Okay Girls! Lindsee here and I have chosen our 11 winners at random! If you would all email me ([email protected]) as soon as possible, that would be so helpful so we can get your books to you SOON!
Drum roll please…
Our first 10 winners of a Gideon Workbook are: (Make sure that if you are a winner, it is the correct comment number that I have posted!)
Comment #634: Amy A.
Comment #33: Beverly
Comment #111: Amy Hanson
Comment #88: Michele
Comment #777: Sharon Seagle
Comment #56: Rina
Comment #555: Lisa Ode
Comment #1: Rebecca
Comment #245: Brandi
Comment #372: Melody
Lastly, our winner of the Gideon Leader Kit is…
Comment #475: Stephanie
We are so excited for you, girls! Can’t wait to hear from you!
Hey Girls! Comments are now closed. Be looking for the names of our 11 winners within the hour! Thanks for your enthusiastic and honest replies! We’re so excited!
Greetings, Sisters! Siesta Summer Bible Study starts one week from today! We are fired up around here! I know your questions are abounding, so this post is to fill you in on all the details to get us good and ready for next Tuesday.
First off, let’s make sure that you know what you’ll need to participate: 1 LifeWay workbook by Priscilla Shirer entitled Gideon: Your Weakness. Godâs Strength.That’s all there is to it!
We’ve been getting lots of questions about whether or not Priscilla’s video portions are required in our summer Bible study. The answer is no but only because we try our hardest to keep our summer experience at the lowest possible cost. By all means, if you have access through a group or have the financial resources to get the session DVDs or downloads, do it! To experience the whole thing is optimum! If you’re in a small group, consider all pitching in and purchasing a set then watching them together week to week. You’ll be incredibly blessed by that investment. Priscilla’s gift of teaching is saturated with the Holy Spirit and beautifully infectious. I could sit under her instruction for hours. So, get the sessions if you can but they will not be required to participate in our summer study. All of our discussion will springboard from the workbook.
With that said, I do have one really FUN thing to do before we move further into the details. We have 10 Gideon workbooks and 1 leader kit to give away! All you need to do to qualify is leave a comment on this post and let us know how the subtitle hits you: âYour weakness. Godâs strength.â Weâll keep comments open for 24 hours then do a random drawing of 11 people with those specific entries. Watch for a post Wednesday afternoon naming our winners!
Are yâall still with me?
OK, then, let me fill you in on some remaining details through a simple Q&A. If youâve been in summer Bible study with us before, our approach will be very similar.
Who’s invited? YOU! (If you’re a girl over – let’s say – 16) And you can go solo or participate in a small group! As in past years, our highest hope is to facilitate fellowship and accountability into our Bible study experiences. If you can assemble a group of friends, co-workers, family members, acquaintances, fellow church members, Siestas in your town, a tennis team or a handful of neighbors, you’re likely to get the most out of the process. (If youâve already participated in this study, think of leading a group through it this round.) If you can’t rally a face-to-face group, Skyping and Face Time can still provide a pretty legit way to experience community in different locations. Weâre not looking to be legalistic. We just want FULL benefits. If you go solo, do your best to connect with a couple of girls on line. Scripture tells us to stir one another up in the faith and to call one another to love and good works and to bear one anotherâs burdens and pray for one another and remind one another of Godâs faithfulness. Translation: we need each other!
What’s the Goal? Spending the summer together in the Word! A summer of authentic Bible study is the surest way to a summer of victory.
When do we meet? We will launch our Siesta Summer Bible Study on Tuesday, June 11, and âmeetâ 4 official times: Every OTHER Tuesday from June 11th until July 23rd. Yes, by all means, meet EACH week if your small group is able but we only ask that you check in here on the LPM blog every TWO weeks to participate in our format for discussion. As much as we’re able, we want to be big on help and small on demands. Summer schedules can make weekly gatherings much harder than usual but certainly keep it up if you can. You can also choose another day of the week besides Tuesday if necessary. We’ve found that itâs the most fun and carries the most momentum when we all do it on the same day but that’s not always possible for everyone. Be free!
