were able to share the burden of one of our sweet girls who is early in her pregnancy and is having some complications…to pray over her and love on her was amazing!
We discussed the questions that you posted, but we also spent a great deal of our time together looking through our weeks’ studies and talking about things that had spoken to us. We talked specifically about weeping forward, the importance of work, long obedience in the same direction and the best, HESED! It was so awesome. We are just loving it so much! It is the first Kelly Minter study for all of us, but it certainly will not be the last.
We are so thankful that you brought us all together through this Siesta community! I am already loving week 3 study!
From a solo Siesta in Dallas:
1) I can’t think of one right now. One “curse” I’m praying will go away and not be carried further is yelling/belittling/verbal abuse. Only one of my siblings has a child and she is still very young, so I still have hope for this.
2) Weeping forward seems to me like you are looking to the Lord in your grief and trusting Him that He has a plan, even though you don’t understand it and don’t necessarily like it. Weeping backwards in my mind is being stuck on what isn’t, what used to be and is no more. I don’t think it’s wrong to grieve what wasn’t/isn’t (I do from time to time)–but I think weeping backward is being stuck in the past and unable to move forward towards what God wants to do in your life now.
3) Name of my autobiography: “Whom and What am I Waiting On?”
4) Similiar to #2–sowing in your weeping I think is being aware of, looking for, what the Lord might have to teach you in the midst of your grief…trusting that He does have a plan and while you can’t see it right now, He does have your good in mind. Trusting He’ll walk with you through the pain and tears and be there on the other side, ever faithfully loving and leading.
Really enjoying this study, thanks Siesta Mama & Amanda and Melissa! 🙂 And happy wedding, Vangie! 🙂
Lori,
I love weeping forward explained as “a cleansing cry” that says it so well. The next time I have just a good ol’ cleansing cry I’m going to praise God because He’s moving me forward. Thanks for sharing.
Rochester, MN. We had a great discussion about moving/weeping forward and sowing in our weeping and how the Lord so often (when we cooperate!) turns those things meant to be curses into blessings. And we discussed his sovereignty and His rescue for us from the trial or fire, through it or by it. No matter what way he chooses- his desire is for us to come to Him with everything. The book titles were so fun! Ours were: “Why am I being locked in REI with my family?”, “Why am I swimming upstream?”, “How do I make all these people happy?”, and “How do I keep up and stay sane?” An awesome discussion!!
Portland, Oregon
1. Satan would love to use my past to curse me, however my gracious merciful Father uses it to bless me.
2.weeping forward is letting yourself have that good cry but doing God’s will in spite of it.
3. My novel title would be: So, girl, are you going to lift your head up and follow God, or are you Staying in the pit of fear?
4. I sow in my weeping when I just keep doing what I’m supposed too, instead of doing what I or others want me to do.
Even though I’m going solo this summer, I absolutely LOVE this study. As usual God has me right where I’m supposed to be.
god bless all you Siestas.
Pam
Beth, First of all I would like to tell Vangie, blessings on her upcoming marriage. My husband and I celebrate 31 years today and I have no doubt in my mind that we would be one of the statistics of divorce had we not become rooted in Christ and held on for dear life!
There was seven of us today, our first concensus was that only Beth could pull off the hairbrush microphone with such finesse!
As for the questions: Question one was difficult because most of the women don’t relate to the term “curses”, we talked a little about ‘generational curses’ and past sins that the enemy likes to condemn us with. One woman said the diagnosis of mental illness in her son felt something like a curse, but God quickly showed His presence by putting a rainbow in an October sky in the Northeast early the next morning. All of us have had difficult times which God used to bless us in some way.
Question 2: Everyone of us could relate to times of weeping forward and backward. I saw a picture in my mind of us weeping backward and after a few steps the Holy Spirit firmly planted giving us a little shove forward..really that’s the only way we can weep forward is with His strength. One of the ladies’ husband nearly died two years ago and every night that he was in ICU she would come home and email us updates with affirmations about how God was working, sharing the victory of his healing with all of us that prayed and read those nightly letters.
A few of our book titles:
“Will I ever be an empty nester” (said with a smile)
“What’s my purpose”
“What have I gotten myself into” (I may have paraphrased that one.
“What’s next”
We all seemed to have in common the desire to know what God wanted from all of us NOW!
As we were ending one of our women shared a huge task that God has asked her to take on, that some were saying step away from and she expressed a large amount of anxiety and fear building up. We spoke to her scripture and encouragement, and reminded her about Esther, “if I perish I perish” faith and specifically prayed for this woman in our closing prayer. I got an email from her a couple of hours later and she had received an email from a ministry she subscribes to, the subject being Ps 118:6. And it went on to say, “we all have difficulties…do not fear…do not be anxious…remember the verse, “I can do all things in Christ”…do not be defeated.” How’s that for a quick answer from God!
