Siesta Summer Bible Study Gathering #2
O Happy Day, Dear Summer Siesta Bible Study Group! Hopefully you’ll grab ten or so minutes to watch the video greeting. If you have Internet access at your group gathering and can watch it together, that’s even better. I always want to put your discussion instructions in print, however, so that you don’t have to take dictation from my fast talking. REMEMBER, PLEASE DON’T RESPOND TO THIS POST UNTIL AFTER YOUR GATHERING. ALL COMMENTS ARE MEANT TO FOLLOW YOUR TUESDAY MEETINGS AS OUR (YOUR AND MY) WAY OF DISCUSSION AND INTERACTION. Thanks so much for your cooperation because this approach is a must to make the most of our Bible study blog experience. It needs organization to work effectively on such a wide scale. OK, young ladies, here goes!
1. Based on Week One, discuss what a functional god is and how an idol has functioned for you. In other words, what made it work?
The remaining three are based on Week Two:
2. Turn to p.39 of your workbook. Kelly had us read 1 Peter 2:9-12 and reminded us that we were meant to be peculiar people. Reread her words.
Now, in class today do an acrostic of the word "peculiar" based on various ways Christ has set us apart. In other words, come up with one word that begins with a "p," then another that begins with an "e," "c," and so on.
3. Turn to p. 41. Recall our reading out of Genesis 21:1-6. Listen to verse 6. I especially love the New English Translation: "God has made me laugh." Share something today with the group that God has done for you that brought you such joy or such a turnaround that it was laughable.
4. Lastly, turn to p. 49 for what I thought was one of the most powerful moments of the entire second week. Kelly said "Fear protects our idols"! How? Discuss that!
I hope that’s some good stuff for your Tuesday discussions. I am so glad we are studying together! You are one of my favorite classes EVER! Let me know (briefly so we can read them all!) how it goes! I love you so, so much. No kidding. You’ve become an important part of my life and this ministry. The whole LPM staff has gotten on board in serving you now. Study on, Siestas!
Labels: Summer Bible Study
posted by Amanda @ 7:59 PM
263 Comments
263 Comments:
The Journey Continues ~
Loving the Study!
Food is awesome and the atmosphere is breathtaking. I am sitting here overlooking the Pacific Ocean with all the critters around.
GOD BLESS YOU AND KELLY MINTER!
With "Heaven Bound" blessings,
Kim Safina
http://www.kimsafinathejourneycontinues.blogspot.com
Well, I am sad to say that the Winnipeg group will not be able to continue with this study as we still do not have our books. :(
Plan B is that we will be watching some of the "Wising Up" DVDs that I just happen to have and have not watched yet. So we will get a bit of summer Bible study and some of Beth's teaching. We just won't get to be part of this amazing online event. Maybe next time (hint, hint).
Oh my gracious! I just love Bible study and I certainly love being called a "young lady!!" Thanks, Beth!
Also - ALL YOU SIESTAS WHO ARE PLANNING TO GO TO THE TAPING IN NEW ORLEANS in November: Our dear Siesta, Cindy, has started a blogspot to help coordinate those of us planning to be in New Orleans who'd like to get together. Please visit her at:
http://siesta-n-neworleans.blogspot.com/.
Let's have some fun!!
Warm in Alaska.
I have a question about something that Beth said on the video...I think I heard her say, that there is a Forum for solos on Lifeway..how do I get to that? i tried to find it, but was unable..Thanks...and this Blog Bible Study is really cool
Love you guys bunches!
Delilah
Dear, Dear Beth~
Can I just tell you that I loved this update right to the very last second. Thank you for caring for our hearts, for our spiritual nourishment, and for our emotional needs too. I laughed OUT LOUD so much through your "tips" that my sweet, darling prince had to stop what he was doing to find out why I was laughing so hard.
Thank you, my dear siesta, Beth. You gave me a much-needed guffaw tonight when I was feeling so lonely and alone after not getting to go to Deeper Still this past weekend. I felt like you were talking right to me tonight, and I needed the words you spoke. Sure do appreciate you!
Hi girls,
The group from Kyrgyzstan I am sad to say had to stop the study. I have lost all my ladies--they have left the country, and our books did not make it in time. I am looking forward to doing the study at another time. I have to say I bawled my eyes out watching the video! Loneliness is often the case on the field, but didn't realize I was struggling with it so much. So, for now God has called me to only be with Him--so I am looking forward to where we will go together. But pray for me--I realize that I don't really like the feelings of where He has called me to be. I realize that I have made home an idol--like a friend wrote--anything you can't stop thinking of is an idol. I must persevere in what God has for me at this time. But I will continue to stay in His Word!! And you guys have the coolest stories to read!!
I'm just loving this study. I'm going solo, but am blessed to be in the solo forums.
Whatever we fear is our god -- wow? So fear of failure? fear of success? fear of lonliness? fear of not being liked? fear of being different? What does it matter if I fail? succeed? am not liked (have some trouble with that one)? am different? Because I'm giving over total control to the Lord. The fear of BLANK is no longer keeping me in bondage, I'm free.
The last thing the enemy wants is one FREE, BELIEVING GOD, Praise-shouting, happy dancing (and yep, even us baptists can dance), Victory proclaiming, Word Devoted, on her knees praying, former pit dwelling, redeemed and beloved Princess of the King. And that's what I desire to be!
I am trying to watch the video but I only get about 42 seconds of it and it is cutting off. I was wondering if anyone else is having this problem?
Never mind!! I am being blonder than I pay to be. I was able to view it!! I will be back this evening with an update from our group!!
Again, just what I needed to begin my day. This study is taking me to the depths and in order to go there -pain is required. I am reaching down and really dissecting my soul and the functional gods I keep. I came up for air during my morning quiet time and clicked on the blog. There was our leader ready to teach. I was listening and writing down the questions for reflection (that I realize will take me even deeper)and satisfaction was setting in about the teaching when what do you know - we get BONUS advice on my favorit subject - rock bottom, cheap clothing deals! My 8 year old chimed up from the couch," Mom are you listening to that famous, crazy lady who loves Jesus?" and all I could say with a huge grin on my face was, "yes, Alec it is her!" God is about the deep life changing pain but also about the laughter! Thank you Beth for taking us to both places!
I'm solo & doing good - learning much! Day 4/Week 2 spoke to me the most-(Exodus 12:35-36). The very thing God did for me that made me laugh with joy is the thing I've allowed to become an idol. I'm praising Him for bringing me clarity in this! The weight of this heavy idol is easing a little from my shoulders already & as my head slowly lifts, I am glimpsing the Light again.
Praise God for the power of His Word & the patience of His heart!
Laughed til my sides hurt! Dear Miss Beth, it is a joy to journey with you and Living Proof. We surely must laugh more- especially at ourselves. So...tape that shirt, parade those leggings inside out and by all means, have a big, bad hair day! All for the love of Jesus! Glory. Havin a blast with the One True God, Kim in Pa
Beth,
I love the bible study, but can we just meet and shop?!?!
You are so funny! I'm in tears!
love ya, ann
take a small candle and rub it on the zipper all the way up and down (This will help you get out of your top...LOL---my grandma taught me this.)
love the video. love summer sales. ihave been to Sam Moon love that store. i am not doing the bible study for the summer but i read the blg everyday. i will be doing the palms of accent in the fall. can't wait for that.Keep cool and always keep your toenails painted in the summer for your sandals. :)
love ya, Jeanette from Mississippi
Beth,
Here is an idea for doing this study. I couldn't get the workbook in time to start and I am also in the middle of doing one of Priscilla's studies with my Sunday School class. I don't think I can handle two workbook studies at once. Since I still wanted to be a part of this, I bought the book by Kelly - "No Other Gods" and am reading it and using it as a jump off place from my daily devotions. I will use your questions and words from my devotional study time. I letting the Lord lead me to the place in His word and it has been very powerful.
Thanks,
Karen Milligan
The Journey Continues ~
ALSO KNOWN AS THE NEW CLASS DUNCE!
:)
Your comment told us:
"Please Don't Respond to post until after gathering."
I guess I am the DUNCE of the entire summer bible study class!
I have been in this position before ~ LOL * in the front of the class staring back at everyone and not being able to do anything about it!!!! haaaahhaaa~
I was mortified and then laughing out loud as my photo & post was the only one on the site after you had told us NOT to respond!
I owe my teacher's and Siesta's an explanation.
* I study No Other God's early because I am doing the bible study with a woman in Oslo, Norway. She is a bio physicist and professor and works long hours. so, we study as soon as you put up the information.
I wanted to be able to get the study time in with everyone else, but distance sometimes changes that. I will wait from now on and send in the answers and our study time at a later date.
WILL YOU FORGIVE ME AND ACCEPT MY APOLOGY FOR NOT OBEYING OUR TEACHER??????
Here are our answers to the study for weeks 1 & 2.
* Since I am the dunce of the class, May I answer #3 question first?
Question #3
( How has God brought me such joy)
answer
I laughed out loud so hard after getting through the embarrassment of knowing that Beth, Amanda, Melissa ,Kelly ( if you are reading this)all my siesta's, have now viewed that I COULDN'T TAKE DIRECTION FROM THE LEADER! Well, I realized that I am like all the apostles~ God gives us the rules and then we go and mess them up by doing it our way!
However, I did have an answer for the question.
Question # 1
A professed God is who or what we say our god is; a functional god is who or what actually operates as our god.
Question # 2
P = PROTECTOR
E= ETERNAL LIFE
C= COMPASSION
U= UNITY
L= LOVE
I= INTEGRITY
A= AUTHORITY
R= REDEMPTION
Question #4
How is it fear continues to protect our idol.
Whatever we fear is our god.
Fear itself is not the god; the object of our fear is the god.
Thanks for the great outreach that is traveling all over the world! GODSPEED!
* Check out the Beth Moore studies I have done on my blogspot!
With "Heaven Bound" blessings,
Kim Safina
http://www.kimsafinathejourneycontinues.blogspot.com
We had 6 of our 8 ladies this morning.
We started out with The Power of Your Love singing with Travis Cottrell.
We had starbucks coffee and raspberry coffee cake and cinnamon raisin swirl peanut butter with 7 grain crackers.
We had an awesome time. God is showing us idols in our lives and how fear plays a part in that.
We had a great prayer time together.
Thanks Beth
You are just too funny with your helpful hints, we love them
the Siestas from New Hampshire and Vermont
Siestamama Beth, just wanted to say that you well and truly had me in painful stitches of laughter when you were giving the Helpful Hints on the summer sales... "Let's get our cheap drastic prices!" oh, my.. my stomach is still hurtin' from all the giggles!!!
can't wait to get together with my wonderful partner-in-study Nicole ! We shall duly report on the assignments you just gave us!
maria cristina!
I am looking for LaVonda.
I left a message yesterday about my daughter possibly having another miscarriage and LaVonda sent me a wonderful message and after reading it I had the most calm feeling last night and this morning.
I need her to know that at the doctor appt. this morning, the Dr. was ready to schedule the D & C and lo and behold the baby is fine, developing right on schedule, plenty of fluid and the mommy is great! I know that God placed his hand on that child and mother and took care of everything!
LaVonda, please contact me if you don't care to at dbrewer14@hotmail.com so I can thank you personally for such a wonderful message!
Hey - DigiNee here - was I ever freaked out when I saw the video! Burst into tears . . .
OK - Digi as in digital (I am a photographer!) and 'Nee as in Renee (nay) -----
After the tears, laughed my head off (the dog was so looking at me funny) - the leggin's inside out - what a hoot!
Peace Siestas - DigiNee (Renee)
Going solo on No Other Gods. Week two got me. I discovered that I am afraid I will not be comforted and that is why I keep turning to food for comfort. Fear keeps me from letting go of a life long source of comfort...how will I feel full and satisfied?
I know the answer to that. I know it is my Father. But as I said, this is a lifelong habit and will take a mighty strong fight to overcome.
(interestingly, I just mistyped the word fight several times, first fright, then flight...either way...it won't be easy)
Greetings from Panama City, Florida. 5 of us moms met this morning and it was great. We even called in some sweet teenage girls to watch our children so we could really get through one thought without interruption.
Although we only got to questions 1 and 3 - it was perfect. Tears, laughter and much praise was the tone in the room. Our biggest functional gods seem to be food and our husbands -- we realize both are good, but not when we elevate them higher than God - capital G!
I'm doing the study with 6 other women by e-mail from all over the country.
I think the thing that really touched me, besides pg. 49 "...how fewar is the agent hired by our idols to keep us attached..." were the verses listed on pg. 50.
I really needed to read those today and they gave me such peace.
BTW, I love Sam Moon. When I visit my sister in the Plano, TX area we always go there to shop. The jewelry is really inexpensive and so unique.
It's been known to fall apart on me too, but, hey....it's "cheap."
Love you Beth!
Valerie
Fishing Siesta checking in...
I know you are praying for my neighbor....we'll call her (Siesta Su)-KEEP ON!!!
Through undone homework and someone as quiet as a mouse we finally got somewhere around the homemade pizza table. GLORY!
Again, the VIDEO is important, she actually giggles in relief when I explain you are joking and you are being funny at the end. Yet you demand homework and it's not the crazy neighbor lady she's getting to know (me).
I didn't make the pound cake- as I walked into the Grocery store this morning at 8:00am would you believe...POUND CAKE 2 for $4! Gracious God...He knew I needed the relief. I wanted the heavenly smell in my kitchen, but guess what.....I have a showing for my home at 4:30...clean kitchen way more important!!
You asked for creativity... I never imagined...
3 sudanese little girls and a practical single mom in this humbled servant's home that is
"supposed" to have a sold home this Summer.
P R A Y E R WARRIORS ... PRAY.... PRAY>>> KEEP It UP... LOVE Ya!
I Feel the support!
WOW! What a wonderful morning outside by the pool... birds singing, our children laughing and playing in the water, while we sat at a corner table under an umbrella, lauging and praying and doing our Bible Study together! (oh, and eating)
Here is our acrostic about how we are set apart in Christ and are a peculiar people: (we enjoyed getting in His word to back up why we are so peculiar)
P - Peace
John 14:21 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid"
E - Encouragement
Hebrews 10:25 "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"
C - Chosen
1 Peter 2:9 "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness and into His wonderful light"
U - Useful
2 Timothy 2:19-21 "...The Lord knows those who are His, and everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness... If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work"
L - Loved/Love
Colossians 3:12-14 "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity"
I - Identity
Psalm 23 and Psalm 91 are two of a hundred scriptures showing where we can find our identity in Christ, rather than in this world. (These related especially to that danged fear, which as Kelly points out so well, protects and supports our idols. If we could just let go of those fears whatever they may be, about our issues/idols, the idols would crumble. Our security should tangibly be in God, who HE is, what HE can do - then we would have no fear!)
A - Accepted
Romans 15:7 "Accept one another, just as Christ accepts you, in order to bring praise to God"
R - Ransomed
Hebrews 9:15 "...Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance - now that He has died as a ransom to set them free from their sins..."
We all three agreed today, that if we would start memorizing more scripture, and have it readily available in our minds and hearts, our idols, and the fears that support them, would not be so daunting. Our identity is in Christ, and not in our circumstances and surroundings. We're really learning alot about ourselves through this study, and yes, getting a tan too! (we were sure to put sunscreen on our NECKS, thank you Siesta Mama!)
much love,
Lavonda
Marietta, Ga
I'm going solo on this, and I really wanted to share what God is revealing to me through this study. The biggest idol I'm dealing with right now is what other think of me - gaining the approval of others. When I really thought and prayed about fear keeping my idol around, I realized it was true. I want the approval of other people because it makes me feel good about myself. If I get rid of that idol and say that what others say about me is not important, then I am also saying that the good things they say are not important. That's a little scary when I'm realizing so much of my self worth is based on the opinions of others. However, God is revealing to me how binding this idol is and how I need to find my worth and value in Him and in Him alone. I'm slowing beginning to see why I need to release my idol, and how I can replace it with freedom in Christ. Thank you so much to all of you at LPM for doing this summer bible study for us! I can't wait to complete the rest of the weeks and see what God will reveal to me!
Just a few thoughts: Functional gods work for us but can be devastating when they don't deliver the goods. Only God is the true Deliverer.
