Learning & Growing...

Between 2 different studies, I have been really learning and growing.  Coincidentally, they are both about the marriage relationship and I have been learning (and re-learning) some great things!  I had to post about it just so I can encourage others to read and/or check out these powerful tools to building great marriages!!!

I've been meeting with a group of friends over the last few months doing a book study about God's instructions to wives that has been completely transforming my life and heart toward the role I have been blessed with.  It's been challenging and has caused me to really search the Bible and learn God's instructions in this regard.  I wouldn't say that I like everything Debi Pearl has to say, but I definitely can see the wisdom she is speaking from.  It has gotten me to examine my heart toward what submission really looks like and why we are called to do it, how God has designed women and men to repsond to Him and to each other, and to understand the needs of my husband and how God has allowed me to be the one to bless him with helping him in this life and for an eternal purpose. 

This is the study that we have been doing with our (big) small group.  We have been doing the DVD's rather than the book, but the book is awesome, too.  Right now with childcare issues and whatnot, the guys meet one week and the girls meet the next.  The design is that we are studying the same material, just on different weeks, so that we can talk about it and work on it together with our spouses at home.  It's not going as quite as smooth as we were hoping with that, but we're still getting a lot out of it.  Like last nights session... it gave some specific instructions to men about what women view as loving and to women about what men view as respecting him.  Obviously, I knew the loving things... but gained lots of great insight about what respect looks like in real life to my husband and how to apply it to our marriage in a more consistent way.

As we go into the new year and setting our new goals for 2012, some of this stuff is definitely going to come into play for me.  I pray that I can be the wife God designed me to be, Brian needs me to be, and that I desire to be!  I'm also still trying to determine my 'one word' for 2012.... wonder if it will be born from these studies?

Our Small Group ROCKS!!!

I just absolutely love our small group!  We've kinda gotten into a groove and a level of accountability and togetherness that is so encouraging and such a blessing.  And not just to me...

Our Pastor was diagnosed w/ prostate cancer a few months ago and has been going through some pretty intense radiation treatment in the Bay Area for the last few weeks.  Our group rallied and wanted to show him love and support in a really tangible way...  for us that meant writing encouraging notes and giving gift cards that he could use during his time away from home.  It ended up being a really awesome blessing for him, as I got to drop it off yesterday and got a note back from him today titled "WOW."  The old saying is true... it is truly better to give than to receive... I love being able to bless the socks off someone!!! =)  Thanks, group, for doing it together!!!