We know having just completed Esther that we are definitely here for a “time such as this”
Blessings to you all. In His grip, Robin
Longmont, CO, solo, 1)so many curses that turned to blessings but what it brings to mind are the struggles in my marriage. We both brought so much baggage from our past and many many times I wanted to give up….divorce is the easy answer right? 2006 was such a struggle and we were blessed with another child in 2007. While the timing surprised me I can see that I was never alone. I also think God has a sense of humor. Things are not perfect but better and I have such hope for my marriage and our family’s future. 2) I recommitted my life to Christ as a young(ish) single adult and the group of friends that I had at the time stated plainly that I was no longer welcome and they were ‘disappointed’ that I would choose to be baptized. Weeping forward while sowing the seeds for a new life and new friends that would help me with question 1. 3) my book would be titled “Does Someone Need a Time Out?” 4) while I answered this with question 2, it helps me to remember the many times that God turned curses into blessings-it is what allows me to weep and then move forward.
And I have to say I cracked up at the story of what your beloved pooch did to your bible (not that she ate it) because it reminded me of when I was newly married and running the vacuum and I caught the ribbon in my husband’s bible and ripped the cover off…oh my I think it was one of our 1st fights….I kept blaming the vacuum because it jumped out and grabbed that bible (right?)!
MISSOURI
1, SATAN WOULD HAVE USED MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER’S DEATH 11 YEARS AGO TO KILL ME, EXCEPT FOR GOD.
SATAN WOULD HAVE HAD ME GIVE UP ON MY MARRIAGE MANY YEARS AGO, EXCEPT FOR GOD.
SATAN WOULD HAVE USED MY OLDEST DAUGHTER’S ESTRANGEMENT FOR THE LAST YEAR AS THE LAST STRAW, EXCPET FOR GOD.
THRU IT ALL GOD HAS KEPT HIS HAND ON ME AND, THANKS TO MUCH BIBLE STUDY AND PRAYER, I KNOW HE HAS A PLAN AND THAT HIS PLANS ARE GOOD. HE HAS GIVEN ME PATIENCE TO WAIT FOR……………THE REST OF THE STORY.
2, I WOULD SAY WEEPING FORWARD IS EXACTLY WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE. SO OFTEN LIFE CAN SEEM SO HARD, THE STRUGGLE TO KEEP GOING SEEMS SO DIFFICULT. NOT THAT THERE IS REALLY ANY CHOICE. WE PUT ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER, WAITING IN EXPECTANT HOPE. WEEPING BACKWARDS IS WHEN WE THROW IN THE TOWEL AND JUST GIVE UP FOR A DAY, A SEASON??………..I’M SURE I’VE DONE BOTH
3. A BOOK ABOUT ME DESCRIBED BY A QUESTION MIGHT BE…………..ARE YOU WALKING BY FAITH OR BY SIGHT”?
4. PSALMS 126 HAS BEEN SO SPECIAL TO ME SINCE THE BIBLE STUDY ON THE PSALMS OF ASCENT……..PROBABLY BEFORE BECAUSE THIS SCRIPTURE IS A PROMISE. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THERE HAS BEEN 11 YEARS OF TEARS MISSING MY PRECIOUS DAUGHTER AND ALL THAT A DAUGHTER ADDS TO YOUR LIFE. THIS PSALM IS A PROMISE THAT THOSE WHO SOW SEED IN TEARS WILL RETURN JOYFULLY WITH THE FRUIT OF THEIR LABOR………….THE HARVEST… ….THE SHEAVES……..THE ABUNDANT BLESSING FOR THE SITUATIONS, THE YEARS THAT SEEM TO HAVE BEEN EATEN BY THE LOCUSTS.
Solo 🙂 Colorado Springs, CO.
1. Things Satan would love to use to curse me: my past in dating relationships, a season of having had a legalistic & judgmental heart, my struggle to stay disciplined in meeting with the Lord everyday and praying for others… all the areas I feel like I’ve failed.
2. I understand “weeping forward” to mean grieving with (sometimes inexplicable) hope, or at least a search for help from God. It’s a weeping that doesn’t obstinately need to stay in a corner with a box of Kleenex when He comes to lift us up.
I think I’ve wept forward every time I’ve moved as an adult. As sad as I was to be uprooted, there was no bitterness and resentment that kept me chained to my tears.
3. My novel title would be “Where Art Thou in the Daily Drudgery, God?”
4. I can sow in my weeping by doing the “good things” even in challenging times… pray when I’m grieving, carry out an act of kindness even when I’m struggling to love, and being vulnerable to my Father in prayer when the going is really tough (i.e., building my relationship with Him even when circumstances tempt otherwise).
Thanks, Mama Beth! 🙂 As much as I’ve loved being in small groups, I LOVED being able to just get away and have “Daddy and me” time these past two weeks.
Hi Siestas!
Our group of 4 (one Mom, three sisters) are in Orrville, Ohio, Columbus, Ohio and Austin Texas. We “discuss” via email as we did last year and this study has been a blessing to us all. Our mother commented she wept forward with my grandma (her mother) when she was diagnosed with cancer. They wept forward together knowing she (grandma) was going to heaven, no more pain or treatments and she will be with her Father and at perfect peace! God has been faithful to us even in the difficult times.
