Week 8
I am so proud of us, friends! We stuck with it, and made it through the whole book! I sincerely hope you learned something about yourself through this study and that it encouraged you to spend more time in your Bible and in prayer!
Click here to review prior weeks.
Notes from my reading journal-
CHAPTER 27-
Bible Passages found within this chapter:
*Keep in mind, I highly recommend grabbing your Bible and flipping to these verses (preferably even a verse before and/ or after). I’m so glad Allie includes these verses within the chapters, but I still just feel a deeper connection when I’m in my actual Bible!
Matthew 25:14-30
Notes:
I love how this chapter is basically the rebuttal to my soap box/ “Ted Talk” from chapter 23! We can’t do it all; God isn’t asking us to do it all- society is!
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
God has blessed me with so much! I know I am guilty of often looking at these blessings as burdens and items on my to do lists. For me, this is a really important aspect in this journey of “finding my where,” reclassifying my responsibilities from the to-do list category to the blessings I’ve been entrusted with category. I’ve been entrusted with so many blessings!! I have a fabulously supportive husband, 2 beautiful children, 2 adorable fur babies, a comfortable home, a job to provide for my family, food to cook for my family, clothes to cloth my family- this list could go on and on, right? I too often get bogged down in the daily to-dos: go to work, get the groceries, make dinner, clean the kitchen, do the laundry, etc and miss overarching blessings behind all of these responsibilities! I’m still not sure what God is calling me to, but I do think He is trying to tell me to rest, to take a breath, and to enjoy these blessings rather than stressing about them!
CHAPTER 28-
Bible Passages found within this chapter:
Philippians 4:13
John 8:44
Proverbs 4:23
Romans 12:2
Philippians 4:8
Ephesians 4:22-24
James 1:5
Psalm 119:11
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
It’s funny/ ironic, having a spirit of gratitude is something I’ve been working on with our oldest son. He sometimes forgets about all the special treats he gets and gets stuck in a “gimmie” mindset; it took Allie’s points within this chapter to open my eyes to see that I am doing the exact same thing! Personally, within my journey of “finding my where” I need to work on cultivating a spirit of gratitude; not entertaining those thoughts of “not having enough”, “ not doing enough”, & “ not being enough”
The verse this brings to my mind, is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus
CHAPTER 29-
Bible Passages found within this chapter:
Matthew 6:19-21
1 John 4:19
Psalm 95: 1-6
John 4:24
Matthew 15:8
Hebrews 1:3
James 2:17
Romans 6:13
Notes:
Prior to this study, I hadn’t considered the true meaning or task of living a surrendered life. I am very type A, with borderline OCD, control-freak tendencies. Surrender is certainly something I struggle with in all aspects of my life; I can barely even surrender the dishwasher to my husband for fear of him loading it “incorrectly.” So the thought of surrendering my entire life- my future, my health, my provisions, my children….that’s huge!! But isn’t that exactly what Jesus called us to do- surrender completely to our Heavenly Father!
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
When I think of “worship,” I think of a traditional church service, with traditional piano and organ music, the occasional “amen” from the congregation. The funny thing is, when I take a step back and think about those “old fashioned” church services and the way I felt during them, vs the way my heart feels driving down the road and a Lauren Daigle song comes on- it’s a very different feeling, right? You know the lump in your throat, heart swelling, can’t help but sing feeling you get when “that song” comes on vs the often mundane looking at my watch hoping my stomach doesn’t start growling while I’m waiting on the choir to finish up that last song before 12:00 feeling. Obviously one is worship and the other is just going through the motions- checking off that box on my list. Don’t get me wrong, I love our church and our church family, and our Sunday mornings truly are engaging, inspiring, and worship-filled; I just think true worship is an in-the-moment thing, not an on-demand feeling, automatically produced just because the choir stands up to sing when we reach a certain part of the service. Maybe worship looks a little different for all of us, what’s in our heart, what’s on our minds- it is the true surrendering of our hearts and minds!
CHAPTER 30-
Bible Passages found within this chapter:
1 John 4:4
John 15:9-17
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
Living fully alive is certainly the goal, right? Living out God’s purpose for your life, feeling fulfilled and happy! Staying away from that weighted-down, “I need a vacation” type of life. For me, I’m still trying to figure out what that is and how to do it! I know God has a purpose for me, and I’m excited to continue on this journey of seeking out that purpose. I’m not sure that journey is ever really over though, at least not until our earthly race is finished and our faith becomes sight. Until that point, I think our “where” will continue to evolve, change, and grow as God uses us to glorify Him and carry out His plans.
Now that we’ve read the entire book, let’s do a quick recap!
We are Wonderfully Made, and:
Made by God
Made to know God
Made for a relationship with God
Made in the image of God
Made with love and wonder
Made to glorify God
Made to bloom
Made for beauty
Made for something more
Made to live forever
Made to live fearlessly
Made to walk worthy
Made to be redeemed
Made to belong
Made for friendship
Made to preserve
Made for such a time as this
Made for soul care
Made to create
Made for forgiveness
Made for sexual wholeness
Made to live wisely
Made to be present
Made to rest
Made for an outward focused life
Made for a mission
Made to be faithful
Made to be transformed
Made to worship
Made to live fully alive
Which of these chapters spoke most to you? Was one of these “charges” surprising to you? Did something within this study really jump out at you and impact the way you’re living or planning your future?
Thank you so much for being on this journey with me! Love you, friends!!
Week 7
Better late than never, I guess!! I’m sorry friends; these past couple weeks have been a little crazy so my blogging (and truthfully my Bible study and prayer life) has really struggled because of it! I’m working through it, determined to not give up, and trying to get back on track with the normal schedule of theWHERE! I sincerely appreciate you- you being here with me through this journey and you being patient as I, like you, am just trying to keep my head above water on a daily basis- but I digress because this isn’t about me; it’s about us seeking God’s will so that we can glorify Him with our lives and in our God given purpose, and right now, we are doing that by studying Allie Marie Smith’s Wonderfully Made- so let’s dive in!
Click here to review prior weeks.
Notes from my reading journal-
CHAPTER 23-
Bible Passages found within this chapter:
*Keep in mind, I highly recommend grabbing your Bible and flipping to these verses (preferably even a verse before and/ or after). I’m so glad Allie includes these verses within the chapters, but I still just feel a deeper connection when I’m in my actual Bible!
Proverbs 14:30
Ephesians 5:14
Psalm 16:11
Psalm 139:5
Notes:
Ok, so I want to start off by saying- I really like Allie; granted I don’t actually know her, but after this journey of studying Wonderfully Made and following her on social media, I feel like I get a small glimpse of the fun-loving, interesting, kind-hearted, woman she is, so I genuinely do not want this next note to come off as negative, BUT I promised when starting this blog that I would always be honest with you, so here it goes…
Yes, I agree as Christians we need to be present in our lives BUT it’s not that simple!! Honestly, this is a major pet peeve of mine- when bloggers, influencers, writers, devotion leaders, etc all talk about “ just slow down!” “ enjoy life!” “be in the moment!” OK SURE!! I would LOVE TO, BUT HOW!! Is the reason these people are easily able to say “slow down” is because they wrote a book, published a successful blog, etc and are now able to? What about the rest of us? Those of us struggling to keep our heads above water?! I’ve written on this topic a few times, because it really is something that I personally struggle with!! I trust God with my life; I (at least attempt to) turn my decisions, both big and small, over to him constantly; I know He will provide- but I also don’t have money (or more hours in the day) just falling out of the sky! So sure it’s easy to say- cut down on social media time, don’t participate in the really bad things that zap up your time, but still-
Wake up early, spend time in prayer, spend time in your Bible, get to work, work hard, don’t use company time for personal stuff (guilty!), be present with your kids, keep your relationship alive with your husband, what do you mean you haven’t worked out today?, get outside, you need fresh air, walk the dog, go to t-ball, the kids have karate, but don’t miss Wednesday night church, do the laundry, clean the house, plant flowers, what haven’t you spent time with your girlfriends?! oh yeah, drink your water, cook at home, make sure you get your servings of fresh fruit and veggies!! Make sure you go to bed early; your body needs rest. I mean, it’s not really that hard!! Just BE PRESENT….
