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"Beloved Disciple," young ladies Bible Study

PostPosted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 11:51 am
by true_noir_chloe
Hello all! ^____^

This is the meeting place for our first young women Bible study which will begin on Monday, August 30th. I am excited :jump: that you all will be joining us in this indepth study of the life and ministry of John - John, who was known as the beloved disciple.

First, you will need the workbook entitled, "Beloved Disciple" The Life and Ministry of John, by Beth Moore. It is not the hardcover book, but the workbook (found at Lifeway, Family, or possibly other Christian bookstores). If you do not have this workbook you may find our discussion a bit out of place. However, you are welcome to look in and take part if you see anything of interest in our discussion. It is a Bible study afterall, so there will be relevant Bible verses for everyone.

Via pm we will also set up the weekly, or bi-weekly chat. This will be more interactive and I know whomever joins will be greatly blessed.

So, I will see you all again on the 30th, unless I think of something relevant - which I just might. ;) I would ask Ash or another admin or mod to sticky this for us - I would greatly appreciate that.

Thank you all, and here's to growing closer to the Lord in the coming days.:hug:

Below is a pic of the front and back of the workbook, so you all will know what we will be using for this study.

PostPosted: Fri Aug 06, 2004 9:11 pm
by kirakira
Dropping a note like you asked. ^_^

PostPosted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 7:59 pm
by true_noir_chloe
Thanks, Kira. ^__^

PostPosted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 8:17 pm
by ShiroiHikari
stickied ^^

PostPosted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 12:43 am
by Ducky
Checking in ... I finally found the book online... now I just hope it gets here before I leave for school....

PostPosted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 2:29 pm
by true_noir_chloe
Ducky, I hope so too. ^___^

Thank you, Shiroi, for sticking this. I really appreciate it. *hug*

PostPosted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 3:19 pm
by Gypsy
I think I read somewhere that you wanted the thread title changed, ne, chloe? I did, but if I was just making stuff up, give a yell and I'll change it back. :sweat:

PostPosted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 4:16 pm
by true_noir_chloe
It looks good to me, Gypsy. :) Thank you so much for doing whatever you did. *hugs*

PostPosted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 6:36 am
by Spirit_Wolf8356
I'll do my best to join in. I'll go a-hunting for the book as soon as I can. ^_^

PostPosted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 2:19 pm
by true_noir_chloe
Great, Spirit_Wolf! *hug*

Guys I had considered not doing this study, really wondering if I am capable of leading such a thing. And then I realized Beth Moore is a woman who has been greatly blessed at teaching by God. This was a study well-written by her and God has used her greatly in women's lives. I know you all will be so blessed by this study. I am merely someone overseeing it, everything else in this study is between you and God.

^__^ I am thankful for the ones who want to participate. I pray God will bless you all. We start on the 30th and I look forward to what God will continue to show me.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 2:16 pm
by Madeline
Yay! Sounds fun. :)
I'll ask my mom if I can get the workbook...she likes buying books, anyway, so I think it should be fine. ^_^

PostPosted: Sat Aug 21, 2004 10:13 pm
by true_noir_chloe
I'm glad to have you here, Madeline. I'm sure your mom will buy you the book. ^__^

PostPosted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 4:10 pm
by Ducky
The book came two days before I left so I have it and now my computer is on my school's network so I'm all set.

PostPosted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 8:19 pm
by Kisa
Getting the workbook this weekend and ready to start Monday! Can't wait! Beth Moore is great and Chloe is an awesome Christian woman! *hugs Chloe*

ps my school network was being dumb too, but I got on today so I'm all ready! ^^

Announcement before we start the study

PostPosted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 12:03 am
by true_noir_chloe
Great, you got your book Ducky. :thumb: And, thank you so much for the kind words, Kisa. :sniffle: :hug:

Okay, I would like to know if everyone has their book because I'm going to post on Sunday night or Monday morning - depends - on what we'll need to do. I'd also like to make sure I have the list of participants correctly. This is who I have down for this Bible study so far:

1. Madeline
2. Ducky
3. KisaTohru
4. Spirit_Wolf8356
5. kirakira
6. ShiroiHikari
7. EireWolf (part-timer)
8. Mave
9. sheherazade
10. chibi_chan
11. Lynx


Please let me know if anything has changed for you guys. Also, I'd like to know who is open for IM chat and then we'll talk over the best days for you all. And, I really look forward to praying and studying God's Word with you all. :)

See you Monday. :hug:

PostPosted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 4:49 pm
by Jaltus-bot
I would totally like to join you, although I had trouble getting the book from several places so I won't have it for a little over a week.

PostPosted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 6:13 pm
by Kisa
Getting the book tomorrow!
BTW I made a little banner for the study f anyone wants to copy it out of my sig ^^, I like making little things like that >_<
Youre welcome Chloe! Its true though! *hugs*

PostPosted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 9:17 pm
by true_noir_chloe
Thanks for the sig, Kisa. *hugs* That was so great of you. ^___^

Sheherazade, I think if you get the book a bit late it will be fine. Please check in on Monday anyway, because our first lesson you won't really need the book. Although if you have it, it will help. ^_~

PostPosted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 10:36 pm
by Kisa
OK! I have several different banners you can use for the Bible study!