Moberly, MO (solo)
1. Family issues that were a huge struggle at the time could have caused me to look away from God; however, after turning it over to Him, things made a remarkable turnaround. Now, we can reflect back on the power and glory of His will and share the stories with others who are facing similar struggles.
2.I have moved forward with God while weeping during those issues. I wept from the pain and sorrow I was feeling as well as the empathy for the situation. Yet, I knew that good things would prevail after I turned it over to God. Weeping forward is God’s solution.
3.What is God’s purpose for my life?
4.Keep sowing through all you experience – during good times and bad times. You never know when the seed will germinate. Sow through your sorrows to get out of the pit of self-pity.
I am SO enjoying this study and look forward to each day’s lesson. I am finding the daily commitment to His word something that I look forward to and enjoy.
I am so thankful for this opportunity to join the Siestas!
Diane – Roswell, GA (going solo)
Satan loves to curse me with the memory of past embarrassments and failures, seeking the approval of others, and worry about the future.
Having children out of school for the summer, my book title would have to be “Lord, Help Me, Will My Kids Ever Get Along?”
We can sow in our weeping if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus rather than ourselves – take the focus off the pain and turn it into purpose. I am always blessed when I reach outside myself and my situation and volunteer somehow.
Great study – love reading all the groups’ answers. Such a blessing!
Connie and Jenny in Puyallup, WA!
1. For Jenny in this season of cancer, she feels the enemy tried to seclude her but God turned it all around by prompting her friends and family to surround her. So of course, enemy loses.
For Connie in the season of prodigal daughter, the enemy tried to destroy her. But despite rocky relationship with Connie’s mother, she reached out to her mother for advice because Connie was once prodigal. Unbeknownst to everyone, cancer was right around the corner for Connie’s mother. Their relationship was completely restored BEFORE cancer and again the enemy loses.
God turned a devastating experience for both Connie and Jenny into blessings.
2. Jenny has a weeping-forward experience to share. When her dad died ten years ago, she initially sank into a severe, two-year depression. She hadn’t yet met Jesus and ultimately found Him through this.
For Connie it has also been a weeping-forward experience. One year ago, her family was sort of forced to change churches from the only church they have ever known, due to the closing of a deaf ministry (with a deaf teenager in the family). It has been a season of grieving that kept her seeking hard after God. It has been a struggle, not knowing people, with God apparently keeping us in a seclusion of sorts. Growth sometimes hurts.
3. Connie says “What’s with the Seclusion?”
Jenny says “How are these Trials Helping Me?”
4. We say even when things are hard and weep-worthy, we must stay in the Word, keep trusting God, Believing Him for the outcome. People are watching and listening. God’s Word never returns void!
Be blessed, Siestas! See you in two weeks!
Houston, Texas Solo
1. My brother, sister and I came from an alcoholics, all three of us are miracles! It took many years and we each took different paths but arrived at the same wonderful Savior.
2. I think I wept forward and backward at the same time when my Father died.
3. Empty Nest rapidly approaching, what now???
4. I sow in my weeping by clinging tighter to God durring those times and remembering how often He has brought beauty from ashes in my life.
These two siestas met this evening while our little ones slept! We have both enjoyed and have been challenged with the study over the last two weeks. Tara even got to minister to some nuns today by talking about Ruth!
As two young moms, our questions for this season of life are: What’s next, God? and How long?
God Bless you Siesta Mama! See you in two weeks!
Monroe,Georgia
We siestas had our second meeting and it was AWESOME! We had Kelly’s chicken and strawberry salad and the crushed oreo ice cream dessert—fantastic!!!Our novel titles are as follows:1.AGAIN?? 2.The teenage mindset, how long does it last???? 3. When did I get so old? 4.Am I the only one on this mountain? 5. When can I stop entertaining my step-children?
Newmarket, ON Canada, 18 ladies
We had another great evening together. There was alot of deep sharing with one another, as alot of emotion was involved and definite healing taking place.
1. We talked for quite a time on how the spoken work can have such power in our lives, both in cursing and blessing others. We discussed how we often have to deal with the many lies that Satan speaks into our lives, but through Jesus there is freedom. There were some that were still struggling with situations in their lives and we were able to encourage one another to keep close to the Lord.
2. Weeping forward for many of us involves trusting in God, that even though there is weeping involved, we move forward in faith, knowing that God works all thing together for our good. When we weep backwards it often involves anger and regret.
3. Some of the titles that came out were:
What I really need is a wife?
If being a mom is God’s highest calling for me, why do I sometimes feel like the maid?
Where’s my man?
4.When we sow in tears, we are sowing God’s promises and the blessing that comes is the harvest. We are sowing in our perseverance through trials and the joy will not come from our circumstances, but from the Lord and it will be our strength.
We are loving the study and as one of our ladies said, “Only 13 days until the next session!”