Honestly it’s laughable- even in an ideal world, that to-do list is massive and we live in the real world, where I do get distracted by social media and the TV, because quite honestly I need a brain break at some point and often times after work I don’t have enough brain power left to do anything else! I just ordered this awesome planner from The Passionate Penny Pincher. She is one of my favorite social media accounts and always looks so put together, so I figured, why not?! It is actually a very inclusive planning system, and maybe if I was a SAH I could use it, but OMG!! I get this thing in, I take it to work so I can dive into it, and just opening this thing is giving me a panic attack!! I love to do lists and schedules but it has lists upon lists upon lists- there are not enough hours in the day!! So love you Allie, but this chapter is a hot button topic for me, simply because HOW?!!! HOW DO WE SQUEEZE IT ALL IN SO THAT WE CAN JUST BE PRESENT?! HOW??!!
CHAPTER 24-
Bible Passages found within this chapter:
Genesis 2:1-3
Exodus 20:8-10
Mark 2:27
Notes:
TOES!! Those were my toes that just got stomped!! So after my notes from week 23, we open this chapter on rest. I still stand by my soapbox on HOW?! BUT…this past Sunday our church sermon was literally on this exact same topic! EXACT!! So could it be that God is trying to get my attention and tell me something?!
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
A day of rest is semi part of my routine- in theory. In reality, we reserve Sunday mornings for church, then we’re “off to the races” to get ready for the week ahead. Sometimes even in the car on the way to/ from church- I’m placing my grocery order, looking at our calendars, scheduling all the things. After last Sunday’s sermon on literally this exact same thing, I honestly tried to incorporate nothing but rest, relaxation, and time with my family following church, and guess what?! The world didn’t stop spinning!! We still got up on Monday morning, the house was more messy than a normal Monday, but we still managed to get the kids to school and ourselves to work. I am going to start trying to rearrange my week so the normal Sunday routine can be split out and done during the week, so that Sunday can be reserved for rest and true surrender of the week ahead to Jesus!
CHAPTER 25-
Bible Passages found within this chapter:
Bible Passages:
Romans 3:23
Luke 10:27
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
It is so easy to be self-focused because that is another message from mainstream media that we all hear constantly. It’s easier for the media to sell us products if we think we have all these issues that need to be fixed- buy concealer to cover your flaws, subscribe to this fitness routine to eliminate your belly fat, order this to fix that, the list is endless! When our brains are filled with these messages constantly, we start to believe them! And that’s all before even discussing the comparison game stemming from social media- everything is pointing to ourselves! The natural progression is obviously insecurity or pride- comparing yourself to others online, you’re either doing better or worse than those other women in the pictures and featured in the ads, creating a sense of insecurity or pride, and a deeply ingrained desire to fix the things that are “less than”
Isn’t it funny how the things that should be important often aren’t featured in our world at all?! Be kind, love yourself, make others feel valued. If you think back on all the commercials, shows, internet ads, social media posts- how much of the information overload flooding your brain is about things, purchasing, spending money, fixing yourself versus the actual important things like loving others, loving yourself, spending time in your Bible and in prayer?!
CHAPTER 26-
Bible Passages found within this chapter:
John 20:21
Matthew 28:18-20
2 Corinthians 5:20
Matthew 7:16
1 Peter 3:15
Psalm 66:16
Micah 6:8
Notes:
Made for a Mission! How great is that?! We are made for a mission…..now to figure out what that mission is! This week I am feeling very drawn to rest and surrender, so I am desperately trying to surrender that question to God, so let’s end this chapter and this week in prayer-
Dear Lord,
Thank You so much for everything You have blessed us with! Thank You Lord for this life You have gifted me!! Help me Lord to use this life to glorify You, and You alone. Lord, it is awesome that You designed each and every one of us with a divine purpose and mission; help us now as we seek Your will so that we can carry out the mission You’ve assigned. Lead, guide, and direct us to not only find and realize that mission, but also to completely surrender the actions of that mission so that we can bravely follow You and effectively carry out Your purpose for my life.
In Your son’s holy and precious name I pray,
Amen
Week 6
As we are nearing the finish line of this study, I want us to start looking back over the past 20+ chapters to see what we’ve learned and how we’ve grown in this study. We’re not quite done, and we’re not stopping just yet, we still have plenty more to learn in these last few chapters but hopefully as you are reading through the next couple weeks, you can start the self reflection process of evaluating this study as a whole, how it’s impacted you, and what we can take with us moving forward!
Click here to review prior weeks.
Notes from my reading journal-
CHAPTER 20-
Bible Passages found within this chapter:
*Keep in mind, I highly recommend grabbing your Bible and flipping to these verses (preferably even a verse before and/ or after). I’m so glad Allie includes these verses within the chapters, but I still just feel a deeper connection when I’m in my actual Bible!
Matthew 6:15
Matthew 18:21-22
Romans 5:8
2 Thessalonians 1:6-7
Matthew 5:9
Romans 12:18
Luke 6:27-28
Romans 8:39
Psalm 103:12
Isaiah 43:18-19
Notes:
Forgiveness is kind of a funny thing; sure it could be something big, something in the past, like the person that got you into drugs or human trafficking, the prison guard at a concentation camp, life altering BIG stuff, but what about the smaller, everyday occurrences- the teacher that treated your kid unfairly, the kid that was mean to your child on the playground, the co worker that stole your idea, the competitor that got the promotion you had worked for? Thank God (literally thank God) I’ve never encountered a prison guard situation like Ten Boom, but I have encountered the teacher that I felt was unfairly targeting my child. What do you do in that situation? I still have to not only see, but talk to and interact with this person, on a daily basis. I still have to entrust my child’s care with this person daily; daily I’m receiving emails, calls and texts that feel strangely targeted- what then? Do I choose peace and forgiveness over my child’s wellbeing? How do I show the love of Jesus to someone making my child’s life more difficult during an already impossible time to be alive- pandemic, Russia invasion of Ukraine, inflation skyrocketing, it’s not all rainbows and unicorns out here in the “real world” so wouldn’t it be nice if schools and school teachers were a safe haven, a happy place for kids- especially LITTLE kids that have already had to live through the shut down, quarantine, and masks?! How do you exemplify forgiveness then?
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
The hardest part of forgiving someone is letting go of my own pride- the I’m right, you’re wrong, “high ground.” Often, my pride gets in the way of “stepping down” down off my high horse to be able to forgive the person that has wronged me, but even more so, my control issues get in the way. I think somehow I feel that if I don’t forgive that person, I’m controlling the situation so that it can’t repeat. If I can somehow prevent a recurrence, I won’t get hurt or angry again. But my human heart and mind, certainly are far from perfect so obviously this is an area I need to spend some serious time in prayer, seeking guidance to become more forgiving and more like Jesus!