With Kelly, I want to be so strange and peculiar that people think I'm from another world. Lord, hear my prayer.
God made me LOL when my 24 year old daughter was on a downward spiral headed to rock bottom, (wasn't laughing about that), and then she turned up pregnant. She is now the most loving and most responsible mom I know to my precious new granddaughter!
If I can stop being afraid of not getting what my idol delivers...I won't need my idol anymore. Yes and Amen, Siestas!!
TO clarify: how far should we read for the next session in two weeks? I thought we were only supposed to do the first week by today and noticed that there's discussion ?'s for week 2 as well.
Thanks.
Karen
You are so funny... OK, #1. The answer for me is when I'm good at it... My kid's are good at sports and I'm a great coaches wife, team mom, scorekeeper etc. I get on the boards of the sport they are in and I can do it with one hand tied behind my back. Then I look up and realize I have let it consume me...
Price
Escaped
Characteristics
Unashamed
Lineage
Irreplacable
Adoption
Remembered
#3 We always buy stuff used. We bought our motorhome for $1,500.00It is very old, but everything works pretty good. After we bought it we had to do some major cleaning and ripping out of nasty carpet etc... One day as I sat outside scrubbing the inside of a very nasty refridgerator, I was feeling sorry for myself and asked God "Why do we always have to get stuff thats crap"? (sorry about the "c" word) and I could hear Him say loud as day "Well Judy, what do you think you were when I first got you"? I sat there stunned for a minute and then I started laughing... I laughed so hard I started crying and pretty soon I was thinking of how grateful I was, and how true it was. I don't complain much anymore!
As for #4... Fear is the padding around the hideous things I've created - they sure arn't as nice and shiny as a golden calf that's for certian!
Loving you all,
Judy
Abilene, TX: The Sassy, Sexy Siestas
1. Our fears make the functional gods work
2.Placed us at His right hand
Elevate into Heavenlies
Cross, crucified with Him
Unified as the Body
Loved by Him
Identified us as His own
Acknowledged us as His children
Redeemed us from curse of sin and death
3. Our 'Isaacs' God-timing situations, our children, time for soaking prayer and listening to Him reveal Himself to us in joy
4. We decided Fear is the root of most of our deepest needs--idols--gods. We believe that this knowledge is the first step to our deliverance and freedom
PS We're a meal behind. Had the black beans/rice, caprese salad, and pound cake. Please read at www.stringsunlimited.blogspot.com It explains some of what is going on with our leader's family at this time. Thanks for the prayers.
I am stinkin LOVING this study!!! Thanks for all of your wonderful summer tips as well :)
Love,
Janel
St.Louis, Missouri
So am I understanding that we are to just discuss the questions as assigned/suggested by Beth and not worry about the discussion guide in the back of the book? I suppose we could both if time allows.
dear "anonymous" siesta in Kyrgystan -- PLEASE go to my blog www.pleaforgrace.com and contact me! My dear daughter was deployed there for 5-6 months with the AK ANG and maybe I can put the two of you together! Either way, I'd love to be a "mama pen pal" to ease those lonliness blues.
love you (Amanda, can you help us out, please??)
Bev in OR
Hey, there's no need to post this. Just wanted to let ya'll know that my friend and I weren't able to submit our video through Senduit.com, so I just emailed the senduit video # to blog@lproof.org, along with a link to it on You Tube. Don't know if I'm supposed to receive a confirmation email or not. It's titled "Siesta Verse" on www.youtube.com just in case. Thanks
Sam*
samanthafisicaro@yahoo.com
Our little group of three came together this morning with bagels and coffee and Beth on the computer at Panera Bread in Rochester Hills, MI. Great time discussing the questions and our acrostic is:
Patient
Encourage
Compassionate
Understanding
Lovely
Indebted
Alien
Redeemed
I have made a Bible Study Notes page on my blog where I am embedding Beth's videos there...can't have too many Beths all over the internet.
love from Siestas Jill, Tracey, and Susan
Wow, this is a powerful study - really makes us think.
Our group met this morning and I was amazed because my 11 year old daughter just could not stop sharing. We even did the Bible study together, but some of her insights into her own fears were heart-wrenching. I didn't know she was struggling so. Please keep her in your prayers.
We had fun answering the questions and such a great time sharing about miracles in our lives that have brought us joy. Yes, miracles do happen!
We wrote our acrostic together as a group. Here it is:
Possessed by God
Eternal life in Him
Chosen to be His own
United in Christ
Living set apart
Insatiably longing for Him
A perfect Bride
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
God bless all of you Siestas and Mama Beth - my daugher says - "you rock!"
Four ladies. Breakfast pizza (awesome!)and your wonderfully delicious pound cake with some strawberries.
We chatted lots. Shared lots of personal stories. And we keep trying to pin down exactly what/who our idols are. We discussed why our idols work for us. Mostly, we agreed they fulfilled our need to feel like we have it all together and they just plain stroke our egos and give us the security we crave.
One lady stayed a while after everyone left. Although I know her, I haven't really ever gotten the chance to "know" her heart. Until today. She shared some things she's feeling lately. The need for Godly friends, discipline with her time with God, and all this "stuff" filling our day, but not much meaningful going on. It sounds just like what I've been feeling lately. We're like kindred spirits. With my husband being military, I'm used to my friends always being far away. But I really miss not having "girlfriends." I can see God really answering that pray of mine with these ladies.
I finally figured out how to get to my blogger ID! I am Marci from Scappoose. I am meeting with a friend and our two 11 year old daughters. I already posted our results from today, but now I am excited that I get to show up as a real person! Henceforth I shall be known as Marci Jo. :)
Am doing the study solo, but am still enjoying it immensely. I'm not getting to do the food, however, maybe I'll try the recipes at another time. Thanks, Beth, for your devotion and enthusiasm. I have been doing the study Jesus the One and Only having downloaded the sessions. It's a marvelous study.
Winette
Yucaipa, CA
Thank you Beth for the LEGGING INSIDE OUT BIG TOP SUMMER BARGAIN WARNING!!!!! Okay tears streaming down my face while I sit here at my office. I am doing this solo and without a book I might add. I am also a part of a group orchestrated by a Pastor's wife from RI... Hi Valerie!!!! We are all suffering from loss of book but certainly not lack of WORSHIP. (Worhship and Friendship HOW AWESOME) Now thanks to your video Beth....I can honestly answer your first question better. I have found yet another functional god that has been hidden til now... FAME!!!!! I sat listening to your talk about 3girlsmom in Alabama and thought I'm in Alabama talk about me me me. Then you flashed Diginee and I thought oh if I only had a shorter more clever name you would talk about me me me!!! Could it be that my desire to be noticed is a bit unhealthy!!! YEP!!! Okay so to add insult to injury not only was I horrified about this "me" syndrome I cleary can't get past, I had to do the math and figure out how I could metatag to get more views on my blog.....YIKES. I want friends, I want to help, I want to win souls but its just not all about ME is it!!
In keeping with the group discussion question (and to make a short story long) I must add that I had an interesting conversation with a gentleman today discussing Network Marketing. Me Me Me again...yikes Anyway I was asking what he felt the best best way to get anyone to buy anything in this day and age is.. Use what he called the "Fear Factor" Scare em to death he said. I was struck dumb and also in complete agreement. Fear, Greed and Vanity are the best ways to get humans to buy anything. As he put it so well... says a lot about where our society is... YEP RIGHT ON THE ROAD TO RAPTURE (and none to soon I might add).
Love ya Beth.....and thanks for this it is wonderful.
May I also add the following:
Promised
Everlasting
Compassion
Under
Lifes
Inconsistencies
And
Ridicule
Beth,
I am saddened that the Winnipeg group won't be able to continue with the study, at the Lifeway I work at we still have over 50 copy's... Please call our Lifeway store at 502-491-4589, they can get them out and to them as soon as possible.... I sure hope that call and get them...
YOu are all in my prayers...
Connie
GBU
I started solo but am now "meeting" with 2 online groups, KY. Siestas and Siestas for Him. This is from someone who took typing in 1970. Recently I have even "chatted" in the Siestas for Him Chat Room. I love this study, especially Beth's videos. My big highlight of the study though came last night when a fellow siesta for Him told me that God had used me to speak to her. That gave me chills.Our God is Awesome and so are our SIESTAS
We started our group (2 of us) by watching the video and had a good laugh at your summer tips!
We don't want to leave a long comment so we'll just share our 'peculiar'.
P= pardoned
E= Eternal life
C= chosen
U= unshackled
L= loved
I= intimate
A= Abba Father
R= redeemed
See you in 2 weeks!
The West Millen Group
Millen, Ga
Family friends came in on Saturday with a total of 10 people to stay at my house. Seven of them were "man-child's" 16 yrs. -22 yrs. old. Plus two more of my own "man-child's". That makes 8 man-child's.... Needless to say I didn't get much time in the word because I was a servant...literally....Fun at times, not so fun at other times but as I poured the O.J. in the morning I prayed that I would spill Jesus out on them. This is the thing...my idol is comfort. Needless to say I lost all of my comfort this week. Totally out of my comfort zone because I had everyone needing me and I couldn't get to my little idol and get comfortable....God's timing is perfect and my agent of fear....it was right there also...each morning my husband would say that he was going to wake up the boys so they could get their day started...now that put the fear right smack in me....
So this siesta is rejoicing that the 15 passenger van headed out this morning! A little teary but thankful! Thanks for the video....it was just what I needed.
Lovin' this study and love you Beth!
Enjoying Grace in Florida!
Okay. I just have to comment about the amazing strength to keep a straight face when giving your helpful hints on cheap clothes. I am still laughing. You crack me up!!! Thanks for making me laugh hard today.
Am going solo. Sanity time.
Will keep in touch on the blog. Am an idiot when it comes to computers, but am learning. It is so much fun to know there are others out there. Not the only "crazy lady that loves Jesus."
All of the ladies with whomI had Bible study, have gone, are sick or just too busy. It is nice to know there are others out there where I can get my "Jesus fix." Thanks soooo much.
Sharon Chalk Hill, Pa.
We're a week behind cause we got our books late. The neighbor gal pals of 8 years gathered and am proud to say we did some great 'sharpening'. Each of us were very honest and vulnerable. We prayed for God to show up in specific areas this week as we are obedient to knock down those idols we've held on to. The dinner was delicious and I just finished another helping of the dessert!
Feel the Zeel - in Zeeland Michigan:)
I just got home from my study (fed my husband) and headed to my computer to let you know - loving it! We had great discussion this afternoon/evening. Thank you for the great prompts. Our eyes are being opened to how many idols are hiding on our high places!!
AND the pound cake was excellent!!
Let's all keep "nogging",
Pat S.
Lago Vista, TX (Austin)
Hey Spiritual Mom Beth,
The pizza was fun to make and even more fun to eat, and the the girls have just left!:) Here's our discussion notes from the ques.:
1) pain-free life, finances, pleasure or comfort, husbands
2)P-priesthood,E-evangelist,C-compassion and care,U-unified,L-loving,I-inheritance,A-adorned, armed for battle,R-redeemed
3) my rela. with my step-mom, a financial problem provided for, a specific prayer answered the same day it was prayed for
4) This one was more personal: the fear of not measuring up (comparing self to others) and the fear of being assaulted/victimized again. We had trouble pin-pointed the god the fear guarded though-maybe they all fell under pain-free life? Or the security of "success" when comparing self to others? It is a deep question we will have to pray about more
The girls loved your video, made them laugh:) Bless your sweet heart Beth! This study is helping us face the hard questions-it's encouraging to know that we can work things out-issues that have kept us from all God has for us-together and by praying for each other-these things are essential heart questions for healing and making HIM our One and Only as you would say...:)
Love in CHRIST,
katiegfromtennessee
Here is the acrostic from the Tennessee Eight:
Patient
Endurance
Confident
Understanding
Light
Insightful
Attractive
Righteous
We are lovin' this Bible study!
laughing my head off earley this morning but I didnt answer.I needed that I loved the end .Oh & so did I the dog.ok I am doing my home wok & will get to the people that were doing it own a blog. God bless love siesta in Christ Victoria Reidsville NC ps in 3 days it will be a year I lost my frist dog(July 4th)Its all so my sis B day so we will celebrate & be alittle sad to.God bless you all Have a great 4th take care.love ye all.
I am doing this study alone, but God is speaking. I am also doing "Breaking Free" slowly in addition to this. I find it interesting that I feel as I identify the "what and why" of my idols I will move toward "breaking free" of those idols and all the difficulties that come with them. This was a great idea; I love the recipes.
:-)Blessings, Amanda Gattis
Purchased us
Eternal life
Chosen us
Unified us with other believers
Loves us and we love each other
Identity in Christ
Attitude for Christ
Relationship with Christ
Our acrostic.
Loving the study- a great time for the "older" who have learned the hard way to mentor the "younger".
Your Boston Siestas!
Watching the video is kind of like a bad car accident, you know you shouldn't gawk, and yet...somehow, you can't keep yourself from "rubbernecking"...ok...I'm teasing! Doesn't it fell awesome to lighten up a bit for the summer? I bet Jesus is just loving this, cause as we lighten up together, He is still exalted...YEAH!!!
The Georgia girls have met, ate, studied and conquered. We were a smaller crowd than before, but I'm trusting that God has who he wants there when he wants them there (we still had 7).
We all can't wait until Friday for the announcement.
We're enjoying the study, very meaty stuff to think about and discuss.
Thanks so much for facilitating it for us, we really enjoy watching your video.
Shana
Dalton, Ga
Beth-
Our group for the first time tonight and the very cool thing is that when I say we met for the first time, I mean we MET for the FIRST time! We found each other on the blog and decided since we were all "solos" and lived in the same city, we were just going to have to make our very own group!
It was a great time! Stefanie hosted and made a delicious dinner, Katrina brough yummy cookies and I made Melissa's queso. (We have a 4th member, Kasey, who will join us later as her schedule allows).
God had spoken to each of us through Kelly's study (ouch and amen!!) and we loved getting to know each other.
Anyway, wanted to let you know you brought some siestas together in Colorado Springs. Thanks for facilitating this study and making a way for us to connect with each other.
Pure as snow
Edified by the body
Chosen people
Unified in Christ
Life eternal
I ...can't remember, oops!
Adored
Righteous
God Bless,
Beverly
We had a great second study. It's good siesta time (by blood and by faith!).
We were most impacted by the "fear" discussion. Just realizing how much it motivates us... Hopefully I will catch myself when fear is driving me to my idols.
My sister Emily said she was also impacted by Beth's helpful hints-- especially about the summer shopping. :)
We love doing this study with y'all!
Amy & Emily
Our small study in Fort Worth had big revelations over the last two weeks! We identified our functional Gods and shared in Praise for how liberting it has been to attack them with the full force of the Holy Spirit in us!! We realized that we are giving too much attention to T.V., ourselves, and the approval of others. These idols are off their pedestal and on the ground waiting for the foot to lay the "smack down!" We just long for our Lord and to know him so deeply that we can't even audibly express it. Keep going siestas! This is a good one...
We had 8 ladies again at my home tonight, ate yummy enchiladas, salad and dessert, and had meaningful discussion. My favorite part was everyone's responses to how we are "peculiar". Here are a few:
P promise, patient, princess
E eager, evolves, enlighten
C courage, Christ-like, cross
U unique, unconditional, unworthy
L loving to "unlovable"
I identity, invitation
A accepted
R rejoicing, rewarded
Beth, I love that you are, as Alec calls you,"that famous, crazy lady who loves Jesus." So true! :-)
And Kim, don't even worry about it; we love ya!!
Allyson
My girlies just went home and it was a great discussion! The most amazing thing tonight was the realization that we all struggled with the same, main underlying idol. That "fear" comment on the last day of week 2 was monumental for all of us and helped us strip away the last layers of the onion to reveal the ugly idol at the core. Maybe now, FINALLY, we can all lay it down for good!
Here is our acrostic:
P - Peaceful
E - Everlasting
C - Clean
U - Unique
L - Loved
I - Included
A - Amazed
R - Redeemed
Recipes were De-lish...Man, but we LOVE doing this!
Beckham is a beauty!
Beth and fellow LPM Siesta's,
This study is so GREAT!! and convicting, and mind blowing and life revealing and I could go on and on :) !!
