Week 3
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”