Going solo in Grangeville.
1) A few things that have been used by Satan in my life: death of my brother, divorce of my parents, failed first marriage leading to bitterness, anger, trust issues, having a non-curable disease, unsaved co-workers trying to hurt me continually.
(Deut.23:5 – in my own words – …but the Lord MY GOD WILL turn the curse into a blessing FOR ME because the Lord MY GOD LOVES ME.)
2) I have a couple of examples of weeping forward in my life, but the most intense one was when my brother died. I absolutely know that God was right there with me through it all and I know that He is the only reason I survived that period in life. I also know that He pulled my mother through that time also. Without Him, I believe she would not be alive on Earth this very day (20+ years later). Praise you, God!
3) Why am I still in this place, Lord?
4) Wait on the Lord. Don’t give up! Let God bring the harvest. Persevere (weep forward in this place I find myself in).
With all the stuff that seemed aimed at me in Chapter one, I know this must be the study God wants me in at this season in my life. Thank you, Siesta Mama, for hosting this study and to all my fellow siestas out there for the encouragement I see on this site everyday. Love y’all!
Arlington, TX; 11 of us met last night…just getting around to posting:)
Most of our discussion revolved around the weeping forward and backward idea. Almost everyone in our group shared an example of their own life experiences with this. We talked about how weeping backward often involves just being stagnant and having a pity party. We also enjoyed talking about sowing in our weeping. It was encouraging to see how God worked in our lives as we wept forward with Him. After we discussed these things we also went on to share things that jumped out at us doing the homework this week like how Boaz reaches out to Ruth. We had a wonderful dinner before and a beautiful prayer time at the end where we lifted up the groups prayer request to our Father in Heaven who so lavishly loves us! We are so enjoying this study, and I am so thankful for my group of beautiful women! I love you all, my dear sisters in Christ!
Our group met tonight. Fayetteville, GA
3 out of 4 attending
What great fellowship we had! Each of us had great “questions” for the names of our novels. They were:
Will I hear and respond faithfully to God’s whispers Big and Small?
Will I allow myself to be truly confident with God by my side everyday?
What will tomorrow bring?
How do I see God everyday in the little things and use them for good?
I was trying to decide if I was going to go solo for the Siesta Summer Bible Study this year but God knows I need more than just myself for study. Unfortunately I did not have a small group this year so I decided to check the LPM Bulletin Bible Study board to see if there “happen” to be a study in my area. Of course God knew which study
I needed in my life at this time. I will be taking the Stepping Up class this time instead of Ruth. I am so happy (asher):-) to be studying the Psalm of Ascents and ready to Step Up my relationship with the Living God!
Have fun studying Ruth Siestas!!
I loved Stepping Up… it was the first Beth Moore study I ever did… did it on my own at the beginning of this year and really enjoyed it!
Solo here in Greenville, NC!!
1) AS a result of my parents divorce when I was 6 yrs. old I NEVER wanted to get married nor have children….well I am VERY happily married, 5 years and counting, and I have two beautiful girls (2 1/2 and 10 months)! And I can’t wait to have more…GOD IS SO GOOD!!!
2)Weeping forward to me is about – pressing on toward the prize, when you want to give up or don’t even fully understand/agree with/like the process. It’s having faith, obeying, trusting God when it hurts.
3)A book title for my life right now….”Trusting God and managing chaos.” or “How to make your Chaos look Fabulous!”
4)To sow while weeping is to sow faith, sow prayers, sow commitment to the truth of God, to choose life and walk forward with the Son of Sons!!!
Love the video!! Thanks so much!!
1. Claimed Deut. 23:5 I wonder if a hindrance in the the curses being turned into blessing is to not recognize the curses for what they are…attempts to take us under…and offering them to God, refusing to allow them to continue to defeat us, render us ineffective in His kingdom.
2.& 4. Weeping forward/backward. Yes, just this past week I was blindsided and definitely weeping backward…very tough week and found myself reverting to old means of comforting myself which I hadn’t done in a while. But thanks to this study I am aware of what’s happening. To weep forward or sow in your weeping, to me, is to continue to do the right thing despite how I “feel”. To continue to choose to believe the truth of the Word and to practice the disciplines that keep me seeking hard after God…despite the circumstances that become quite hard at times.
3. Title of a book? “God, Where are you? What would you have me do?”
Doing the study solo, I love how through the blog I can see how others view the different questions and it helps a lot to have different perspectives. Thanks!!!
Shaker Heights, OH
We had a great discussion this evening. One of our three is out of town, so our group was a group of two (Amy & myself). We think it’s interesting that Ruth chose to stay with Naomi while Orpah turned back at Naomi’s urging. We’re curious as to the motivation of Ruth’s devotion to Naomi, a devotion so deep that she would move to a country where she would be seen as an outcast.
Our book titles: “When is It Going To Get Easier?” and “How Do I find Joy?”
