Resilience - The Cringe Factor

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Verse of the Week:
For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. – Proverbs 24:16 (NIV)

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Chapter 5 Video Links (From Her Green Room):

• Resilience Part 1
• Resilience Part 2
• Resilience Part 3 
• Resilience Part 4 
  

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Well ladies, here we are at chapter 5! Half way through this journey together! I pray that this book is a blessing to you all. It sure has been to me!

Last week we talked about stamina. This week we are talking about resilience. These two seem similar when you think about them so what is the difference between them? Having stamina means that we continue on our journey even when we are tired and want to stop; having resilience means that something has stopped us but we are getting back up and starting again.

I really enjoyed this chapter and I think that we all can relate to it, not just in ministry but in life. We all have had “my bad”, “their bad”, and “too bad” moments or even seasons in life. I know that I can easily think of examples of each in my own life, some of them only lasting a moment while others are still a very real part of my every day life.

In the “my bad” section of this chapter, Jodi talks a lot about regret. Regret to me is a double edged sword. In some way, we need to feel a little regret in order to take the necessary steps to make a mends with others. If we didn’t feel some regret or feel sorry for things that we did, what would we have to encourage us to apologize and make things right with others when we hurt them? However, once we do our part in making a mends, we have to put it behind us and move on.

Regret is something that I’m sure Satan loves for us to hold onto. It makes us focus on our past instead of our future. It makes us feel less than because of our mistakes. It may make us think that we aren’t fit to fulfill the work that God has called us to do. If we fall into the regret trap we could end up walking away from what God wants us to do. And if we do those things, what more could Satan ask for?

There was a section in this chapter called “No Rewind, Only Redemption”.  This whole section was so encouraging to me, but specifically this:

“Everyone reading this has regrets, and for some they’ve become heavy, damp, flame-smothering blankets of depression that bury the glow of future ministry potential – maybe even the possibility of joyful living. This is for you my friend: there is no rewind. There is only redemption. But a redeemed life is even better than a rewind because through it, Jesus showcases hope to others who feel their mistakes have left them unqualified for significance and service.”

Skipping over a page or so…

“I’ll say it again: a redeemed life is better than a rewind because others get to see the “immense patience” of Jesus on display! When you as the recipient of His mercy, are resilient and determined to get back up and move forward, others will believe there is hope for them to do the same.”

You know, I believe that as Christians, whether we are in a leadership position or not, that is ultimately what we want. We want to see others succeed and grow in Christ. We want to see others overcome hard times. We want to see others thrive. If you agree, if that’s you, then let’s live out our redeemed lives instead of sitting around, living in regret, waiting for a rewind. We will never be able to change the past, but we can live a life full of hope and resilience through Jesus and His mercy that He so graciously gives us, even when we don’t deserve it. After all, that is the point of grace, isn’t it?

As we respond to the discussion questions, think of it as a chance to put a spotlight on your redeemed life and share hope with others!

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Discussion Questions:

1. Is there a particular my bad (a mistake that was your fault) memory that still makes you cringe? What did you (or can you) learn from it that will serve you in the future?


2. Have you ever felt stuck in “six inches of mud” when you wanted to be soaring? What did it look like? How did you become “unstuck”? When it comes to resilience, what’s the greatest lesson you’ve learned so far?


3. Revisit the story of Joseph in Genesis chapter 37 and 39-45. What were the circumstances in which Joseph displayed resilience? What situations do people face today that might parallel some of Joseph’s troubles? How have you seen resilience make a difference in these circumstances?


4. Read Genesis 40:2; 5; 20-23. Also read Genesis 41:25, 38-52. What is the common thread in these verses? How does believing the promise given in Hebrews 13:5 help us to have the resilience of Joseph?


5. Is there anything else about this chapter you would like to discuss or that stood out to you?

Stamina - Take the Stairs

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Verse of the Week:
Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised. – Hebrews 10:36 (NLT)

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Chapter 4 Video Links (From Her Green Room):

• Stamina Part 1
• Stamina Part 2
• Stamina Part 3

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This week I have personally experienced what it means to need stamina in the physical sense. Walking around a hilly college campus with my sister and traveling from one apartment complex to the next looking for the right place for her to live as she starts the next phase of her life. I was tired, sweaty, and out of breath with aching legs, knees and feet! While I wanted to stop walking, to stop looking for just the right place, I kept going; but not without a few stops to rest and not without food and drink along the journey.