When you first posted about this summer study God really spoke to my heart and told me that this was something He wanted me to do. And then when I read what you said about thinking outside the box on inviting ladies to the study, well that was straight from the heart of God, because as soon as I read that He started telling me the ladies to invite. I was scared but obedient. And God is soooooo good!! Everyone of them said they'd come except for one (she had to work), but then on our first day of study, she was there as well.
Well, today all 7 ladies (including me) were here and ready with studies in hand and a smile on their face. As we started our study time you could tell God was doing a work. I knew as we were talking that one of the ladies was not really understanding and then God started showing me what was going on and I just prayed He'd give me the words He wanted me to say. He worked through all of the ladies there today, and this young mom who wasn't even going to be able to come originally (and who is moving back to California in a week) gave her heart to Jesus!! Oh Hallelujah I can bearly contain myself as I type this!!! She walked in my house today lost and she left saved and going to Heaven!! Hallelujah!!!
What an awesome God we serve!!
Praising Him!!!
Dawn
I think I forgot to include my acrostic in my previous post.
Purchased
Eternal
Called
Undeserving
Lightbearer
Integrity
Appointed
Redeemed
Hi Beth and team!
Just wanted to share our group's acrostic (what is that word? I'm not an English major or even minor for that matter, so I had to think hard on that one :) ) for PECULIAR. We had some great discussions tonight and can't wait to meet again soon!
P = PURE
E = ETERNAL HOPE
C = COMPASSIONATE
U = UNITED
L = LIBERATED (and LOVED)
I = INSEPARABLE FROM GOD
A = ABLE
R = RIGHTEOUS (and RESCUED)
Signing off from Hebron, KY...........
Oh Bethie, AJ, Melissa and ALL!
I'm going to try to keep this short so I will give you the highlights...
Most of us are dealing with idols and fears related to acceptance and isolation --- we had great discussion about how it is working against our desire to be sold out to Him.
Amazing - 7 anonymous cybersisters from all over the US fell into almost exclusively two categories.
I loved this acrostic shared tonight:
People
Exhorting
Christ
Until
Lives
Involve
Another
Reality
It was shared by our "siesta" - AKA "K" and I loved the way she used one word and made a statement about who we are in Christ! Love it!
I'm so excited - Over at the Lifeway Forums we have - and count them --- we have 13 women who log in throughout the two weeks to discuss the NOG study! OH GLORY! I never imagined. We had 7 - yes, 7 show up tonight online for our every other week "Live Forum."
Blesses my socks off! Yes it does! We are all solos from all over the country!!! Cannot even fathom what God is doing and Beth, thanks for the shout out to Diginee... She is one of our girls.
I decided to write down the verses of Scripture on fear that helped me most from p. 50 on post-it notes with affirmations.
"In God, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?" ~ Psalms 56:4 (NIV)
My affirmation: I do not have to give in to the desires and fears of my flesh - God's Word is alive and active in me!
This is so great Beth... Thanks so much.
Blessings.
Hey ladies, I am needing a study partner. My daughter can't do it at this time. If there is anyone going solo also, especially in the Knoxville, Tennessee area, please contact me at carlygirl1021@comcast.net- I would love to partner up with you in this study. By the way I loves the study blog video! I giggled so much to myself at the advice Beth gave us for summer sale shopping. I'm with her-- who says a christian lady can't look good while loving Jesus? Pray for me as I am working at letting go of some idols I didn't realize I had. See a next week, Carla
Everyone loved Aunt Bea's cake (for Colorado altitude: add 1/2 c. flour & reduce the sugar by 1/2 c.).
Our group of three spent a good bit of time discussing functional gods and what we fear--thus what idols that fear protected (we talked about financial security, safety and worries for the future).
Melodee, the mom of Ezra on my blog sidebar, could not make it tonight. She is down in her back with sciatica. I am taking the book to her tomorrow. Please pray for the Voth family, especially Ezra--he begins radiation next week and he's three.
Praying
Eccentric
Christ-centered
Unusual
Lordship/ Language
Invincible!
Adoration
Resurrection Power
I have to be honest, for most of the last 2 weeks of study the only thing I was getting out of it was frustration trying to identify my idols. I've been praying that God would give my eyes to see, ears to hear, a mind to understand and a heart to receive whatever it is God would desire to show me through this study - there had to be something.
It happened this morning as I finished up day 5 of week 2. My idol is the approval of others. It's motivates much in my life. If others don't approve of me, they may lose affection for me and leave me lonely and alone. It sounds a little dramatic or over the top as I read it but I guess that's why I've kept it hidden for so long. My food addiction feeds into it. My fears feed it and try to keep me frozen and ineffective but once I started to fight that fear then anxiety hit bit time. My fear that others would see me as inferior as I believe I am and continue the cycle.
Anyway, I started praying in late spring that this would be my summer of victory and now I have hope that that may actually happen.
Thanks, Kelly for writing this study and thanks, Beth for facilitating it.
Melanie
We had a great meeting!! Yummy pizza and oh my goodness the pound cake was wonderful!!
Our group meets in Gulfport, MS and right now it is just myself and one other dear friend. We are so enjoying this time to open God's Word and learn more about ourselves and each other as we learn more about Him!
This study is really blowing my mind. To be honest, I didn't expect to get as much out of it as I am! God is truly opening my eyes to the things/people/situations that I have placed in the position of a god in my life. WOW! I had no idea! Thank you so much, Beth, for suggesting this study! This is definitely a blessing through and through.
Question -- Does anyone know Kelly Minter personally? Is she aware that this many women are doing her study at the same time? I'd love to hear her thoughts on this!
Hi! Haven't logged in yet... 6 of us here in Miles City, MT. We are off a little but will perservere! L-O-V-I-N-G this study. Tonight we had pizza and the pound cake to die for. The idea that things (IDOLS) need to be moved off of the mantle of our hearts to 'make room' for the One and Only true God resonated with us tonight.
Thank you sweet Lord, sweet Beth, and precious Kelly Minter!
with His great love, Adrian
Oh just had to share a yahoo-yah! I had one more log in late... We just chatted a bit - she had been doing it solo and found out about us today!
YIPPEE!
I am not in a group so here goes:
1. A functional god or idol was said to be anything we want more than we want God. The functional god is self-serving.
True worship is selfless. Standing in awe of the Lord God Almighty. He alone is worthy of our praise.
2. It seems Kelly is saying that if we are "normal" then something is wrong. Christ in us makes all the difference. As He becomes greater and we become less. Then we look "peculiar" to the lost world around us.
Peacemaker
Encourager
Courageous
Understanding
Loves at all times
Influence for good
Available to God and others
Receives the Word implanted so that my heart will be forever changed.
3. Five years ago my husband, Mike, and I went to Brazil together for the first time. We were part of a team from our church. At first I was fearful. This was the first time we had been so far away from our boys and from our extended families. Mike had been to Brazil once before in September 2001. He was in Manaus helping build a church on 9/11.
God's call was greater than our fear so we went.
Just 30 minutes outside Brasilia, we prayer walked in the town of Recanto das Emas. Part of the team built a church. After prayer walking there was door-to-door evangelism. Yet another part of the team had the joy of doing VBS at the elementary school.
God did a mighty work through us. As we shared the gospel with one or two, God would bring someone else along for us share the good news. HE WAS AMAZING! By the end of the week 550 people prayed to to recieve Christ. We giggled and laughed like children because we had never seen anything like this in our lives.
A side note: I remember quite clearly the message God gave me on the way home from Brazil. Now child you have seen what I have done. I will do the same thing back home if you will just be faithful to go out and share.
4. Fear is the fuel that feeds our functional god.
Oh Beth,
I'm so thankful for this study and for the ladies that are joining me. We have added two more to the group--Yea! We had great discussion tonight. I can tell that this study is really ministering to the ladies in the group. I'm so excited about what God is doing in all of our lives.
Unfortunately I did not have time to make the pound cake today. Instead I made a "Stars and Stripes Dessert Pizza." It was fun, festive, and fruity! I still plan to try your pound cake recipe later this week, though.
The questions you provided brought out quite a bit of good discussion. Here is our acrostic.
Priesthood
Everlasting life
Chosen
United
unfailing Love
forgIven
holy nAtion, Accepting
Redeemed
Our group had a difficult time coming up with something God did that was laughable, so that is our prayer for each other over the next two weeks. God please reveal or do something for us that will bring us such joy it is laughable!
didnt catch on to the bible study in time, but enjoying reading about it. Ive just recently been turned on to Beth Moore and she turned me on to JESUS and his Word! What a life changing event! I am a nurse who works nite shift..so my off nites can be pretty long and lonley..BEFORE Beth that is..now i just watch her online teachings all nite long! I have thru her encountered Jesus..truely... in the midnight hour! Im so excited. Can I be a Siesta?
Our group, the two of us, met for the first time. We had a great discussion about idols and what they meant to us.
We shared a meal, thought not the pizza and cake!
Here is what we came up with for peculiar.
Purpose
Eternity
Calling
Unity
Love
Image
Attitude
Redeemed
Looking forward to seeing what God is going to do in both of our lives this summer!
Hip hip hooray! It feels so good to be in the Word again! And after coming out of the darkest season and "firey-est" trial of my short 30-year-old life I am DRINKING in what the Word of God has to say, even if it means being convicted about a few overgrown idols in my life. There's no conviction like the Holy Spirit's conviction. Others make me fee guilty. The Spirit makes me feel LOVED, despite the guilt of my sin. I have spent these past 2 weeks in tears much of the time - at how far I'd run, at how deeply I'm loved, at how much I've missed my Jesus, and at how awesome our beautiful God is. My friend and I had a wonderful discussion time tonight. Isn't our Jesus good? The One who "keeps us from falling?"
Hi Beth and Siestas!
I just returned from and awesome class. We have a larger group (23)so we did not make the pizza -- we ordered out. I made the 5 Flavor Pound Cake and served it with fresh strawberries and blueberries -- Oh, Man! My man loved it too.
I wanted to share the acrostic we came up with:
P - Precious
E - Endearing
C - Children
U - Under
L - Love
I - Immortality
A - And
R - Redemption
Also, I asked each lady to bring an item that could represent or actually be used as a false god/idol. It was awesome what they came up with. God really used that segment to minister to us. At the close of the session we paired off and prayed for each other. God's sweet presence filled the room. Many hearts are being touched and changed already.
Thank you for sharing this opportunity with us.
God bless you, Mama Siesta. We love you!
Sherry
Oklahoma
Having thunderstorms here, keep losing connection....must type fast!!!
We had a bit of a hard time with actually naming our functional gods. We also think they keep changing... depending on our situation in life. We named a few, more than one head would nod in agreement. We even suggested that Beth Moore might be one of our functional gods. We love her so much for.... well, everything. From sales advice on summer tops to protecting our aging skin...but most of all for all she's taught us about delighting in Jesus. We're gonna be watching ourselves!!
Laughed over our moments that God has made us laugh because of what he has done!
Pardoned
Eternal
Chosen
Useful
Loved
Indwelt
Annointed
Redeemed
Could have named many more. What a great exercise! We love being PECULIAR!
Fear was a big topic tonight. Fear of acceptance, fear "they" will find out my secrets, fear that I won't measure up....It IS protecting our idols. If we really face what we feared, we would trust God and give it over to Him. But we don't, cuz why, we're afraid!
Oh this is way too long! We could have talked for hours. This is a small thimble full of the overflowing cup that was measured up for the NOGS in Sheridan Wyoming tonight (while enjoying strawberry shortcake!).
Forgot to say... also played Travis's song "Over" from his Found album.
"Oh I'm over living life in fear and doubt. I won't resist the One I can't live without...
Amen Travis.
We had a GREAT time tonight! Incredible discussion about idols in our lives......amazing how much in common we all have with each other.
We did the black bean and rice recipe with the butterfinger cake....yum, yum!
I am excited about the group God put together. 3 of us are leaving tomorrow to go out of town and yet we still made it a priority to come tonight. It's funny...as we talked, one of the girls who was packed for her trip 3 days ago, admitted that one of her functional idols is being a slave to time. Another one whose idol is the computer and too much time spent on it, hasn't even packed for her trip tomorrow (that would be me!). Great reminder of how our idols can spill into every area of our lives.
I'm looking forward to our next time together!
Beth, you and your cheap top are so funny. Beckham has beautiful eyes just like his little Mister Jackson. Haven't seen Jackson lately, how's he doing? Missing him.
2nd study is in the books! All 10 ladies made it. We met tonight--Becker's Pasta was awesome and we had an awesome study time, too. Discussion was really good--shared a few tears and a lot of laughs. This is truly a God thing! We didn't get to talking about the Fear chapter--Pg. 49-51, so I blogged about it instead. We are keeping in touch during studies through emails and blog. The internet is being used mightily by God instead of by our adversary--Thank you Jesus!
I love the Bible Study. It has opened my eyes to so much in ly life that I need to dear with. I'm not very internet literate so I can down get the video. I hear about 45 seconds then it turns off.
Help - I really want to hear all that Beth says.
1. What made my functional god work was the instant gratification it provided. In some way, I think I started wrongly associating that fleeting feeling with love. My functional god convinced me a “release” would jump start my broken heart. In reality, my heart was suffocating.
2. Purposed, Eternal, Called, Unshackled, Loved (and worth loving and able to love), Impassioned, Accounted for, Redeemed
3. When I was in college, I volunteered to work with an after school student ministry called Yoke. I signed up for this chaos in a moment of blind passion. I didn’t realize how hard student ministry was and I was a VERY shy eighteen year old (barely a month removed from student ministry myself). I dreaded it every week. I felt so awkward and out of place. I decided I was just too shy, plain, and boring to be involved in any kind of ministry. One day when I'd had enough, I locked my dorm door (my friend and I did Yoke together and she always came at 4 on the dot to drag me to the car). She knocked and said it was time to go and I told her I had decided to quit. An argument ensued but she finally left. I took out my daily devo Bible to have my alone time with God hoping to read something about how He knows the plans for me, and they are good plans, and they would never again involve ANYTHING that made me uncomfy. The bolded verse for the day - not even kidding :) - was “take my yoke upon you because my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” I didn't know if I should laugh or cry. I put my Bible down on my bed, sighed, grumbled “okay, fine” (because I was so mature like that) and stomped out the door. Since graduating from college five years ago, I have worked in some capacity of student ministry. And I have loved, loved, loved it :)
4. I think the fear of pain and failure is usually what binds me to my idols and to a half-hearted existence. I forget existing is not the same as living.
Well, I live in a small trailer house and it's been hot and muggy here, so I was not about to turn on my oven today, so we ordered pizza instead. Hey, at least I stayed with the pizza theme. I do have to tell you, though, when we read the part about us being "peculiar" people, I mentioned, that in the video, when you said, "Who wants to be normal?" I just wanted to raise my hand and say, "Uh, me." And my friend agreed. She has the same problem. I'm not sure exactly what about her she thinks is so weird, but in my case I've sort of been a freak my whole life. Didn't have any friends, had a hard time finding anyone who would date me as a teenager, so yeah, I would like to be normal. I'm blind in one eye and my eye looks very cloudy, no pupil or anything like that. Got teased about that all the time. Plus I have a huge scar in the middle of my forehead. People flat told me that I'm ugly. Plus being blind in one eye causes some things that other people take for granted to be a little harder for me. Like driving. I can't tell you how many times in my prayers to God, "Why can't I just be normal? Is that too much to ask?" So, yes, Beth. I would be happy to just be normal. I do understand what you're talking about. But I'm the freak that sends people running. So if I just had to be just normal, that would be good enough for me. Nothing else significant came up that wasn't too personal to share on the blog.
Here in Cool, California, we had 15 Siestas for dinner tonight at "The Leanin' B Ranch." Rogues that we are, we enjoyed a baked potato bar. Yum! We had a great time of sharing in the Lord...wow, Kelly and Beth...dynamic team...you took us deeper still...I led a study this past spring that I thought could not be topped for intimacy and enjoyment of one another and Jesus...but I do believe this one beats even that! Our teen girls even dug in!
PECULIAR ~ we are that! :D
Peace
Excellence
Conformed to his image
Unique
Looking for heaven
Individual
Adopted as his children
Righteous.