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Hope you like ^^

PostPosted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 11:51 am
by true_noir_chloe
Woohoo, that's a lot of sigs! Thank you so much, Kisa. ^___^ *hug*

PostPosted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 12:13 pm
by Kisa
I don't know why . . . but the Sango sig isnt working . . . *cries*
Sorry . . . T_T

PostPosted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 12:32 pm
by true_noir_chloe
The Sango one seems to be working for me.

PostPosted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 12:38 pm
by Kisa
YAY! Ok my comp is officially stupid . . . >_<

PostPosted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 1:46 pm
by Jaltus-bot
What time on Monday?

Introduction

PostPosted: Mon Aug 30, 2004 11:31 am
by true_noir_chloe
Sorry, it seems I'm posting a little late. *hehe* :sweat:

First off, I'm so thankful we're all together having this Bible study. Let's pray that God's Spirit will move in our hearts and open our minds to hear what he wants to tell us and feel His presence during this time.(please, really do pray here)

This study was a little "iffy" for me at the start. I'll explain later.

For this first week I'd like all who are interested in a chat to pm me with their AIM name so that I can invite them to a chat room. And, what I would suggest for us to do is meet at the end of the week and discuss what we've learned from God. Sharing, of course, only what you feel led to share. It should be a good time of encouragement. At the end of this I'll list three possible times and you also let me know either pm or on this thread the best times for you.

These studies, to go over the more perfunctory issue, are like any workbook. The lessons are set up so that you can do one study per day, at the top of the study you will see, Day 1, Day 2, etc... and then meet and discuss the five lessons you covered for that week.

You'll also notice the Video Response Sheets for the Group Sessions. If you like I'll give you the answers to those, but what those are is this study is designed to have a weekly Bible study with Beth Moore via her video recording. Well, I have the audio versions for this lesson, but I don't know how I can share those with you. I really wish I could since she is such an inspirational speaker.

However, we're going to do the first Video Response Sheet on page 7 today and through this week, rather than the first lessons. We'll start those next week. I think that would be best since some of you still do not have your workbook.

Before you do that let me share a story with you, please bare with me and this will possibly speak to you:

Something happened a few weeks back. I was face-to-face with my sinful nature. It made me almost cancel this Bible study. I hurt a sister in Christ - horribly - with my words. You ever do that? You say something and no amount of editing is going to erase what just went flying out of your mouth. It's like this missile, you pushed the red button, and it is not coming back. You just took out an entire city.

Words, they hurt - they damage - they destroy. But, what we'll be covering in this study is how what is in our heart guides those words. In James 3:8,9 "But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God."

Now, the poison I spewed was in my writing. I believe for us who are online it is every bit the tongue that shoots out the poison, what we write here, or through pm, or via email. It stems from what is in our heart. And my words hurt that which was made in the likeness of God - and worse, one who is a daughter of the Father like myself.

Love motivates the tongue and the words. I was very evil in my words. And suddenly I was confronted with, am I worthy to lead/guide this study? There was no love coming out of me when I wrote what I wrote. How can I do a study on love?

However, God wasn't through with me. I wanted to cancel this study and wallow in my sin. My eyes had been taken off the Lord and focused on my sin - my mistake - my evil heart. Satan loves that. He wants us to focus on our sin, staying crippled, unhealthy, and unable to do that which God has called us to do. What I did was meant for evil, but what God wanted was to turn this into something good. Why? Again, because of His love for us.

So, in the course of these three weeks until today God has been doing some major rebuilding on my heart. He was getting me ready to guide you through this wonderful study written by Beth Moore.

Let me tell you, on Thursday, of this last week, not four days ago, I was driving in my car, praying, alone with God and just sobbing. I was sobbing in my sinfulness. I must have confessed every sin I ever committed. [Insert laughter] I mean, have you ever done that? Just sobbed so hard it's like you're going to run out of water? My husband called me an hour into my drive, "Val, are you all right?" I was at the end of the drive and suddenly feeling better, "oh yeah, hon, be home soon." He knows me - its so weird. He knows when I need to be alone, and in that I have to tell you, I am so grateful for my husband. He told me, "just be careful." He knew I needed to be alone.

So, on Friday I write out another apology to the girl I hurt, my sister in the Lord, and I am very candid. I told her I didn't feel right doing the Bible study even. The weight of my sin was overwhelming - to me. But then, something happened. and you know those times when you're just sitting still and whoosh the Spirit tells you "I am here!" "I am present!" "I am your God and I love you more than anything." Whoosh, a God moment.

That happened to me all day Saturday. One after another posts or comments via email, out of nowhere people are encouraging me. Kisa's comment that she thought I was a woman of God made me bawl. I saw it on my email because it was this subscribed thread, and whoosh the God moment. And then a beautiful letter I got back from that wonderful sister in the Lord, encouragine me with total forgiveness.