CHAPTER 21-
Bible Passages found within this chapter:
John 8:5-11
Psalm 147:3
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
Sadly, this perverted version of sex is everywhere in our world- Hollywood, the fashion industry, the fitness industry, the food industry, think about the commercials and messages that are constantly in front of us; trying to “help” you be sexier. I think that’s one of the reasons the world does push sexuality- there’s money in it! They can sell more clothes if they can convince you these new designer trends make you look sexier; they can sell more exercise equipment if they convince you it will help you lose weight so you’re sexier; the list could go on forever, but it mainly boils down to “them” selling you stuff so that you can achieve this idea of “sexy.” Obviously, all that feeds into the sexual brokenness- we’ve been convinced by Hollywood and the media that sex is about looks, popularity, and “coolness,” instead of love, marriage, and God.
CHAPTER 22-
Bible Passages found within this chapter:
Bible Passages:
Proverbs 16:9
James 1:5
Proverbs 11:22
Proverbs 9:10
2 Corinthians 6:14
Proverbs 8:11
Proverbs 24:14
Psalm 139:7
2 Peter 1:3
Proverbs 31
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
I often get “analysis paralysis.” If given too much freedom to just make decisions; I start to evaluate every little detail, to a paralyzing degree. I wholeheartedly rely on God’s guidance with the decisions of my life because I know I am ill equipped to forge ahead alone. I think that’s one of the most freeing things of being a Christian, knowing that God has a plan, He knows the details and the overall big picture, so He is going to guide me in my decision making so that my choices fit into His plan. For me, that is living wisely- turning my decisions over to God, going to Him in prayer for guidance throughout my day- “Lord, lead, guide and direct me.” “Lord, give me the words; open my heart, open their ears. Help me to effectively communicate what it is You desire from this (potentially awkward or tense) interaction.” This is definitely something I’m actively working on in my own life. As you know, my entire blog is based on “finding my where,” seeking God’s will and purpose for my life- “WHERE” is it that you want me Lord? So to me, I’m not sure that it’s more wisdom in my life that I need, I think it’s more about trusting in God’s plan and surrendering my words, actions, and decisions (big and small) to His will; simply remembering to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:16) to ask for guidance throughout my days.
Week 5
Welcome to WEEK 5!! This week a couple of these chapters really hit home for me, so I sincerely hope something within this study is lighting a spark for you too!
Click here to review prior weeks.
Notes from my reading journal-
CHAPTER 16-
Bible Passages found within this chapter:
*Keep in mind, I highly recommend grabbing your Bible and flipping to these verses (preferably even a verse before and/ or after). I’m so glad Allie includes these verses within the chapters, but I still just feel a deeper connection when I’m in my actual Bible!
John 16:33
James 1:2-4
Malachi 3:3
Romans 5: 3-4
1 Peter 5:10
2 Corinthians 4:17
James 1: 12
Romans 8:28
Notes:
If you’ve been following along on theWHEREblog, you probably already know that I am a firm believer in “everything happens for a reason.” My stance is that God is behind everything- He has a plan and it takes all the moments (big and small, good and bad) to create the details of His plan. Last week, my family was all over the place (nothing extraordinary) but it was just busy enough that I ran out of time (and energy) to keep on track with my Wonderfully Made reading and study notes. Instead of my regularly scheduled Saturday post, last week ended up getting posted the following Tuesday, certainly not the end of the world, just real life. So that of course meant this week was also starting a few days later than normal. The events of this week in my professional life have been anything but boring or expected- so as I sit down to read chapter 16, ALL of that is heavy on my mind. In fact before even starting chapter 16, I had to take a minute to listen- my mind is literally spinning to the point that I have no words for prayer other than “Lord, you know what’s on my heart and mind.” Ok ok, so anyway- with ALL of that going on, I pick up Wonderfully Made to read chapter 16- and it hits me like a truck! Today, this very morning, is the morning I was meant to read this chapter! Last week I got off schedule so that I would be in this mental place for this exact chapter! Allie- yes, yes, yes; all of this, every word, yes! I mourn my broken dreams, yet knowing my “suffering” (albeit minor in the grand scheme of things) is for God’s purpose, His plan, my refining!
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
Like I’ve said before, I grew up fairly sheltered so thank God (literally thank God), true suffering hasn’t been a huge part of my story. I’ve had the normal ups and downs of life- divorced parents at an early age, drama of being a teenage girl, miscarriage, difficult child birth, critically ill infant, frustrations within my job, challenges with our house (buying, selling, remodeling, etc). However, when I think back on all of those difficult seasons, it becomes clear that each and every one of those were “short lived” in the grand scheme of this life and even more so short lived when I consider the eternity I get to spend with my Heavenly Father. Of course, each and every one of those seasons caused pain and struggle, but even more so I can look back now and see where they each taught me something about myself and my faith, and brought me closer to Jesus. Each of those seasons played a role in my sanctification process, the process of making me more like Jesus- and afterall isn’t that what this life is about? Jesus justified our sins so we can be sanctified and become more like Him! I don’t focus on any one of those difficult seasons and I don’t want to spend too much time focusing on the pain and struggle of my past, because it’s my belief that the future, specifically our future with God, is where our attention should be focused.
CHAPTER 17-
Bible Passages found within this chapter:
Psalm 139:16
Esther 4:14
Matthew 9:37
Notes:
Wow! This chapter hit the nail on the head!! And somehow gave me some peace about our current world. Right now, even if you live under a rock, you know about everything going on- seemingly never ending pandemic, Russia invading Ukraine, supply chain shortages, massive inflation, the list could go on and on! BUT GOD not only does God know about all of that plus more, He knew it was going to happen, when it was going to happen, and when/ how it will all end. Knowing all the information, knowing your heart, He decided right smack in the middle of all of that is where you fit best into His plan. WOW!! I am not a fan of watching the news, in fact I pretty much avoid it at all costs because I just don’t understand what I gain from it, other than unnecessary stress over situations that I cannot control; my husband on the other hand wants to know all the things about all the things, so he keeps me informed plenty. Despite the fact that of course I already know God knows ALL, somehow hearing it in this context really gave me peace. God knows our strengths and weaknesses, and He decided right now at this seemingly pivotal point in history, the decade that will forever haunt history books because of the sheer volume of stuff happening all at once, is when we best fit into His bigger picture.
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
Now, let’s turn this around just a bit and focus more on the “small scale” specifics of my life, rather than the much larger problems of the world. Within my own little life, this chapter seems to have an insight into my day-to-day, my “nine-to-five” world. I’m not sure that I have a deep calling; I often find myself praying for clarity and direction, but I know God has a plan and a purpose for my life. My main takeaway from this chapter was the piece about Rosa Parks and God taking away her fear, giving her the strength to endure what was necessary at that time in history, so I’m making that a personal goal of mine, praying for God to take away my fear when it’s time to stand up for what’s right and say what’s needed to be said at the appropriate time. Within my professional life, I often feel torn between keeping the peace but still knowing the difference between true right and wrong- something that feels like I shouldn’t be juggling, but here we are, in the real world- full of broken people, making decisions that impact others, and often teeters on the line between right and wrong.
