Wow! What an amazing first meeting we had this morning, God is so good!! I introduced the book Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge, that we will be studying together. It is totally optional to buy the book. I know as mommies it is hard sometimes to find even a little quiet time with our Lord, so I don't want you to worry about a heavy study and homework. I will be discussing each chapter and using the study guide for group discussion, you are welcome to read a long with me if you want.
Here are the notes from today:
Captivating is a book about discovering the mystery of the woman's heart, a heart meant for good, and a source of joy. Many times in life though, our heart becomes a source of shame. We feel that we are not good enough, we feel like we're not enough, yet we're too much. I know I struggle with this, and it's encouraging to realize I'm not alone! Too often the heart of women has been missed, we've missed the richness of femininity that it was meant to bring, we've missed the way it speaks to us of the heart of God. In Genesis 1:27 it says "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." God put different characteristics of Himself in both male and female! God speaks through woman something different than He speaks through man. If we miss the heart of women, we miss what God wants to speak through us.
This isn't a book about all the things we're failing to do as a woman. We're usually hard enough on ourselves, we don't need a book to help us feel worse:). There are so many different types of woman, doctors, teachers, woman who jump from planes, mommies, motorcycle woman, ballet dancers, the list goes on and on. We are each beautiful exactly how God made us!!
This book also isn't about stereotyping women. There is an essence (something that exists), that God has given to us, deep in our hearts, that we all share as women, no matter what type of women we are. When I read that, it just made me feel so special, that God puts something special inside us woman!
This book IS about discovering your priceless feminine heart. As I was preparing for this study, I thought about how our culture many times wants to put us in a box, either we are tough a tom-boy type, or really girly and frilly. I feel like I'm somewhere in between and sometimes it's hard to figure out where you fall in. God has set in each of us a femininity that is powerful AND tender, fierce AND alluring. One of the ladies pointed out that a good example of this is childbirth. Those who have been through childbirth know how fierce and strong you have to be and also how powerful you feel as you push new life into this world!! At the same time, once that little one has come out and rests in our arms, there comes over us such an intense sense of nurturing, such a tenderness for this new little life. But, someone try to hurt this new little life and watch out, the fierce woman raises up again:)
Sometimes the woman heart has been misunderstood, mistreated, abused, sometimes by ourselves, sometimes by others, but our heart that God gave us as woman is still there, and He says we are captivating!!!
We can trust our Father God with our hearts, no matter what condition they are in. He is our security as the beautiful, feminine woman He created us to be, we are secure in Him!!
Such special and powerful words, just in the introduction!! Next meeting we will be discussing Chapter 1, The Heart of a Woman. I hope you can join us as we discover the heart God has placed in us, more of His essence in us!!
God bless you!!
Kara also did an amazing job teaching the children about God's animal the squirrel. I was impressed with her ability to do this, her preparation she put into is, as well as the respect she received from the others, they all seemed to have a wonderful time together! It was a blessing to us mommies to watch them!!
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