Oh, makes me want to shout "I'm Believing GOD!"
LOVE YOU!
My Bible study partner and I did not meet this evening. My 16 year old nephew passed away last Wed. and the funeral wasn't until yesterday, so the last few days have been, well I'm not sure what they have been. I will get caught up on my lessons and will get back on track. I didn't want to skip and not post, because I want to continue and stay accountable, but since this is not in response to the results of our study please don't post it--I'm just checking in. Life is tough, but God is good, even when I ask why and don't understand.
Mama Beth, and each and every Siesta on board: I am *so* thrilled to sign on and give you a brief summary of my 'gathering' with Nicole via email!!! here goes! ....thank you for this opportunity, and thank you Nicole for reaching out to me! I love you!
Siesta Bible Study - Gathering n. 2 via email :o)
Participants: Nicole (from South Carolina) and Maria Cristina (from England)
1. Based on Week One, discuss what a functional god is and how an idol has functioned for you. In other words, what made it work?
Nicole: a functional god is whatever has consumed my thoughts, emotions, actions, and mostly my heart. Twenty-four hours a day thinking of ways to appease these gods so that they will stay with me. Total consumption...
Maria: A functional god is that entity, thing or person, that ends up being the fulcrum around which I choose to "create" my day-to-day life. the initial thrill of having this functional god make what seemed to make me "content" ended up being something I would have to fully depend upon to make it through each day.
2. Turn to p.39 of your workbook. Kelly had us read 1 Peter 2:9-12 and reminded us that we were meant to be peculiar people. Reread her words.
[...] do an acrostic of the word "peculiar" based on various ways Christ has set us apart.
Nicole:
Promised
Everlasting
Covenant
Under
Love's
Indescribable
Amazing
Redemption
Maria:
Purchased for
Eternity,
Chosen
Under
Love,
Inequivocably
Apt for
Resurrection!
3. Turn to p. 41. Recall our reading out of Genesis 21:1-6. Listen to verse 6. I especially love the New English Translation: "God has made me laugh." Share something today with the group that God has done for you that brought you such joy or such a turnaround that it was laughable.
Nicole: God has turned so many things around for me. The one thing that stands out the most is when my husband and I had gotten ourselves in financial distress for the umpteenth time and we almost lost our house and both our cars and much more. We just couldn't seem to get it right. But God in His unbelievable love and mercy had a couple we owe so much to, come to us and help us get out of debt and get us on a bi-weekly budget and now we are in better shape in our lives than we ever have been. It was tougher on me because I had to step up and quit being the sheltered baby and grow up, take over the checkbook and all the bills, make phone calls I never had to make(my husband always did everything) and I honestly thought I would die, but I didn't and to look back now over the past 6 months I can say God meant it for my good, for my standing stronger, and even though it was a dark season, I wouldn't trade the lesson and the growth for a million bucks. To think of His faithfulness to me when I so didn't deserve it just makes me laugh out loud. He ordered every step of misery and every step of freedom. How cool is He?
Maria: 35+ years of my life were spent living in complete and utter darkness, bowing down to one addiction after another in my quest for "happiness" by way of fulfilling my own selfish desires. Each of these desires ended up backfiring on me violently, so much so that the same idols I bowed down to became my source of despair and fear. My solution was to actually drown out these hateful memories by way of more addictions. Incredible. What's more incredible, though, is that after all this time, God still showed up, knocked at my heart and poured on me such an abundance of unmerited love, and grace, and a sense of belonging, and FINALLY an understanding of the magnitude of His plan for me, well, I couldn't help but weep so very, very hard that it eventually turned into a giggle of joyful, hopeful, simply uncontainable sense of happiness! finally!!!!
4. Lastly, turn to p. 49 for what I thought was one of the most powerful moments of the entire second week. Kelly said "Fear protects our idols"! How? Discuss that!
Nicole: I will give and give and give until I can give no more to make the idol love me or want to be with me. I have always done this due to lack of acceptance as a child. I always felt I had to earn love, earn acceptance, earn everything, so I figured the only way to keep anyone in my life was to give to you so you would stay. I was creating my own security for fear of losing the only thing I thought could keep me feeling good about myself and even at times from losing my mind. How wrong I was. How selfish I was. What a God send this lesson is. To be able to stand on my own two feet for the first time without having an idol attached at the hip. My 11 year daughter said the most prophetic and profound thing recently. We were talking about highschool years and the years after and I said aloud that I had never had a real best friend like she has(she and the Pastor's daughter are glued at the hip) and I felt God never really wanted me to have a friend or a close friend and she immediately said "maybe God wanted that friend to be Him momma". You could have blown me over. She was more right than she knew...
Maria: I can absolutely attest to what Kelly said! Fear of change, fear of having to step away from what I would convince myself to be "safe", "dependable", "secure", "soothing", would ultimately cause me to redouble my effort to "cherish" these idols, terrified by the prospects that , one day, they wouldn't be there anymore to bring me their measure of comfort.
LOVE Y'ALL!!!!!
We had a great time in God's Word last night! Let me comment on this first, the pound cake was amazing!! My house smelled good. Thank you for the recipe.
Our acrostic:
Protected
Equipped
Called
Unique
Loved
Indestructible
Adopted
Redeemed
God has made me laugh, this came over the weekend. I had a siesta email me and tell me she couldn't go to the Fiesta and she was heartbroken. I wrote her back and told her that her and I would pray over the weekend and ask God to provide a miracle and if He didn't we would accept it. By Saturday I had an email from another siesta who told me they wanted to pay for her plane ticket, another siesta emailed me and told me she would order her a conference ticket and give her money toward a hotel room. I could have cried, how quickly God worked this out. We were also praying for God to meet her financial needs in her family and a man gave them a financial gift at church that Sunday which more than met their needs!!! For 3 days God has poured out His abundance for this sweet siesta. I have laughed because ONLY GOD!!!
Our group is enjoying the study and food and fellowship. Things are being discovered that we didn't realize was in our hearts and I praise God for that. On the way to a healthier heart, praise God.
Have a great week Siestas!!
Love,
Patty
Man have I been very hesitant to want to read this study. Though when I do get into it I feel that much stronger and encouraged by God's word. But once I close it I leave it behind until I can make myself get into it again. My fear is that if I lose this fear I have then I will go back to my old ways (addictions) Wow have I been off. I believe that if I do not fear my past then I will fall back into it.
Lately I have been thinking about how much up and down I get with that idea of fear. Right now I am weak and tired of trying to uphold that "truth". It is a hard one to let go.
Great time of fellowship and sharing. One of our siestas, Becki, came up with a WONDERFUL acronym for PECULIAR. People Emulating Christ Until Like Identities Are Realized!!!!!!!Is that not AWESOME?????
OK-
we are loving this study, though it got deep real fast when we admitted to each other what our functional idols were. The bond that formed because of the vulnerability was amazing~ God continues to bless us with His Word, His perfect peace and His love! Thanks for this opportunity and a big shout out for the videos on Bible Study day! I am writing each "tip" down as I never know when I might need it. You had my whole house laughing at your "cheap shirt tips"!
Blessings to you!
Good Morning dear Siestas! Our group in north Texas grew by 3 ladies last night and it was a wonderful time of fellowship over Papa Murphies'vegetable pizza, pound cake and berries!
We started our session by playing Mandisa's song "Voice of a Savior" because it so adequately summed up what we use as false Gods and what we need to look to as our God. In using Beth's questions as a prompt and catalyst for our discussion, we spent a bit of time talking about the fact that so many of our idols come out of our search and/or need for "identity", but through the exercise with the word 'peculiar', we realized that our identity in Christ affords us so much more than our search for identity in our false Gods. It was an eye opening exercise to look at the root of our fear as women, which while we are different also have so much in common, and to realize that the root is directly linked to the stronghold that our idols have over us.
We are praying for those strongholds to be broken and Jesus to be our "one and only." We ended our time together with Travis' rendition of "In Christ Alone/The Solid Rock" to remind us where to keep our feet firmly planted.
Looking forward to further revelation over the next two weeks,
Michelle B
Southlake, Texas
Thank you, Beth, I'm enjoying this study. I just got my book, but I am still behind. My goal is to catch up completely before next session.
To the starbucks group: I am so envious!! I am starting to think Starbucks is my idol. :( Hmmmm.. maybe that's why the news is that they are closing 600 stores -- divine intervention to help me lose my idol??
Beth, I would simply cut out the zipper and use two sided tape each time you wear the blouse. On silk, it holds for 4 hours if you're not out in temperatures above 80. On cotton, it holds much longer.
Back to the study . . . .
Our group is keeping up with the homework, which is a concern in the summer for some members.
So far in 2 weeks we have all laughed and cried as we study. It is painful to admit out loud and write down on paper there is an idol or idols in your life.
We are looking forward to the healing that comes when we cast them out of our lives!
We give Jesus all the praise and glory!
Initially us "seasoned" (translated old) Lovettsville VA siestas thought this study was for all those "twenty somethings" out there. After all, we've done a zillion different Bible studies by now...But the deeper we got into our studies the more we were struck with the depth,profundity and the timeliness of this study. (Oprah, our Beth is a woman of influence too!) We are the frog in the pot here in America. We would have recognized those stone and gold idols for what they are. Often the enemy doesn't work in black and white he uses gray. Idolatry is rampant. By identifying and naming our Pharaohs,understanding why we run to them, and remembering that we are daughters of the King, we are on the road to emancipation. Hallelujah!
Yesterday as I was waiting at the radiologist for a CT scan I was buried in my bible study and across the isle I heard "We have the same books!" She had her "No Other Gods" book too! Kelly Minter's sister is leading her study. The siestas are everywhere!
Beth, I have met up with a lady from your blog (many states away from me), to do the bible study with. Just the other day, a friend of mine got her book in, and now the 3 of us are posting back and forth on a blog we created just for this study. We are excited and loving it! God can bring together sister's in Christ who don't even know each other, but have an instant bond because of Him! (SummerSiestastudy)
Our group from Baton Rouge, LA met last evening and had a great discussion! I think #4 was very enlightening to some of us. Several of us shared the same view that before we did that day of the study we would have said we were not "fearful" people, but as we read deeper into scripture and the study, we all saw the significant correlation between fear/worry and our idols... good stuff! We can't wait to get further into it!
Having always considered idols, or other gods, as people or things it was eye-opening when I realized my god has become my anger. It was simply through answering the questions about what controls me the most...what affects my emotions, my decisions that I made this discovery. I've been spending the last two weeks praying through Scripture as I beg the Lord to break down the anger that has built up over the last five years.
I'm nervous about what else God will be revealing to me, but thankful that He remains true to His word that He is not finished with me and He will perfect what He began.
A soloist here, but here are my insights into the lesson:
P rincess of a heavenly kingdom
E ternal fellowship with the King
C lothed with His righteousness
U nified with the Godhead and the Body
L ove others as I love myself
I nterests turned Heavenward
A pple of His eye
R esting in the Shephard’s care
I was so excited and blessed by the lesson on FEAR yesterday. The Lord used several of those scriptures to remind me that during the times of my worst fears coming true(the death of a baby)He was there for me! One of the scriptures was the very scripture I quoted over and over while hearing the news that my baby had died, "When I am afraid I will trust in You!" During a time of incredible grief, pain, and numbness, I cried out to Him, "Lord, if you really are my Good Shepherd, please show me. I can't see how my Good Shepherd would lead me here!"
Within about 1 minute of uttering that cry, there was a knock on my door. It was a gentle older woman from my church who said, "I was driving down the road and the Holy Spirit told me to come to you. Did I hear Him right?"
"Yes, I believe you did."
She proceeded to tell me that she had been up since 4 AM praying the shepherd's psalm over me! Then she proceeded to teach me the ways the Lord is MY Good Shepherd! All this, without ever knowing what I had cried out to God moments before.
Yesterday, He reminded me that I was terrified then, and He was faithful. He gave me a treasure...more of Himself...that was well worth the journey. He will be faithful no matter what. I can let go of the "things/people" that I am afraid of losing and trust Him to meet my every need!
side note comment: there is a brilliantly funny Christian Blogger in Atlanta--go to stuffchristianslike . . it's blogspot--he compares Beth to Wonder Woman today and says that his mom in law would "leg drop" him if he said anyting bad about Beth--His posts are Hysterical!!!
Wow this week was incredible
When I decided to do this study I had a group of 8 that were going to do it with me
Then things happened and it ended up being just me so I considered not doing the study
Then I felt God prompt me to call a friend of mine who I had tried to get in touch with for several weeks but we kept missing each others calls
Well I got her on the phone and discovered that she had been having an affair with a married man She is the type of person you would NEVER think would fall into this type of sin
We talked and I invited her to the study - it has been incredible!!
This week especially b/c she related so much to Sarah - trying to make her own blessing out of the pain in her life!
Oh it is good - LOVING the study
Thank you for facilitating it!
Blessings
Kim
Well, I just finished week two. I am going solo because I can't bear to share with others the hidden places in my heart...caused by so many years of sin in my life, even after salvation. The people I have known for years would never believe this part of me, and all the things I have done.
In doing the last day of study on fear, I have admitted to myself that I fear death because I can't imagine that God could forgive me for everything I have done. This fear has driven me to all kinds of idols to keep me from facing it.
I know what the Bible says and want to believe it.
I am telling these things to God and asking Him to help me.
Can anyone relate?
Anyway I guess I am not going solo after all because God will be with me...I am claiming this!
Beth, you are so funny! LOVE your Summer Sales shopping tips-but not as much as your heart for the Lord:)!
Our discussion last night was good...
The one thing that stuck out to all of us over the past two weeks was her definition of a "functional god"/idol. Most of us were surprised to realize what all that includes...motivations, what has power over us, etc. I think through that definition God revealed some things in our lives that are serving as "functional gods"/idols that would have otherwise been overlooked. Very powerful!
Thank you again for facilitating!
I am going solo and was laughing so hard at how awesome you are. Who says being a Christian isn't fun! If God didn't have a sense of humor, He would not have given us the ability to laugh, and I know He is laughing right now!
I missed chatting on the forum last night, but will catch up with them next time.
Here is my acrostic.
P-Presented holy before God
E-Eternal Life
C-Changed
U-Unified
L-Life
I-Inseperable
A-Adopted
R-Redeemed
I know some of them were more than 1 word, but that was difficult.:)
God is really teaching me a lot through this study. I agree with you Beth, I have never thought about it before that fear is what holds me to my idols. The more I think about it, the more that is so true. Thanks for spending part of your summer with us! That will make SA that more special! Love you all! Happy dog sitting!
Love,
Amanda in SC
We had a great fellowship and great food again last night. We spent most of our time on Q1 identifying our idols - most of which were GOOD things that we have let take over our lives. A very good quote from one of our ladies - Our hearts will always be filled. However, if we leave any open room in our hearts, something will move right in - and it may not be something good. So be sure and fill it with Christ! We also spent a good deal of time on Q3 in which several of us offered up wonderful ways in which things happened on God's time, even as hard as we tried to PUSH it through on our time. When will we learn??? Thanks again for the guidance on this study, Beth. We are having a BLAST!
The study is wonderful....learning so much. You are right, Beth. The fear shielding idols is profound and I think by examaining my fears it will help me put a spotlight on my idol(s).
Here is how I think Christ has set me apart and made me "peculiar".
P urposeful
E njoying life
C entered on Him
U seful
L oved and able to love
I ndewelled with Holy Spirit
A budantly blessed
R edeemed
Happy weeks 3 and 4, Siestas. ;-) Jill
All nine of us present last night..Awesome review of the past two weeks and how God spoke to each of us. Pound cake awesome, since we all almost work outside the home, could use the suggested common recipes earlier in order to get to market, get ingredients and get it prepared before Tuesday. We are having a great time! So cool to see younger women sharing their hearts and struggles.
North Dallas Group - we had a great time and lots of good food too. Most insightful comment of the night came when we were talking about idols and that we often care more about what other people think about us and we adjust our conduct and thoughts based on that. Our precious Sister - who is moving to Oregon and we are frantically trying to find her a group in the Portland area- said, "What other people think about me is none of my business." We loved that.
God's girls meet last night for a time of deep sole searching as well as some fun.
Here is the acrostic for peculiar we worked out.