Arkadelphia, AR…flying solo (well 2 actually, me and GOD)
These past two weeks have been some of the most amazing in my life especially as far as bible study goes! I have just been feeling a great peace in my life since I’ve started being more faithful to the Word. PTL! I just wanted to share that first. 🙂
Question 1. Satan, I know, would love to curse my past. College was a rough time for me spiritually and though I know God didn’t abandon me, I feel as though I had abandoned Him. (Good news, since being with the man I now call my husband, I have been getting stronger and stronger with my faith)
Question 2. To me, “weeping forward” is a time when it would be easy to want time to stand still or turn back in time but instead moving forward anyway knowing that joy and happiness will be at the other end of the tunnel. A HUGE season of weeping in general for me was when my father died. I was 11 and he committed suicide. This is not something I dealt with easily nor was it something in which my mother allowed me to grieve. It was 13 years ago this past May that I lost him and every year, I feel like I am weeping forward a little more. I can now talk about him without crying and I know God has created and is stil creating a plan and purpose for all this!
Question 3. The title of my book would be, “Lord, will you show me the way”
Question 4. In the case I spoke about in question 2, I can sow in my weeping by being an advocate, helping people during times of grief, showing them that life is worth living. In general times of weeping, I can sow while I weep by relying on God during those times and letting God’s love shine through my weeping. I can stay faithful to the Lord because I believe people would notice the difference.
(Sorry for the length)
London, Ontario, Canada
1)B: Husband recently elected elder. Satan would like to bring us down.
L: Satan likes to confuse my mind. Most of the time I prefer entertainment such as tv/internet instead of reading the Bible to spend one-on-one time with God.
2) B: Miscarriage – wept backwards for first few days, feeling angry at & hurt by God, then wept forward and relinquished control to Him & trusted Him with my child’s life
L: a) Weeping forward means you’re leaving something behind that you love and that you don’t know what’s going to happen in the future & chose to obey God to follow where He goes.
b) Pain – I was in so much pain in my knee and then my foot started to feeling funny and fell down a lot. I was scared not knowing what’s happening with my foot & knee and wondering will I go paralzyed or need a surgery for that leg? I wept forward not knowing what’s going to happen next with my body and decided to trust God that He’ll help me get through this.
3)B: When Will the Diapers End?
L: God, Why My Body?
4) B: Reach out to others who have also experienced miscarriage. Comfort, encourage & support them.
L: I can sow in my weeping because I knew someday I would weap with songs of joy that I have perfect body in heaven.
Somerset, MA
Our group of 4 met last night and had a fantastic discussion. Time flew by and we didn’t realize how late it had gotten!
We talked about how God has turned so many of the “bad” experiences of our lives into something meaningful and beautiful – a way that we can minister to others now that we have come out on the other side.
We talked about what it means to weep forward. One quote that stuck out to one of our group in particular was where Kelly said that it is possible to cry AND walk. We also talked about people that we know that are weeping backward and how that can lead to bitterness. We want to keep walking FORWARD!
Some titles: “How much longer must I wait?” “When will it be my time?”
We closed our time together with PS. 126 and the hope that we have that we can have joy – that the season of weeping will give way to joy in His time.
There was so much more that we talked about – so much great insight and perspectives. We are loving this study!
Cartersville, GA
3 Women in bible study – all new to Siesta bible study, although not new to Beth Moore Bible Studies.
****We are a new group**** we didn’t do the introduction week due to schedule conflicts. We will be doing some weeks in person when schedules allow, but if we can’t meet in person we will be meeting online.
Question #1: We were able to share some specific details, but we all had examples where Satan was denied. We also had a few request where we prayed that we would be able to see blessings where there seems to be a curse.
Question #2. We all shared that at times we were successful weeping forward and confessed that there were times that we went backwards. In fact that is one persons in my groups testimony.
Question #3. Our three questions for our life stories. Can it really be redeemed? What is the next step? Am I good enough?
Question #4. We talked about how you can sow while weeping the way we handle situations. People are watching how we walk though the trials and the way we handle thing with Christ can point others to him.
Hi Beth…
I am having a Gravatar glitch… I tried to take my pic off… I have taken it off gravatar and did the link thing… and when I type a message and preview it my picture does not appear… only the quilted picture does… but when I post, my picture reappears… Is there anyway to correct this?
Thanks,
Sheri
Wasn’t sure where else to send my question… sorry if this isn’t the appropriate place…
Time will only tell about your life,God will answer the call and you will have to wait for his answer no matter what choices you make the right one is the answer. I am a Christian and maybe God will not answer everyone reply to his word. Read your Bible and scriptures that might help you find the answer to your problem, pray on it and give it Time to reply back.
Thank You,
Casimir Zigulis
Dorchester,Massachusetts
Solo in Newellton, LA
1.Something in my life that I believe Satan has used to curse me would be trying to ruin my marriage with infidelity. Instead of walking away from my marriage, I made the decision to put my faith in God that he would honor my marriage if I stayed to fight for my family. There are so many times that I just wanted to give up and run for the hills with my children. Through this I have renewed my relationship with God and also strengthened and renewed my marriage. Thank you Jesus for your faithfulness!