Here’s the summer schedule:
Tuesday, June 11, 2013 Launch – I’ll post our 1st Mini-Session which I will either have written or videoed. In it you will receive instructions for discussion.
In the 2 weeks that follow our first Mini-Session, you will DO WEEKS ONE AND TWO OF THE HOMEWORK ON YOUR OWN. If youâre participating in Priscillaâs weekly DVD teachings, incorporate those weekly and in addition (or instead of!!) to what we’re doing here on the blog. We will let you guys work those details out on your own.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013 (2nd Mini-Session/Group Instructions)
In the two weeks that follow, DO WEEKS THREE AND FOUR OF THE HOMEWORK ON YOUR OWN.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013 (3rd Mini-Session/Group Instructions)
In the two weeks that follow, DO WEEKS FIVE AND SIX OF THE HOMEWORK ON YOUR OWN.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013 (4th Mini-Session/Conclusion) – We’ll wrap it up and it will have flown by in a whirlwind.
If a graph is easier to understand than all my compulsive wordiness, here you go:
Where should you meet if you’re participating in a small group? Wherever you are most comfortable. Do what works for your group. You might meet in a different house each week so no one has to keep her house clean all summer. Weâve had some siesta groups meet in restaurants and coffee shops. Find your groove and stick to it!
So, here’s what you do:
1. Get your workbooks! Our good friends at LifeWay have promised to have plenty of them for us, but you wonât want to wait until the last minute. You can find them online on LifeWayâs web site. Here is a link where you can order the member book. And, if you’re going for the optional DVD sessions week to week, here’s where you can download the videos taught by Priscilla. They’ll be fabulous.
2. Sign up on the blog on our official Launch Day- Tuesday, June 11. For the first time, we’re going to ask that everyone participating sign up individually rather than a leader chiming in on behalf of the whole group. We think this will be less confusing and will give us a better idea of how many are participating each week just by the number of comments. We will ask a few warm-up questions that day to begin cracking open that door of community.
3. I will facilitate the study by posting a blog the 4 mornings of our meeting days. I will give you instructions on these posts for your discussion times and maybe some activities. All will connect to the previous weeks of study.
4. After your gathering, youâll check back in by telling us something about your meeting via a comment on that same post. Donât worry if your group canât meet on Tuesdays. Youâll still be able to find the post and comment throughout the week.
What if…
-I want to use the discussion questions in the back of the workbook instead of the ones on Bethâs posts. Go for it!
-I really, really want to do the study but itâs not in the budget. Email us.
-Iâve already committed to doing another Bible study this summer? Thatâs great! Stick with it.
-I donât want to participate but still want to be a part of the blog. We totally understand and want to see you around Siestaville this summer. Know that the Bible Study will only take up one post every other week.
We canât wait to study the Word with you this summer!
Lord Jesus, take us somewhere we couldn’t have anticipated! Somewhere we desperately needed to go. Raise up an army of mighty warriors right here in this community!
Okay, Sisters, letâs hear your comments for the giveaway! Remember weâll only leave it open for 24 hours!
The subtitle reminds me both that God is strong even as I am weak and that it is through my weakness that God’s strength works, which is amazing.
If God is looking for weakness, then I am His gal. He is showing me so much through my weaknesses I feel so unworthy of His love sometimes, but thank Him that He loves me regardless. Praise His name!!
The first thing I think of is Philippians 4:13. The first piece of scripture I ever committed to memory and one that still resides deep inside my heart. It’s always His strength. And then immediately after that I am struck anew by how again and again God uses human weakness for His glory. Moses who was so afraid to speak up he said “send Aaron” and then ended up leading an entire people, Paul who “did not come with eloquence” and yet was the mouthpiece for the gospel across the ancient world. We need His strength. He is so awesome He even makes good on our weakness. Isn’t our God amazing? đ
My weakness. God’s strength. It’s shifting my gaze away from myself and my shortcomings and onto my Almighty God. His power is made perfect in my weakness.