Stamina is the ability to sustain prolonged effort (whether physical, mental, or spiritual). So what does it take to sustain your efforts as you travel along the journey that God has for you? Jodi mentions four things in this chapter that can help keep us going along the journey.

The first is Camaraderie. Having someone with us on our journey is a great way to be encouraged to keep going. I know that without my sister walking with me this week, I would have stopped and not continued walking.

This has applied in my spiritual life as well. So many times I have been down to my very last ounce of hope in life. I have had days where I didn’t want to keep going. To be incredibly honest, there have been days that I couldn’t even get out of bed because of dealing with such a deep depression. The thing that helps me the most to get through those days and to keep going in life has been the Godly women that the Lord has brought into my life. Dear friends who continually encourage me to keep going! It has been those women who have been willing to stand beside me and sometimes behind me pushing me as I walk that have helped me through.

The second is Joy. I love what Jodi said about joy. She said, “I believe that God doesn’t intend all the pleasures to be waiting only at the end of our destinations; He sprinkles it all along the way. He knows how invigorating a little joy is in the middle of our labors and challenges.” Nehemiah 8:10 says the joy of the Lord is our strength. God not only wants us to have joy, it is a tool that He gives us to stay strong on our journey! 

If you need help finding joy, find that friend that we talked about a minute ago and laugh with them until your face hurts! Seriously, good friends can bring so much light and joy into your life. I’ve had plenty of bad days turn around for the better just by spending some time laughing until I was crying with a good friend.

The third thing that can help keep us going along our journey is Stopping. That seems contradictory but it can make a big difference in our ability to keep moving forward. Like walking all over that college campus caused me to need to stop for a few minutes before I could keep walking, sometimes, we just have to stop and catch our breath.

Jodi mentioned Alicia Britt Chole’s book Ready, Set…Rest where she said, “God did not design us to live to the end of our abilities every day. We are supposed to have a buffer. If we live each day to the end of our rope, there is nothing left to hold onto when an unanticipated problem calls for something more.”

Make sure you are giving yourself a buffer. That buffer and stop along the journey can be many things. It could be a girls night out with a friend, a date night with your husband, a weekend away, or just a nice long bubble bath ALONE! Whatever you need to do to take a rest when you need to, do it. Don’t let your tank run on empty. If your tank is empty, your will stall on your journey instead of continuing on it!!

The last thing that can help us keep going is Hope. Hope is so important. When we have hope, we are putting our trust in the Lord. Romans 4:18-21 (NLT) says, “Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping – believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, ‘That’s how many descendants you will have!’ And Abrahams’ faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead – and so was Sarah’s womb. Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever He promises.”

Hope is looking at our grim circumstances and believing that our God is bigger and that what He has waiting for us just over the horizon far exceeds what we are going through right now. It’s believing in the promises He has made to us, even if we are waiting for most or all of our life. It is trusting that no matter how long it takes, God will fulfill His promises to us and not wavering in our faith while we wait.

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Discussion Questions:

1.  At what point (or circumstances) in your life have you needed stamina the most and why?


2. The Bible talks about steadfastness and endurance – other ways to describe stamina. What do the following verses teach about these qualities?
   
   • Romans 5:3-4
   • James 1:2-4
   • James 1:12-18
   • Hebrews 10:35-36
   • Hebrews 12:1-3


3. Romans 2:6-7 says, “God will repay each person according to what they have done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life.” Knowing that God sees your persistence and will reward your stamina, how does that make a difference in your ability to endure? What are some other biblical examples of stamina that was rewarded?


4. Is there anything else about this chapter you would like to discuss or that stood out to you?

Humility - Floor Exercise

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Verse of the Week:
All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. – 1 Peter 5:5b - 6 (NIV)

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Chapter 3 Video Links (From Her Green Room):

• Humility Part 1
• Humility Part 2
• Humility Part 3
• Humility Part 4
• Humility Part 5
  

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This was such a great chapter! It was full of so many good things; it is hard for me to even decide where to begin in discussing it. So, instead of starting with the book, let’s start with the verse of the week.

This verse and a half is so FULL all on its own. First of all, “clothe yourself with humility toward one another”. Humility is something that we choose to put on. It isn't something that we innately have. It also is something that we show to others. Humility isn't about what we do to ourselves as much as it is how we view and treat others around us.

