This year I started a Discipleship Group with five other girls. This is different from Bible Studies that I have led in the past. Much different. For one, I am used to groups of 30 or more. When the room has only 6 girls, it changes how we get to interact. In addition to the intimacy of the group, we are reading the same scripture passages throughout our weeks and meeting every other week to pray together, recite our scripture memory verses and to share how God has spoken to us from His Word. We are all using the same journaling method as well. And each week we discuss some accountability questions.
There are three “older” girls (myself included and myself being THE oldest) and three “younger” girls. I like that and didn’t even plan it that way at all, but I like how those dynamics shake out. We may pair up and try to meet for dinner or coffee one-on-one if possible—one older and one younger gal.
See, we are encouraging one another in our spiritual walk and the disciplines of the faith, such as reading the Bible, memorizing scripture, sharing our faith, etc…..BUT we are also helping each other in other areas. Practical, every day stuff.
For example, last night all of us were discussing our influence over our kids. We talked about really being present with our kids, entering their world, etc. We talked about how young kids like to be WITH mom and talk TO mom and have mom PLAY WITH them, even dictating to us moms what to say during pretend play. We laughed about that….and then I looked at another mom who has girls near my age and asked her if her girls, like mine, have started disappearing into their rooms from time to time. She said that they do. My girls go in their rooms to be alone, to read, to listen to music, to just color and be alone. There are now times I find myself alone downstairs.
It’s nice.
And it’s strange.
Sometimes I go looking for them…quite the role reversal around here!
So, hopefully I will encourage these ladies in their walk with the Lord AND share other tidbits of practical wisdom I’ve picked up along these extra years….goodness knows someone can learn from my many mistakes! And I need not keep all that God has taught me to myself; that would be quite the waste. I am so appreciative of other ladies who have shared their life with me. I have several “one-liners” from older ladies that have stuck with me over the years and have come in handy when I have needed them. Thankful that they didn’t keep it to themselves!