Passion-for our God,families,and each other.
Excellence-is our aim, perfection belongs to Him.
Compassion-because there but the grace of God go I.
Untied-from the bondage and snares of the past.
Loved-like nothing else on Earth.
Impotent-in our selves.
Agape-His love for others like a fountain.
Resilience-We may get down, but we don't stay down.
These are the things that make us abnormal.
Mama Beth,
Thank you for facilitating our spiritual needs and our shopping needs! I think your top is mighty cute (and the leggings too!). Only you could pull that off, with a broken zipper and inside-out leggings. Thanks for being real.
We had a great Bible Study last night. Grandma, Mom, and I decided to make a simple summer meal (hot dogs, watermelon, and chips) so that we could spend more time delving into God's Word and sharing all that we had learned during the first two weeks. Grandma couldn't resist though, and made the Butterfinger cake. It was to die for! So delicious!!! And we started realizing that food is a major idol in our society.
Our acronym for who we are in Christ is:
P- pure and filled with peace
E- ethical in a world that is not
C- Chosen in Christ and created in his image
U- Undeserving of His mercy and grace
L- loved with an agape love
I- Inseparable from His love or the Body of Christ
A- able to do all things through Christ
R- Redeemed by His blood!
We are learning so much and love this study! Thanks a jillion!!!
We had such a great study last night here in Leander, TX. I had one girl comment that before the study she didn't want to come (long day at work, tired), but afterward she was really glad that she did! Praise God for giving us to each other to strengthen and encourage.
I'm not going to post all of our answers, but I am going to post the acrostic for PECULIAR. We are interested to see how many groups came up with the same words!
P-eace or Promise
E-ternal Life
C-ross (to bear)
U-nity
L-ove
I-dentity
A-nointed
R-edemption
We also have two questions for you, Beth. On p.44, Kelly asks a question about "God purposely bringing pain into our lives." Our group had a long discussion over that question, not because of the topic, but the wording of the question. Is she insinuating that God purposefully brings pain into our lives or that He simply allows it to happen? Our group was split as to how that happens. On one hand, if God actually gave us the pain, as in closing Hannah's womb, then it puts a vindictive/OT judge spin on God. And on the other hand, it could be, as in Job, that God is allowing us to be tested and evil just comes from an evil world that we live in. (But Kelly didn't word the question in that way) I guess we were just perplexed by her wording of the question.
I hope you can find a question in there somewhere. It's kind of hard to say what you need to say in such a small forum.
Question #2: If possible, can you post the recipes for the meetings on Friday? Some of us need time to shop for the ingredients and Saturdays are our shopping days!
Thanks, Beth you are the best!
Alissa (abbiemom@gmail.com)
Beth - on a totally unrelated topic, you've gotten 2 recent shout outs on Prodigal Jon's Stuff Christians Like blog. most recently, you're compared to Wonder Woman. http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/
Beth, my siestas and I are praising Him for leading you to suggest this study. It has been powerful for all of us. Last night we were missing two of our five members, but that didn't affect the discussion.
We were also particuarly struck by Kelly's point that fear is not the idol but the thing that protects the idol. One of the siestas always thought that she was afraid of fear until she did that lesson.
This study has been really forcing us to dig deep and find those things that we idolize while saying we worship the Lord.
He is an amazing God!
Our group (5 of the 6) met at my home in Dublin, VA last night. We had a great time of fellowship and discussion.
We enjoyed the pizza (cooked by my husband) and loved the pound cake.
1. We talked about our functional gods...family, worry, pride, circumstances, rebellious attitude, food...to mention a few.
2. We did our acrostic
Protected
Eternity
Chosen
Ulitmate Sacrifice
Loved
Immortal
Annointed
Redeemed
3. Our laughs: Our kids, grandkids, husband's new job
4. We talked about our fears.
One of our group shared her fear was what if her worst fear happened. Would she turn to her old ways or would she cling to God. As part of our earlier discussion of our gods she had brought up John 14:14 where it says "You may ask me for anything in my name and I will do it". And she didn't understand why a certain circumstance was not changing as it was totally not a situation God would want. When we talked about our fears...I reminded her of the verse saying that He will supply you with the stregnth and the trust to cling to Him even if your worst fear happens. Those are the "anythings" he's talking about in the verse. He may or may not remove the circumstance, but He will supply us with the love, trust, perseverence to get through when we ask Him and seek Him.
We loved Melissa's post and I have challenged our group to spend 15 minutes a day just reading in their Bibles.
And I had to laugh when in passing you mentioned you had to read another version to not anticipate what the words would be. Siesta if you only had an inkling of how you inspire us!! Love you!
Pam
http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/
Beth -- you DON'T have to publish this comment - but you have been favorabley compared to Wonder Woman as a superhero -- Just though you might get a giggle out o it (after all Linda Hamiltion had GREAT hair)
Solo in Memphis, loving this study!
P Placed for Purpose
E Established for Evangelism
C Chosen & Called to Change
U Useful
L Leaning on His Leading
I Identified
A Accepted Ambassador
R Reserved for that which brings Honor & Glory to Him!!! Hallelujah!!
I got tickled...I'm sure I looked like Kelly on her first cooking outing. I had flour from shoulders to hips making the pizza dough. We had a great study and discussion in Birmingham AL, becoming very vulnerable and accountable to each other very fast. God's Word is good and we are learning to hear what it speaks to us, even if it's not so fun to hear. Breaking down idols means first accepting what things, good and bad, you've put before Him. Thank you for being our facilitator! Blessings to all!
Hey Siestas...
Today over at the Lifeway Forums... "our journey continues" to quote Kim safina. This morning some of the siestas who did not make our meeting last night are checking in.
I had added the reflection on p. 39 for those willing to share, but we did not even get to it. Still, EmmaB2002 jumped right on it and reminded me this morning of how meaningful it was. And glory, God worked more of it out today as I wrote about mine I discovered the following just pouring out of my heart and soul ... "Behold I make all things new..." Revelation 21:5
I know this is long, but I hope you will bear with me to the end... The moment was such a moment of revelation and brokenness I just had to confess it. Tears come fresh as I consider the goodness of our God in the middle of all this mess! I don't mind confessing this - its true and it needs to be said -
As Renee said two weeks ago, though I sit at this table alone today typing my heart out - I am not alone and I know there is someone out there today who will be edified by these words...
I posted this at the forums this morning:
--------------------------------
Mine was related to my desire for approval and acceptance... In the past I have gone and spent money I don't have on a new wardrobe - literally 3 or 4 outfits at one time complete with shoes, jewelry and what-not accessories, hair style/color, etc. just to get the "right" look [whatever that is]...
It is insane. I realized at the end of my first marriage I had a bad habit of shopping to make myself "feel better." Then my demon of choice was the craft store. We had the most well decorated home in three counties, I'd dress it to the nines. And, this because I was angry at my abusive husband so I would spend every last dime in the bank account to feel like I had control over something and to get even! FOOLISH BEHAVIOR.
I carried that behavior into this marriage to some extent. The only thing, I was better at covering my tracks. I'll never forget the realization that I was "pulling my house down with my own hands" to paraphrase Proverbs 14:1.
I found a way to "undo" the compulsive nature of that problem, but not my emotional response that triggered it. So, this is an area where I need prayer - these are deep strongholds ladies - years - decades old. There are also some generational sin issues attached. And, there is that nagging fear that at some point the "jig will be up" and someone will discover my "nasty little secret." [So, I confess it to you all, and to God before men... I'm not kidding myself - there is much work to be done here... even if the light is shining and I am ready to clean house!]
The second thing is the desire I have to fix it myself. Whether it is a relationship, finances, a stronghold, someone else's pain - I want to be the rescuer - and that just ain't (pardon my grammar) how it's done. Can you say CONTROL FREAK!?
Laying down control is the single hardest thing I find I have to do to overcome the idols in my life. I can't play at life like one plays out the moves on a chess board. I will end up in check-mate with the enemy... and a grand chess player I ain't.
ALL OF THIS DRIVEN BY FEAR OF REJECTION, FEAR OF EXPOSURE, but most especially FEAR THAT I AM THE ONE THAT GOD CANNOT MEND...
If I were to deal in truth with these areas I beleive several key things would happen:
1.) I could be myself and stop hiding what I fear people will despise and be real for a change.
2.) Giving things over to God would alleviate the fear in my life. It would shift the control to God and away from the footholds I have given the enemy who stands accusing me before my Father in the throne room.
3.) What I once did to "protect" and "control" would be turned to time spent devoted to God - to pleasing Him by allowing Him to be elevated fully in my life - thus His honor and glory would be revealed as He is truly first in every area of my life.
This little post just saps the energy right out of you. I must find the will to surrender all of this - it must start today...
I surrender it Lord, You can take this miserable life I've made for myself and do with it as You will. I cannot live this way any longer. I don't want to take one more step in any direction Lord if You do not go with me... I long for YOU THE MOST! You are my heart's one desire, sanctify me Lord, wash away the crusty, nasty filth I have immersed myself in for years and show me who You created me to be. I long to be full of YOU so that nothing of me remains. Show Your glory in this place Lord, Show us the way Home.
In Christ's name I pray, Amen.
---------------------------------
You know in a personal face-to-face setting I might not of gotten this all off of my chest, but here in the safety of this online community I feel like God is doing something totally new. I have a face-to-face friend I will share all of this with as soon as she catches up (She got her book yesterday!)... But until next time - I remain humbled by His mercy and matchless grace. MB
oh sweet Mama Beth,
You had me laughing so hard my sides hurt and I had tears I couldn't see. My dog thinks I am definitely not of this world. How do you keep such a straight face when you do these loving things...
Well I was doing solo and then I prayed for a partner...and well God didn't just bless me with one..but 3 so we have a group of 4 via email. We are so excited! We have our homework done but we didn't get to your discussion ...bowing head..here...cause we are trying to think of a name for our group...but we promise we are going to be discussing it. I know for me...I functional idol is getting past being what others want me to be...like super mom...and being the woman God wants me to be. Can any of you siestas relate.
I just love you mama Beth..thank you for the laugh and for this study.
Blessings and love,
Tammy
Hey from Colorado!
Our group met last night & we are all loving this study! We spent a lot of time discussing the role fear plays in our idols - something I had never thought much about. Great study - Kelly keeps us laughing all week long (that is, when we are not feeling totally convicted!). Thanks for organizing this, Beth. It's been amazing!
Our group met last night in Pocahontas, AR (we are swapping between two small towns of Walnut Ridge and Pocahontas--about 15 miles apart). Three of the four of us were able to attend and enjoy the pizza, cheese bread, Greek cous cous salad, and cheesecake.....mmmmmmmm.
We identified our idols as success, control, worry, and happiness.
We were terrible at the acrostic and decided to take it on as homework.
We talked about our laughable moments of joy or turnaround. One of the girls' husband has overcome some significant religious and family issues to bring their family to a deeper faith. One of us recalled a time that I just had to share with you.
About 4 years ago, the three of us bonded over your LPL meeting in Little Rock, AR. This was the event where "In Christ Alone" was the "theme" song. That song greatly impacted all of us and became a favorite. Little did I know, in just two months I would be facing the most difficult time in my life--the stillbirth of my daughter at 8 months pregnant. I don't know what I would have done without these ladies and my renewed faith in God. I played "In Christ Alone" at her funeral.
Almost 2 years to the day, we decided to attend another ladies conference together...... unfortunately I can't remember the name, but it was Patricia Shirer, Angela Thomas, and Kelly Minter leading worship. We had another faith deepening experience and commented, after Patricia's much needed lesson on discerning the voice of God, that we felt like things had come full circle-- like God was telling me in particular that it was time to heal that hurt. We also commented that it would be even more of a "moment" if we sang "In Christ Alone". We low and behold, guess what the next song was........ it was unbelieveable and all we could do was laugh and cry......
We are lovin' this study!
Stephanie
Hello all,
Beth, I just have to say this study is awesome! Even though I am going solo, I have gotten so much out of the homework. It has been really good.
A couple of things that really hit me from the questions you asked.
The first is how much fear binds me to the idols I have in my life. A big idol in my life is the opinions of others. I do almost everything, thinking of what other might think of me, or to get attention... the fear that holds me to that is that I am afraid to be alone, and of who I am when I am alone. I know that God will set me free. When we were asked to look up all those bible verses, one of the ones that hit me was Ps. 118:6 (I added vs. 5 to it as well and memorized it)
"In my anguish I cried to the Lord and He answered me by setting me free. The Lord is with me. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Even though I am afraid, God is with me, and I need not fear... he answered me by setting me free... and i have realized now its a process, not a one time thing. Its like peeling an onion. One layer of bondage gets stripped away, and brings more things to light... as we are being conformed to the image of Christ.
the other was the acrostic for the word "peculiar." I was on a long road trip yesterday to go to a memorial service to support a dear relative of mine. As I was driving, I just kind of meditated on the word peculiar, and what some of the things were that God has used to set us apart. As I did, the words just started coming to me...
Purchased
Empowered
Called (or Cleansed)
Unashamed
Loved lavishly
Indwelt (by the Holy Spirit)
Accepted
Redeemed
Again, thank you for doing this study, Beth and for including us all in it! God is using it!
God bless,
Heather from WI
Our group has already posted our comment for this session, but I just had to share with you all how God showed His sense of humor to me during this last 2 weeks of bible study:
Part of the last two weeks our family was in Tennessee on vacation. My husband's 17 yr old is shooting a movie there, and we went to watch him for a couple days. Knowing we'd be sitting around for 8-10 hours, having to be very quiet, I took my Bible and bible study book with me. This is the time, reading and highlighting in my book like crazy, that I began to realize my idols(functional gods) are my feelings and thoughts... these are what tend to drive and dictate my actions. Awesome revelation from God through answering Kelly's questions! At some point during this time, I look up and realize, I'm sitting under a giant oak tree in a director's chair, looking out over hundreds of God's beautiful rolling hills, listening to some of the men from Rascall Flatts lying on a blanket behind me playing their guitars and singing. In front of me, Miley Cyrus and her dad are practicing a song that they're working on together. How ironic is this, that while I'm getting revelation knowledge from Him about my own idols in my head, I'm being unofficially serenaded by people that are considered idols in society! Is God just not hysterical?? The irony made me almost laugh out loud. His timing is incredible :)
love you all so much,
lavonda
marietta, ga
Dear Beth and Siestas,
My neighbor and I are doing the study. She's part of a church that doesn't encourage Bible study, so this is very new to her. We are even doing most of the days together (her request), so we are a week behind.
But, praise God, she's loving it! She even wants to meet more often that I'm able. We will probably go well into the fall, but she's in the Word for the first time! She asked yesterday, "We're not on a schedule are we?" I wanted to say Yes, we need to finish this summer. And then I thought, It's OK if we go longer than all of you. This is more important!
Thanks for the encouragement, Beth, and the hilarious ending to your video.
Love, Karen in OC
Hello from Plain City, Ohio
I sent out flyers and 2 people I've never before came...the group not has a familiar face in it except my sis, who has never taken a Bible study before. There's a mormon neighbor, a neighbor I found out I'm related to by marriage, and a quiet aquintance from my son's preschool class, total of 6. STRETCHED FOR HIM!
I introduced the study as a salad in the main course.....WRONG...it's the meat and potatoes, girl!
We really enjoy the music by Kelly Minter esp- No Finer Day.
We're all going deep, not a dry eye last night. Keepin it real but in kingdom perspective. What an experience this has been. Praying for protection from the enemy during this time too.
In Him,
Tracey
My 9 yr. old daughter and I enjoyed the video and the pound cake(yum)...I had to share a "God made me laugh story" that occured this morning...Our neighborhood's trash pick up has changed times to early in the morning...I forgot to put out the trash this morning and was awaken from a deep sleep to hear the sound of the trash truck...I jumped out of bed with my nightshirt on..grabbed a pair of shorts and shot out of the house...grabbed the big trash can and started running like crazy down my driveway to catch the truck...I couldn't take having all that stinky trash for another week...as I get to the end of the drive the truck passes me by and then it backs up...of course the driver is laughing...but then he jumps out of the truck and takes my trash can himself and empties it and give it back to me...it is at that point that I realize I have not brushed my hair, no makeup...and I realize that my shorts are not visible under my nightshirt so it appears that I only have on my nightgown...LOL..I thank him and then head back in the house...later I realized if I was as worried about my stinky idols and my stinky sin, I would run to Jesus and HE would so take care of it...afterall HE already has....He is waiting right there to empty me of all those idols and fill me full of HIMSELF...I just had to laugh at how God has such a way of showing us things in our lives....I am loving the study "No other Idols" and am in week 7 of "Breaking Free"...so I think that the trash truck was specially designed for me this morning...
