I hoped to use them for a girls' Bible study group. But I know (from more than two decades of teaching junior high and high school) that most adult-initiated "great ideas" flop.
At least mine always have.
So, I stepped out in faith. Or presumption! To be honest, I wasn't sure which. I just knew I was taking an empty suitcase to North Carolina when I headed to the She Speaks Intensive last week and bringing it back full of books.
Beyond that, God was going to have to let me know what to do next.
Next
Well.
He didn't waste any time!
Less than an hour after I'd connected with Lynn, I received an e-mail from our girls' dean. She was asking -- of all things! -- for women to lead Bible study groups because so many girls were asking.
Goose bumps!
The dean said she'd put together mixed groups: 2 freshmen, 2 sophomores, 2 juniors, and 2 seniors. Each group would have a student liaison.
Excellent!
No cliques. No trying to "sell myself" or beg girls to sign up for "my" group. None of the popularity contests I so hated in high school...for the girls (or me!)
My List
Monday afternoon, I got my list: 7 seniors and 1 junior. All intense young ladies.
I e-mailed the dean back, "Holy moley, whatever happened to that nice mixed group you promised?"
She replied, "Ha-ha! They all signed up last night, so you have the comfort of knowing they picked you."
"Comfort"?
How about terror!
Monday Night
At 6:15, a group of Christmas-caroling girls arrive on my front doorstep. (Okay, so maybe I am the last in the neighborhood to take down my tree and lights!)
We talk about why they wanted to be part of a Bible study group. I share my reasons for hosting them. We read the introduction to His Revolutionary Love and then brainstorm four pages of unhealthy choices we make "so that _________." (I'll share some of them next week!)
I wrap up by sharing the verses I'd studied in my quiet time that morning, Ephesians 6:10-13.
I'd planned to study 10-17, but I'd gotten stuck on verse 13:
"Therefore put on the full armor of God,
so that when the day of evil comes,
you may be able to stand your ground,
and after you have done everything,
to stand."
Verse 14 begins, "Stand firm, then..."
I'd gotten stuck because of the word "stand."
Stuck on Stand
"We don't put on the full armor of God to fight but to stand. It seems so counterintuitive!" I say, shaking my head in dismay.
One wise young lady challenges me, "Yes, Mrs. G. But which is harder?"
Thoughtful pause.
I confess, "I'm a do-er! Let me fight! ANYTHING but just stand there!"
Their laughter confirms that they, too, are Choleric / Driver personalities who understand "do" but are baffled by "be."
And I realize that rather than "having the comfort of knowing they picked" me, I know the Comfort who picked them for me...and me for them.
I suspect 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 will take on all new meaning over the upcoming weeks:
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
who comforts us in our troubles
so that we can comfort those in any trouble
with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."
Your Turn:
- What's your favorite thing about teenagers? Least favorite?
- If you've ever lead a group or taught a class, give an example of how you learned from your "students."
- How comfortable are you with "just" standing?
- Anything else on your heart!
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