small groups - it's a good thing

Tomorrow I begin small groups again. I have the privilege of meeting with four fabulous women every other week.

Our group began almost two years ago. I remember sitting at a Upwards soccer game, lonely, wishing I had a group of women who I could lean on and trust. Women who knew all the gross things about me and still loved me. After that soccer game, I began praying for God to send women in my life who would fit the bill so to speak.

A few soccer games later I found myself walking up to two women who I knew in name only and asking them if they wanted to be in a girls small group. If you know me at all you know I'm not one to go out of my way to meet people. I don't think I'm rude, I'm just shy until I know you. So to walk up to these women and ask them to be in my group was definatly the Holy Spirit working. Looking back, I still can't believe I actually walked up to them and asked them and I still can't believe they said "yes"!

Two weeks later we met at my house and boy was it AWKWARD! There was a lot of silence as I tried to lead and not talk too much. When I think about it now, it makes me laugh because now we can't stop talking. I laugh too at God's ability to put together five people who are so different. I never in a million years would've expected these women to be in a small group with me! If you would've asked me to name five women I "saw myself" with in small groups...they were not names that would've been on the list. (Sorry girls) God is such a strong glue. It is amazing to me how we can come from such different back grounds but still have a commonality that binds us together. His love and grace can blur any line society deems necessary to draw.

In the past, we've struggled with what to study. Because we were all coming from such different places in our faith walk we weren't quite sure where to begin in the Bible. I tried to start at the very beginning in Genesis. (Isn't that where Julie Andrews told us to start? Oh wait...that's when you are learning to sing.) That did not seem to work well with our group. So, thankfully, one girl suggested Psalms. Beautiful! The Psalms were an easy read, easy to connect to our lives (who doesn't ever have a day where you are crying out to God?) and easy to discuss. Looking back...David was a bit whiny....moving on...Tomorrow, we begin a study of the book of James. I'm excited to see what God has in store for us! I have read James many times on my own, but now I'm excited to read through it with my group. It's good to listen to one another and share from past experiences. It's good to hear other's opinions and views concerning the scriptures. It's good to be in community.