Happy Thursday, friends! Welcome to our weekly link party where Rebecca Jo and I share all the things we're thankful for each week. I hope you'll join us! My sweet friend is taking a break from this right now, but she'll join again someday...if you see her around on Instagram, give her some love!
I'm making this week's post all about Bible study. As you know, we started back last week and it is so good to be back! That being said, we had a bunch of ladies sign up to join us, so our "small groups" aren't so small. That always makes me a little nervous, because I am not a teacher. I am, however, a facilitator, a leader of discussions and I am able to keep the conversation flowing. I don't say this in a self deprecating way, I truly mean that in my list of spiritual gifts, teaching is at the bottom. Something I would dread happening would be for the ladies to show up and not be willing to talk each week. I'm always a little nervous the first week that we meet in small groups anyway, because the homework isn't usually long and there's not a lot to discuss. It helps that we always play a get to know you game and make introductions, though, so it's a good time filler.
Yesterday when we met, that did not happen! Ladies started coming in at different times, so we started a little later than we normally would, and then we went around the room and answered a fun question to get to know each other better. For this, I just write ice-breaker questions on strips of paper, fold them and have each lady draw one out of a bag. The goal is for each lady to answer a question like this:
What's your pet peeve?
What's something quirky about yourself?
What are you known for?
What's your favorite holiday tradition?
What was the best job you ever had?
What is a quality you look for in a friend?
If you were given a million dollars, what would you do with it?
What is something memorable you've done?
It's really fun to hear their answers and we always end up laughing our heads off. I once learned that a friend of mine loves M & M's, but ONLY the Christmas ones! She promises they taste different. Needless to say, after we went around the room and made introductions and answered each question, we didn't have much time left. The questions we were able to go over went by great, though and I was so happy that all of the women participated in our discussion. This always brings relief, because like I already said, them not talking would be terrible.
Look at all these ladies!
My friend Amy did a fabulous job teaching today, as usual. I love to hear her when she gets going! I said all of that to say this one thing: I am so thankful for the freedom we have in our country to meet like this in a public place of worship, to fellowship with each other and to be able to open up our Bibles and study together. What an honor and privilege it is to do this and I am so grateful for those freedoms we still have. We may not have them forever, so I don't ever want to take this for granted. I always think of my brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who do not have such freedoms and my heart goes out to them, as do my prayers for their encouragement and strength. What some of them wouldn't give to be able to do this!
So, that's the summation of what I'm thankful for this week. What about you? Tell me one thing you're thankful for. I'd love to hear from you! In the meantime, I hope you join the link party this week! Thanks for reading my blog, friends. Love to all!
So glad it went well! I love ice breaker questions like that and use them to start each day of my Spanish classes, but in Spanish! My students say that by the end of the year they know their classmates so well and we are like a little family. One of my classes from last year wants to have a reunion. So, you may not think teaching is your gift, but the planning behind the scenes is part of teaching! How wonderful that so many came!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amy! That's awesome. I love that your students in each class are so close. Again- that says so much about you!
ReplyDeleteYour Bible study looks and sounds amazing! Do you have discussion leaders or facilitators for each table? Do you ladies eat breakfast? The last time I was involved in our women's Bible study, leaders would bring in food the first week and then people would sign up to bring food for other weeks. Are you guys doing the study that you co-wrote?
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have thought different colors of M & M's taste different, but I recently bought a big jar of Halloween ones at Sam's Club. They are purple, orange, and neon green. The grands eat them, but don't seem to like them as much as the regular ones. Glad your Bible study is going so well. Small groups will be starting at my church the first week of September. I can't wait. It gives us a chance to get really close to a group of people we might not know as well, otherwise.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for hosting while Rebecca Jo is off. Have a blessed and wonderful weekend!
Sounds amazing! What a blessing you have there with your friends, your church and your small group now! I hope God really uses each week to encourage and excite you to "dig deeper." So, what is your pet peeve??:)
ReplyDeleteThat's the same thing I say about our Bible Study group. I am not a teacher, I'm a facilitator. I could copy your words and they would explain exactly how I feel about our Bible Study. Ours doesn't start until September and would you mind if I could use your ice breaker question. Love that idea.
ReplyDeleteI am thankful for family and the blessing of gathering with them this weekend!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Maria! We divide the ladies you see into small groups (there are 4) and we meet in separate rooms first, then end in the large meeting time together. I love small groups, though...it's so much easier to get to know people! We are doing the study I helped write currently, this is only our second meeting. We also offer this on Wednesday nights, in the pastor's wife's class on Thursday mornings and there's also a zoom only option. We have all the options!
ReplyDeleteStacy, I think the same way as you, regarding the m & m's! My friend promises they're different, though. Ha! I know you'll be glad when your small groups start back!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jennifer! I feel the same. Oh, I have SO MANY pet peeves, but one of my biggest ones is when people are not timely. It's a big deal to respect people's time and I get all sorts of bent out of shape when people are late (like for appointments). For me, being on time is the same as being late. I do not like to rush, so when I have to be at church at 8 on Sunday mornings, I'm walking in at 7:45. Some think I have major OCD tendencies...my husband included. 🤣
ReplyDeleteCathy, what a blessing! Of course you can use them question ideas! It helps in getting to know new people. You can also Google "ice breaker questions" and have way more options than the few I listed. We do these every so often and always enjoy the laugh.
ReplyDeleteMichele, that is wonderful! What a gift.
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