CHAPTER 18-
Bible Passages found within this chapter:
Bible Passages:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Psalm 3:5
Philippians 4:8
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
I think the reason women have a hard time treating themselves with kindness and respect is because many women struggle to treat other women with kindness and respect, so why would they be any different with themselves? As a woman, it is easy to take on too much and then take it personally when things don’t get done or others aren’t as appreciative as we think they should be about all the things we are juggling. For me, and I’m assuming lots of other women, a huge step in self care would be just to say no and ask others for help. We cannot do it all; it’s not possible, but yet I know I try- the world will not fall apart if I say no more often. No, I do not have time to sit on that committee; no I do not have time to volunteer for that project; no I do not have time to help with that task- just no! I have a blog post about this exact topic on the “Daily Struggles” page because I know I am certainly guilty of this, but I do think the Devil uses even those “small,” seemingly good things to work against God’s plan; when we get too busy with all the projects, committees, and tasks, we have less time for prayer and Bible study.
CHAPTER 19-
Bible Passages found within this chapter:
1 Thessalonians 4:11
Notes:
Love, love, love this chapter! Yes to all of it!! My husband and I used to live in Raleigh; right after college, we got married, and moved to the city to chase the corporate life. How high up the corporate ladder could we climb? What’s the next big promotion? When’s the next big bonus? It was a constant chase. We loved our time in Raleigh- we learned and grew a lot! But somewhere along the way, we both realized that wasn’t the life we wanted. We were several hours away from family, our daily commute took far too much time and created unnecessary stress, no matter our salary it was never enough for the next big shiny object that our neighbors already had, so therefore we NEEDED a bigger, nicer, newer version- you get the vibe! Fast forward to now- we live in a small town, exactly halfway between my parents and my in-laws; sure our career opportunities aren’t what they were in Raleigh, but our personal life opportunities SO-far outweigh any and everything we could possibly even imagine achieving professionally- it doesn’t matter! My commute is less than 10 minutes; I can be at my kids’ daycare in 5 minutes; when my kid got sick our pediatrician already had my cell phone number and was texting me at all hours of the day to check on us! Things that money and fancy job titles can’t buy- so YES give me a “boring” life all day long!!
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
If you’ve read my “About Me” page on www.theWHEREblog.com, you probably already know the answers to this chapter’s discussion questions, but regardless- a few years ago, I felt the distinct tug at my heart to read the Bible, cover to cover. I didn’t know where to start, so being the Amazon addicted consumer that I am, I started on Amazon. I found the Diane Stortz book A Woman’s Guide to Reading the Bible. I followed her book, loosely, as a guide and eventually made it through the entire Bible, in much more than one year. During this process, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to do something else, something more with it. I wanted to dive into the details, track my notes, share my thoughts. Well, meanwhile my husband and I moved, had a child, started new jobs, etc- just real life happened, but I couldn’t shake this feeling. This past summer, I was looking for more- I wanted to contribute to something, but I couldn’t put my finger on what- did I want to start a business, write book, change jobs, just this open-ended feeling of not know what was causing me to feel so scattered?! So as I’m brainstorming one day trying to figure out my feelings- I see this Diane Stortz book again and it really was a light bulb/ a ah-ha moment. I felt so strongly compelled to start this blog- to read through the Bible again, but this time do it slower and more intentionally. Sketch out my notes, type up my thoughts, and share it! So here we are- my blog was born!
Comparison is so scary and so easy to fall into- so yes, absolutely, of course comparison and distraction have been stumbling blocks during my blogging journey. It’s so easy to look at other pages and other social media accounts and compare the number of followers or number of likes and comments. I have to (often) remind myself, I am not responsible for other people, their actions, or their intentions- I just need to focus on my own actions and intentions, so as long as I am blogging for the glory of God and seeking His will, that’s all that matters- I didn’t start this because I wanted tons of followers, or needed external approval; I started this quite simply because of the tug I felt at my heart.
Week 4
Do you realize that this is week 4? That means we are halfway through this study! While from a completion, achievement standpoint- that’s exciting; it also makes me pause and say am I ready to be halfway done with this just yet?! Have I really soaked up the ideas that Allie has so eloquently and purposefully written? Am I doing this to just mark another thing off my to-do list or am I really taking the time it deserves, to really pay attention to the concepts and then apply those concepts to my reality? I sincerely hope, friends, that this study is encouraging you to spend more time in your Bible, more time in prayer, and more time evaluating your current position- whether that be in your job, your mindset, your habits in order to honestly ask ourselves- am I in God’s “where” for my life? Or is God telling me “where” to go? Am I treating myself like I’m wonderfully made with a God given purpose? Or am I just going through the motions, trying to keep my head above water?
Just in case you missed the last few weeks or if you want to review prior weeks, you can catch-up here.
Notes from my reading journal-
CHAPTER 12-
Bible Passages found withing this chapter:
*Keep in mind, I highly recommend grabbing your Bible and flipping to these verses (preferably even a verse before and/ or after). I’m so glad Allie includes these verses within the chapters, but I still just feel a deeper connection when I’m in my actual Bible!
Genesis 2:25
Mark 5:28-34
Psalm 34:5
Ephesians 4:1
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
I’ve always felt like shame is a by-product of our inner voice/ the Holy Spirit guiding us back to the “right path” when we’ve veered off or made a “bad” decision. The awesome part 2 of shame, is of course, God! We have Jesus on our side, acting as our bridge between us and God so we have the ability to go to Jesus in prayer to ask for forgiveness. As far as God lifting our shame, He forgives us because Jesus already paid the debt for the sins that are causing us shame, but the “then what” is the part I love- as Christians we not only can ask for forgiveness, but we can take it a step further and ask for guidance going forward.
“Help me Lord; lead, guide, and direct me so that I am following your will and not continuing in these activities that are causing me to feel shame.”
Listening to the world or our peers after an embarrassing event, if they are saying we aren’t good enough or it was too big of a mess up, is the opposite of what Jesus and God’s word says. To me it seems like, if something we did was “too bad” for God to forgive us (which I know isn’t a thing, just go with me for a sec) then He wouldn’t bother having the Holy Spirit try to guide us back to the right path, right? So really, the very fact that we feel shame shows us that God still loves us and is wanting us to see the error of our ways so we can ask for forgiveness and help in turning it around. He isn’t going to just turn His back on us and give up, no matter the mess up that is causing us to feel shame!
CHAPTER 13-
Bible Passages found withing this chapter:
Isaiah 64:8
Isaiah 44:22
Isaiah 43:1
Revelation 21:4
Notes:
I’ve never heard of Kintsugi, but I LOVE this analogy! So much so in fact, I had to take a short break for a second to research it online and see if any is sold around me! But back to the point, I know I have been very blessed- while my life hasn’t been all rainbows and unicorns, compared to others, I guess it has been. I was raised by a loving single mother who always made sure I had the best possible childhood. Despite my parents divorcing when I was in elementary school, they never fought in front of me, and my mother always protected me from the uglier things that came from their divorce. Growing up, I was cared for and sheltered. Even once I got older, I went to a Christian college where again I was fairly sheltered and met my now husband, who still cares for and protects me. I’m not saying that to brag at all, just to say honestly I struggle to wrap my brain around these accounts of real life horror stories of abuse and trafficking. When I hear of things like that and people that have lived through such things, I greatly admire their faith, their strength, and their perseverance.