Love ya bunches...
Hi - solo in NJ, happily. Hubby is on sabbatical (first time in 13 years) and I am more deeply soul-tired than I can ever remember being. Not from pain, just carrying burdens with others and not enough of carrying my own? So it's an interesting summer. I'm pushing through the study even tho it is hitting home DEEPLY. Melanie, I resonated with just about everything you typed - "approval lost, food adding to the issue..." also the post that spoke of fear of repeat assault being a god that drives much of my issue with food.
Shellie, my heart weeps for you. I prayed this morning that God would show you His inordinate amount of unending love for you! (Zephaniah 3:17 is hard to accept at face value but so true!) Sometimes I think it's easy to hide in our own strength if we are "attractive" and that adds another layer of placing "things" over God. I am not through the second week, so am not answering the questions appropriately, but am SO thankful for the online "Group" to hear your hearts and quietly watch what God is doing amongst us! I have learned through you all this morning. Thanks for being vulnerable! Jeni
PS for the "ME" lady? paste this link - it's Brian Regan on youtube. This 4 minute clip has held me pretty accountable to myself lately - you will LAUGH your head off! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ogZo9YreQ4
I saw that Wonder Woman comparison too! A friend at work had shown me that blog a few weeks ago and that most recent post was great. Too funny! Glad another Siesta saw it too!
This is my first comment, as I'm flying solo and got a late start! (I'm all caught up though.)
Last September, I became aware of my own personal god... shopping for new clothes. I was out of control and it was causing all kinds of issues. I layed it before the Lord and I gave myself a year (gasp, yep you read that right) of not shopping for any new fashion so the Lord could work in my heart and teach me where my joy should come from and WHO my God should be! Although it has felt like it would kill me to not get my hands on a new designer bag at times, I have been desperately giving my idols to Him. I attended the Living Proof Live conf in Seattle this past Jan. and going forward to that alter was life changing. I was wondering how I was going to wrap up my "year" of shop-fasting, and really have my inner self truly changed to the point that I can stroll through Macy's and not just go crazy, and I found this study. God is so good! I'm so thankful for you Beth, and all you have taught me this past year! I am loving this study!!
Checking in from Houston.....our group of 3 met last night and laughed ourselves silly at you, Beth! You are a hoot!
Anyway.....back on track here....we had great food, great discussion....and awesome time of prayer. We want all our idols down AND destroyed!
Here is our acrostic:
Peace
Everlasting love
Contentment
Undivided heart
Love
Identity
Authority
Reign
We talked about how Christ has given us ALL those things...just most of the time we don't act like we have them! We want to Act like the women He has made us to be!
Trudging ahead joyfully!
Judy in Houston
Our group here in Jax, FL had a great evening. We enjoyed sicilian pizza, salad with fresh toppings and the very tasty pound cake with berries and cream! (coffee too of course)
As we moved into the living room, we shared what we learned from our 2 weeks of study. It was interesting to find that almost all of us uncovered one of the same functional gods - approval of others/image. We are excited to MAKE ROOM for the one and only.
I wanted to keep it brief-but feel led to share 1 special story. My Mom and sister are doing this study with me. My 6 yr old niece noticed the workbook on the table and said "No Other Gods....did you know there is only 1 true God? I know b/c I asked Him into my heart last week at camp!!!" That is how we found out---so THANK YOU--the impacts are far reaching. :)
I just wanted to share my acrostic. I love doing this type of thing...thanks Beth for including it in our discussion!
Pressing into and passing on the love of our
Everlasting Father.
Christ has given us the ability to love the
Unlovable.
Living water flows to all who believe
In the One True God. Together at the
Altar, we worship and praise our
Reedemer, the Savior of the world.
Ann and I (Allison) did the questions and here are our thoughts on the questions we discussed.
Question 1:
Allison's:
Functioning god in my life is being in control. Fear of not feeling wanted, fear of being forgotten, fear of not feeling good because if I feel bad emotionally or physically I'm forgotten, so implement with substance to escape from past pains and losses.
Ann's: My functional god at this point in my life is getting out of my house and trying to figure out how to meet people and make friends. I am new to Houston, and it's hard to know where to begin. ie: rejection/trying too hard
Question 2:
Allison's:
The acrostic for "peculiar".
powerful, effective, christlike, unique, loving, interesting, absurd, righteous
or
precious, eccentric, courageous, unlikely, loyal, intent, alive, reigning
Ann's:
P: Prayer (constant) E: Examine (my life) C: Christ-like (strive for) U: Understanding L: Learn I: Imperfect A: Assurance R: Redeemer
Question 3:
Allison's: It was hearing the verse on this past Tuesday where I heard the verse Jude 1:24-25 on KHCB radio station here in Houston and also heard a song of that verse. That was a cool kick and it being Tuesday really made even more exciting.
Ann's Joyful moments: Searching for over an hour for the No Other Gods book online and deciding that God didn't want me to do this study only to call Lifeway and be told they had one copy left they would hold for me!!
Question 4:
Allison's: Fear is a definite in my life because if I don't have all my comfort things around me, and something out of the ordinary that throws a kink in my world I'm in a panic. I don't like feeling I have not control, because then I feel I am stupid and an idiot.
Ann's Thoughts: I'm not very fearful: the loss of spouse or children.
Are meeting this week was amazing! God is working for sure! Theses girls who have never opened up befor or have fallin away spriyualy are so hungry for the word and are realy opening up! He is so good! Love you Beth! O! I love it when you post videos! It makes it all the more personal! Love you!
My dear friend, Carol, and I met last evening in my home. I took the easy way out by serving store bought pizza, breadsticks and salad. It still fit into my category of homemade--anything heated in my oven.
The discussion part of our evening seemed to begin as soon as Carol walked through the door, it went on all through supper and then finally ended about 10pm. Wow!
The last discussion question was the mind blower for us. What a realization for both of us that most of the fear we battle is fear that is there to protect our idols. And most of our idols are things that keep us comfortable. Instead of battling the fear why not just tear down the idol?
Let freedom ring,
Connie and Carol
Jena, LA
Bend, OR group is in the second week of meeting Wed am early so no dinner for us : )
But Beth the first tape was posted at GodTube also and we watched from there but second week wasn't and our old eyes wanted it to be bigger so can you make the box bigger ( and I don't know how ) or can you post again on GodTube? By the way we are meeting everyweek ( we need it : )
Tears are pouring as I read all of your comments. I want to say on behalf of LifeWay that we are SO THRILLED to have you all deep in this convicting message. I worked on the study and led a "test group" of sorts, and boy, it was quite a time. I will be praying for you all during this summer. I am crying in joy for the woman who didn't have a miscarriage, for the woman who was saved, for the woman who had someone stop by her house from a prayer. GOD WORKS. I hope He will work powerfully in your life this summer.
To whoever asked, yes, Kelly is well aware of all the women doing this study. Check out livingroomseries.com.
Great discussions!!! The questions were very thought provoking. #4 was especially eye-opening. We all had recognized that in the study and then for it to be chosen for more open discussion, we knew it was a God thing. Fear is an amazing emotion!! Some of us had not really identified our idols as stemming from some fear.....
We had some good laughable God moments. That's what we get when we don't trust God and of course He come through perfectly as only He can.
Here is our P E C U L I A R acrostic
P = Prayer
E = Encouragement
C = Christ Life
U = Understanding
L = Love
I = Imitators of Christ
A = Authority
R = Righteous
I have read some of the others,
AWESOME!!!!
I pray I can become a "peculiar" person, even more than I am.
Praise God for His everlasting LOVE, GRACE, and MERCY, and of course all the rest of the Blessings.
Bible Bunnies in MI
2 out of the 4 met last night...pool side, although it was a fluke that we didn't have a swim meet, hence the fact we missed 2 of our Siestas...but we will catch them up!
I have to speak for me personally, Last weekend I went to visit family...my only professing Christian family...their language was awful...would probably make a truck driver blush! I have been so frustrated, they simply say.."you will, too, when your kids get older!" I certainly hope not! When I got home all I wanted was my bible and some good 'ol worship music...and I opened it to Day 2, Week 2....we are to be stangers/aliens/peculiar....I'll take it...all I want is to glorify Jesus. It was just SO frustrating.
In our time, I am meeting with a fairly new friend, little by little I am learning that she is fairly new in Christ and I am having a BLAST listening and encouraging her!
Thank you, Beth, for doing this!
Love,
Heather in CA
God made me laugh from
cooking challenged siesta - I tried to make the sicilian pizza, but it did not turn out.
My son said "Mom,don't trust a book with a Bible study and recipes...better the recipe to go wrong and not the Bible study." Yes I laughed after beating myself up for failing at cooking.
2 of us out of our group of 4 met and shared the butterfinger cake
and discussed the questions. Sweet fellowship and openness
Beth (and staff!)
First of all...this bible study is AWESOME! Oh my gosh I am LOVING it. Great idea.
As of last night's gathering, well, I didn't quite make it to my group because a meeting I had ran a LITTLE too long! So, instead I took myself, my bible,and study book to Barnes and Noble and enjoyed some MUCH needed time with just me and the Lord! I am pretty sure this was more beneficial than meeting with the group last night. I just needed that quiet/silent time with him. My mom even called and wondered where I was!
So, even though I sat myself at a table by the bathroom and smelled a wonderful scent any time someone opened the door (note to self: choose different table next time), the Lord still showed up. Wierd smells and all!
Love you all much!
Lindsee
P.S. I am still working on my acrostic to Peculiar! :)
We had a great class last night with a total of 16 women attending. I made three pizzas and the pound cake and everyone seemed to enjoy them. (Truthfully I made the pound cake twice because the first one cooked over, I know, I know you warned me. But the second one was great)Obviously with this many people we had several answers to all of the questions but the one "functional god" that most of us had was consuming ourselves with trying to be good enough (wife, mother, Christian) that we don't "make room" for God. One lady specifically talked about on question 4 how the fear of staying afloat financially protected, what she felt was her functional god, her job. All the women felt the need to trust God more and stop depending on self. Below is our acrostic of peculiar:
Personality, purchased, pardoned
Eternal life, everlasting, excited
Chosen, changed, Christ-like
Universal, unwavering, united, unique
Language, life-style, love, loved
Image, individual, identity
Amazing, armed, attached
Redeemed, reborn, revived, ready
We're having a great time and learning so much. Thank you so much for facilitating for us.
Cassandra
Mars Hill, NC
OK my answers are first and then my buddy, Kathleen's are next...we are doing this study together via email!
A functional god is something that has worked for me in place of where God desires to working.
God has made me laugh – my friendship with Kathleen. I have prayed and prayed and prayed to go through a Bible Study and life with someone who is enough like me that they will get me and not try to change me before I understand where God wants me to be – Kathleen is that for me – God surprised me and it makes me laugh the way that it happened – He is so good. I often times ask her – are you SURE we were not twins separated at birth. This Bible Study has allowed to me to get to know her even better – she lives in Texas and I live in Oklahoma – but God is the common thread that makes it seem like I have known her as my next door neighbor my whole life!
Fear is protecting my idol of comfort. I did not realize how much of an idol I have made out of comfort. I thought I was captivated by fear – but I am held captive by my insatiable desires to be comfortable – even if I KNOW where I am finding my comfort is not the best God has for me…I hold onto the comfort of the familiar.
#1 For me the control issue is easy to function as an idol because we really do have so little control over things in our world. So it’s easy for me to live in fear because bad things happen to people all the time. #3 I would have to say when I was so scared that something was going to happen to me when Donald was born and then the day I came home from the hospital I remember all of a sudden realizing that “hey, nothing happened to me!” and kind of laughing with relief. #4 How does fear protect our idols? I think it clouds the real issue or idol and prevents us from focusing on the deeper problem and removing it. The fear keeps us paralyzed from taking any action.
We are both still working on our words for PECULIAR!
Thanks!
Sunshine and Kathleen :)
My Sweet Sisters,
First time poster, long time reader. Going solo here for NOGs. Refreshing at times, frustrating at others b/c I'm dying to talk to someone about what God is doing in my life (hence this long post)! He just never ceases to amaze me when He so tenderly works ahead of me so that I can be amazed in the moment when He's already there.
Anyway, my idol: financial security. Not what I would have thought when I started this book. Now, by no means, are we wealthy (we are church planters, in fact). We have just made some wise decisions by staying out of debt, saving, etc. We are planning a move in our near future to do some amazing ministry (will have to tell you about that later) and with the way the market is, I have been watching the sizable equity that we built into our house dwindle week by week. I SO want to freak out about having to start all over, but...
Day four totally spoke to me w/ a tenderness that is only from our God. This house I live in and all of the amazing things in our lives here are gifts from God. I canNOT turn them into gods. Me relying on equity and wise financial decisions cannot be my safety net when I think God is not coming through when I expect Him too. Not to mention the fact that I haven't even given Him a whole lot of time to work. Silly me.
Thank you, Kelly, for your wisdom. He has given me these things, He goes before me, He knows ours needs. I will trust Him. There is no promise of tomorrow. There is just hope and excitement for the journey. May it be said of me when this life is done, "She followed no matter the cost" instead of "She made some wise financial decisions and had a really nice house to show for it."
Our God is so good to us, siestas. He is just overwhelmed with joy watching each of us tear down the idols we've built. Keep at it, sisters! I can't tell you the joy I get from reading this blog (Hi Auntie Beth - as my small group calls you-, Amanda, and Melissa!) Love you so much!
Donna Gregory, I was so psyched to read your post. I'm an external validation girl, too! I'm a totally novice christian, but I'll try praying for you.
We had a great time last night, even though we were missing three of our girls. We had homemade spaghetti sauce (with 4 different meats in it) served over mini-penne pasta, with salad, french bread and the famous Butterfinger Cake for dessert. The food and fellowship was wonderful. As for the discussion questions, well, we got started on them. However, discussion lead to examining our fears and idols, and we spent our group time discussing those areas of struggle for each of us. It was insightful and encouraging to see how God is teaching us through this study and through each other. We're gonna try to get more that 2 questions done next time!
I'm still processing and praising from the Deeper Still Event! When people ask if it was all that I'd hoped it to be, I tell them it exceeded anything I'd dared to dream. My life will never be the same!
We have three accrostics:
Pressing into and passing on the love of our
Everlasting Father.
Christ has given us the ability to love the
Unlovable.
Living water flows to all who believe
In the One True God. Together at the
Altar, we worship and praise our
Reedemer, the Savior of the world.
And:
Precious
Extragantly
Crowned
Unrivaled
Love
Immeasurabley
Adorned (in)
Righteousness
AND
Pressing
Ever
Closer
Under
Liberty
In (our)
Almighty
Reedemer
We have dropped from 8 to 6 on-line Study buddies. But we are connecting via e-mail and growing so much. Realizing what has become a god to us is amazing. FEAR, REJECTION, ISOLATION.
God has come to set us free!
Beth, would you answer these questions for us also? You and your group?
THANKS!
WE LOVE YOU!!!
First I have to say I love this study! Then I have to say, I think I am spending too much time on this blog. My 18 month old(who last week fed you cookies through the screen)saw your picture on the video last night and ran to my lap pointing "Besh Besh, mo Besh" Translation for those who do not speak toddler...Beth, Beth, more Beth. I was laughing so hard. Now everytime she sees my lap top she calls it Beth.
Back to the study... we are loving every minute of it. Here is our acryptic (sp?)
Paid for us
Enjoys us
Changes us
Uses us
Loves us
Inhabits us
Accepts us
Renews us
Maggie, Jeannie, Christy, and Cathie Sand Springs, OK
Dear Beth,
My mom and I just got back from Panera Bread where we had lunch and did our bible study discussion. We had a lot of fun and good food!