“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble”. What an incentive to truly be humble. Jodi says this in the book and I wholeheartedly agree; I don’t want God opposing me! I want God on my side and showing favor to me. One version I read of this verse used the word grace instead of favor. I need God’s grace, not his opposition!!

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” Notice the roles in this verse. Our role is to humble ourselves. God’s role is to lift us up not when we want Him to, but in His own time.

There were two main sections to this chapter. The first was leadership traps and how to avoid them. The second was ten reasons we should master the “floor exercise” or humility.

For this week’s discussion, instead of using the questions at the end of the chapter, let’s talk about these ten reasons to master humility. Choose one that stood out to you and tell us how you related to it and what it was about it that made you stop and think.

I’ll start. For me, it was reason number six, Humility allows us to ask for help. So many times we go through life thinking that we can handle everything that comes our way. When times get hard, we struggle for days, weeks, months, or even years on our own trying to fight our way through our problems. Maybe it is pride that keeps us from asking for help. Sometimes it might be embarrassment or guilt that keeps us from asking for help, but whatever the reason, humbling ourselves (putting aside our pride, our embarrassment, or guilt) and asking for help is not weakness. It is acknowledging that we can’t handle everything alone. We need God and we need others.

God didn't create us to face life alone. He created us to have a relationship with Him. After He created Adam in the Garden of Eden, He said, “It is not good for man to be alone” and He created Eve. God intended for us to live our lives relying on Him and also those around us.

The book talks about how Jesus asked for help. Jesus, who could have done anything without any help from others, humbled himself and asked for help from those around Him. Several of His miracles began with Jesus asking someone else to do something for Him. He asked the servants to fill the water pots for Him to turn into wine. He asked the boy for His lunch to feed the five thousand and asked the disciples to organize and distribute the food. Now, did Jesus need help? No, but he still made a point to humbly ask.

Now it’s your turn. What one of the ten reasons to master humility spoke to you?

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Discussion Questions:

1. For this week’s discussion, instead of using the questions at the end of the chapter, let’s talk about these ten reasons to master humility. Choose one that stood out to you and tell us how you related to it and what it was about it that made you stop and think.


2. Is there anything else about this chapter you would like to discuss or that stood out to you?

Authenticity - Plastic Lipstick

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Verse of the Week:
“Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.” - Luke 12:1b-3 (NIV)

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Chapter 2 Video Links (From Her Green Room):

• Authenticity Part 1
• Authenticity Part 2
• Authenticity Part 3

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This week we are talking about Authenticity. I decided this week to make a video instead of writing a post. So the video below is my take on the chapter for this week. I look forward to the discussion this week. Talk to you all soon!

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Discussion Questions:

1. What simple questions can you ask at the next opportunity to show interest in others, even casual acquaintances or strangers?
   
   
2. Duplicity (deceitfulness in speech or conduct) began in the Garden of Eden with the fall of humanity. Read the account from Genesis 3:1-19 and notice how Adam and Eve moved from authenticity and openness to deceit and cover-up. How does that parallel with the progression toward in-authenticity in people’s lives today?
   
   
3. Jesus warned His disciples against hypocrisy both publicly and privately. Many of these cautions relate to some of our basic spiritual practices today. Read the verses below that correspond with the spiritual discipline listed. Describe ways that these good things can become tainted by phoniness, and note how to prevent hypocrisy in each area. (You may choose one or two)
• Prayer (Matthew 6:5-6)
• Giving (Matthew 6:2-4)
• Fasting (Matthew 6:16-18)
• Getting Rid of Sinful Behavior (Matthew 7:1-5)
• Making a Convert or Disciple (Matthew 23:15)
• Praising God (Mark 7:6-8)
  
  
4. Sincerity is another word for authenticity; it’s used in various Bible translations and paraphrased versions. Psalm 15 describes the characteristics of a sincere person. Read that chapter and discuss the marks of sincerity described there.
   
   
5. Is there anything else about this chapter you would like to discuss or that stood out to you?

Confidence - These Shoes are Too Big

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Verse of the Week:
So do not throw away your CONFIDENCE; it will be richly rewarded. - Hebrews 10:35 (NIV)

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Chapter 1 Video Links (From Her Green Room):

• Confidence Part One
• Confidence Part Two
• Confidence Part Three
• Confidence Part Four
  

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What is confidence? Confidence means to be convinced of, to have inward certainty or to trust. Chapter one is all about confidence. Not a vain, prideful confidence, but a Biblical, gracious confidence.