Regardless of our backgrounds, we all have problems and internal struggles that create “breaks” and “cracks” so the imagery of God filling those breaks, cracks, and gaps in our lives with his love, forgiveness, and acceptance is beyond beautiful. I really do just love Allie’s analogy of Kintsugi pottery symbolizing our new identity in Christ- a unique piece of beautiful pottery becoming a new even more beautiful piece of art once the cracks are filled with gold or silver!
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
On a very basic level, every part of my life needs God’s mending and redemption! Alone, I am nothing; alone, I am a mess- just broken pieces of pottery, BUT GOD! I would venture to say nothing is “majorly broken,” meaning I’m not struggling with alcoholism or sex addiction; however, I don’t think that’s for me to say. I don’t think it’s my place to classify something as “major.” There’s nothing that says me gossiping to a friend at work, or me having materialistic tendencies is any less damaging to God’s kingdom than someone else’s addictions. So to answer Allie’s question here, I would have to say “all of it;” my whole life needs mending, my whole life needs to be surrendered. I need God in every aspect, and yes, my “needs” are not as extreme as someone trying to escape a life of trafficking; however, our God is big enough to handle both- my (albeit) lame little life as well as someone going through an actual nightmare. It’s not my place to classify or decide what is “big enough” to hand over to God; He can and does handle it all- the “small,” the “big,” the happy, the sad, ALL OF IT.
CHAPTER 14-
Bible Passages found withing this chapter:
Galatians 3:28
Romans 12:16
1 Peter 4:8-9
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
The truth that you belong to God gives the peace and security of not having to worry or stress about every little thing. I struggle with anxiety (and honestly- social awkwardness) so I often nitpick every little detail of an interaction. Did I say the wrong thing, did I talk too much, ugh I shouldn’t have done that- all leading back to the foundational question “What are they going to think of me?!” But knowing that I belong to God, takes all of that out of the equation for our relationship. I can pray openly to Him; I don’t have to look back and think “Ugh, I shouldn't have prayed that”, ”He may not like me now”- because He created me and will always love me! I feel most loved and accepted at home; I firmly believe in creating a welcoming space that reflects you and your loved ones so that when we arrive at home we immediately feel “at home”- accepted, loved, warm, snuggled, dry, well fed, all the things comfy and cozy.
Notes for Finding God’s “WHERE” for my life:
As I’m typing up the responses to Allie’s discussion question, I feel alive and excited thinking about my home. Is that where my “heart’s fire” is? I love the idea of creating a home, a space to welcome and love my family and their friends. Just thinking “out loud” and not sure what that means- is it that I long for a stay at home “job,” is it that I dream of a career helping others create their own cozy, welcoming feeling at their home, I genuinely don’t know- but isn’t that what this study is? Diving deeper into God’s word and His will for my Wonderfully Made life?!
CHAPTER 15-
Bible Passages found withing this chapter:
Proverbs 16:28
Colossians 3:13
Proverbs 17:17
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Notes:
Love this chapter! Thank you Allie for putting this on paper!! So as I mentioned in chapter 14’s notes- I’m socially awkward! Don’t get me wrong, I have friends but I always struggle a little bit in social situations (did I say the wrong thing, ugh what will they think about, blah blah blah); even with texts I over analyze every little word- will they take that the wrong way, is it too late, too early, too close to a meal time to text, CRAZY I KNOW! But Allie is so right, having that person or people that you can confide in and not worry about all those silly little things, is something so special and something I need to focus a little more energy on!
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
I have both- friendships that bring me closer to God and friendships with unbelievers that don’t bring me closer to God. Friendships are kind-of like marriages in that no 2 look the same- I have friendships centered around vastly different things, different people that I can talk to about different things, or go different places- but the important foundational factor in any true friendship is trust. Can I trust you with this information, can I trust you to be in my home, around my kids, around my husband? The crazy thing around friendships is that they are constantly evolving, as we grow as people, as our seasons change, the friendships either change with it or they fizzle out and move on. As you’re reading this, I hope you know that I consider you one of my friends! If we are close enough for you to be reading my thoughts and notes on this study and/ or from my longer term Bible study, then I feel like we should at least be classified as friends! So as your (albeit virtual) friend, I hope you know you can always message me or comment on a post or whatever to get in touch with me if you need a shoulder- let me know your prayer requests, let’s discuss Bible passages together, let’s just talk about life, if you need that ear, I’m here and I love you, friends!
Week 3
Join us this week as we explore being made for beauty, something more, to live forever, and to live fearlessly!
I have to admit, this week snuck up on me! Work has been busy and the kids are all over the place, because real life, right? So I was actually kind of frantically going through these chapters trying to stay on schedule and didn’t get to really spend as much time with these as I would have liked. I guess that’s the beauty of the flip side of a virtual Bible study? If you have a crazy week and need to stretch it out a little longer, you can! But I digress- let’s get into week 3 of our study of Wonderfully Made!
Just in case you missed the last couple weeks, you can catch-up here.
Notes from my reading journal-
CHAPTER 8-
Bible passages found within this chapter:
*As a reminder, I feel a deeper connection when I actually have my Bible out and read through these passages in my Bible. I encourage you to not only flip to the verses noted throughout Allie’s writings but also to read a verse before and a verse after to get you in right context of these verses!
Psalm 27:4
Genesis 1-2, the creation story
Genesis 2:7
Genesis 1:26
1 Peter 3:3-5
Notes:
I love Allie’s description of women here as God’s crowning beauty of creation. I’ve never thought about it that way- as the last creature He made during the creation process, as something made in His image, but still so very different from man, also made in His image. As women, we are inherently wired and made differently- and this isn’t just cultural norms, nurture, kind-of-thing. It’s in our nature! As the mom to 2 boys, I can at least vouch for the flip side of that coin- I didn’t have to teach them to be boys, they just are! They have stuffed animals and they have some dress up doctor, Buzz Lightyear, cowboy outfits and sure they play with that stuff but they naturally gravitate toward their trucks, balls, and dirt. They came out of the womb ready to fight, wrestle, and burp- and they’re good kids, they are just boys! My friends that have girls, seem to live a very different life than we do! We went to dinner with some family friends last weekend. They have 2 little girls, almost the exact same ages as our 2 little boys. We sat outside so the kids had space and we were bothering other diners but all during dinner our friends’ little girls were sitting quietly- coloring, brushing their dolls’ hair, snuggling each other, the older sister made sure the younger one was happy. Meanwhile on our side of the table….my boys are running around, chasing each other, turning their straws into swords- again just being boys! At this point, I’m starting to question my parenting skills 😬 but nevertheless the fact remains that boys and girls are different, by design! By God’s perfect design. And as girls that grew into women, Allie is spot on that we are more drawn to the pretty, comfy, cozy side of life and that’s a really special thing. But at the same time it’s important we don’t get caught up in the glamor and the beauty and the vanity of it all, those things should work together for God’s glory, not ours.
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
Building a life based on outward appearance is really what our culture encourages- just watch a few commercials or see some ad pop-ups. It’s such a consumerism driven idea- products to whiten your teeth, increase your metabolism, smooth your skin, cover your imperfections, PRODUCTS to make these big companies more money and make you look “perfect.” These products are all geared toward your outward appearance, not your internal beauty- the glow that comes from within a happy, satisfied person. To cultivate a beauty that never fades, these ads and companies want you to believe you need to look younger forever, by using all their creams and supplements but in reality, shouldn’t it be based on your soul? Are you happy- genuinely joyful? Are you gracious or bitter? Satisfied or stressed and constantly striving? Kind to others, how do others feel after spending time with you? Those are the things that don’t fade with age! Not ironically, those are also the things that come from having a personal relationship with Jesus and knowing the love of our Heavenly Father.