2.I believe that weeping forward means not letting hopelessness take over you in your sorrow, but to turn your troubles over to Jesus and have faith that he a has a plan for you and he will bring you through your storm. A time when I feel like I have wept backwards would be when I let depression and hopelessness take over me when my husband and I were separated. It was my Christian family that reminded me that God loves me and cares for me and would take care of me.
3. When will I stop worrying about what people think of me?
4. I think we can sow in our weeping by not letting ourselves fall back into the destructive patterns, learning from our mistakes, and using those lesson to help others, most importantly by continuing to grow in Christ when life brings you trials by giving it to him and having faith that he will take care of you.
Asheboro, NC
I wasn’t able to get notes on what we discussed at our meeting today because we got very involved in our talking! But I want to let you know that today was great. The three of us found out that we have a lot in common even though we are at different phases of life…one is single, one is divorced, and one is married w/2 kids. “As it turned out”, we all have failed morally in the same way, we all struggled with whether or not God could ever use us again, and we’re all women who have been rescued by the Savior with Whom we are now madly in love! It is encouraging to find that we are not alone in our failings, and that God has brought us together for this study. Although I didn’t get notes on most of the discussion questions, I was able to write down the titles of our novels. Here they are:
“Who Am I, and What Are You Doing in My Life?”
“When Will I Start Enjoying The Ride?”
“Will I Get to Keep Feeling This Peace?”
(I made the Chicken Enchiladas….they were delicious!)
Calgary, Alberta. 2 Frayed princesses.
It was very disjointed because I had to drive my girl to and from the math tutor while we talked in the car. My question might be “Are we there yet?” since I spend my life in the car. It might also be “Which way to Pharisees Anonymous?” I have a legalistic bend. On day one Kelly talks about the grace of God and the hand of fellowship. I really am learning what grace is one hand up at a time.
My dear counterpart admitted that she just can’t cry. No weeping, forward or backward, sowing or reaping, she only experiences a heavy feeling.
I, on the other hand, weep at the drop of a hat. After many years of emotional paralysis I have found some freedom. Someone commented on ‘don’t stop the emotions’ and I heartily agree.
My great-grandfather was 11 years old when he went into the British Concentration Camp during the Boer War. He was 13 when he got out at the end of the war. A more sadistic, cruel man it would be difficult to find. He taught my father all he knew. My father had enough civilising that he knew how to hide it. My mother worked very hard to school it out of her children (it turned into legalism in me). My daughter, who has been raised far, far away from her grandfather has discovered a lust for violent TV programs which I attribute to this curse of sadism. I am trusting God to redeem her like He did me.
There is also the curse of women being silenced. I have grave difficulty speaking my opinion to a man. But just today God told me that ‘streams of Living Water’ would come out of MY MOUTH! I’m not in any hurry but I know I have to keep going to the Well.
Some questions I had about Ruth: Why no children? I don’t think she was married THAT short a time. And she had no trouble once Boaz got busy! Perhaps because Mahlon was ‘sickly’.
Surely there was a stigma among the Moabites for marrying Hebrew men. I think Orpah was younger since she married the younger brother, and therefore, possibly she had a better chance with her family. Just some thoughts.
Birmingham, AL. Six of our group of 8 met around the kitchen table today. I failed to take detail notes of our discussion but we tried to stay on task. There were so many rich nuggets in the 2 weeks of study that we also wanted to share. Seasons in our lives where we have wept forward and back ranged from the loss of a mother to the failure to ‘do right’ when we know HIS way. Some of our titles were….Lord, what is Your timeline on this??? I have been derailed, how do I get back on track? What am I supposed to do now? It was a sad time as one of our members lost a good friend the first week we studied together. Her friend found out she was ill on the Monday before we met and she was gone to be with Jesus by Friday. We are praying God can and will turn this sad loss into a blessing.
Solo in Barboursville, West Virginia
1. He’s not been successful, but the big D word (Divorced) is his biggest accusation against me. God reminds me every time though that He has a bigger D word (Death — Jesus Died for that divorce…).
2. I wept forward during my separation/divorce. I was sad that my dreams and life plan were shattered, yet looking forward to all the good God still had in store for me.
3. When Will I be a Mother? (At 35, it’s been a really long wait. I gave up all dreams of having a baby with the divorce, as I won’t marry again, but God has so clearly led me to foster-adopt, paving every step of the way until the final step — and I’ve been waiting almost two years on some ridiculous paperwork snafu and I just can’t figure out why God would lead me down a path so clearly, with what I believed wholeheartedly to be a promise from Him regarding the timing of it all, and the time has long since come and gone and still I sit, with no idea when that phone call will come saying it’s finally cleared. It could be tomorrow, or eons from now, and that not knowing is really frustrating.)
