Last Thursday I reunited with my girlfriends for a brand spankin' new Bible study. My dear friend Laura started this Bible study in 2005. As a recent transplant in a new city, it was exactly what I needed to meet like-minded Christian women and be in the Word. Little did I know then that six years later I would still be a part of this amazing group of women. So, this week's Top 10 list enumerates the myriad reasons why every woman should be a part of a women's Bible study.
"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching."(1) For community. Even introverts like me need a base of women to confide in, cry to, and laugh with. What better group than Christian women who love the Lord and want the very best for you! Each week my Bible study group spends about half our time together chattering about the goings on of the week, but that time of fellowship is what bonds us closer together.
Hebrews 10:25
(2) For accountability. Whether it's a desire to be more joyful, lose twenty pounds, or run a 5K, when we share new goals or personal challenges with each other, we hold one another accountable for making progress and working towards achieving those goals. As women we need other women to keep us on track and spur us on to accomplish our dreams. A Bible study group is perfect for doing that.
(3) For girls' night outs and weekend getaways. Sometimes girls just wanna have fun, so periodically (not as often as I would like, I might add) we meet for dinner and a movie. Also, once a year, usually in the fall, our group makes an overnight trip to my parents' cabin for fun, food, and fellowship. You'd be surprised how entertaining games like Charades and Apples to Apples can be with a group of silly women. But that fellowship time offers refreshment for our souls that busy wives and moms need.
(3) For different perspectives. Although the women in my Bible study are roughly the same age, live in Tennessee, and are Christians, that is about the extent of what we have in common as a group. Some of us are from different states; some work away from home, some work at home, and others don't work at all; some have advanced college degrees; some are crafty, others like me are not; some are extremely competitive (even at childish games like Charades) and others are not, etc. We are a diverse group of women, yet we are united by our love for the Lord and a desire to grow closer to Him each day. Therefore, our Bible studies reflect our diversity. It is actually very refreshing to hear a different point of view on a scripture I have read numerous times before. That is how we grow as Christians.
(4) For a brief reprieve from responsibilities at home. I don't know about you, but there are days when I look forward to my husband getting home so I can have a break. Bible study nights offer a much needed respite for this mama of two littles; it's a time to relax and recharge with other women who also need this break from everyday life. It is an especially good night when I come home to two sleeping babies and a clean kitchen {hint hint wink wink, honey}.
(5) For encouragement. The primary reason I go to Bible study each week is for the encouragement I receive from the women in our group. My husband is a great encourager, but there is something about a woman's warm, optimistic words that soothes the soul and calms the nerves. I need it; in fact, I crave it.
(6) For coffee and delicious snacks. Of course any time we get together, we eat; it's only natural for women to have coffee and food when there's lots of socializing going on. It's a nice way to feed our bellies as we feed our souls. Each week someone is responsible for bringing a snack. We have healthy snacks like fruit and veggies from our healthier gals and junk food like brownies and Little Caesar's pizza for our, well, junk food junkies :) Next week I'm in charge of food, so there will be a nice mix of healthy junk I'm sure.
(8) For sharing personal struggles and seeking advice. Over the course of the years, we have shared our stories of loss, our fears, temptations, and weaknesses. Sometimes a member of the group might offer a helpful suggestion, and sometimes there is no answer. That's when we cry together, pray together, and encourage one another as best we can. There aren't always answers, but a hug, a prayer, and an "It's going to be okay" have a way of allaying fears.
(9) For praying for each other. Every Bible study we begin by writing down and sharing our prayer requests. Now with a group of 12-13 women who love to talk that easily takes up an hour of our time, but some people need more details than others :) and some people just have lots of issues :) After sharing we randomly exchange prayer cards and pray for the person we draw over the course of the next two weeks. What a blessing to know that someone you love is thinking about and praying for you every day. Just this week I received the sweetest email from my prayer buddy that lifted my spirits and renewed my strength. It was just what I needed at exactly the right moment.
(10) For celebrating life's many blessings. Over the years we have had I don't know how many showers and birthday parties for members in our group. We have showered the newly engaged and the mom-to-be, prepared meals for those new mamas, attended each others' weddings, and even celebrated the big 3-0 together. I hope we will still be together when we each hit the even bigger 4-0, which will be here before we know it!
What a blessing my Bible study group has been for me over the years: a source of encouragement, support, Godly counsel, and friendship that could never be replaced.
Do you belong to a women's Bible study group? I hope that if you do not, that this post will encourage you to look for one or maybe start your own.
Blessings to you...
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