CHAPTER 9-
Bible passages found within this chapter:
Matthew 7:13-14
Psalm 19:8
Luke 10:40-42
Psalm 119:37
Ecclesiastes 1:14
Notes:
This chapter was 100% written for me, in my current season of life! With every line, I felt like I was saying “YES, that’s me!” In my professional life, I am often guilty of letting the stress and distractions take a front seat, putting what actually matters in the rear view. At the end of the day, I’m often left exhausted, stressed, empty; wondering what is this?! So yes Allie! Yes, I want to choose the “better” things, the bigger things, the important things- and not focus on image, production, comparison.
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
To me, the fact that I have been “made for more” is so special and is really the whole reason I started this journey and this blog! Between us, the thing I think I am clinging to is my job. That sounds so crazy to say out loud- especially on a platform that others will see but we’re being honest here, right? On one of the very first stories I posted on IG, I promised you all out in IG land that I would always be honest with you, so there it is- my job is the thing that I cling to the most and while it is my biggest distraction, it is also what makes me most rely on God and His plan. So even though in some ways I wholeheartedly feel like my job distracts me from the important things, it is also what keeps me fully dependent on God for patience in His plan, His wisdom for what to say when- or when to keep my mouth shut, His guidance in uncomfortable situations, so could it be that it’s His purpose after all? He is using that uncomfortable situation to make me rely on Him and hopefully be a living witness to the people I interact with daily?
CHAPTER 10-
Bible passages found within this chapter:
Psalm 39:4-5
James 4:14
Ecclesiastes 3:11
John 3:16
1 Corinthians 2:9
Revelation 21:1-4
Philippians 3:20
1 John 2:17
2 Corinthians 4:18
John 10:28
John 14:1-4
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
To me, to “number my days” is almost a peaceful, freeing thought- it says that whatever this world throws at me is temporary, my days here are numbered, and even though this life feels permanent, it’s not! Whatever situation I find myself in, is just that- a single situation. To keep a heavenly perspective, while simultaneously living a life of purpose here on earth, looks to me like what we’ve been talking about for the past 9 chapters- acknowledging that we are made for more & that we are put in these worldly situations to either learn something or help teach others something. The thing that most excites me about Heaven is that we will be with God- no more sin separating us from our Father.
CHAPTER 11-
Bible passages found within this chapter:
“Fear Not” click here for a downloadable PDF of all the times God says to “Fear Not”
Matthew 10:31
Luke 12:25
1 John 4:18
Matthew 14:22-31
Psalm 56:3-4
1 Peter 5:17
Philippians 4:6-7
Notes:
While I am not a surfer (or athletic at all, really) I love Allie’s analogy here- we can’t just avoid the water because we’re scared of what’s below the surface! We are called to live and enjoy the “water” of life here on earth, and trust that God will protect us from the “sharks” just below the surface- yet it is still our job to know the “extra sharky waters” and not jump head first into a known/ predictable overly dangerous situation.
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
My greatest fears and anxieties mostly stem from missing out- I don’t want to miss God’s purpose for my life; I don’t want to miss an opportunity to do-better, be-better, and provide the best possible life for my family; I don’t want to miss out on memories and experiences with my kids; I don’t want to miss time with my husband or friends or family! My takeaway from this chapter is “simply” the need to turn that fear of missing out over to God and fully trusting that my experiences are already planned out by Him. As I’m writing this, it dawns on me- my fears of missing out maybe being intensified by comparison. I spend my day with kids, so I’m constantly seeing different kids experiencing different lives than my own. Am I worried about my kids missing out because my kids live a different life than the ones I work with? On that note, I have lots of things to contemplate and work on this week, so again- I’m leaving you with a prayer:
“Dear Lord,
Thank you for these words from Allie and the insight she is bringing into our lives as we study this book. Help us Lord to apply these concepts to bring us closer to you so that we can fully live the life you intended for us and fulfill our God given purpose. Lead, guide, and direct us in all we do!
In your Son’s precious and holy name we pray,
Amen”
Week 2
Welcome to week 2 in our study of Wonderfully Made, by Allie Marie Smith! I feel like I’m already learning, growing, and gaining new insights; what about you?!
Just in case you missed last week, you can catch-up here, but let’s go ahead and just jump right into week 2!
Notes from my reading journal-
CHAPTER 4-
Bible passages found within this chapter:
*Just like last week, I feel a deeper connection when I actually have my Bible out and read through these passages in my Bible. I encourage you to not only flip to the verses noted throughout Allie’s writings but also to read a verse before and a verse after to get you in right context of these verses!
Genesis 1:27
Psalm 8:3-6
Romans 1:21-23
Notes:
At the very end of this chapter, one sentence jumped out at me- “We cease striving.”
This past week at church, our sermon was on “just stop” Our pastor of course presented this much more eloquently than I’ll be able to but the gist was that we’ve all been living through a pandemic for 2 years. In that time, we’ve been working at home, juggling kids, schools have closed, we’re all trying to stay healthy, recover, keep others healthy- in a giant game of cooties where the rules keep changing and none of us have a clue what we’re doing! But despite this seemingly never-ending, constantly changing, exhausting, overwhelming, world we’re living in, what do we say when someone asks how we are? “Busy, but good” “Oh you know, just a little hectic (cued fake laughter)” “Well we’ve had a lot going on but we’re ok” “Just keeping our head above water” “We’re just taking it one day at a time”
Have you said these things over the past 2 years? I HAVE!! But really what we all mean is “I’m drowning and I don’t know how I’m going to make it another hour, much less continue on in this open ended pandemic!” So we all need, at some point, TO STOP! Stop and ugly cry; stop and crumble into a ball on the floor; JUST CEASE STRIVING! You are having to be everything to everyone trying to take care of everything and keep everyone happy, at all times?! What if for at least a moment, you just stopped? Our Heavenly Father loves you and wants to care for you, so let the pieces fall and wholeheartedly lean on Him.
I know that’s a slightly different angle than Allie is presenting here; she is coming more from the angle of cease trying to look like, sound like, be like everyone else and just be the you that God created, because you were created in His perfect image. But I would like to venture in saying that the same applies- you were created in His image; however, just like a copy of a copy might be a little different or an image in the mirror might be a little off- you were created by Him to be in His image, not to BE HIM! So let Him be everything to everyone- you can’t! Let Him carry the weight of the world- you can’t! Let Him constantly worry about the pandemic and how to juggle all the pieces constantly flying around your head- because simply you can’t; it’s all just too much!! So what if you were to “cease striving” Be the you He created and leave everything else to The Original, The One, The Only, God!
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
To be made in God’s image means to me that, again, He made us, He made us for a purpose, so it’s not up to us to try to look like, sound like, be like anyone other than the person He made us to be- the person he made mirroring Himself. It’s our job to mirror the qualities of Jesus and be a light in this crazy, broken world. While the truth that I bear God’s image should give me the self-confidence, and self-acceptance that prevents me from trying to constantly mirror the world’s ideals, I have to be truthful with myself and you and honestly admit- I often forget that! In order to be an image bearer of God to a world desperate for love and truth, we need to show the world love and truth. We should not be the ones causing strife and spreading hate. We need to have the same accepting, welcoming, love for others that our Heavenly Father shows us.