4. The foster adoption was supposed to be how I was sowing in my weeping, but boy, the harvest is taking its good old time. 🙂
Chilliwack, BC Canada (still solo),
1. The weeping forward part was SO powerful for me. Lately I have been doing a lot of weeping backward. Really felt that areas in my life I thought I had given up to God and therefore responses that I no longer would have have arisen once again, and I had to quite literally cry out to God in an hour of desperation this past Saturday. I think weeping forward relies heavily on the truth that God is far greater than our circumstances and we trust him and weeping backward can sometimes mean we are leaning on our own two feet rather than on God’s able hands.
2. Book title:I have a few ideas, “Why are all my friends getting married and I’m still single?!” “Am I really ready for the future?” or “Help! Am I ready for this?”
3. This is a great question and I’m not sure I have a great answer but…I believe that what I need to do to sow in my weeping is to TRUST in the Lord at all times and find HIM alone to be my EVERYTHING! It is so difficult to completely and utterly be dependent on God sometimes but I need that in my life. Friends, family, even guys will not fill me until I am complete in Christ. I believe that when that is accomplished one can truly sow in our weeping because we are trusting a mighty God.
p.s. I LOVED the quote from Elizabeth Barrett Browning! What a beautiful truth it left in my heart!
Western MD (going solo)
1. My oldest child was diagnosed at 3 with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. It is emotionally devastating when you find there is something affecting your child that has no cure. I know Satan wanted to use that go get me to turn my back on God and blame Him for my son’s ailment. But, God blessed me through it and allowed me to realize that God made him just the way he is on purpose!! It was not a mistake or an oversight. He brings me joy daily and just today was singing at the top of his little lungs, “My God is a Superhero”! Praise God!
2. I feel like when everything is going good, I can look and seem like a “good Christian”. But, when I am stretched or under trial, I ooze anger and frustration (my generational stronghold). I think that is weeping backwards. My prayer is that God will continue His work in me so that even under trial, I can learn to weep forward and stop falling backward into that pit of anger.
3. “Why is waiting on Your ‘perfect timing’ not seem so perfect?”
4. I think the way we can continue to sow in weeping (ie when we are in trials) is because we have the promise to reap with joyful shouting. It reminds me of the well-known poem about the person walking on the beach and asking God why during the hard times there was only one set of footprints? God answers, because those were the times I was carrying you.
Hello from beautiful Atlanta, Georgia!!
1) Satan has prowled around most of my life with a family member that has always been jealous of me. Being the subject of a jealous sibling is absolutely awful. I never knew why or understood it until I became old enough to realize what was going on. God has protected me faithfully and has turned a seeming curse into a blessing for me. Praise Him alone!! I wouldn’t want such a family dynamic for anyone, especially when there isn’t a functioning parent to protect you.
2) I grew up weeping backward because that was the pattern I was taught … “woe is me, look what happened back then, blame, blame, blame.” However, praise our precious Savior, I have learned to weep (when needed) in a forward fashion. There is a huge difference, and I believe scripture teaches us to weep forward leaning into Jesus for our hope and refuge.
3) “Is that the Broken and Made-fun of One of Yesterday Smiling Today?”
4) Keep marching forward, praying, laughing, loving, making your own happy family times, serving your church, memorizing scripture, studying God’s word, and reaching out to others daily.
P.S. I really didn’t think I would be able to do this summer study with my travels, but having done the last two summers with you, I just couldn’t miss out. So glad I did!!
This may not be my place and I am not trying to take the place of God, but my heart goes out to all of you_especially those who have cancer, those who have loss loved ones, those who cannot have children and those who are hurting.
I cannot sit here without showing compassion toward you and hopefully giving a word of encouragement to my sisters in Christ.
I know God has not forgotten you and you are His treasured possession. God goes with us through our trials, our tribulations, our heartaches and pain.
He is our Hope in a world that needs a Savior.
My thoughts and prayers are with you. I love each one of you and thank you for what God is doing in your lives, because I know He has a purpose and a plan for you. He can work all things together for good according to His purpose.
May God comfort you and bless you.
in Christ
Just 3 of us today, but we had a rich time. Here are some highlights:
Question #1: One woman share of how God used her brother’s addiction to teach the family unconditional love and the power of prayer and restoration. One also shared how she watched a friend walk through her husband’s pornography addiction to a stronger, healthier marriage and a mew ministry to other couples who struggle.
Question #2: Weeping forward during unemployment, miscarriage, and loss of loved ones.
Question #3: “Why, oh Lord, can’t these children get along?” and “When, Lord, will he learn to use the potty?” (Can you tell we are mothers? HaHa!
We also talked about the conviction we felt by the question at the top of page 49. The Lord is dealing with me because I get angry that my family doesn’t have a long-standing, godly heritage. I am learning on my own (with the help of friends) how to build a godly home that teaches and nurtures faith in my children. Another girl shared that she has realized that there are some unhealed hurts in her heart, that she needs to spend some more time with God discussing.
We love the study. It is soooo good!
1. Anytime Satan gets to doubt our worth, he can use it to curse us. There are two of us in our group, and we both have experienced Satan nagging at us.