My weakness. God’s strength — his strength is made perfect in my weakness. I have a hard time seeing and believing his strength because I am focussed on me. I am looking forward to focussing on God and His strength.
Focusing on God’s strength is something I’ve been thinking about alot lately. He has done SO much and brought me through situations I thought were impossible – and not just brought me through – He has BLESSED me through them. Even so, I am still weak. I fear, I don’t trust, I try to control, I lose my temper, I am selfish…… But He is stronger. He offers peace, the One who is trustworthy, He offers to take control better than I ever could, He is patient and selfless…… In all areas of weakness He is made stronger
We are really looking forward to this summer’s study!
The subtitle gives me such hope. Because the longer I walk with God, the more clearly I see myself as I truly am–nothing without Jesus Christ. And so the thought that He can take my “nothingness” and work through me is just mind-boggling. What matchless grace!
Your weakness, God’s strength. When I think about this subtitle, I think about during our times of weakness or recognizing them is when we seem to lean more into God’s loving arms!
My weaknesses are God’s entry way to showcase His strength to bring glory, transform me more into His image and a testimony. It’s a partnership.
I’m looking forward to this study…Blessings to you!!
This past year I have had to truly rely on His strength because mine has been tested, tried and no match for His! After mom’s UNEXPECTED death, I have had to dig deep for faith, and courage to go on and live life out in spite of the hurt and emptiness. Thank God for His grace, mercy and strength.
I am *panting* for this study! I’ve already been into Week 1 because the title and message of this study is resonating with me so strongly. (One can also read that as “God has set me up for this study!”) Grin.
Also, given what I’ve read so far, I will be leading this study with the ladies at our church in the Fall!
Thank you!
When I am weak, He is strong.
Through God’s strength, I can be strong too!
Looking forward to the study.
God Bless,
Kim in NC
“Your Weakness, Godâs strength”
Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. (Psalm 82:4 NIV)
I am weak. I am needy. I need delivered every minute of every day. No way I can do it….ONLY by God’s strength can I be made whole. Thank you, Lord, for the hope I have in YOU!
Isn’t it just plain weird how the world views weakness? It’s like I’m fighting A battle every day to ‘defend’ my weaknesses or dependencies on God, like I even have the strength for that!? Ha. I really see my need for learning this simple truth- my weakness, Gods strength. So need this. Love, Erin
A Bible study on “my weakness, His strength” is a little frightening because it will require me/us to face up to our weaknesses when I would prefer to gloss over them and focus on what I’m strong with. I look for what I’m good at and think maybe that’s what God will use of me, but when we know the Bible, we know that is exactly what God is probably NOT going to use. And the thing I’m not good at I would like to keep hidden from everyone, and that is just the thing God is more likely to use… because only then am I humble enough to be useful and let God be seen and get the glory.
I hide so much of myself from those close to me trying to be “strong” like I think I should or like the people around me seem to be that I must come to a breaking point in order to re-realize that I am not strong, I am weak and my only true strength comes from God.
‘Your weakness, God’s Strength’
About a month ago, my long term boyfriend, broke up with me. This past month has been such a huge journey with God as I have walked this road of sadness and pain. Although there has been darkness and doubt, I know that God’s plan for my life is full of light and hope, and Im clinging to His grace and the comfort I find in His promises.
One of the most profound pieces of encouragement I have received during this time was a text from my best friend. In the midst of my doubt has to how these circumstances could be “God working for the good of all those who love him” she simply said – “His power works best in our weakness Em”.
Those words have provided so much encouragement and hope, and although it is hard, I can feel God moving in my life and doing great things, even through times of sadness. God is sovereign and the Lord of all, and He can, and will, do great things through all of our circumstances.
“Your weakness. God’s STRENGTH.” pierced my heart the first time I saw it, every time I look at the book, today when I typed the description onto our church Ladies’ Ministry fb event page, and is actually what God has already been saying to me for many years now.
When I think of my weakness there are several things I think of:
My weakness in Verbal Communication;
My physical weakness because of Fibromyalgia;
My feelings about turning 50 yesterday, but my family have already encouraged me to “embrace it!”