CHAPTER 5-
Bible passages found within this chapter:
Psalm 139: 13-14
Psalm 139:16
1 Corinthians 6:19
Notes:
As much as I agree with all of Allie’s words here about being “fearfully and wonderfully made” and not basing our self-worth on our body image, I can’t help but think- isn’t the same true for our lives? Yes, we shouldn’t worry so much about our looks, but maybe we should worry so much about ALL. OF. IT! Do I have enough education? Do I have the right job? Maybe if I study harder and get higher grades? I NEED that promotion! It would all be different if I had a different job, house, car! A baby will fix it, or another baby- maybe we need a dog!! There’s always something- something we are striving for, yearning for, working toward- because afterall the next step will be the “right” step that fixes everything and makes us happy, right?! BUT what if instead of any of that- we take Allie’s advice here and just enjoy this miraculous life God blessed us with, the one He actually assigned us- not the one we decided we needed to be happy!
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
OF COURSE! Don’t we all sometimes struggle with believing our value; and maybe not even believing our value, sometimes I think it’s more seeing our value. We all do so many things for so many different people and in the many different facets of our life, that I think we maybe miss or don’t realize the important role we play and the value we actually bring. Being wonderfully made, to me, means that we are made in awe/ in wonder- beautifully, admirably, INTENTIONALLY. I would like to think that I can praise God with my life by using my life to glorify HIM; but my hope would be that I am also praising Him by enjoying my life. My proudest accomplishments in life are my children and my absolute hope for them is that they are happy; I hope they always feel loved and wholeheartedly accepted. I absolutely love it when they are happy. But it’s a fine line, right? Obviously as their parent, sometimes I have to reprimand them or do something that upsets them, so it can’t be my sole purpose to always make them happy- but :) that feeling I get when they are happy! Right?! If you have kids, you know that feeling- that everything-is-right-in-the-world-feeling. They are smiling, they are giggling, they are being them without a care in the world- and as gleeful as they may be- I guarantee you, it isn’t as happy as my heart is when I get to experience those moments through their eyes. All that to say, I would imagine it may be similar for God, when He sees us living in our “sweet spot.” Living the life He assigned us, in the body He blessed us with, AND ENJOYING IT. So I think the best way to praise Him for this life, is to LIVE IT.
CHAPTER 6-
Bible passages found within this chapter:
Acts 17:28
1 Corinthians 10:31
James 1:17
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
Absolutely, definitively, it is obvious that the majority of people in our culture today are living for themselves and their own glory. People often don’t care about anyone other than themselves. They don’t care who they hurt or who they use along the way, as long as they look good and come out ahead. To change that narrative and give God the glory in one’s life, certainly isn’t an easy task; however, it would mean a complete overall and major change in the way one thinks, feels, and acts. Giving God the glory means letting go of control issues and relinquishing pride; it basically says anything I’ve accomplished, anything I am, anything I have- isn’t because or for me at all, it’s all for God, from God, and should therefore glorify God. I sincerely hope that I can glorify God with this blog; my hope is that I glorify Him by pointing others toward God and by sharing my story.
CHAPTER 7-
Bible passages found within this chapter:
John 15:1-2
John 15:4
Ephesians 1:3
Habakkuk 3:17-18
Galatians 5:22-23
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
If my life were a garden, it would be overgrown! Not necessarily with weeds- but you know those gardens you see sometimes and think I bet that started out nice but then the flowers keep growing and multiplying and before long the garden is bursting at the seams and the path is kind-of overgrown? I try to always follow God’s will for my life, and for the most part, I think I do; I just often feel overwhelmed with it all! Take care of the family, serve the church, work full time, be a good friend, show Christ’s love to others, take care of yourself- did you drink your water today? what about a workout? Why don’t you just slow down and take a breath?! You know the feeling- where you aren’t doing anything “bad” there’s just always SO MANY THINGS and they are all on fire, all at the same time- that’s what my garden is!
So as I’m typing this, it hits me- maybe THAT is my weed! The overwhelming busyness that sometimes keeps me out of the Bible or interrupts my prayer time! Is the devil using my desire to be everywhere at all times and be everything to everyone as my kryptonite?! To Allie’s point- perhaps it is time for me to do some weeding and pull some of that excess from my schedule! But how do you pick? I mean, afterall- wasn’t that one of the reasons I started this blog and even this particular study? I want to find God’s will for my life! I want to evaluate my priorities and make sure they are in the correct alignment- but then isn’t that just effectively adding one more thing to my to-do list?! Ok, maybe I’m spiraling a little so I should take a moment and end this week’s study with a prayer:
“Dear Lord,
Please lead, guide, and direct me in all I do. Help align my life with your purpose for me and help me to identify the weeds that have crept into the garden of my life. Show me dear Lord what needs to be simplified and what needs to be prioritized so that I can fulfill your purpose and not allow Satan to use my busyness to distract me from You!
In Your Son’s precious and holy name I pray,
Amen”
I would love to “hear” some of y’all’s thoughts! Comment on here or hop over to Instagram to comment or send me a message! Stay tuned next week as we reading chapters 8-11 and keep going deeper into this journey! Love you, friends!
Week 1
Let’s kick off week 1 by reading the introduction and chapters 1-3.
Welcome to our study of Wonderfully Made, by Allie Marie Smith! I am so excited to be on this journey with you to explore God’s purpose for our lives!
Hopefully you’ve received your book, but if not- don’t worry! You can get your very own copy here!
Throughout this study, I will be going through the reading guide and journal, which you can download here! Every Saturday, I will be posting my own summaries and thoughts from this past week’s reading passages. Follow along on Instagram to stay up to date as well as to share your own thoughts and insights!
Notes from my reading journal-
My daily reading goal will be first thing in the morning (5:30ish), before the rest of my family wakes up and the chaos of a new day begins. I plan to primarily read/ study in our breakfast room, but real life- we’ll see, it will most likely be anywhere that isn’t covered with a mound of toys so I can sit down with my (extra large) cup of coffee!
So let’s see, what do I already know about God’s WHERE for my life?
Well, not much! This is after-all what I’m trying to accomplish here, right?! I know that He has a plan for me and at one point, I felt sure I was in God’s “WHERE” for my life, I’m just not sure I still am, or if He’s calling me in a slightly different direction these days.
I’m hoping to get out of this study the following:
Self reflection & exploration of my purpose as well as to research the question, am I still in God’s WHERE for me
Ok so that was a fun intro and I hope you gained some insight as you were doing your self reflection piece in your reading journal! Now let’s jump right in!!
INTRO Notes:
I love how raw and honest Allie is here; she could have easily said “I had some struggles when I was younger,” or “My teenage years were rough” but no, she goes into details about her depression and her struggle with wanting to commit suicide- how brave! I love that she is up front, putting her story right out there, in the beginning of this study!
The thing that really jumps out to me here is the scene with the flat tire and the old man. Are you a “everything happens for a reason” kind of person? I am! Wholeheartedly, I am! So it makes me smile so big to think of this teenage girl’s plans getting completely interrupted by a bigger plan- and that bigger plan being carried out in the form of a flat tire! Do you ever then spiral- what caused the flat tire? Was it a nail in the road? I wonder if a construction truck carrying construction materials dropped the nail? How deep can this rabbit hole go?! So somebody somewhere started a construction project, hired the contractor, who went and bought the nails, but then he’s driving down the road, hits a bump, the nail bounces off his work truck, in just the right spot to puncture Allie’s tire- all to carry out the bigger picture of her not being able to get to the Golden Gate Bridge that day! I know, I know, I spiraled so I digress- I just love how “little” “normal” activities all work together to carry out the plans of our Lord!