In this chapter, Jodi speaks of stepping into a major leadership role and how she felt completely unqualified. She likened it to stepping into a pair of shoes that were too big. At first you walk around awkwardly when you are wearing shoes that are too big, but in time, you begin to grow into them. As you grow, your confidence also grows.

Jodi made a decision that despite her feelings of inadequacy, she would keep walking through the doors that God opened. This to me was one of the best thoughts in this chapter. It goes back to the definition of confidence; to trust. If we can learn to trust God, even if it is reluctantly, God will use us. As we trust Him we will develop a confidence, not in ourselves, but in Him. If we have confidence in Him, we can walk through any door He asks us to, confident, not in our own ability, but in His!

Gracious confidence is what helps our feet grow into our too-big shoes. It is developing the gifts God has placed inside of me and doing my best to offer those gifts back to God as He gives me the opportunities, trusting Him with the outcomes.

I love what Jodi says on page 31. "I'm not a better leader because I've been given bigger responsibilities and a few outstanding opportunities. I'm a better leader because I stepped forward (albeit with fear and trembling) into the next thing God called me to, stuffing the toes of those too-big shoes with tissues of trust that He would grow me into His calling."

There are many things I could share from my personal experiences of clomping around in too-big shoes. This post that you are reading right now is one of them. This online Bible Study is one of those things that God kept laying on my heart, the stirring in your chest that Jodi talks about. When I decided I could at least mention it and see what came of it, I never imagined the response I would get would be, "Just go for it!"

I never considered that God would use me to do anything like this and I certainly am not the most qualified woman of this group for such an undertaking. But I am stuffing the toes of these too-big shoes with tissues of trust and walking forward to grow in His calling.

What about you? How well do your shoes fit?

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Discussion Questions:

1. What are some of the “too-big shoes” that you have stepped into and how did you grow into them?
   
   
2. Psalm 118:8 says, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” Read the story of Asa in 2 Chronicles 16:1-10 and describe how and why he put confidence in people instead of God. What was the outcome?
   
   
3. Read Jeremiah 17:5-10. Considering the strong cautions expressed in those verses, what does it look like today when we place our confidence in others or ourselves instead of God?
   
   
4. While trusting solely in ourselves is arrogant and a big mistake, there is a gracious confidence that is Biblical, healthy, and necessary for good leadership. Read the following verses and describe how the truth in each section contributes to gracious confidence. (You may choose just one or two).
• Genisis 1:27
• Joshua 1:9
• Psalm 139:13-14,16-18
• Isaiah 64:8
• Jeremiah 29:11
• 2 Corinthians 3:5
• Ephesians 2:10
  
  
5. Is there anything else about this chapter you would like to discuss or that stood out to you?

Introduction to The Jesus-Hearted Woman

I am so glad that you have decided to join us for this journey to grow as Jesus-Hearted Women. Before we get started, I wanted to share the video of the book trailer by Jodi Detrick. Take a few minutes to watch this. It will help you see the heart of the author behind the book.



While this book uses the words leader and leadership, it isn't written only for those with a title or a position. Everyone has a sphere of influence, and because of that, we all are leaders. Being a leader simply means that you have the ability to influence those around you. We all fit into that category.

If you have children, you are a leader every single day as they watch you and learn from you. If you are a wife, you are a leader in the sense that you influence your husband's decisions (whether he admits it or not). If you are a friend to anyone, you are a leader. As Christians, everyday we have the opportunity through our words and actions to either lead others closer to Christ or farther away from Him.

I have learned many things by being friends with an amazing woman of God. While she is in an official leadership position, I have learned more from her by watching how she lives her life than I ever could by listening to her preach from behind a pulpit (although I do love hearing her preach). Some lessons are learned not by hearing someone tell you what you should do, but by watching them walk it out; and ladies, others are watching how we walk!!

So, whether you have a position and title or not, I am GLAD you are here!!!

Discussion:

Take a minute and introduce yourself in the comments below. Tell us your name and where you are from and just for fun, tell us something unique or interesting about yourself.

(There is a drop down box to let you decide what account your comment will be posted from. If you don't have any of the listed accounts, either use "Name/URL" and type in your name, or you can comment using "Anonymous" but at least for this introduction post, please tell us who you are)!