But most of all, my weakness because of my guilt from a terrible sin I committed 32 years ago. I have been forgiven by God, and I have forgiven myself. For at least a few years, I have very strongly felt God asking me to let Him use my whole testimony to help someone else, I am SO AFRAID to do that, but am
Trusting in Him with all my heart and leaning NOT on my own understanding;
In all my ways, acknowledging Him and He will make my paths straight.
Thank you so much for doing this study this Summer, along with the SSMT and your writIng.
I love you, Beth!
I am weak but thou art strong. Jesus keep me from all wrong.. As I walk, let me walk close to thee.
My thought about “My Weakness, God’s Strength:”
Thank goodness! I believe what God says, so I want to learn how His strength can overcome my weakness in a real, living way.
When I feel the weakest, God always shows up, and through His strength, He gives me courage to carry on, and peace to accept that He is always in control through each and every trial.
“My weakness, God’s strength” makes me think of one of my memory verses – “You are blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and His rule.” Matthew 5:3. God has really been working on me to get out of my comfort zone (where I feel strong) and completely depend on Him.
This is my ministry…the biggest weakness of my life is precisely what God wants me to talk about. Pubically. Now, don’t get me wrong, I LOVE speaking. But not about this particular weakness….it is a tough subject. Sooo, I am hoping Gideon (whom I a lot like) will motivate me to do His bidding and be obedient. Now, where’s my fleece??
This is my ministry…the biggest weakness of my life is precisely what God wants me to talk about. Publically. Now, don’t get me wrong, I LOVE speaking. But not about this particular weakness….it is a tough subject. Sooo, I am hoping Gideon (whom I a lot like) will motivate me to do His bidding and be obedient. Now, where’s my fleece??
God’s strength will carry me from where my weakness leaves me hanging.
Oh! 2 Corinthians 12:9 is one of my all time favorite passages!! I have struggled so much in this life (haven’t we all??) and it is such a comfort to me that I don’t have to fake being strong myself or try and find that strength in myself. In fact, Paul goes on to say we can BOAST in our weakness. That just gets me so fired up. đ I’m soooo thankful that this passage is included in God’s word because I can rest in it…in Him. He’s got this. He is strong when I am weak. Praise God!!
The title of this study is perfect timing…I’ve been dealing with a season of fear, in fact two of my memory verses have been the same one; different versions but the same verse, that’s how badly I need to move out of this season. It’s all about God’s strength…without Him I can do nothing.
Thank you for having this study; I’m so ready to be in the Word with the Siesta’s this summer.
The weaker I am, the stronger He is. And when I’m weak and He is strong, He gets the glory.
Thank you for the giveaway and for facilitating summer Bible study!
I have had so many opportunities for my weakness to show itself. I pray God’s strength will be evident as a result.
This is so on my heart right now.
Recently, my greatest strength became my greatest weakness as a result of pride. The lesson was hard learned, but I thank God every day for His reminders to be humble. I rely on His strength now instead of my own.
I am so thankful God can use even my weaknesses for His glory through His transforming redeeming work! Looking forward to Giddeon!
My weakness, God’s dark chocolate
My weakness. God’s strength. Wow! That says it all!
I believe as women we tend to feel like we ‘need’ to be strong. We need to hold it all together: home, kids, relationships and careers. But when we finally realize that when we let go and admit our weakness, that’s when God really shows us how strong He is ‘in us’!!
My girlfriends and I have been wanting to start a summer bible study, and this will be perfect!!
Keep my attention on God because only He has the power to make me stronger!!
Gosh, my weakness right now is being a
I’m reassured in knowing that God can and will use my weaknesses for good. In my weaknesses as I depend on Him, He strengthens my trust muscles.
My weakness, God’s strength. As a mom of 6 and a Pastor’s wife, I have plenty who would agree on my many weaknesses… However, they would also attest to how I let God strengthen me in all things. I can’t do ‘life’ on my own… I NEED Him!
I feel that our brokenness, or weakness as we see it, can make us feel that we can’t be used of God for His glory. Yet when we are weak, He is strong….Yes, Jesus loves me!