Here is our acronym for PECULIAR:
Protects us
Eternal life
Chosen us
Unique
Loves us
In us
Always there
Redeems us
Thank you for the great tips on summer sales!! I like your outfit -really cute!! :)
Taylor and my mom, Sue
Checking in from "The Siesta Forum"
Okay, where to begin? First I need to tell you that we are a group of "solos meeting together". There are 208 members, but we've had 647 different people visit the site. If you are going solo and want to join us,please go to: forums.delphiforums.com/siestas.
We talk throughout the week, but each Tuesday evening the chatroom is open from 8-10 EST to discuss the lesson. Last night was a blast! There were so many women in and out of there it would make you crazy, but what fun to see how God is working. We are all so different, yet similar.
Idols that were recognized ran the gamut from food, comfort, control, acceptance, need for love and approval...on and on. We realized that even though we thought they were working for us they really are working against us.
There were so many great acrostics that I wouldn't even be able to begin to share. But this was interesting. Almost every one of them had Redeemed for the letter R. Now, we need to live like we believe we're redeemed.
We really didn't discuss the question about something God has done that made us laugh. But I think I can speak for all the women last night, what He did in that chatroom brought joy! Women who don't even know what a chatroom is, who haven't typed in years, all ages and all brought together! God gave us laughter.
Lastly, almost every one of us recognizes the fear we have. Fear of giving up our idols. Anxiety issues. But fear isn't the idol. The idol is what we're afraid we won't get if we let go of it. What a lie satan is feeding us. God has so much more in store for each of us...all 200 and some of us, if we'll open our hands and release that idol to HIM.
Oh and we ended the night taking prayer requests from each other. (the night was supposed to end at 10 and didn't end until 11, that's what happens when you get that many women in "one place")
Thanks for doing this, Beth. This is a blast!
With love from all the siestas at the siesta forum.
From Tupelo, MS group:
We had all 7 ladies present last night. We enjoyed the homemade pizza, and I served a spinach and nectarine salad as well as the 5 flavor pound cake. I confess, I used my old stand-by pound cake recipe and added the 5 flavors. I just could not in good conscience put the 2 sticks of butter AND the 1/2 cup of Crisco AND the enormous amout of sugar called for in the recipe!
We had wonderful fellowship around my dining room table. All of us think this study is great but so convicting. Some of us are having to face up to some things that apparently had become idols. It's tough! What a joy to share in this study with siestas all around the world. I love having a "common meal", but would like the recipes earlier. I like to plan ahead.
We all love you and the Lord very much! Kay Martin
I am going solo, but am emailing with another siesta. Yesterday I sat on my back patio with my suncreen and my bargain capri pants on drinking my coffee and digging in to this week's questions. I was all set...except for 1 thing. Bug spray. This morning, I have a nice ring of red welts on my leg where my capri pants ended and my bare leg began!!!
I have discovered that I have more idols than I would like to admit, but the biggest ones are anger, resentment, jealousy, and holding grudges. (Quite a list, huh.)
Why do these idols function in my life? Because they keep me from having to take responsibility for myself--I can believe that it's not my fault---it's someone else's.
How does fear protect my idols? I think I fear having to really look at who I am, because doing so would be too painful. It's much easier to blame or be angry or resent someone else.
To the anonymous siesta who is going solo because you can't bear to share with others the deepest places of your heart: You could have been describing me. I have felt for many years that God could never forgive me for all my years of sin, and furthermore, people in my life would be appalled to know the depth of my sin. But I am beginning to realize that it is Satan's lie to keep me captive. God is big enough to forgive all my sins and not only that, he hasn't given up on me. He knows who I really am, yet he is patiently waiting for me still. Woot!
Wow! This got really long and I must go--I have some serious bug bite scratching to do!
Kim W.
We had two of our four meet at Lisa's house for pizza (although it was a lower-fat version to comply with First Place). One member had out-of-state company, the other was volunteering at a Christian camp.
Cathy and Lisa spent over three hours (!) discussing Beth's questions, and we even stayed on topic that whole time!
We are doing our P E C U L I A R homework separately, and then getting together at church on Sunday to see if any of us came up with the same answers. Can't wait to see!
When setting the table for the NOGGERS (No other God girls) yesterday evening, I set out cards for each of us with PECULIAR stamped on them so that we would have a chance to look at the word while eating dinner and think about our acrostic assignment. I had a bunch of letters that I am using to teach my 4 year old the alphabet and set them out on the table as well, (okay, the dinner was a little delayed as my creativity took over) and as I was spelling out PECULIAR, some things stood out to me: I was placing the letters so that everyone around the table could read a few words from where they were sitting and my brain went into word jumble mode, reading words backward, sideways, etc. The words to the left of the capital letters are those things that have been or need to be left in the past and that we no longer need with Christ in our life. The words to the right of the capital letters are those things that Christ does in our life, if we let Him in and let go of the past.
cinaPeace
yvnEverlasting
dlihChrist's
ssenilgUnleasing
sgnoLove
slodIs
lavorppAwesome
tergeRoom(as in Make Room p.24)
In case anyone needs help reading backward: Panic when left behind leads to Peace; Envy-leave it behind and enjoy Everlasting Love; C, L and A go together; Child Longs Approval...leave it behind and enjoy Christ's Love (which Is) Awesome; Idols....we already know what we need to do with those...dump them! and the Ugliness which we reveal and Regret we feel when we indulge in all of the things (idols) we wish we wouldn't can be left behind, Unleashing Christ's Love. Yes, I know, totally random thoughts, but at the end of our evening, after having looked at the word printed out on the card throughout our discussion, the last four letters of the word PECULIAR stood out clear to me, describing satan's hope for our lives which is to live in the past and believe his lies, the lies that the LIAR can try to make us believe, if we give him a foothold. Just say "NO!"
This study is awesome and our friendships are growing as we share, confess and cry together. Thank you for the opportunity to share Christ with lots of Siestas around the country!!
Patty in Fairfax, VA
Beth you are great! Loved your tips! Study is more than I had hoped for and I am learning so much. I love my siestas!
Becky
Beth is Wonder Woman and in two weeks I want to see you in your cape and tights...LOL!
I'm in Portland, OR (Jabber Jaws -- contact me, please!) and Vickie from Boise, Idaho connected with me via the last time I left a comment on your blog. She's keeping me accountable. We're using Yahoo Messenger to chat.
Well,I think I had a lot of fun with my Thesaurus for 'E'... so I just had to share!
People belonging to God
Extraterrestrial (alien) and emigrant (stranger)
Chosen people
Urged to abstain from sinful desires
Live such good lives to glorify God
Into his wonderful light
A holy nation
Received mercy
...........thanks so much for hosting this Bible Study... Summer is so difficult with the routine change.. but having this accountability is a gift from God!
Greetings from us in Everett WA. Linette,Karen,Robin,Billyjo, Anita, Kaydee, Jeanne & Cheryl. All eight of us met togather last night and had a wonderful time of eating, fellowshipping & sharing about what God is doing in our lives. Linette offered to cook for us and she made lassangna instead of the pizza but we did have the Pound cake and it was heavenly! Your video was hilarious. We gathered around my computor and enjoyed a good laugh. And yes Beth I just bought one of those cheap shirts with a bad zipper so I can relate! Of course the shirt is too adorable to get rid of so I guess I will be showering in it! God is so awesome. Each of us participated in your Breaking Free Study a few months ago and now we are knee deep in discovering more idols! Its amazing to see how He keeps bringing opportunities into our lives as we strive to live free in Him. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Blessings to you and your family Beth. We appreciate you so much.
Functional god: weight obsession. It works b/c as long as I'm focused on it, I don't have to think about other, deeper issues. So now that that's out the real work can begin.
P owerful
E ternal
C herished (thank you Jesus)
U unconditional
L love
I ncomplete no more!! Hallelluiah!
A ddictions
R emoved (1 down (cigs); 1 to go)
Thank you to the siesta who so honestly shared her fear of not being comforted, so she turns to food for that comfort. Spoke VOLUMES to me.
I love the opportunity to share in this study!! Thank you Jesus,
Kim in PA
Well, I posted already but I neglected to mention how our GROUP went. Great is the answer. We did enjoy pizza though it was Digiorno frozen not the recipe and I couldn't find butter extract anywhere so I made brownies instead. Not the same, but still a hit.
We had a great time of sharing - 3 1/2 hours worth! Some are still struggling to pinpoint our idols but all of us agree our eyes are being opened to things we hadn't considered before and are looking forward to the weeks ahead.
Here's our acrostic:
Purpose
Eternal perspective
Chosen
Unity
Loved
Image of Christ
'till next time...
Atonement
Redeemed
Fear...I hear from my comment and many others.
Psa 32:7
Thou [art] my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
Psa 32:8
I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
Psa 32:9
Be ye not as the horse, [or] as the mule, [which] have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
Psa 32:10
Many sorrows [shall be] to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
Psa 32:11
Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all [ye that are] upright in heart.
Rah-Rah-Ree!!!
You WILL not bel'v this...I'm one of three in our group from the Knox Praire in Texas and I NEED a dictionary for the words my partners had for PECULIAR! Excuse me, but they are taking the 'peculiar' thing a bit far, don't ya think:
Princess (i kno)
Eternal (i kno)
Cathartic (WHAT???? I'm thinkin' while camping in the artic wearing a catheter so you don't hafta freeze when you gotta go?)
Unbridled (got it)
Loved (awweee)
Immutable (my guess was~can't keep you quiet, but they assured me I was way off)
Radient (hmmm huh, ez)
Kick 'em in the knee for those overachieving words!!!
The three of us may not agree on the acrostic, but we do agree that this study is woopin' our tails!
We had a great time meeting togehter. The pound cake was delicious. Our time of sharing was warm,funny, and difficult at times.
the acrostic we came up with is
p-purpose driven
e-example
c-christian values
u-unique
l-light
i-intrested in others
a-anointed
r-redeemed,radical, reborn
That was such a fun activity to do.
Looking forward to 2 weeks from now.
Thanks so much for this opportunity!
We love this study!
Our dinner consisted of a delicious salad, Becker's Pasta, and a scrumptuously decadent chocolate bundt cake drizzled with white and milk chocolate!! Yummy!! (Could we please have the common recipes the Saturday before the meeting, as I am a working mom and need more time to shop and prepare the meal. Just a suggestion!)
The most incredible part of the study to us was the "Fear protecting our idols". Siesta Mary told us that her mother had a plaque that read "Run to the Roar". (I am picturing Daniel in the Lion's den) Basically we need to face our fears head on. She stated that when we let our fears take over we miss out on opportunities. I loved that!!
We spoke of how we worry way too much about how we "perceive" other people see us. We don't worry enough about how God sees us. He does love us so!
P - Peace, Pardoned
E - Eternity,Exhortation,Enjoyment
C - Christ, Covenant
U - Understands, Unconditional
L - Love, Life
I - Indwelling, Infinite
A - Assurance Acceptance
R - Redemption,Rest, Relationship
(Right to Rule and Reign)
We spoke of how God has blessed us with Husbands and Children who make us laugh and Sister Suzanne stated how God makes her laugh at the way he answers some of her prayers. God sure does have a great sense of humor! I think that the gift of having Siesta's to laugh with is also noteworthy!
God is doing an awesome work here. My neighbors, who were invited to come, however, declined, were all curious after our first study as to "What kind of a Bible Study are you having over there!" They heard so much laughter and singing (we were creating our video)coming from the house that it sounded like fun!! Can you imagine that!! (He He)
Also my 20 year old son, who has decided that he doesn't feel like attending church, has been participating by helping us make our video and downloading it for us. He and his friend love going on Godtube to look at the videos and he loves to hang with the ladies for some fellowship time after the study. God is so faithful!!!
The picture that accompanies this blog is of some of the Siesta's that are in the study. You may look on Luv2Praise blog for more pictures.
Till we blog again, God Bless You all!! In HIS Love, Lori
We have a great group of 18 women coming joining in the study. This week we had 13 of our group there. Interesting study. None of our groups Bible Translations had the l Peter verses like yours, but we did the acrostic for "peculiar" people anyway. Here is what our two groups came up with:
People
Enthusiastic
Chosen
Unique
Living
In an
Amazing
Righteous Relationship
Prayerful
Enthusiastic
Caring
Understanding
Loving
Interacting
Accepted
Redeemed
Thanks for your leadership and inspiration!
Tupelo, MS please contact me.
pshowell4@comcast.net
What a privilege it is for my daughter, daughter-in-love and I to gather around my table and go over the study. It is just too cool,,,,and too God. :) Praise Him for this time. I loved your shopping secrets at the end of your blog. It is such fun to have sisters in Christ to laugh with. You are just so real. I love it! Thanks so, so much! Vicki
Oh Siestas, I am needing some joy tonight. A 10 year old in our community was killed last night in a ATV accident. She was the baby of the family. Two boys and two girls. Pray for the Hopf 's in Dubois IN. My little girl is the same age and we had been having a difficult "attitude chiming in" kinda day when I found out. I just locked my arms around her neck and held on, telling her that I love her. Do the same, our children are too precious to be harping at all the time. I realized that messy hair/rooms/clothes are not that big a deal. Love your children and keep them off od ATV's for cryin out loud!! Okay, I am doing the study solo, with the forum gals and it is great. I am discovering that my idols are alot like everyones elses. Self-control, failure, sucess, perfection, having to act happy for the family... We need to cut it out and start Raisin' up the one true IDOL Jesus Christ.
Here are my Peculiar words:
P-pulled apart from others
E-Educated in the Word
C-Covered by the blood
U-Using Gods Word
L-Living Proof
I-Involved in the ministry
A-Actively Believing God is who he says he is
R-Ready to speak the powerful words of God
OH MY WORD we are lovin' this study here in Charlotte!!!
Our group met today and decided instead of eating that pound cake that we would just go ahead and slather it all over our hips! WOW - not too low on calories there, Ms. Beth! hahaha
Ok. Here's our acrostic for "peculiar". We just thought of things that make us stick out in the "world".
P - Precious (in His sight)
E - Energetic (doing all our work to His glory)
C - Committed (to our marriages even when others walk away)
U - Unified (even if we don't totally agree)
L - Lifestyle (not just a religion but our lives)
I - Insightful (to those hurting around us)
A - Attitude (better be a good one)
R - Reflection (of His face to a hurting world)
Our idols have a lot to do with pride and control. We've got some high places down here in the south that we're tearin' down!! Thank you Jesus for this study and for doing the work!!!
YAHHOOOOOOOOJAH!!
Val
NC
To Kim W. with the bug bites -
Thank you for your encouragement.
Anonymous Siesta
Paulette - solo
I love the study - just finished week 2 today. I can't figure out how to watch the video after 40 seconds it turns off. Help. From reading all the comments I can't wait to see it.
Checking in from Colorado.
Our group had to meet via email this time - life happens! Hopefully next time we will be able to discuss face to face.
Here is some of what we came up with:
1. We found that most often our functional gods involved people - pleasing them, gaining their acceptance, getting advice from them instead of God (running to the phone not the throne). Seems that someone with "skin on" is often a functioning substitute for the one true, yet invisible God.
2. We are a peculiar people because: Christ gives us Peace (based on John 14:27 this is not peace like the world gives); our future is Entrusted to Him (as in 2Timothy 1:12); our Citizenship is not of this earth (Philippians 3:20); we shine like stars in the Universe in the midst of depravity (Philippians 2:15); we have been brought from death to Life (Romans 6:13); we are born again of Imperishable seed (1 Peter 1:23 ); we have been Adopted as God’s sons (Ephesians 1:5 – and this was by His pleasure!); and finally, we are peculiar because we are Royalty (1 Peter 2:9)
3. Something God did that made us laugh is from Gina: "I get a good laugh when I think back to my miscarriages. I was told that I maybe had a 50/50 chance of having children in the first place. It still amazes me today that I actually grew another fallopian tube!"
4. Thinking of fear as the guard for our idols certainly leads to introspection. It will keep us looking for the root of what our idols really are.
Oh, sweet siestas,
I just had to LOL at God's amazing grace, and how He has shown me that I don't need no stinkin' idols when He is truly enough!!
My idol is being "worthwhile" and useful. I used to be a musician and then a vocal cord injury took care of that; so I regained most of my voice and was a teacher (bible, reading, etc.) but then a heart condition took care of that; I regained some strength and went back to leading Bible studies and such, but rheumatoid arthritis and vocal cord deterioration has taken care of that.
