They say if you spend 1,000 hours studying one thing you will become proficient in that one thing. While I hesitate to believe that all I need to do is devote 1,000 hours to my jump shot and it would propel me on to the NBA, I can entertain the notion that if I dedicated that kind of time and focused attention to something, I very well could excel at that one thing.
With my first child, changing a diaper took all my focused attention and several failed attempts before getting it right. By the time number two baby arrived, I was changing a diaper while talking on the phone, while running the laundry and answering the 427th “why” question of the day from the older sibling. Changing that many diapers was what made me proficient. It didn’t come naturally and it wasn’t exactly the thing that I loved to do most. But it was necessary.
What if we approached our spiritual life with that kind of energy? Not because we necessarily want to but because it was necessary. What if we decided to spend a great deal of time focusing on one area so that we might become proficient in that one area, a necessary area? Would you do it? What would yours be? For me, hands down it would be to learn how to hear from God. It is the one area where I desperately need proficiency.
Life can be so overwhelming at times, would you agree? Obstacles, difficult decisions, and complicated choices seem to be the make-up of our environment today. With so many solutions bombarding us from all the social media that is part of our culture, how do we discern what is God and what is not? How do we discern the voice of our Maker from the ones that continually vie for our attention?
If you feel the same way, why not join us for our next course of study. Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer. We will spend seven weeks of focused attention on this one topic. There are six DVD sessions with six weeks of accompanying homework and there are several ways that you can participate in this study with us.
1) You can join us for the DVD lessons or,
2) You can purchase and complete the workbook and join us for the DVD lessons or,
3) You can purchase and complete the workbook and participate in group discussion while also joining in viewing the DVD lessons.
You get to pick whatever suits you in this season of your life but keep in mind the more time and energy you use to engage in a topic the more proficient you will be at it. I always encourage people to do homework because it causes you to engage with the material and to really mull it over in your mind. I also find that this is when God speaks to people the most. He gets personal with you when you get personal with Him. If you have never done homework, then I encourage you to give it a try. It can become quite compelling.
Ok, so here are the administrative details. The study will begin on Tuesday, April 16th and will run until May 28th. We will be meeting at 9:30 am where we will start promptly with group discussions. At 10:15, we will join together in the chapel for worship and then the DVD lesson for that week. If you are only participating in the DVD part of the program, you won’t need to arrive until 10:15. If you wish to purchase a book ($11), contact Linda via the email on the side bar of this post and she will order it for you (money needs to be in before the order can be made).
How I hope that you will join us on April 16th. To those of you who regularly attend Women’s Bible study, I am so excited to embark on another journey with you all in His word; you make it so much fun for me. And to those of you who might be new to not only this Bible Study, but to any Bible study, we would be so blessed if you would join us. You are so welcome here.
See you on the 16th!
“May the beauty of the Lord rest upon you and establish the work of your hands.” Psalm 90:17 (my paraphrase)
Shalom!
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