Well, Missouri is one of the 49 states with snow on the ground, and yesterday that meant good and bad news for this study.
Bad News: Our internet was out for 48 hours, therefore no intro post as scheduled. Also, our first IRL (in real life) meeting for this study was postponed.
Good News: The study being postponed means that you online participants will be two weeks ahead of my church friends. That will hold me accountable to being prepared for them, and your questions/comments will enrich our discussion. There are many women in my church family who are much much wiser than I am, so please don’t hesitate to run questions by me (even privately by email) so that I can present them at our group meetings. Between all of us, we should be able to come up with an answer if there is one!
So without further ado…
“This book sheds light on how women can be delivered from bondage and set free to walk in God’s grace, forgiveness, and abundant life. It covers lies women believe about God, about themselves, about sin, about priorities, about marriage, about children, about emotions, and about circumstances. This book offers the most effective weapon to counter and overcome Satan’s deceptions—God’s Truth.”
Taken from www.reviveourhearts.com
Introduction Chapter:
Banished from Eden, wearing clothes of animal skins, her husband sore at her, on her way to being the mother of the first murdered child – and the mother of his killer – Eve must have felt very low…
Alone
Defeated
A failure
How hard it must have been to walk with Adam east of Eden into a world in which it was a struggle just to stay alive. How hard it must have been to have known a paradise and then to be told to leave it.
What do you think Eve was thinking/feeling?
Nancy Leigh DeMoss imagines she was wishing with all her heart that she could go back to the instant before she bit into the forbidden fruit and do things over. I think she must have been devastated. She must have wanted literally to “crawl into hole.” We already know that Adam and Eve were so desperately ashamed and afraid that they tried to hide from God himself, knowing full well that there was no where they could that he wouldn’t be. (Genesis 3)
While our regrets and our fears may not be quite as heavy as our first parents, we can all relate to that sinking feeling, that dread, and that sadness. There are times when all of us cordially tell others that we are “fine” when we aren’t. I imagine Eve felt what we often feel… what NLD calls “soul-sickness.”
Look at the words at the bottom of page 16 in your books. Read them over a couple of times and circle or remember the ones that describe how you feel right now. (Frazzled could be my middle name!!)
Now look at the words on page 18. Is this the type of woman you want to be? Do any of them stand out in particular? (gracious and joyous call to me)
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galations 5:1
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30
NLD warns that it’s not her goal to be politically correct in this book – the things she exposes as lies will sometimes be hard to swallow. She knows that she will “ruffle feathers,” but she wants to challenge and help us break free from the bondage of those lies even if it means we don’t like her when we’re through. After a quick glance through the chapter titles, I can tell you that there are going to be a few weeks when I’m downright mad at her. :) If you have a moment this week, read through the chapter titles yourself and let me know which topics you think you will disagree with. I challenge you not to read ahead though. :)
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Between now and January 25th (when the next post will go up), read the introduction if you haven’t already, as well as chapter 1. Leave your thoughts about the introduction in the comments here or at the Raising the Barrs facebook page in the discussion tab. While you are there, check out the first discussion I started for a chance to win a free copy of the book! Save your thoughts about chapter 1 until after the 25th so everyone can participate in the discussion.
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Lies Women Believe has a companion study guide that is written in more of a daily-devotional format. You are of course welcome to use it if you’d like, but it won’t be necessary for this study. I have one and will be drawing from it for discussion only.
There are lots of extra resources in the back of the book and NLD has a wealth of other info in reviveourhearts.com.