So, not feeling "useful" anymore and wondering why God keeps me here (my idol rising up again) and this happens JUST IN THE LAST 2 DAYS!!
I connect with a siesta in a place where she must stay anonymous -- and I now have a wonderful pen pal to encourage and share the study and give materials online where she can't get them any other way;
I connect with a siesta who is looking for a "new safe home" for her Bible study girl who is moving close to my area -- and I know of a good church there and get them connected -- and I have another person to encourage and pray for and love on; so as I go to my small group of women who connect weekly to share how God is working in their lives -- and as I followup on the dear girl that just accepted Jesus 2 weeks ago and wants to know what this Christian life is all about -- why should I ever feel useless when Christ uses me in His fashion and His way -- and having Him is truly enough!
thanks for listening,
bev in OR
Thank you for the video, Beth. I am a week behind and hope to catch up. This is a great study, but life dropped some bombs this week. Please, siestas, pray for 3 friends: 1. friend fell down steps and broke his neck at C3 - please believe in God's miracle of healing and no paralysis; 2. friend in head on car accident, and he has had one surgery and some surgeries ahead of him, but the other person died, and the friend is charged (not his fault as it was raining so hard); 3. young friend's kidney transplant has failed after 10 years and she is on dialysis daily for now. Thank you for your prayers....they can move mountains! God bless, Beth!
Okay I am so behind I may not catch up, (I feel like I am back in high school)
But I want to be a part so I will do some major cram sessions.
Week two is amazing.
I think I really see relationships as my idol. which is funny to say cause now I feel very happy to be single. But the last guy I dated Even got engaged to, all with the HUGE red flags God was waving in my face, and guess what, It was 100% fear that made me stay with him. That whispering fear, that I'd be alone forever, or you can't do better than him, so don't loose him. The whisper that really I am not good enough for God to bless me with a Godly man. And seeing as how I have already been married and that did not last you can believe, that whisper, that fear took hold of me, and made me a believer. And from that valley also comes moments where I can laugh. All I had to do was choose God over that relationship, To say even if I don't feel good enough, God is good enough. To take that stand and not let that idol win. I did it, with his help, and man has it ever changed me. It is such a blessing to have an undivided focus for God, and I will stay single unless a guy comes along to run the race WITH me, instead of trying to convince me to stop running.
P-Peace
E-everlasting Love
C-comfort
U-
L-life altering Grace
I-
A-appended (mama Beth jacksonville)
R-rich in mercy
Two of them stumped me then I saw it was U and I so that's the answers I guess U and I
(or it's just late and I am delirious)
Good Morning All,
Our group of five are thankful for this opportunity to study with all the siestas this summer.
We think No Other Gods is very thought provoking and causes us to look a little deeper. One siesta shared how she had gone through the first week rather superficially (pat Christian answers), and was ready to move on to week two, when she realized God was calling her to go back and "get real" in week one.
It's rather sobering to consider the difference between the God we profess and the gods we sometimes serve. We talked about "what do we get out of it? what's the payoff?"
"Change occurs when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change."
Various ways Christ set us apart:
P-ardoned
E-xcused
C-overed
U-nderstood
L-oved
I-ntervened
A-toned
R-edeemed
Beth, it's fun to be with you via video.
We expect God to do a mighty work!
Dear (siestas), keep yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:21)
What a hoot! I have been reading this blog for months now and have not commented but I just have to get involved in this. I have never met or known of so many womena who are crazy about Jesus like the siestas here.
I am going to try to catch up on this study and be a part. Thanks for serving as you do.
My group met at my house. You've heard of "Dinner and a Movie", well, we had "Lunch and a Bible Study"! Pizza and Pound cake was Yummy!
I took a more practical approach to my acrostic. To be different from the world because I can in Christ.
P-pleasant
E-encourager
C-charitable
U-unselfish
L-loving
I-intentional
A-available
R-reliable
South Georgia Siesta Sue Sue
http://www.suesuessweetthoughts.blogspot.com
Hi All~
We had a great time here in Forest, VA. Five of us met and enjoyed a wonderful dinner. The questions posed were thought provoking and challenging. My favorite was meditating on the word "peculiar". I finally finished my acrostic this morning.
P-owerful in Spirit II Tim.1:7
E-xact truth before me II Pet.1:19
C-itizenship is in heaven Phil.3:20
U-nchanging love Rom.8:38-39
L-iving stone I Pet.2:4
I-ntimacy Heb.10:19
A-live with Christ Eph.2:4-5
R-obe of righteousness is my clothing Isaiah 61:10
Let's go out and live worthy of our title! We are P-E-C-U-L-I-A-R!
Rose~
Here's "our" acrostic. (The royal "our". Xandra blew me out of the water on this one! LOL)
Persecuted
Elect
Church (as in universal)
Unified
Loved
Inheritance
Atoned
Righteous
And we thought summer was supposed to be laid back and not as busy?! We are both scrambling to get this done! LOL
Linda & Xandra
The question about fear really struck me. I post this after watching Session 5 in the Stepping Up series about being "ONE" in the body of Christ. I wonder if others feel this way? My fear is loss of innocence. My childhood, teen-ager years, and young adulthood were so secure. It has been in my mid-adult years that I have dealt with loss. Also with technology now, as a culture we have been exposed to so much in the world around us. Sometimes I ask myself were my eyes meant to see this? Where my ears meant to hear this? Sometimes it's just too much. I do turn to God's Word and The Lord's Prayer. (especially Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.) I have learned so much by reading other Siestas comments and feel so blessed that we are "ONE" in the body of Christ. Thank you for this thought provoking discussion.
This is an eye opener! I've needing something to shake up my perspective and I do believe this is it. Thanks for the laughs
Cindy
We are a session ahead in the Bible study due to our schedules but we enjoyed our review of lessons 1 & 2 and particularly question # 3 : Recall our reading out of Genesis 21:1-6. Listen to verse 6. I especially love the New English Translation: "God has made me laugh." Share something today with the group that God has done for you that brought you such joy or such a turnaround that it was laughable.” There was a sign at one of the local businesses this week that read, “Laughter is a mini vacation.” I am so thankful that our God has a sense of humor and that he is providing so many mini vacations this week during our Summer Siesta fellowship. One of our members shared this with us: “ Her young grandson was looking up toward the sky, laughing, and repeatedly saying, ‘Hah-waw-hooya, Hah-waw-hooya, pwaise the Ward.” After listening to this for a while, his mother went outside and asked what he was doing. The grandson replied,”It’s raining! I’m pwaising the Ward for sending the rain.” Our laughter about this reminded us that we need to remember to lift our laughter and thanks to our God Almighty, giver of all good gifts.
We had a wonderful night of fellowship and study. The pizza and Aunt Bea's Cake were both mouth watering! My girls and I can't about leave dad out. So he looks forward to every other Tuesday also. Yum! In fact I have another cake in the oven as I'm typing this. Five Flavor-Five Pounds up cake. Yikes! Beth we love your cute video's! Lavonda your acrostic was so neat how you added a Bible verse for each! Loved it! Happy 4th of July and God Bless!
The Drake's <><
Yeah it was late the A is supposed to say Apprehended
I loved the video. I am so the girl who buys something and gets home and says what is this? We have yet to be able to meet on Tuesday night but we are meeting and thats what matters. We had brunch this time on Wednesday morning and had breakfast pizza instead and it was great. The discussion went great and we watched the video and just paused at each question. Someone in our group also made a cd of all the songs from the study. I love music and I think it adds so much. I got two emails thanking me this am for leading the study in our neighborhood and what it has already meant to them, so thank you LPM for all your hard work. There are two ladies who have never done bible study. FYI I also bought Kelly Minters bible study for pre-teens on Hannah and my 12 years is eating it up and I said nothing just gave it to her.
I'm so thankful the WORD became flesh and then left His word for us.
delta
Greetings from the Sunset Siestas in FL. The backdrop for our study this week was rain on the lake and we watched it from the porch as we had our discussion.
Double turn around joy for us is spending time with our children, especially grandchildren for us that have them. They really know hoe to make us laugh. Ana commented that this study was definitely a double tuenaround joy for her...an opportunity to reestablish friendships and draw nearer to God, we ditto that!
What makes people want to be peculiar like us?
These attributes are reflected in the conduct of our lives:
P-praising protected & pardoned
E-excited & eternal
C-chosen & comforted
U-united
L-loved lavishly
I-indispensable individuals
A-adopted & anointed
R-ransomed & redeemed
We are blessed!
Greetings from the Garlic Capital Group (Gilroy, CA)!
We had a great group on Tuesday night. Everyone has been open and vulnerable which I am so pleased about since not everyone knew each other coming into it. One of the main things we talked about was that many of our idols that are things (e.g. money, media) seem to be secondary idols masking our true idol which is ourself (which manifests in selishness, independence from God, etc). We are all excited (and a little nervous (o;) to see what God has in store for us over the next two weeks.
Have a wonderful 4th of July! We will be celebrating my son's 1st birthday. :oD
-Trista Leigh
Kathy in Bradford, PA
Hi everyone!
I have to share a "GOD STOP" with you all. I appologize for the delay, length, and me, me, "me"ness of this "group responce" but my hope is that you will see God's presence at work.
FRUSTRATION and DISAPPOINTMENT:
2 weeks of frustration over many failed attempts to write, record and submitt a video singing our memory verses.
Disappointment over myself:
for an unsucessful video, awareness of my idols, and getting dressed(trying to look good when nothing fits)
TURNING POINT:feeling overwhelmed and overheated, layed down on my bed to pray and whine, mostly whine.
REALIZATION:I stared asking myself, "Why am I frustrated, disappointed and agitated?"
ANSWER:because I am looking for satisfaction in any and everything but God. WOW! Now that's an idol!
At that moment, a cool breeze washed over me. God's gentle presence. God you are Awesome.
LOOKING BACK:
The song was missing part of the verse "through Jesus Christ our Lord" (God's protection over my fear of looking foolish)and it fits PREFECTLY into the spot in should go.What an Awesome God we have!
Tuesday when our group got together I shared this story, played and sang the song for them and they sang along. They were excited to have something to help them learn the memory verse.
Misson accomplished!! Glory to God!
We discussed the issuse of fear protecting our idols. There was some confussion about fear being an idol, but the more we talked the clearer it became that fear can be an idol, but sometimes there is something behind the fear that is the true idol. Some of those fears were: making mistakes, looking foolish, not doing something good enough, and not getting everything done.
There were great answers for the acrostic most of which have already been stated, except Royalty. Loved Lavonda's group in Georgia with the scriptures to back it up!
Thanks for letting me share.
You are all terrific!
Never wanting to leave Jesus Christ out again!
Kathy in Bradford, PA
To the anonymous siesta who responded to my original post--
You're quite welcome! I will be lifting you up in prayer.
The Nogs from Snellville, GA came up with this acrostic:
P - perfect. we are perfect in God's eyes, so we don't need the approval of the world
E - evermindful. we are to be ever mindful of what God expects of us as his children
C - compassion. We are to show compassion to those around us. even when we disagree
U - uplifting. in a world full of discouragement and negativity, we are to spend our lives lifting others up
L - language. our language should set us apart.
I- inspire. we are to breathe the spirit of God into everything and everyone one around us.
A - abstinence. again this is about being different. whether you want to talk about sex, drink or watching "popular movies" the point is to abstain. Those who are watching you will eventually ask "why?"
R - respectful. Be respectful of other people's feelings, but at the same time, respect your GOD. Do not brush off HIS requirements
almost everyone in our group has the same to major gods: approval and control. We all want to be loved and will do almost anything to get it and we all have some degree of addiction to control.
Notes: I agree with needing the recipes in time for Saturday marketing
and how on EARTH do eat all this stuff and stay so thin Beth?
Sorry it has taken me so long to post my response for our group...shame on me! ha!
Any who...we are living large and loving this Bible Study down here in Ft. Lauderdale.
We met for 3 hours (yep, we can talk) and were able to peel back the layers (like an onion) of masks that we hide behind and really call out and claim the truths in this study. So many of us struggle with idols and the whole thing about FEAR really took it all to another level.
We had 11 chicks (young, old, in between, and quite a few nationalities) Tuesday night and one by one we read through all the verses Kelly listed on Day 5 of Session 2, we did the acrostic for "peculiar", we handed out Scripture Memory Cards (for Jude 1:24-25), and have a prayer chain going through the group on email.
God has knit together quite an amazing group of STRONG women who are finally able to lay it down and be real...I LOVE IT!!!
Go God for bringing us all together, and thanks to Kelly Minter for a great book and study, and thanks to you Beth and the LPM team for uniting us all in prayer, food, and fellowship!
Much Love and Prayers,
Melissa in Mel's World
PECULIAR
Praise God from whom
Eternal Life with
Christ is offered through the
Unselfish, unwavering, unfailing
Love of our
Incomprehensive, incredible
Adored and Almighty
Redeemer
Amen & Hallelujah!!
Isaiah 44:6-23
This is what the LORD says--
Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last: apart from me ther is no God. Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come-- yes,let him fortell what will come. Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and fortell it long ago? Your are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.
All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant to their own shame. Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit him nothing? He and his kind will be put to shame, craftsmen are nothing but men. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and infamy.
The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes and idol with hammers, he forges it with the might of his arms. He get hungry and loses his strength, he drinks no water and grows faint. The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in the form of man, of man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine.
He cut down cedars, or perhaps took a cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest , or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow. It is man's fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it. Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says,"Ah! I am warm; I see the fire." From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, "Save me; you are my god." They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand.
No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding to say, "Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over it's coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?"
He feeds on ashes, a deludes heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, "Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?"
"Remember these things, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I have made you, you are my servant; O Israel, I will not forget you. I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you."
Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forest and all your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.
I'm doing this study with my BFF Stacy. One thing I absolutely love about this study is that it is giving us an opportunity to connect in our rushed lives. We met for lunch today in a local restaurant. We watched Beth's video as we ate. Then, of course, before we could get into the discussion, we HAD to check our teeth and refresh our lipstick. :)
We both said that we are looking at idols in a completely new way. We discussed all kinds of fears, and wondered where God was leading us and what He's trying to show us in our situations. One of Stacy's Isaac's was when she prayed to see snow on the beach at our Bible Study retreat in January. It was cold that weekend, however on the last day, still no snow. But while walking on the beach, she met some people who were walking their white dog. As she asked about the dog, she asked his name. And, you guessed it, it was Snow! God is so good! Stacy did see Snow on the beach, but not exactly like she thought she would. What a lesson to learn! (And what a hoot!) I feel connected to Isaac in a different way. We experienced infertility for 10 years before we had a precious boy who is now almost 15. Tears come to my eyes as I recall all the laughter we've had together.
This Bible study was such a wonderful idea. Can't wait to see what the next two weeks have in store for us!
Hey Siestas and Mama Siesta,
Can I just say that I have a new love/hate relationship with this study? Kind of like I did with Breaking Free, I got to tell ya. (You couldn't pick an easy study like, "90 days of studying praise songs" or something!!!) I hate what this study is bringing up in my life, but I love that our Lord and Savior loves to bring beauty from ashes and wants me to serve the Big G and not focus on these small g's that I have created for myself.
Love to all.
I am a middle aged NOG, and I have led young women in this study twice. Now I am doing it alone. I am STILL learning things about myself. I agreed with the post that Nikki entered about the idol of financial security (or the lack thereof!) I wrote" I canNOT rely on our retirement funds or any acquired possession such as a house for my security. I truly must trust the Lord for all that because the truth is, it can all change in in instant.
I will add another idol to the list, and that is health. There is fear in the heart of an 50 something as she sees her parents aging, and all that it entails. Illness, pain, death. As we go past the midpoint, we fear getting older, being sick, not having enough money etc. to be comfortable.
The idols change, but there are always new ones that crop up that we MUST conquer in the power of the Lord. Satan never stops.
Lastly, my most favorite quote in the first two weeks was on page 34 "....somewhere in the middle of all the tugging, it is ESSENTIAL that we buiild a fortress wherein only God, His words, and our heart exist together for a time. It rarely happens accidentally."
That is one powerfully true sentence. Oh God, may we take it to heart.
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