I am beginning a weight loss journey this summer. I need strength to be all that God has planned for me. I’m not very versed in scripture but I’m looking forward to learning all that The Lord has in store.
“Your weakness. Gods strength.”
This seems to seriously define the theme in my life over the past year or so. My life has turned upside down and inside out. I was in school working on my doctorate and then unexpectedly ended that journey this past December. Viewing myself as a failure was my best strength at the time…and biggest weakness. Everything I thought I had worked for, was gone and I had no idea where my future was heading. I’m working on memorizing Proverbs 3 this year as part of the SSMT because I’ve found my biggest weakness is TRUSTING in HIM and his perfect plan. By the grace of God, I’ve begun to understand that he truly is bigger than what I face daily. That his plans far exceed mine. That he is ABLE to do anything. That all being said, this past weekend I got accepted to attend a (very) accelerated program to obtain my bachelor of science in nursing degree and sit for the national examination. At this time last year, I would’ve never imagined myself in the place I am. Because I’ve been trusting in His strength to get me through the unknown each day, I am seeing again that I have a future to look forward to and the time working towards my doctorate will actually help me in nursing school. He is good!
I would love to win and bless others!!! What an awesome opportunity!
So excited that I forgot to answer the question, lol!!
Right away that subtitle had me jumping up and down raring to go saying – “me, me, that’s me!” I am weak but I find so much comfort and peace in knowing it doesn’t stop there! He is strong!
Already committed to another Bible study this summer but would LOVE to win the give away give a fall study group. Y’all enjoy!
I love the subtitle…I depend on His strength everyday!
Angie
Finding His Strength in my weaknesses is such an encouragement and comfort. Oh the abundance of weaknesses that make me cling to the Lord are such blessings…not always fun, not always easy, but the end results are such blessings. And hindsight is always 100%. How I long to be more like my Savior and cherish my weaknesses which make me cling to HIM!
I have never felt stronger than in my weakest moments. God made that possible- He gave me that!
I had prayed for two years for God to put me in a place that was right for me professionally. I could see the job that I had longed to have for two years. For two years I saw several people receive a job that I was sure was in my grasp- in every way I was qualified but why wasn’t it happening. I had prayed many tearful prayers asking God to please give me that job. So many interviews, so many rejections. Weakness was an understatement. I felt desperation.
It didn’t take long to realize my prayer should be changed to, ” if this is your will….and I need patience to wait as long as you need for the position that you have created specifically for me.” It took two years but I felt a peace I had never felt before when in this situation. In the two years that I had waited, went to interviews, turned down, I would continue my prayer but now I knew that no matter what, His grace was sufficient. If I received a yes or no, it was His grace that made my life complete and he would choose the time that was best.
Last week I received a job in the place I had so long hoped for. God answers prayers- when it’s the right time and right situation. I know God has big plans for me- I just need the patience to wait and see.
What had really happened was God opened my eyes and showed me my weakness and my flaws in me planning what would happen and that all of the turmoil wasn’t necessary. I gave my problems to God- he showed me when I did this I would have peace and the ability to see it was his Grace that would carry me. He gave me the strength. Praise God! In my weakest moments I am strongest because it is then I realize He is in control.
This subtitle reminds me that even thought I am weak, God’s strength always steps into those areas of my life. That’s why I need him- I’m weak, and he is not!
Christi
In all situations, make Him big!
“Your weakness, God’s strength” really hit home for me a couple of weeks ago when my husband had to be hospitalized suddenly in the middle of the night, put into a drug induced coma with a ventilator. Before we knew the diagnosis, I told God I absolutely could NOT do it without him. I grabbed my SSMT notecards and went to work praying. I could not have been in a better place to experience God’s strength. . .
It’s a great reminder to myself that I am nothing on my own! He is strong & has proven it over & over again, especially in my weaknesses!!!
I am LEANING, LEANING, LEANING, but still distraught….I know some of you have heard this already…..but I LOST my little siesta memory notebook….where is it?….I am lost without it.
What to do? đ