Deb S. started out by telling us how she came to lead this study. How she was going through a really rough time in her life and this book provided some of the healing she needed at that time. But she will tell you it wasn't easy and it wasn't overnight. The book moved her so much that she had been wanting to do this with the women at our church so that they too could overcome their deep wounds as well. This summer through prayer and talking to other women it became apparent that God wanted this for the women of our church. Rosemary Bloom also had been reading the book and wished everyone could experience reading the book as well. Joan Anderson helped by purchasing a large number of the books for us and by being available to help any woman who needed some extra support. And judging from the number of women who have received a copy the interest is high for Captivating.
We have to consider this a study of discovery, a journey, really.
Each woman will be at a different place in her life...spiritually, emotionally, etc. What one woman may experiencing may be completely different than what other women are experiencing.
The wonderful thing is that God knows where each of us is at and has destined us to be here.
The three rules we have even for the blog are:
Confidentiality...what happens in the group stays in the group.
We are not here to fix each other.
We are only to offer advice only when it is requested.
Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
God created us as women to hear His image, in our hearts. Is this a new thought for you?
I would have to say for myself the first time I read this book was the very first time I had ever really thought about it that way. I hope some of you reading this will share what that means to you.
The most interesting thing discussed during our group time was what was some our favorite stories or movies? In them, who do you want to be? There was Finding Nemo, Princess Warrior, Enchanted, Count of Monte Cristo, and Gone with the Wind. The women's choice of characters they wanted to be was so diverse along with the reasons!
The stories we love reveal much of the secret desires of our hearts. And how true this was! I would love for you all the share your favorites stories and characters with us and why you love them so much.
Every woman, in her heart of hearts, longs to be romanced, to play an irreplaceable role in a heroic adventure and to unveil beauty.
We discussed what it means to us to be romanced. We also discussed the question of who is beautiful to us and why? I think all the women picked the inner beauty of a woman as the highest beauty a woman can possess. I would love to hear other women's thoughts on this as well.
A Loss of Heart
How have you felt the message of "try harder" come to you? How has it made you feel and/or expressed itself in your life?
I love how Stasi states in the book that some times we feel we are not enough, and at the same time we can be too much. Not pretty enough, not thin enough, not kind enough, not gracious enough, not disciplined enough. But too emotional, too needy, too sensitive, too strong, too opinionated, too messy. The result being shame for many of us.
Please share your favorite parts of the book.
This chapter seem to have a lot of questions, but in the next chapters Stasi and John will show us what God really thinks about us and that is what is so life changing. Hopefully, next study I will have more to share with you. Every one's slow to speak the first study, and it would have helped if I hadn't been sitting in the back of the room by the refrigerate motor! By the way we will be meeting from now on in the large room off the fellowship hall in the back of the church. The side door will be open. Hope to see you there.
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