Read an Excerpt
stuck lead.
the places we get stuck & the God who sets us free
By JENNIE ALLEN Thomas Nelson
Copyright © 2011 Jennie Allen
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-529-11799-1
CHAPTER 1
broken
This week we are studying the struggle between the Spirit and our flesh that has been warring since before God spun planets. We define this universal problem as the Spirit of life and peace versus the law of sin and death (Romans 8). We must begin here with the problem.
Here are some general goals for your time together this week:
:: Identify and define the war we all feel and see around us.
:: Help the women see their need for God, because of their sin.
:: Help the women come out of hiding behind pride or shame and confess the places of sin or hurt in their souls.
:: See God's plan and hope for sin and weakness in our lives.
:: Prepare to begin this journey humbly united in need of God.
Homework Discussion
Suggestions on places to focus as you go over the homework with your group:
:: Ask the group to share specifically about the war they studied in Romans 8.
:: Ask what they think God's goal is in allowing our weaknesses and neediness.
:: Discuss their response to Project 4.
:: Ask what else they learned as they studied and interacted with the lesson and Scripture this week.
Video and/or Teaching
Watch video session "Broken."
Ask Conversation Cards
If you are in a large group, break into small groups for discussion time using the Ask conversation cards. Distribute this week's Ask cards, and guide the women to ask and answer the questions on the cards. Remember to begin with the Scripture card and end by stressing the scriptural truth group members can apply to their lives as a result of what they discussed in your group time. Close this discussion by praying for the things shared and praising God for His position in our lives and in eternity.
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 corinthians 12:9–10 NIV
CHAPTER 2
mad
Anger is my reaction when my rights are being taken from me. We all live with basic assumptions about these rights. But Jesus calls us to a surrender that is so resolute, so final, that to lift our head in protest about our rights would seem insane. He laid down His rights in heaven and laid down His very life, being misunderstood by the world to the point of being brutally killed. And somehow, even though it feels like death, in laying down my rights, I find freedom.
LEADER: Take careful note to not imply that we are to endure abuse. You may have group members who have been physically, sexually, or otherwise abused in their pasts, or are being abused now. At the beginning of your time with the group, stress that God does not expect us to endure abuse, and offer to stay after the meeting to talk with anyone who needs help.
Here are some general goals for your time together this week:
:: Focus on the truth that the hidden rights we claim are often the source of anger and resentment when we feel threatened.
:: Point to the fact that Scripture calls us to lay down our rights over and over again.
:: Help the women see that in laying down our rights, we respond in a way that demonstrates God to our world.
:: Emphasize that in laying down our rights we find freedom from bitterness and resentment.
:: Remember that God is worth the abandonment of our rights.
Homework Discussion
Suggestions on places to focus as you go over the homework with your group:
:: How did the verses in James impact your view of anger?
:: What are some of the rights that you feel entitled to?
:: Look at the passage in Luke on page 43 in the study guide. How does this impact your view of our rights?
:: How did you feel in your home as a child in the presence of anger? Discuss Project 3.
Video and/or Teaching
Watch video session "Mad."
Ask Conversation Cards
If you are in a large group, break into small groups for discussion time using the Ask conversation cards. Distribute this week's Ask cards, and guide the women to ask and answer the questions on the cards. Remember to begin with the Scripture card and end by stressing the scriptural truth group members can apply to their lives as a result of what they discussed in your group time. Close this discussion by praying for the things shared and praising God for His position in our lives and in eternity.
If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
matthew 16:24–26
CHAPTER 3
discontent
Discontentment is plaguing the souls of women. Big things and small things—we want something more, something different. And our souls are sick about it. We are chasing wind. All the while, there is a giant story in the background that we can barely make out because we are so distracted. We are missing the point above it all ... we are missing God, who wants to fill our discontented souls.
Here are some general goals for your time together this week:
:: Define the areas in which women are struggling with discontentment. These could be materialism, body image, and so on.
:: Come to an understanding that discontentment is sin and it is making us distracted and numb to God's bigger purposes. We are chasing the wind.
:: Help the women see that freedom from discontentment is found in delayed gratification—hoping for heaven.
We all long to be known and loved, and this desire often drives us to search in the wrong places. God created us with the desire to be known and loved, and only He can truly fill that desire.
Homework Discussion
Suggestions on places to focus as you go over the homework with your group:
:: What did you learn as you worked through Romans 12 and John 12?
:: What was your response to Katie's blog in Project 1?
:: Discuss your lists in Project 4.
Video and/or Teaching
Watch video session "Discontent."
Ask Conversation Cards
If you are in a large group, break into small groups for discussion time using the Ask conversation cards. Distribute this week's Ask cards, and guide the women to ask and answer the questions on the cards. Remember to begin with the Scripture card and end by stressing the scriptural truth group members can apply to their lives as a result of what they discussed in your group time. Close this discussion by praying for the things shared and praising God for His position in our lives and in eternity.
Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
john 12:25–26
CHAPTER 4
scared
We worry about what we value. With no God, we value only what we see. We value today because it is all we have. But if that other kingdom is real and does last forever ... something must change. We have to face what we fear. The bigger God gets, the less we live in fear.
Here are some general goals for your time together this week:
:: Develop an understanding that we worry about what we value and it often becomes an idol above God (e.g., people's approval, our children's behavior, our health, hobbies, money).
:: Help the women see that trust is the most obvious indicator that we truly believe in God. If we do not trust Him, we have to ask if we believe He loves us and that He is sovereign.