It also makes me smile to think of the old man in this scene! Do you think he had any idea? In any other scenario, would he have been seen more as a nuisance? Look dude, I’m on my way to work/ daycare/ date night/ whatever, I don’t have time to chat with you! But on this day- he was actually carrying out the bigger picture that Allie NEEDED! Before I spiral again- I just love that our God is so BIG, so omniscient, that He is everywhere- He knew the plans of the teenage Allie, He knew she had a bigger role to play in His plan, and He set things in motion to make sure that her plans weren’t carried through.
Now, I recommend pausing to find your Bible so you can flip to Psalm 139 and take a minute to read it! I know Allie has it printed here in the book, and that’s great! but there’s something about holding a Bible, flipping to a passage, and soaking it in!!
CHAPTER 1-
Bible passages found within in this chapter:
*again, as noted above, I strongly encourage you to keep your Bible handy and flip to these passages as you are reading these chapters. If you have an extra minute (haha, funny I know) but IF you have a spare second, maybe read the verse above and the verse below so that you are in the right context and able to really grasp the meaning behind these verses!
Genesis 1-2, the creation story
Job 38:4-7
Romans 1:20
Notes:
I love love love the way Allie presents creation and the fact that we along with everything, including our purpose, is Made by God. I found the quotes she shared super interesting- it is astounding to me that people (often our friends and real people in our real world) can believe that everything was created from nothing. So basically since our world was created intentionally, with precision & order- we were created as a part of that intentional order, meaning we must play a part in this overarching “order”
It’s funny to me- I often feel “unhinged” living in a life of seemingly chaos. Toys everywhere, kids screaming, house desperately in need of a deep clean, often pushing the limits of trying to get anywhere on time or doing anything by its deadline. Constantly trying to walk the ever-increasingly-challenging tightrope of work/life balance and fight off the mom-guilt! Am I working too much? Am I not working hard enough? Am I spending enough time with my kids? my husband? Is my boss ok with the work-product I’ve turned in? The list is endless!! So to think behind all that chaos is a plan, a greater plan that is so great indeed, it is worked into the fibers of the same plan that created the world and all the parts of the world so that everything fits together like a puzzle- a puzzle designed by God, a puzzle that needs all the pieces (big and small), a puzzle that creates a beautiful picture when all the pieces fit together, a picture that was hand drawn by God!
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
The most beautiful place I’ve ever been was Ireland. It was a sprawling, lush green countryside with adorable sheep peacefully grazing at every turn. During our trip there, it seemed as if the country was filled with some of the nicest, most welcoming people I’d ever met!
When gazing at the beauty of creation, I love that peaceful, deep-breath feeling. That “pour-me-a-large-coffee” feeling; that I just want to sit here and breathe it in feeling; a feeling that’s hard to put into words, but you feel it- ya know?
Knowing that I was created by God, by The Creator, assures me that there is a bigger picture, a greater purpose for me and my life. It doesn’t necessarily mean that my life is meant to be bigger or greater- it very well be that my life was designed to be small, quiet, and overall uneventful; however, I know that whatever my life is supposed to be was designed by God to work within His plan, as a specific part of His plan.
CHAPTER 2-
Bible passages found within this chapter:
Isaiah 46:9-10
Old Testament Prophecies
Psalms & Gospels of hope
Red Sea parted
Jonah swallowed by fish
Flood covered Earth
Sun stood still
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Matthew 4:4
James 1:21
Notes:
For some reason it really grabbed my attention in reading this that while we are “made to know God” we are simultaneously charged with becoming more like Jesus. Isn’t it funny the whole Jesus is God, but Jesus acts on our behalf to bridge the gap between God and us, and we are called to become more like one (Jesus) and called to know the other (God). I don’t know, maybe this is splitting hairs it just seems fascinating to me the similarities yet the distinct difference here. Anyway, back to the point- I am thoroughly enjoying this journey with you- both in Diane Stortz’s A Woman’s Guide to Reading the Year as well as this study of Wonderfully Made by Allie Marie Smith!! I think the combination of these two studies is doing exactly what this chapter is about- helping us to study God’s word in order to better know Him, therefore also better knowing ourselves and His purpose for our lives, so I sincerely hope the same is true for you too, friend!!
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
The Bible is God’s word, sent as our guide- how to live here on Earth but more importantly how to prepare to live eternally with God.
Of course if you’ve been following along at theWHEREblog, you know I am passionate about gaining a better/ deeper understanding of the Bible, after-all that’s what started my blog. I wholeheartedly believe the Bible has the power to transform my/ your life and genuinely hope I spend enough time in the Bible that I am able to navigate this life here on Earth the way God would have me to!
Not so much a verse, but a book of the Bible, Nehemiah, has and continues to have a profound impact on my life! I’m not sure why this book speaks to me so deeply but everytime I read it, it feels like it applies in new ways or new parts of my life. Primarily the whole- he paused, prayed, and THEN spoke. As much as I wish I could honestly say I do this every time, I don’t. Sometimes, on some occasions, yes of course- I say a little prayer before opening my mouth- but certainly not enough! I strive to always have the mentality of “Lord give me the words” before I decide to just jump right in, often sticking my foot in my mouth or saying something that was better left unsaid.
CHAPTER 3-
Bible passages found within this chapter:
John 3:16
Corinthians 15:6
Matthew 11:28-36
Romans 8:38-39
Romans 10:19
2 Corinthians 5:17
Allie’s Discussion Questions:
I grew up in church, so I really can’t remember not hearing about Jesus. I remember dinner time prayers, bedtime prayers, bedtime Bible stories, singing in the “King’s Kids” at church, so I can’t put my finger on an exact 1st time I heard about Jesus. I remember being in 3rd grade and feeling a tug at my heart; I remember my mom calling our pastor and having him come over to talk to me and praying the salvation prayer with me before being baptized at our little mountain church. Despite always knowing of Jesus, and even being a Christian and knowing Jesus- I think I really started feeling Jesus once my kids entered the picture. When my husband and I had a miscarriage, I leaned on Jesus; that experience nearly broke me and I relied on Jesus to pull me through every day and night. When we (finally) got pregnant with our rainbow baby, again I needed Jesus to help me put one foot in front of the other- I was terrified of everything, scared to death of “messing up again.” Then during my actual delivery, when everything went wrong, the only thing I remember (literally the only thing I remember within a span of several hours) is thinking “help me, help me, help me” as they wheeled my nearly unconscious self into the operating room. Then again following the birth of our 2nd child, when he was in the ICU with meningitis at 2 weeks old, the only coherent thought in my head was the old timey hymn “Just as I am” NO CLUE why that was the song, but for some strange reason that was the song that I could not get out of my head for days as we sat anxiously awaiting every breath. So even though I can’t remember the 1st time I heard about Jesus, I can most certainly remember the times I’ve felt Jesus and those times absolutely without doubt tell me He is Lord!
I hope you all were able to gain something out of these chapters and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!! Next week we’re reading chapters 4-7 so stay tuned on here and on Instagram. Love you, friends!