"As far as the East is from the West, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." Psalm 103:12 That entire chapter spoke to me, actually, but I'll just type out this verse because in the letter she sent me she quoted this verse and I had happened to write the verse out to her as well. We were thinking the same. God is awesome, no? Whoosh, a God moment. (I'm going to be saying this a lot, so I hope you all don't get too irritated. ;) )

Then, to top it off, and this is a beautiful metaphor, because God is so good to us, I was swimming, exercising, just lounging in my pool Sunday morning. It was beautiful out and I like to swim early and I get a chance to meditate, pray and be alone surrounded by our beautiful backyard. The sky was especially blue and we happen to live on a birding highway. So, I can see some wonderful wildlife while I look up and to the skies.

I'm praying and feeling very content in the Lord. He had healed my heart, but to top it off, this was the creme de' la creme, I looked up and saw this giant Eagle flying overheard. I mean, it had a wingspan bigger than our local Peregrine Falcons or Red-Tailed Hawks. A giant EAGLE! :wow!: I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, it shut me up. Do you see the metaphor? I had been looking at myself, and I looked up and there was the eagle. It was God telling me to look up - LOOK UP. Whoosh, the God moment.;)

"Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; They will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:31.

I saw that verse in an entirely new light. I had been pretty weary. He never left my side. And now, I'm ready for this study. And as you can see, I'm ready to just rant and rant on this study. :lol:

Don't worry, I won't write this much later on. I just had to share that with you all right now. This version was severely cut down from what I did have. If you ask some of my friends here, like EireWolf and Mave, whom I regularly email, they can vouche for the fact I do go on and on and on with my stories. :sweat:

I will write another post with your assignment for the week. *hehe* Thought this was it, didn't you? ;)

Lesson for Week One

PostPosted: Mon Aug 30, 2004 11:48 am
by true_noir_chloe
This week I only want you to write a letter.

"And the Father who sent Me, He has borne witness of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. And you do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. You search the Scripture, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life." John 5:37-40

Let me tell you this, this study is not just you filling your head with information. You need the Spirit indwelling in the heart - not just filling in the blanks on the page. On Page 7 of the workbook there is an Introductory Group Session. I will write it out for those who do not have the workbooks yet. At the top is a question:

Read John 1:35-51

1. Let's sense Christ asking us the same question: " your name , My child, what do you want? What are you seeking here and now in this particular season of your life?

I want you to write a letter and answer this question. What is your deepest, truest, heart's desire? at this particular season in your life? Some of you are in college, some like my daughter and Madeline are barely entering teen years, but for you, each one of you, what do you want - what do you seek from this lesson, and from God at this particular time/season of your life?

Write out this letter and then seal it in an envelope. You place that letter in an envelope and DO NOT open it until the end of this study in 12 weeks. At the end of the study, and only then, do I want you to open that letter.

You then take the enclosed letter and put it in the back of your workbook. It will be there for the remainder of the study until we finish.

That's all for this week and then we'll figure out when to chat.

Here are my times:

Anytime Saturday, later after noon would be best, after 3 p.m.
Friday evening around 8 CST
Sunday afternoon, around 3 p.m. CST again

Okay, pm me with your AIM name and then we'll set a time this week.

Thank you all for reading my long story and for participating in this study. May the Lord bless us all and may we all have - whoosh, a God moment.;)
:hug:

PostPosted: Mon Aug 30, 2004 7:52 pm
by Madeline
I'm so sorry I couldn't be here tonight...:(
My mom had to go to a meeting and I needed to watch my sister tonight.
We doodled and sang and had some fun...
Mum didn't like the siggy I made her, so I re-did that too...
I still haven't got the book, I haven't gotten much of a chance to bring it up. Mom's had a really tough day today, so I don't think this is the time to ask her for something...

PostPosted: Mon Aug 30, 2004 8:00 pm
by true_noir_chloe
It's okay, Madeline. ^__^ You don't need the book this week; just read the stuff I wrote and then write a letter according to my explanation on this page. Starting next week you'll need it. And, I'll write your mom an email and we'll talk about it. ~_^

PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 8:25 am
by Lynx
hey guys, my chem rec class is mondays from 6-8... the only time i'll have monday's free is next week cuz of the holiday, so hopefully i'll be able to participate then... i'm really sorry :(

PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 9:51 am
by true_noir_chloe
Hi Lynx, *bonks head* I knew I was forgetting to add someone to our list. I am soooo very sorry. I will go add your name now. And, this is not a study that only happens on Monday, so it's all right. I just wrote you a long pm about how the Bible study works.

You can check on this thread anytime, not just Monday. You do your lesson at home - in the workbook, Day 1, Day 2, etc..., for each day of the week, i.e. Mon., Tues., and on... until the weekend when we'll have a chat. The chat is only a time to share and encourage. It's a time for questions and uplifting. So it is not something you have to take part in to get anything in this study, but like in a real, physical Bible study, it's nice to have a discussion time at the end of the week and encourage one another in the Lord.

Okay, I will talk to you all later.

Lynx, please let me know out of the time on the Lesson for Week One, which is best for you on chat. Here they are again:

Anytime Saturday, later after noon would be best, after 3 p.m.
Friday evening around 8 CST
Sunday afternoon, around 3 p.m. CST again

Nice having you here. ^____^