2. Habits are hard to break, and we have many times reverted back to old habits in dealing with heartbreak. By God’s grace He has helped us to grieve but move on in His name.
3. Will This Season End? and What Am I Doing? These are our titles. Both us are in the middle of challenges with our families and need God to turn the curse into a blessing.
4. We grieve and are saddened by many things. In sowing while weeping we trust God to get us through the hard times and let His glory shine on. This isn’t easy, and we have both had to pick ourselves up and continue to move forward.
We relish in the Word in Deut. 23:5 that tells us God loves us.
Oklahoma City, Eight of us tonight had a great discussion and our book titles were great! “What were you thinking?”, “When am I going to find those big girl panties?”. We felt that weeping forward really meant to keep on going when we didn’t feel like it, putting one foot in front of the other and knowing that we’re not alone in our journey…our Father is with us every step of the way. (Actually, I think that just combined our “weeping forward” answers and our “sowing while weeping answers”. This is a group of co-workers and it’s our first bible study together. It’s a great way to end the day at the office.
el paso, tx; 5 of us
we met wednesday morning at my house over made-from-scratch blueberry muffins, fruit, and strong, strong coffee. three of us have baby boys under 1 year old, so amidst crying, spitting up, an attempted escape crawling up the stairs, and some rough baby-to-baby loving, we discussed all the questions you posted. we all agreed the day four of the second week was both a favorite and convicting.
we also spent some time praying for one another, which was sweet because it allowed us to open up to one another about where we are now. each of us had something that was on our hearts, so we were able to come together and lift each other up.
thanks for posting, and congratulations to vangie!
Bemus Point, NY
Four of us gathered to eat, watch the blog, and discuss. And one of us had a bird-dog chewed Bible to match Beth’s!
We talked about the issues and events in our lives with which the enemy would love to entangle us and defeat us. These ranged from a move to another state which negatively impacted the children, to divorce, death of loved ones, marital discord, and fear of physical and mental diseases that seem to run in one family.
Weeping backward can be likened to putting ourselves first—having a pity party and focusing on ourselves, dwelling obsessively on the past, or trying to control and manage situations. Weeping forward calls us to focus on God and His attributes, to put our hand in His as we walk towards Him in obedience, and to expectantly wait for Him to turn our situations to good. One of us talked about weeping backward while grieving for a deceased parent; the decision to “weep forward” came when she deliberately set out to walk a treadmill daily while listening to praise and worship music. The music helped her climb out of her pit of depression.
How can we sow in our weeping? Praise Him even when there seems to be nothing for which to praise Him. Keep looking forward, not backwards. Do positive things for other people. Immerse yourself in Scripture; read it, meditate on it, and memorize it, for it has the power to change us from the inside out.
Solo in SW Virginia
1. Marriages with a special needs child have a 85% failure rate. Our daughter is 17 and we must always be on guard to break that curse. It has been a roller coaster ride at times but we praise him for each step of the way (30 years).
2. Weeping forward is trusting God when we don’t understand or don’t feel like pressing on.
3. “I am waiting”
4. Being Christlike during the weeping.
Beth,
Just wanted you to know that I am studying Revelations with you this summer with my new Muslim friend. She is not a believer(yet;) Many seeds have been planted and she requested to attend this study with me. Of course you had no idea that she would be attending the session(5) when you spoke of Jesus not returning till every nation hears the gospel. You spoke of how Muslims are having visions and they are being interpreted. Just 2 weeks ago she told me of a vision she had. The Holy Spirit interpreted it to me of the High Priest showing her the only way to heaven and it is a free gift, not by works! I am in awe of what God is up to in her life! Please pray for my friend,N- to accept Jesus as her one and only! Bet you never dreamed a lost Muslim would be attending your class on Revelation and God would speak right thru you to her heart. Can’t wait to share her conversion with you!
Oh, my word, Dana! Only Jesus! Pursue her, Lord, and usher her to Your great salvation!
Deny’s and I have enjoyed the past 2 weeks of this bible study very much. We get so excited about how much this is speaking to us! When we see each other the conversation sounds like this… “Did you read day 4 yet? Man, you are going to love it!” We are like giddy school girls when we get to see inside Gods word!
OK, on to our discussion results.
1. Alcohol & sexual abuse = self destruction
Divorce & murder = broken family
2. Weeping forward = crying out and holding on to God during scary and painfully uncertain times. Letting go of what you know and moving forward, in His strength and with His grace, into a new delivered life.
Weeping backward = regretfully finding yourself going back into a bondage that God had freed you from.
3. Book Titles:
Are you who you want to be?
Father, are we there yet?
4. While dealing with your circumstances … remain faithful!
Showing Gods love to others while you are still in your wilderness is sowing in your weeping.
Even when the pain is so bad that you feel you cannot take another breath, God gives you the strength to take that next breath and then another one. He does this until you are strong enough to reach out to help someone else who is walking through the same fire that you were refined in.