:: Challenge each other to die to your hopes for this life and receive whatever God has for you, even if it is difficult or costly.
:: Embrace the truth that we have to kill our idols and trust our God.
Homework Discussion
Suggestions on places to focus as you go over the homework with your group:
:: What did you learn about God and His love and care for you in Matthew 6?
:: What did you think of Isaiah 2? Do you see any idols in your life?
:: What amount of your thought life is tied up in worry or fear? Discuss Project 1.
:: Talk about what was in the blank at the bottom of Project 4.
Video and/or Teaching
Watch video session "Scared."
Ask Conversation Cards
If you are in a large group, break into small groups for discussion time using the Ask conversation cards. Distribute this week's Ask cards, and guide the women to ask and answer the questions on the cards. Remember to begin with the Scripture card and end by stressing the scriptural truth group members can apply to their lives as a result of what they discussed in your group time. Close this discussion by praying for the things shared and praising God for His position in our lives and in eternity.
The Lord is my shepherd.... Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.... Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
psalm 23:1, 4, 6
CHAPTER 5
overwhelmed
For many of us, busyness is our drug of choice. It makes us numb. We stay busy so that we don't have to think about anything too messy, too difficult. We don't want to feel our stuck places. Rather than depend on the Spirit to carry us along in our predestined journey, we allow the rope of our insignificant schedules to drag us under the boat—drowning us.
God charted our courses even before He created the foundations of the earth—our job is simply to live them out.
Here are some general goals for your time together this week:
:: Know that God prepared good deeds for us to carry out before time began (Ephesians 2:10).
:: Ask each other: Are you depending on the Holy Spirit to lead your minutes and days, or are you dependent on yourself?
:: See that God leading and empowering our actions is what separates the things that will last from the wasted things (1 Corinthians 3:11–15).
:: Know that God doesn't want us to do important, showy things; He wants us to simply obey Him (His Spirit inside of us and His word through Scripture) on a moment-by-moment basis.
:: The expectation throughout Scripture is that we would radically reorient our lives around the gospel and God's agenda upon our salvation. Ask each other: Have you rearranged your time and life?
NOTE: Before leaving this week, take a look at Project 4 in the next lesson (Sad) on page 121 of the study guide. Schedule that time together for this coming week.
Homework Discussion
Suggestions on places to focus as you go over the homework with your group:
:: What did you learn about God in Ephesians 2?
:: What are we to do according to 1 Peter 4? Why are we to do it?
:: Talk about Project 1 and the valuable things we are doing and the things that are wasted.
:: Dream together over Project 4.
Video and/or Teaching
Watch video session "Overwhelmed."
Ask Conversation Cards
If you are in a large group, break into small groups for discussion time using the Ask conversation cards. Distribute this week's Ask cards, and guide the women to ask and answer the questions on the cards. Remember to begin with the Scripture card and end by stressing the scriptural truth group members can apply to their lives as a result of what they discussed in your group time. Close this discussion by praying for the things shared and praising God for His position in our lives and in eternity.
For we are [God's] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
ephesians 2:10
CHAPTER 6
sad
We all know something is not right; and hear me, it is not right! Yet, we spend our thoughts, time, and money trying to make life right, comfortable, safe, happy. Maybe we are spending all of this energy on the wrong things. Romans 8:25 says, "If we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently" (NIV).
Here are some general goals for your time together this week:
:: Understand that until Christ returns, sadness is a part of our lives and this planet.
:: Help the women to see that if our goal is happiness, we will never arrive at our goal and will never be able to grow up and obey God.
:: Remember that sadness points to our longing for heaven and for God. Draw near to Him in it.
:: Clearly define and talk about a believer's hope and how we can live hopeful today.
Homework Discussion
Suggestions on places to focus as you go over the homework with your group:
:: What did you learn in Romans 8?
:: Why is sadness okay? And what is our hope?
:: Talk about Projects 1 and 4.
Video and/or Teaching
Watch video session "Sad."
Ask Conversation Cards
If you are in a large group, break into small groups for discussion time using the Ask conversation cards. Distribute this week's Ask cards and guide the women to ask and answer the questions on the cards. Remember to begin with the Scripture card and end by stressing the scriptural truth group members can apply to their lives as a result of what they discussed in your group time. Close this discussion by praying for the things shared and praising God for His position in our lives and in eternity.
We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
2 corinthians 4:18
CHAPTER 7
unstuck
Use this session as a chance to really hear from your women about how they have grown and what they need in order to move forward. Celebrate, pray, and challenge them as you conclude this journey together. Our stuck places are the very places that make us ache for God. These don't completely go away until heaven. But knowing more of God changes everything and begins to fill us.
Here are some general goals for your time together this week:
:: Understand that our freedom is found in dying to ourselves and trusting God.
:: Know that our hope is heaven, and anything less will disappoint.
:: Challenge each other to live out our mission, which is to obey God and live displaying the gospel.
:: Challenge each other to see that life is short; we should probably get after it, since we know how this all ends!
Homework Discussion
Suggestions on places to focus as you go over the homework with your group:
:: Look at John 15, and talk about the power of a relationship with God.
:: What changed in the new covenant in Jeremiah 31?
:: Look at the drawings in Project 1.
:: Spend time on Project 3. Have everyone share their answer to the question: What are you leaving behind and what are you moving toward? (This is one of the Ask cards for this week.)
(Continues...)
Excerpted from stuck lead. by JENNIE ALLEN. Copyright © 2011 Jennie Allen. Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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